138 Chapter 138 ANOTHER LECTURE

SERAPHINA’S POV

Thest shard gleamed faintly in the fog like it had been waiting for us all along.

My fingers brushed the rough, moonlit stone as I pulled it free from the root where it was wedged.

A tremor passed through me–not from the effort, but from what it meant.

We had done it.

The final advancement slot was ours!

For a heartbeat, none of us spoke. There was just the sound of our ragged breathing, the hiss of mist curling

low around our boots, and the glow of the shard’s faint shimmer in my palm.

Then Judyughed–loud, fierce, joyous. She grabbed my arm, shaking me so hard the shard nearly slipped

from my fingers.

“We did it! We actually did it!”

Finn exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for hours, his shoulders easing atst.

Even Talia let out a little squeak, covering her mouth as thoughughter might be too indulgent–then

giggling anyway.

Even Roxy couldn’t hide the spark in her eyes. Her lips twitched, and though she tried to suppress it, her

posture rxed and her gaze softened–a reluctant but undeniable joy.

I closed my fist around the shard, drawing strength from its cool weight as I chuckled. “Let’s get to the finish

line before one of you copses from excitement,”

We half–ran, half–stumbled through the fog toward the clearing where the finish markers zed.

The moment we stepped past, a ring announcement confirmed what we already knew: “Team Seven-

advancement confirmed. All slots are now filled.”

Cheers broke from my team. Relief rolled through me like a wave, washing away the dread and doubt that

had shadowed every step.

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An attendant pressed thin silver badges into our hands, each engraved with the OTS insignia and the numeral 9–our new team designation for the next round.

Mine sat heavy on my chest when I pinned it to the jacket Lucian gave me. I brushed the fabric reverently, imagining the smile he would give me if he were standing before me.

Gods, I missed him. And Maya. They would both be so proud.

Judy twirled her badge on the chain like a medal. “We earned this.” She squealed. “Damn right we did!”

Surprisingly, Roxy didn’t snap at her for being loud. She only muttered, “We’d better,” though I caught the

faint curve of her mouth.

Talia clutched her badge close, eyes shining, and then she surprised me by suggesting, “We should…we

should celebrate. Together.”

Judy immediatelytched onto the idea. “Yes!” She pped her hands together excitedly. “Let’s all go out to

dinner!”

I smiled faintly. “Yeah, that sounds nice.”

Again, Roxy surprised me when she didn’t protest. “As long as it’s not whatever sludge the cafeteria tries to

pass off as stew.”

Talia’s face brightened. “I know a ce! It’s quiet, affordable, and-” She flushed at the sudden attention,

ducking her head. “And the food’s amazing. Please, let me take you.”

It wasn’t just excitement in her tone–it was pride. Like offering us this restaurant was offering a piece of

herself.

I nced at the others, then nodded. “Lead the way.”

***

The restaurant was tucked off a side street,nterns glowing warm against the cool night.

The scent of sizzling meat and herbs hit us before we even stepped inside, rich and mouthwatering.

After the suffocating damp of the woods, the heat and spice felt like stepping into another world.

We crowded into a wooden booth, badges still gleaming on our chests.

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tes arrived soon after, steaming with roasted fish, spiced rice, and broth so fragrant even Roxy’s scowl

melted into a grudging nod.

“Not bad,” she muttered, then–after a bite–added with a smile, “Not bad at all.”

Talia’s cheeks glowed pink, delight spilling out of her inughter. “Food is a passion of mine, but I don’t really

have people to share it with.” Her smile dimmed a little. “Back home, my brothers would tease me. They

made fun of me for eating too much. That’s why I…” She gestured at her round frame, faltering.

Silence settled, not cruel but heavy.

“OTS is different, though,” she rushed to add with a shy smile. “No one cares about my weight, only that I pull

it on the sparring mat.”

I reached over and squeezed her hand. “As it should be.”

Then Judy leaned forward, stabbing a piece of fish with her chopsticks. “Screw your brothers,” she dered.”

And whoever else made fun of you. Their loss. They were properly bitter because they had no one to lead

them to the joys of good food.”

Finn lifted his ss. “To Talia. May her taste always guide us.”

The toast earned a round of chuckles and lifted the shadows from Talia’s face.

The conversation shifted, loosening with every bite as everyone told their own stories.

Judy shared how she’d joined OTS after being overlooked for her pack’sbat division, repeating what

she’d told me about how much she wanted to make her family proud and give them a good standing in their

pack.

As tall as he was, Finn seemed to shrink when he spoke. “I was always smaller than everyone else. Too wiry to

be picked for sparring. And my wolf-” He shrugged. “They said I looked more coyote than wolf. Not…noble

enough.”

There was no bitterness in his tone, only a quiet eptance. But it scraped at me, the cruelty of those who dismissed strength just because it didn’t match their mold.

“Idiots,” Judy said tly. “If they can’t see the amazing value you bring, that’s on them.”

Finn’s mouth curved slightly, gratitude flickering in his gaze.

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Roxy was next. Or should have been.

But she just toyed with her cup, eyes darting between us, lips pressed tight.

Judy nudged her. “Your turn. What dragged you to OTS?”

Roxy’s jaw clenched. I saw the hesitation in her eyes, the flicker of…fear?

I frowned, surprised. I knew that Roxy and Jessica had joined OTS together, but that was the extent of my

knowledge.

But it seemed that Jessica’s shadow loomed even here, binding Roxy’s tongue.

Before any of us could pry an answer out of her, a sharp burst of noise split the air–the tter of boots, the

sharp ring ofughter at the entrance.

All our heads turned in its direction, and I rolled my eyes.

Jessica.

She strode in with her team nking her like a queen with courtiers. Her piercing gaze swept the room, and

when itnded on our table–on Roxy–it hardened into a frown.

“Well, well.” Her heels clicked across the floor as she approached. “Roxy. What a surprise.”

Roxy stiffened, her knuckles whitening around her cup.

“When you ignored my text to hang out, I didn’t think for the life of me it was because of…” Jessica’s eyes slid

across the rest of us, dismissive. “…them.”

Roxy’s head dipped, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from widening at the sudden act of submission.

“I’m sorry,” she said with uncharacteristic meekness. “I haven’t been with my phone all day.”

Jessica’s scoff was almost…pitying,

“I can’t imagine what an awful day you’ve had, Rox. You must have suffered terribly, dragging these deadweights all the way to advancement.”

Her teammates snickered on cue, voices dripping venom.

“Had to have been luck.”

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“They won’tst another round.”

“Losers dragging losers to the finish line–pathetic.”

I was used to condescending barbs, and they all bounced off my skin like rubber pellets. But I couldn’t say the

same for my team.

For Talia, who shrank into herself. For Finn, whose expression shuttered. For Judy, who tensed like she was

preparing to leap across the table.

And for Roxy, who mmed her palm down with a crack, rattling the dishes on the table. “Shut the fuck up!”

For an instant, pride surged in me as the Roxy I knew surfaced. But then Jessica’s eyes narrowed, cold and

lethal, pinning Roxy in ce.

And Roxy shrank. Shoulders hunching, re faltering, her defiance withering under the weight of Jessica’s

dominance.

“Yikes,” Jessicaughed. “Not you cowering. You’re spending too much time with the weak, Roxy; that shit

rubs off on you.”

My chest burned as I rose, my chair scraping harshly against the floor. “That’s enough, Jessica.”

Her gaze snapped to me, disdain curling her lips. “Oooh, Seraphina.” She cocked her head to the side and

widened her eyes. “Am I getting another lecture?”

Damn right, she was.

“You’vepletely forgotten the point of this trial,” I said, voice steady though my pulse thundered, “The

LST wasn’t made for us to w at each other. It was made to raise OTS higher. To prove that the weakest of

us can stand with–or against–the strongest in any pack. You’re an Omega,“-1 swept my hand toward my

team—“just like them. Why you feel the need to lord over your equals is beyond me.”

Her smirk faltered, ever so slightly.

“You want to mock us?” I pressed, stepping closer. “Fine. But remember this: of all the OTS squads, only two

remain. Yours. And ours. That means our duty isn’t just to ourselves–it’s to OTS. And I’ll be damned if I let

you drag its honor through the mud because of your overinted sense of self.”

For a moment, silence stretched taut as a bowstring. Jessica’s jaw tightened, and I could see anger bristling

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through her like a storm.

Her team shifted behind her, ncing at themselves ufortably. I arched a brow, waiting for aeback.

Finally, she leaned in so close I could smell the mint on her breath. “The only team dragging OTS’s name

through the mud is yours,” she sneered. “But don’t worry, OTS will win.”

She leaned back and folded her arms. “But it will be my team that leads us to victory.”

Judy snorted, and Jessica shot her a sharp look.

Judy smiled and gave her the middle finger salute.

Jessica rolled her eyes and, with a sharp turn of her heel, snapped, “Enjoy your tiny win while itsts. The real

victory will be mine.”

Her team followed in her wake, leaving the sting of her words behind.

None of us moved till the door swung shut behind them.

Then, I turned back to my squad.

“We made it this far,” I said quietly, shooting each of them a confident smile. “And we’ll go further. Together.”

Judy grinned fiercely, lifting her ss in the air. Finn met my eyes and gave a quiet, confident nod. Talia’s

eyes glistened, and she blinked away tears, her smile wide.

Even Roxy, though silent, sat up straighter and met my gaze with a flicker of respect, her posture no longer

withdrawn.

And despite Jessica’s taunts and barbs, my faith that we could win only grew stronger,

After all, winning wouldn’t be any fun if there was no one’s face to rub it in.

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