Caitlyn's POV
It was only when the first rays of the morning sun poured into the house that I slowly rose from my bed. I don't know if it was because this room had been my mother's dwelling, but I slept more soundly during this slumber.
"Caitlyn, are you awake?" Zed's voice emanated from outside the door, and I could imagine him standing there with a smile on his face.
Hastily, I applied my makeup and opened the door.
Zed stood in the doorway, sporting a smile and holding a cup of coffee and still-steaming bread.
"Zed, you don't have to be like this; you're the alpha of the pack." A little helplessly, I took the dinner plate from his hands and gestured for him to come in.
"It's okay; no one saw me when I came over. Even if they did, what could they think? You're my cousin; what's wrong with me being kind to you?" Zed said with such a straight face that I was momentarily speechless.
"Is there something wrong with you?" I inquired of Zed as I raised my head while eating the bread. At the same time, I couldn't help but sigh in my heart; the flavor of this bread was quite good.
"Yes, there is something. Today is the day of the pack's ability test, so later on, you'd better change your clothes and follow me to the back of the mountain," Zed declared with a serious face.
"Ability test? What's that?"
"Strictly speaking, it's to evaluate the strength of your werewolf abilities. The purer your abilities are, the greater your future potential will be. It just so happens that a group of werewolves returned last time as well. So today, joining them for the test is opportune. It will have a significant impact on the resources the pack invests in you in the following years."
Zed's earnest expression made me a little uncomfortable, and I couldn't help but feel a bit repulsed in my heart.
It was due to this so-called "ability" classification in the pack that people could easily be categorized into different classes, even though I understood that this was the norm in the werewolf world.
"I'm not going." I dropped the unfinished bread onto my dinner plate, crossed my arms, and twisted my face to the side.
"Don't. You must go. This concerns the future of our pack. Everyone will be there to observe. Maybe a Gamma will be produced in this selection." Seeing my refusal, Zed became instantly anxious and hurriedly explained.
"Gamma? Strange. Why haven't you guys chosen a suitable candidate until now?"
The significance of a Gamma, the strongest combatant of a pack, is self-evident, especially for a robust pack like Fullmoon Pack. However, Zed's explanation suggested that the position had remained vacant until now.
"Well, that's true." Zed smiled awkwardly. "Speaking of which, since your mother left the pack, the Gamma position has been vacant. Until now, no one's strength has been unanimously recognized by everyone, so..."
Zed pursed his lips, his face bitter.
"Not even you, the Alpha?" I was a bit shocked; in my perception, Zed was already considered the strongest of the group. However, the pack's standard for strength turned out to be different from my expectations.
"If I had to, I should be able to tie with Kayn, and our lights emitted during the ability test is about the same."
"Light?" I frowned.
"Yeah, there's a statue of a wolf's head at the back of the hill. That's where the tool to test the purity of our abilities is. All you need to do is put your hand on it, prick your finger, and squeeze out a drop of blood. It will emit light based on the purity of your ability. The more light it emits, the more it shows the strength of your ability."
I nodded in understanding. "And what would be the benefit?"
Zed froze, obviously not expecting me to ask that.
"There would definitely be many benefits. On one hand, the one with greater strength would be highly valued by the pack. On the other hand, it would greatly benefit the awakening of your ability."
Thud!
As Zed's words landed, a protracted chime suddenly echoed from outside the door, instantly alerting Zed.
"Hurry up and get going; the test is about to start."
With that, Zed pulled me toward the back of the mountain at a brisk pace.
Before I even reached the scene, I could feel the warm atmosphere. There were at least several times more pack members than I had seen when I first arrived at the pack. No wonder Zed had mentioned that the test was highly valued in the pack. Right now, probably all the members had come out to observe.
On the surrounded high platform stood a massive wolf head statue, light gold in color. Its appearance resembled that of a wolf, and at the same time, the statue had numerous light patterns slowly flowing. Vaguely, it exuded a mysterious majesty, like a huge wolf silhouette.
"That one is for testing. Don't worry; it's just a test and can't be done with the help of external forces. Everything depends on your ability."
I didn't know if it was because I was a bit out of my mind looking at that statue, but Zed reassured me.
The others who were testing it emitted either bright or dim light after placing their hands on it, accompanied by cheers and unwilling shouts.
"Well? Any confidence?"
Seeing me approach, Azir smiled and greeted me, quickly drawing the attention of the surrounding members.
Apparently, news of the previous match between Karma and me had spread throughout the pack.
"Well, Grandpa, I don't know."
I truthfully admitted to Azir, immediately eliciting a sigh of relief from the surroundings. After my strong performance last time, everyone assumed I would be confident about this test. No one expected me to express uncertainty.
"It's fine. Just go ahead."
Azir smiled at me.
"Don't think you're somebody just because you pulled a little stunt last time. How can a human/werewolf hybrid loser like you perform any miracles?"
At that moment, Karma, standing in the crowd, clasped his hands to his chest, a hint of disdain showing in his eyes.
She then slowly walked up the steps under the gaze of the crowd, followed by placing his hand on the wolf head statue.
In the next second, the light flourished.