Lupine Academy

Prologue

A/N: The picture is of Cato, and though I'm using Alexander Ludwig, this is not a Hunger Games fanfiction.

I'm sitting on the floor of my Omega class, absentmindedly staring at the instructor, Mrs. Deniya. The tight training suit-that normally looks fairly good on people working and taking classes here-shows the extra skin and fat that create ugly rolls. It's stretched vey tight around her fat butt, breasts, and stomach, and not in a flattering way. Not even close.

Disgusting. I mean, how can you be fat and work here? This may be an Omega class, but it's still in Lupine.

I run my hand through my blonde hair, fluffing it up. The instructor says something about placing your weight carefully, and I roll my crystal blue eyes, from the fact that an extremely overweight person is telling me this, and the fact that she's gone over this five times in three days. Consecutively.

I'm going to die. Can she get any more boring? Can this class get any more boring? If it hadn't been for the accident last semester I would already be in a Beta class. But no, fighting between students is prohibited within the academy.

Seriously, Lupine Academy is a school where you learn to beat people up. The top academy of defensive and offensive arts in Lycanthrope. I realize the irony (the classes, the country name, etc.) but that's how it works here. In this world. Other countries are related to horses, fish, lions, whatever. We're the wolves, the most ferocious; fast and strong, lithe and graceful.

We have the best spies, the best commanders, everything is the best. Our country is the best of all of the ones that specialize in fighting. Our world, Rethey. Some people tell me that it used to be named Earth, back before the Wars. Back before 'Earth' was ripped out of its orbit of the Sun, and cruelly thrown into another galaxy.

They say we went through a wormhole, that we're lucky that we survived. That we're lucky that before our planet froze over, we crashed into the orbit of a smaller planet, sending it out into the oblivion known as space. Just before the human race died out, the new star, Uoh, became our sun. Lucky us.

A new government arose, quarantining everyone off from other countries. The only way to make contact is through very extensive applications and tests. Not fun, and not worth it. The country known as America, or the United States of America, turned into Lycanthrope, which is where I live. More specifically, the state formally known as Virginia, is where I live. Except that it's not called Virginia anymore, it's called Canis Lupus. There aren't states anymore, just provinces. Province Canis Lupus, of Lycanthrope.

That makes me, Cato Alexander Wildfire, of Province Canis Lupus, Lycanthrope. Class Omega, specialized in attack and covert. I'm a fighter. It's literally in my blood. Both my parents specialized in attack and covert, and lineage means a lot around here.

"Cato? Are you listening? This is very important."

"Yes, Mrs. Deniya, I am."

"Really?" She asks skeptically. "Then what did I just say?"

I sputter and rack my head for what she was blabbering on about. "You said something about a special guest?" My response becomes more of a question than an answer.

"Vaguely. Pandora Hunt from the top Alpha class is coming for a little visit. I expect you all to be on your best behaviors, seeing as she is the future of our country."

From his relaxed spot next to me, my best friend, Aspen, whispers, "Best behavior, my ass. I don't need to suck up to some bitchy little snob." I snicker; he's right. The Alphas aren't as perfect as they and everyone else think they are. Granted, I do want to be one, but then again, who doesn't?