I’m gasping for breath by the time I get to the sand pit through which I have to army crawl under a


    heavy cargo. This obstacle marks the final third of the course, which means that I’m almost done


    but it’s also the part that always slows me down the most.


    I dive in without hesitation, trying to push myself as hard as I can, not giving myself any time to hesitate


    or take a break even though my heart is pounding with the exertion.


    Rafe is right. I’m a Sinir. We don’t fail at shit like this.


    And the chain climb, which is next?


    Well, I’m just going to have to handle that when I get there, aren’t I?


    In the meantime, I use my legs to propel me forward, my thighs burning as I use my stomach muscles


    to hold my body in the air as much as I can, my forearms moving fast to take my weight as I move


    towards the edge.


    By the time I get to the end of the sand pit I’m red and panting, my tongue sticky with sand kicked up


    into the air by the sixty–some cadets who are already ahead of


    like me in line, including Jackson, who has already ovepped me. As usual, he Rafe, Jesse, and Luca


    – goes through the course twice in the time it takes the rest of us to do it once, earning apletion


    bonus.


    But, considering that he didn’t even look my way when he passed me…I’m counting my blessings.


    I roll out from under the cargo rope, giving myself ten seconds toy on the ground and catch my


    breath, as Rafe advised I do, before I try to magically levitate myself up this chain or something –


    But as Iy stay still, carefully counting my breaths, suddenly a heap of sand hits me in the face –


    And I gasp, sputtering and roiling over onto my stomach as I frantically wipe at my face, hacking sand


    from my throat. I finally shake the majority of the sand away and get a glimpse of f**king Graham


    Wright smirking over his shoulder at me as he starts to pull himself up the chain


    God, what an asshole-


    He puts a further thirty second dent in my time as I work to spit the sand our of my mouth and ensure


    that it doesn’t get in my lungs. Then I pull myself to my feer and start to jog towards the chains, cursing


    the Wright family and passively plotting their deaths when suddenly 1 stumble in surprise, because


    Because f**king Jackson is right there, kneeling at the corner of the chain obstacle, again tying his


    damn shor


    I slow my pace but keep moving, trying to figure out what the hell is going on with him –


    I mean, honestly, if his boots are messing with him that much, why doesn’t he just take them off and


    go? This is going to put a severe dent in his time he’ll still get thepletion bonus, but this will be the


    worst time he’s ever recorded, and he’ll certainly have given the title for this course to Rafe, who…


    But as I jog towards the chains, my mind working fast, Jackson raises his head.


    And looks directly into my eyes.


    I slow further and he scowls at me, ncing down at my feet, clearly telling me to


    get a move on.


    I hesitate for a second but then start to run, faster now. He lifts his eyes again to mine and nods, one,


    solidly. And then, shocking me, he returns his gaze to his shoe, his body curled over, his shoulders t


    above him almost like…


    Like…a table.


    Or a tform.


    I gasp as I suddenly realize what the hell is happening.


    And that…that I have one shot to take advantage of this gift Jackson hasid at my feet –


    And I don’t know why he did it – maybe as an apology for trying to choke me? Maybe as a thanks for


    the simple act of inviting him to breakfast?


    But for whatever reason he did it – Jackson has opened a door for me to f**king make it into the


    academy.


    His words at the start of the obstaclee back to me as I pick up speed


    “There isn’t anynguage that prevents you from using other candidates‘ bodies as leverage.”


    And as my focusnds on the t expanse of his wide shoulders?


    see exactly how he’s positioned them for me.


    As leverage.


    With a final burst of speed, Iunch myself into the air over Jackson’s head, my


    right footnding on t of his back between his shoulders, and I shout as I straighten my knee and


    push


    Jackson lets out a yell and stands, acting for anyone who is watching like I did this without his consent


    – shouting after me and cursing like a damn sailor at the little Shrimp who used him like a damn step


    stool.


    But the leverage, and the fact that Jackson shouted and stood just as my foot hit his back – it only


    pushed me up higher.


    And the boost is everything I need.


    I grab the chain about eight feet off the ground, and I grit my teeth, putting every ounce of effort and will


    into my biceps as I haul myself the final two feet onto the tform at the top.


    But two feet? Two feet I can do.


    I ignore Graham’s shouts behind me as he calls me a cheater, and Jackson’s pretend curses, grinning


    like an idiot as I sprint forward on to the next obstacle.


    But the rest is cake -And as I cross the finish line ten minutester, mying in short pants, and


    nce up at the time?


    I grin, because it’s absolutely the best time I’ve ever made minutes faster than I’ve ever made it before.


    Which means…


    breath


    a whole fifteen


    it’s not a good time, the


    I start tough a little hysterically now. Because I mean obstacle course is still by far my weakest test,


    and it counts for so much in the final


    ranking


    But I think…I think it just might be good enough


    And as Jackson crosses the finish line a second after me, I swear there’s a little smile on his lips as he


    nces my way.


    I fall in at Jackson’s side as the Lieutenants nod to us, letting us know they’ve got our times, my breath


    coming pathetically short inparison to Jackson’s even. controlled breathing.


    But neither of us acknowledge it or even say a word as we pass through to the


    barracks.


    Because whatever is done is done.


    And only the rankings truly matter now.


    Inside the barracks, Jackson still doesn’t speak to me as he moves to his bunk and I go to mine. I


    nce around, looking for Jesse and Luca and Rafe – Ben won’t havee out yet – but none of them


    are here. Lieutenants move around the room, barking at us to hurry, and as much as I’d like a second


    to run to the bathroom and clean up, there’s just no time.


    So, I gather my pack, which really just has my spare nket and my toothbrush kit in it I didn’te


    with any personal belongings, like everyone else did – and head anxiously for the front door and out


    into the sunlight.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Like everyone else, I head immediately for the line of candidates who already stand in formation,


    organized ording to our ranking yesterday. Everyone stands looking forward, their hands sped


    behind their backs like the soldiers they hope to be, their feet shoulder–width apart.A Lieutenant


    directs me to my spot, a little ck dot with a small number 70 painted on it. I exhale, tucking my hands


    behind my back andcing my fingers together, assuming the position. As soon as I do, though, I start


    to peer around, looking for my family and my friends, hoping to hell that everything went okay for them.


    We’re all pretty spread out on the widewn at the base of the cliff on which the Academy castle is


    built, the entrance just a ck door built into the wall of rock directly ahead of us. I curse my short


    stature again as I try to see between shoulders and torsos, but luckily we’re far enough apart that I get


    a glimpse of Rafe’s dark head rising high above pretty much everyone else’s. Near him at the


    front is Jesse, and down the line to their right is Jackson


    spare a nce for 1 ucx, and consider looking behind me to see if Ben has emerged yet, but then my


    eyes return to Jackson and I consider, again, why he helped me today


    But then my stomach sinks as I wonder god, did he help me today?


    I go over the events again in my mind.


    Jackson waiting for me at the starting line.


    Jackson telling me about a vague rule in the handbook – a handbook I’ve never heard of before.


    Jackson kneeling at the base of the chains, which he must know is my worst obstacle –


    And then the way he looked at me before setting his shoulders t, basically inviting me to use him as


    leverage.


    But…was it even real?


    If it was – Jackson just gave me the boost I needed to get into the academy. But if it wasn’t… go white


    as I realize that Jackson – who basically tried to kill me twice – he may have just gotten me disqualified


    from candidacy. If it is actually illegal to use another candidate’s body as leverage, which seems like it


    should be…


    Then Jackson just fooled me into breaking the rules during thest test.


    My face goes white as I realize the risk I just took, and I curse myself heartily as a fool as I realize that I


    trusted him because he’s my mate-


    But Jackson – he has no idea that I’m his mate. As far as he knows, I’m just the shrimp who is


    somehow keeping his mate from him- precisely the person he’d want to eliminate, precisely the person


    who he’d want to lure intocency with an awkward apology and by epting an invitation to eat


    at breakfast.


    I press my eyes shut, stifling a moan, realizing just how stupid I’ve been today.


    God, I shouldn’t have trusted him I should have just tried to do it on my own, taken the penalty for being


    so slow…


    Unless…


    I mean, isn’t it just as possible that Jackson, like Luca, does sense a connection between us? That he


    might want to help?


    “Candidates,” the Captain’s voice booms out, artificially amplified this time so that we’re all sure to hear


    him. “Congrattions on yourpletion of these two rigorous weeks. It is now time to announce the


    names of the 96 newest cadets at Alpha Academy. In order, those who have been epted are as


    follows…”


    And as the Captain pauses, reaching behind him for the official list of final rankings, I gulp dry air down


    around the lump in my throat.


    Because in just a few minutes I’ll learn the truth: whether my mate truly saved me, or if he intentionally


    ruined my dream of bing a cadet at the Alpha Academy,