Chapter 66
๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ก
The first thing I noticed were Konstantin leaving his marked spot to Dmitri. My stomach dropped.
“I will report you to the HIgh Alpha that stupid stunt you pulled. All you do is fucking cheat p>
But Dmitri seemed to pay him no mind, his looking the distance.
“Are you ignoring me, brat?” He drew a close fist back, “Your future beta p>
“Will you just stop for once Even Sylvanna began to speak but he cut her off harshly.
“Women should speak only if and when they are spoken to, so fuck off before beat you like father should.” He snapped.
He turned his attention back to Dmitri, nose flaring, face already red, “Talk, wimp,” He spat.
But Dmitri continued to look into space.
“Leave him alone,” My voice trembled, “Just fucking stop. Doesnโt it get old?” Frustration laced my words.
He turned to me, his eyes narrowing, “You have no idea what I will do to you once I am the high Alphaโs beta, I will p>
“You will what, Konstantin?” Vladimirโs voice filled the large arena, like it was closed space. His voice actally echoing.
All head whipped to him as he strode in with Arlo behind him. His pale eyes on the thirty years old boneheaded bully.
“You have returned High Alpha,” Konstantin breathed. “While you were not here this candidate went out of line and interrupting the trainning trying to play hero p>
“No, that was not what happened,” I grabbed Vladimirโs arm, pulling to look at me. “He was being unneccerily cruel p>
“How?” Vladimir simply asked.
“He hurled the balls very hard p>
“I told them to follow their instincts,” Vladimir interrupted, his voice flat. Final. “To be fierce, strategic, or precise. Those were my instructions p>
My hand dropped from his arm.
Konstantinโs face transformedโthe smug satisfaction returning like a disease. “Exactly, High Alpha. I was simply following your orders. Being thorough in my assessment of the hybridโs capabilities p>
Vladimirโs pale eyes remained on him. Unreadable. “And what exactly did you plan to do with Lilith once you became beta p>
The question hung in the air, deceptively simple.
Konstantin straightened, chest puffing out. “Tame her, High Alpha. Sheโs wild. Disrespectful. She needs to learn her place. As your beta, I would ensure she understands the hierarchy. That half-bloods donโt speak to their betters the way she spoke to me p>
Tame her.
The words made my skin crawl.
Vladimirโs expression didnโt change. He simply nodded once. “I see p>
Then his gaze swept across all of themโSylvanna, Dmitri, Konstantin. Finally landing on me.
“Describe what happened. Each of you. Starting with Sylvanna p>
Sylvanna stepped forward, shoulders back, voice measured. “I threw from my marker as instructed. Aimed for non-lethal targets. Adjusted speed and trajectory to test her reaction time and adaptability. She improved significantly once she stopped relying solely on sight and began listening to auditory cues p>
“And your assessment of her character?” Vladimir asked.
“Resilient. Stubborn. Refused to yield despite obvious pain. She has potential if properly trained.” Sylvannaโs tone remained professional. Clinical. Like she was discussing livestock.
Vladimir turned to Dmitri. “Your account p>
Dmitriโs voice was quiet. Steady. “I threw as instructed initially. When Konstantinโs throws became… excessive, I intervened. Stood between them while teaching her to listen rather than just react. She learned quickly p>
“And your assessment p>
“Sheโs stronger than she looks. Braver than she knows. She didnโt yield even when she had every reason to.” A pause. “That takes character p>
Vladimirโs eyes narrowed fractionally. “You took hits meant for her. Explain your reasoning p>
“The test was about training, not destruction. A good trainer knows the difference between pushing someone to their limit and breaking them entirely. Breaking serves no purpose. It only creates fear and resentment.” Dmitriโs dark eyes met Vladimirโs without flinching. “I was demonstrating an alternative approach p>
Konstantin snorted. “Alternative approach. More like coddling p>
“Konstantin,” Vladimir cut him off. “Your account p>
The boneheaded bully stepped forward eagerly. “I followed your instructions exactly, High Alpha. You said to be fierce. To follow instinct. My instinct told me that the hybrid needed to understand consequences. She insulted meโpublicly humiliated meโso I made sure the training reflected that. I pushed her hard. She needed to learn respect p>
“How hard?” Vladimir asked, voice devoid of emotion.
“Hard enough to make an impact. To show her what happens when she steps out of line.” Konstantinโs smile was vicious. “Sheโs weak, High Alpha. Fragile. The fact that she couldnโt handle proper training proves she doesnโt belong here. If she canโt take a few throws from a beta candidate, how will she survive as Luna p>
Vladimir turned to me. “Lilith. Your account p>
I swallowed hard, every bruise throbbing. “Konstantin threw with intent to injure. Not train. He wasnโt testing my reflexes or pain toleranceโhe was punishing me for the insult. Heโ” I gestured to Dmitri. “โwould have broken my ribs if Dmitri hadnโt caught it. And after you left, it got worse. The words, the force, everything. He wasnโt training me. He was trying to break me p>
“And did he?” Vladimirโs pale eyes held mine. “Break you p>
“No p>
“Did you yield p>
“No p>
“Why not p>
I hesitated. Because the truth was complicated. Because Kaia had helped. Because Dmitri had taught me. Because some stubborn part of me refused to give Konstantin the satisfaction.
“Because he doesnโt get to win,” I said finally. I bit my lips against any insult that i could blurt out just to drive the point home.
Silence stretched across the arena.
Vladimirโs gaze moved between all of us, calculating, assessing. Finally, he spoke.
Vladimir turned to Konstantin. “Konstantin Orlov p>
The bullyโs chest puffed out again, anticipating praise.
“You are strong. Assertive. Dominant. You command presence and project authority.” Vladimirโs voice remained flat, but something flickered in his eyes, something sharp enough to cut. “You also lack restraint. You conflate punishment with training. You allowed personal grievance to override strategic judgment. And most tellinglyโyou required my absence to fully unleash your cruelty p>
Konstantinโs face went from red to white. “ButโI was following p>
“You were following your basest instincts, yes. Which revealed exactly what I needed to know about your character.” Vladimirโs words were precise and surgical. “A beta must be fierce when necessary. But a beta who cannot distinguish between discipline and vindictiveness is a liability. Not an asset p>
The air itself seemed to freeze.
“You are dismissed from consideration p>