Chapter 5 Assigned

Morgan The introduction morning was a morning that showed me that most of these Wolves and Lycans think very highly of themselves. They barely paid attention to Elder Larson as he explained what they could expect over the next two weeks, and during lunch, I could hear their remarks on some of the other students — remarks that pissed Amra off. I did pay attention, and I got the hidden message that Elder Larson gave: excel in your classes and you might end up as team Captain. But the other hidden message he gave was one I would enjoy much more — if you failed, you would be sent home without a chance to ever be accepted again. My two weeks with Elder Emmett were amazing, and I surprised him when I was able to pass every test he gave me. He tested my knowledge of Pack hierarchy, my knowledge of our laws, and during my second week, he gave me hypothetical cases to solve. I spent lunch with the rest of the students, and with each passing day, I got more annoyed with them. The worst out of them was Nigel, the second Son of the Alpha of Shadow Rock Pack, and a close second was Marge, the second Pup of Shadow Rock Pack’s Gamma. Both of them thought they were the best of the best, and both were arrogant enough to boast about it. Today we will hear who has made team Captain and who will be sent home. I doubt Nigel and Marge realize that they might be on that list, and I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when they hear that they are not as good as they seem to think. I have watched the other students over the past two weeks, and I know who I will choose as a part of my team. I sit down in a seat at the back of the room and let my eyes glide over the other students, all of them chatting among themselves. Every conversation halts as Elder Larson steps onto the stage, and I hear a few gasps when the King follows him up there. Another thing most of them didn’t hear during the introduction morning. “Good morning and welcome to the final day of the try-out weeks,” Elder Larson says, and I can see a lot of confused faces. Elder Emmett chuckles softly, and I glance at him to see a smirk on his face. I think they knew not everyone had been paying attention. “Today you will find out if you have what it takes to become part of the King’s Army or if you are being sent home. For those that end up in the group that gets sent home, a little warning — you will never get a second chance.” He explains, and I see a few faces pale. Amra is chuckling in my head, and we both have an idea who might be on the list to be sent home. “I will start out by announcing the team Captains. After that, I will announce the students that failed, and last but not least, I will announce the Unit Commander,” he says, and everyone starts to mumble — another indication they didn’t pay attention during his speech on the introduction morning. He tells us that this year’s students will be split into seven teams, meaning that only thirty-five students will remain by the end of the day — and that means that over forty students will be sent home. I watch every student as Elder Larson starts calling out names: “Flora, Beck, Waylen, Moura, Enzo, Orson, and Morgan.” Each of us gets up after he has called out our name, and I see a few strange looks when I get up. “The seven of you will receive your team once we are done here. Please sit down again. I will now announce who will be going home,” he states before he picks up the list with the names he will be calling next. One after the other looks devastated when they hear their name, and I see Nigel and Marge looking rather smug as most around them hear their names. I have been counting the names Elder Larson has called out, and I know he has two more names on his list — Nigel and Marge still looking as if they made it. The moment he calls out Marge’s name, I hear her growl, and when he calls out Nigel’s name, we hear a loud roar coming from him. I stifle a smile at the look on their faces. Elder Larson orders us to be quiet, and the moment the room is silent, he looks at the students. “As I already said, I still have an announcement to make. For those of you that didn’t pay attention on your first day at the Academy, I will explain what a Unit Commander is. A Unit Commander is in charge of the teams from this year — every team Captain answers to the Commander. Unit Commander is the highest position you can have within the King’s Army. “As Unit Commander, you appoint an assignment to a team, you report to the King after an assignment is completed, and you will report to the King if someone doesn’t perform to the best of their abilities. If a Unit Commander deems a team member unfit, that team member can be removed from his or her team. “It doesn’t mean you will be sent home. It means you will be reevaluated and you will be assigned to another function. Your place within the team will be filled by someone that was removed from a team and has proven himself or herself.” He says as he looks around the room, and this time the King gets out of his seat to step to the front of the stage. “It is my honor to announce this year’s Unit Commander. I have been watching each of you over the past two weeks, and I know that Elder Larson and Elder Emmett made the right choice by suggesting this student. This year’s Unit Commander is Morgan.” The King says, and I just stare at him. I hadn’t seen that one coming. The King sits down again to allow Elder Larson to finish up. “You can leave for your rooms and pack up your belongings. I expect you to be off the territory within the hour — no exceptions.” Elder Larson says, and it becomes a noisy mess when over forty students get up to leave the room. Royal guards are waiting just outside, and I see them following those that have been sent home — probably a precaution. I hear Marge complaining to Nigel, “What the fuck is this? Some puny Wolf gets to be Unit Commander, and they send me packing. I will show them next year what they tossed aside,” she mumbles, and Elder Emmett gets up. “Marge, you won’t be coming back. Anyone that gets sent home has no chance of coming back,” Elder Emmett states, and I see a murderous look in her eyes. Nigel seems to have a bit of a brain left as he pulls her with him and growls at her to shut up. Elder Emmett hands me a tablet and tells me all the files of my team members are on there. He tells me to go through them before I assign members to a team. In the meantime, Elder Larson has informed the other students that I will be assigning members to each team in the morning and that we have the rest of the day to settle into our new building. “Tonight you will stay on the visitor floor of your new home. After Commander Morgan has assigned the teams, she will also appoint you your Quarters. It will be your home for as long as you are in service of the King’s Army, and we expect all of you to uphold the oath you will take in the morning,” he says before he dismisses us. I follow the others toward our rooms as they chat among one another, and I already hear a few claiming their team Captain, but I doubt I will allow it. I need strong teams to function to the best of their abilities, and that means I have to look at their files closely, forming teams that can hold up on their own. I am the first one out of my room, and I wait for the rest to show up, but as I had expected, most take off down the stairs. Those that waited with me are the ones who understand that I know where we are going, and once everyone has cleared their room, we head down the stairs to find the others sitting in the living room. Instead of telling them to follow me, I walk out the front door, and I hear a few giggles and chuckles behind me. Our building is the third one to my right, and we will share it with a unit that has been in service of the King’s Army for ten years. Let’s see how that goes with some members of my team. When we arrive at the building, I hear someone shouting from behind me, and as I turn around, I see the others running toward us. Waylen is the first to open his yap. “Why didn’t anyone tell us where you were going?” I look at him before I sigh deeply. “Why would I? You didn’t think it was necessary to wait for the rest of us,” I respond. I turn on my heel and head up the steps to the front door. I know the other unit isn’t around at the moment, and I walk up the stairs to the visitor floor once we are all inside. “Pick a room, but don’t unpack. It will only be for tonight, so there is no need to get comfortable,” I say before I open the door in front of me. I spend most of my time going over every file, only taking a break for lunch and dinner, and by the time I turn in, I have assigned every member to a team Captain.