Artemis: The Trial

Ch. 1

My muscles were screaming at me to stop, my lungs were on fire, but the pain just made my focus even sharper. I had to keep pushing, otherwise the punishment would be severe.

So I kept running. I was sprinting through an obstacle course that had been set up in a forest to test me, to see how far I would push myself, how much pain I could endure.

I was their secret weapon, and I needed to be perfect before they unleashed me on their enemies.

An arrow whizzed towards me, but I heard it coming and spun in a circle, grabbing out of the air without breaking stride as I continued my sprint, carrying the arrow with me in case I needed a weapon later on.

Drops of rain splashed against my face as they started to fall out of the sky.

Just what I needed, I thought as I gritted my teeth and pushed my legs to go faster. I dodged through the trees and over fallen logs, my bare feet barely making a noise.

Then I heard it, the pounding of feet as someone, or something, starting chasing me. My eyes widened in shock for a split second as I realized what was following me, no, gaining on me.

They were really testing me this time. I usually only fought against wolves in an enclosed and carefully monitored area, never out in the open like this.

The pounding footsteps were getting louder, I could hear their labored breathing as they fought to catch up to me.

I had to make a decision and fast. I either turn and fight them, or try and out run them. I quickly discarded the second option, I'd already been running for what seemed like hours, there was no way I could outrun them now.

All of a sudden a force hits me in the back, throwing me to the ground. I got up and into a defensive stance as quickly as I could, ignoring the pain in my hands and knees from the rocks and sticks scraping them up. I turned to face the wolf that had just knocked me over. My grey eyes met their yellow ones and I could see the hate and disgust in them.

They might actually kill me, I thought to myself numbly as I waited for them to make the first move. I saw their muscles bunch up and knew they were going to launch themselves at me.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, their body was airborne now, and I tried escaping underneath their outstretched claws. A moment of relief flows through me before I feel their jaws clamp down on my shoulder.

I jolt up from my bed, my body trembling and covered in sweat.

Just a memory, I thought as I searched my bedroom for a threat that was long dead. I reach up and rub my right shoulder, where scars from that fight were hidden under my night shirt. It was aching slightly, I must have slept on it wrong.

I relaxed once the adrenaline from my dream wore off, and looked out the window of the loft they had placed me in. The sun was just starting to peak over the buildings of the small town, painting the sky a beautiful pink and purple as the sun chased away the night.

I watched the sun come all the way up over the horizon and then decided to get ready. After all, my mission started today, and I couldn't afford to mess it up.

There is no messing it up, I thought to myself as I searched my closet for an outfit that would be appropriate for my first day of school. I frowned when I realized they had barely packed any of my usual clothes for missions and grimaced as I pulled out a light cream colored sweater to wear with the pair of jeans I had out. I needed to blend in at least on the first day, find my target, and then I could wear what I needed to complete the job.

I completely ignored the lingerie section that they had stocked up in the closet, if I needed it I'd use it, but I didn't plan on it coming to that.

I changed quickly and then examined my appearance in the full-length mirror that hung on the front of the bathroom door. The knit sweater was comfortable enough, though maybe a little too low cut for some people as it was a twisted in the front. The twist created a v-neck neckline that stopped just above my bra, it also made it ride up a little, showing about an inch of my stomach above the light high waisted skinny jeans I had matched with it.

Now for my hair, I thought as I ran a hand through my long, wavy blonde hair. I went into the bathroom and brushed it out, then threw it up in a high ponytail. Even with it up it fell down to my mid back.

I grimaced as I looked at the bag of make up on the counter. I knew I needed to put some on so that I would blend in a little more with the other teen girls, but it was one thing that I was never able to master.

I settled with just adding some mascara to my already long lashes to make my grey eyes pop, and shaped and filled in my eyebrows a little. Once I was done I headed out to the main area and grabbed the pair of white converse that were sitting next to the front door.

After putting the shoes on, I grabbed the backpack they had gotten for me and paused as I passed the closet where my bow and arrow were hidden behind a fake wood panel. No, you're not killing anyone on your first day of school, I told myself as I walked out the front door and locked it. I walked down the stairs and came out into the coffee shop that the loft was located over.

Walking up to the counter I ordered a medium mocha latte to go and continued on my way once I paid and received it.

I grimaced when I saw the car they had given me for going to and from school. My bike would have brought way too much attention to me, so they gave me something a little more.. inconspicuous.

I opened the drivers door to the grey Range Rover and threw my backpack onto the passenger seat as I got in and then I took off to Emmerson High high school.

I parked towards the back of the large parking lot and sat there for a moment, finishing my coffee and surveyed the students as they talked to their friends and walked into the brick building.

I had to be really careful, there were two werewolf packs that attended this school, along with just regular humans. Lucky for me, they won't suspect me of being a werewolf since the doctors of the 'pack' had found a way to silence my wolf. I could still shift, though it has been years since I had been allowed to try, but I couldn't communicate with my wolf. Not being able to communicate with your wolf has two side affects; it takes away your wolf's scent, and it takes away your ability to feel when you meet your mate.

It didn't bother me much, because I don't think I have a mate. I'm kind of like a science experiment, I've been poked and prodded with torture machines and what seems like every kind of substance they could think of from the time I was three years old, until I turned 15. Once I turned 15 and was able to shift, they started my training, and for the next three years I trained almost nonstop until they thought I was ready for missions.

A shrill bell rang through the air, pulling me out of my thoughts and I grabbed my bag and heading inside the building that I would be in now for five days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and steeled myself for the task at hand. Find the young Alpha, get as much intel as possible, and then take him out before he comes to full power.

*This is unedited*

**Sorry this is so short, most of the chapters will be longer than this though! Please let me know what you think!**