Starrynights의 작품

The coffee shop’s interior was a blend of traditional Hawaiian design, though the faded walls and peeling paint hinted it had seen better days. My eyes wandered from one wall to another, scanning the room in a desperate attempt to avoid Claire’s penetrating gaze. She hadn’t stopped watching me since Hunter left, and her stare felt like it could peel away layers of secrets I wasn’t ready to reveal.“Good décor,” I said impulsively, trying to break the silence, though the words felt hollow.“My daughter’s idea,” Claire replied, her voice softening with a note of pride. “She’s an interior designer in Illinois.”For a fleeting second, the warmth in her tone hit something deep within me. A sharp pang of pain surged through my chest, and unbidden images of my parents lying in a pool of their own blood, slaughtered by Rowan’s hand, flashed across my mind. I clenched the cup of coffee t

CHAPTER FIVEWe’d stopped for gas at least twice before reaching the outskirts of Crest Falls in the early morning hours. From what I’d gathered, Hunter wasn’t much of a talker. Whether it was due to paranoia or just a deeply ingrained habit, I couldn’t be sure.“Fancy a cup of coffee, Maddison?” he asked, pulling into the parking lot of a small, almost deserted diner. Just as quickly, his expression shifted. His face paled as he mumbled, “Unless... pregnant women shouldn’t drink coffee. I don’t know jack about the do’s and don’ts of pregnancy.”The panicked look on his face was enough to make me crack a small smile as I pulled off my helmet.“I don’t mind a cup,” I replied, leading the way inside.The place had a quiet, sleepy atmosphere, like it was caught in a time warp. A middle-aged couple worked behind the counter, chatting in low voices. There were only two other customers: a young woman, probably in her early twenties, with her nose buried in a stack of textbooks, and a scruff

Its quite a mad quest if you think about it but then again, I hadn’t experienced an ounce of normality for ages. My life was beginning to be so good at growing chaotic each day and the only thing that proved to be the only shining light in my otherwise darkened life, was the baby growing in my womb. The wind hit my face but I doubted it was as hard as the wind on Hunter’s face. We hadn’t exchanged a word since he began driving almost an hour ago and I’m certainly very grateful for that. I sincerely could not stand being caught in a conversation right now. Instead, I let my brain think of the one man who had single-handedly ruined my life and that the day he’d come into my life. FLASHBACK The chill evening air in River Moon town-home to the best pack in the city of Rosewood and consequently my pack-brushed my dark hair but that did not bother me even for a second. I took in a harsh load of breath, my frail arms hanging around my lithe body shakily. I stole a quick glance at my fathe

CHAPTER THREE HUNTER’S POV Nightfall approached quicker than I had anticipated and from where I sat peeling a tangerine while watching crackles of the open fire I’d built outside the house; I couldn’t help but think about her rather beguiling yet strange and dangerous predicament. It was almost suicidal. My eyes involuntarily settled on her face across the fire. The flames caressed her face and once again, I found myself clawed with a certain hunger. Fuck! She was not mine and I knew better than to cross that damn alpha. She had her knees drawn up against her, hugging them while staring into the flames, a distant look in the green of her eyes. Maddison Brown was known among all the wolf packs in Pearl town and beyond as the mate to the ruthless Rowan. Sure, I’d not recognised her at first but I’ve heard of her name; most people have. I’d heard rumors of her beauty but I’d not believed it until I saw her. From what I had heard, an alpha of some small pack had commented on Maddison’s

CHAPTER TWOHUNTER’S POVShe finally fell asleep after failing to fight the effect of the sedatives I’d given her after eating, her eyelashes warping her soft cheeks. No one ever ran away from Rowan and whatever made her run, knowing the imminent danger she was placing on her head, had to be something really worth losing her life over. But what could it be? The question was gnawing at me more than I cared.“What are you hiding little wolf?” I muttered under my breath knowing she could not really hear me.I glanced at her sleeping face, sighed then walked outside to watch the sun dip in the horizon. The orange streaks decorating the horizon were the only glorious sight in this goddamn life. I sat on the small dry tree stump overlooking the expansive area. Watching sunset was the only good thing I could actually bring myself to do, apart from training, riding my motorbike and working.“Stop,” A piercing scream rented the quiet evening air.In a heartbeat I was inside the room, beside th

CHAPTER ONEMADDY’S POVI was about to step out when my gaze fell on the full length mirror hanging by a hook on the wall, my naked body staring back at me. Of course, he took off my dress when he was dressing my wound. It should bother me that he saw my body but now was not the time. There were things far much more important to me; things that made me want to bolt out of here as fast as I can . I scanned the room and found the dress lying on top of an old, rusty table. The last thing I cared about was the blood on it. The moment I was dressed up, I glanced around the room for some sort of weapon but there was none. Either the guy was too good at hiding his weapons or he just didn’t give a damn about security. Was he a werewolf? He had to be otherwise he wouldn’t have known Rowan. At the moment, my wolf senses had been paralyzed by the wolf lichen Rowan had injected in me; making it harder for me to sense another wolf. Or even tell any other kind of supernatural.“Hello?” I called, wa

Chapter 6"Holly stop," Tan shouted behind me but I walked on, furiously blinking the tears trying to find their way out of my eyes. He didn’t deserve and a drop of them. Bastard."Dammit! I said stop! “He grabbed my arm, grinding me to a sudden halt.When I turned around, his lips were pulled into a thin line stretching all the way to the edges. The playfulness was gone from his eyes, aggravation slipping in its place. So what could possibly be the reason he had that look on his face when I was the one who got hurt by him? He couldn’t even pretend he was sorry for a damn second."Why should I stop Tan? So you can try to get me into your bed like those girls you sleep with every day?" I questioned, pulling my exposed arms around myself to shield myself from the cold chills."Because I don't want you here Holly. I want you gone, far away from RCU. I don’t want to see your face or be anywhere near you," he blatantly pointed out, no hint of remorse in his voice."Excuse me?" Was he being

CHAPTER FIVEThe wind pushed my hair back as I struggled not to grind my jaw. I was not sure if it was from the chills of the unforgivingly cold night or the chills from knowing Tan was sitting by the bar, the space between us filled by a few drunk couples grinding to the loud hip-hop music."It's okay if you don't want to do this today," I felt Alex's hand grab my arm.She was absolutely right but I had already postponed this once. I could have confronted him yesterday after calling Joon but I had cowered away like a little scared rat. The thought of seeing had been outrightly overwhelming then, freezing my insides with no mercy whatsoever. Today it had taken me every ounce of willpower to show up here and I was not about to let myself chicken out again."I'm fine. Besides we are just going to talk and hopefully I'll never have to speak to him or feel on edge when he is around," I smiled just to keep her off the fact that I was beyond being nervous. Every fiber in my body was screami

CHAPTER FOURIt has been three days since my encounter with Tan and honestly I was pretty much nervous every time I stepped in class. He never once met my gaze or batted an eyelid towards me. It should not have bothered me but the fact that even Joon had stop paying attention to me was nagging a bit. Should I just have talked to him when he showed up at my room?"Derek has been staring at you the entire class and he is kind of cute," she added wiggling her eyebrows rather mischievously."Who is Derek again?" I probed pushing my books into my back along with my laptop. The lecturer had just walked out and right now all I could think of was some spicy steak."The blonde sitting just in front of Tan," She whispered.Tan. I hated how that very name could easily make me freeze in place. It affected me in ways that nothing else could. I risked a glance at the said boy but almost regretted it when my gaze connected with Tan's instead. His eyes pierced right through me, sending a series of ti

CHAPTER THREEJoon was friends with Tan? If they were friends where had they been for the past one week since I reported and why didn’t Sarah ever mention a thing about this to me? I needed to avoid Joon if I really wanted a drama free school year. The Tan I used to be friends with was somebody different to the Tan here. Four years ago it was impossible to imagine Tan using any type of cuss word when talking to somebody older than him and yet he did boldly talked to the lecturer like that today. I was disrupted from my train of thinking by the shrill ringing of my phone. I picked it up without checking the caller ID because I assumed it was my mother.“Hello,”“Hey Holly. Its Joon,” My attention was suddenly sparked.“H-How did you get my number?” The stuttering had not been intentional.“My sister,”“Of course,” Very predictable.“You seemed to be in a hurry when you left class this morning,” He said in an easy tone.“Yeah. I had an emergency that I had to take care of immediately,”

CHAPTER TWO“You left in hurry yesterday,” Alex commented as we hurried to class the following morning. We had to arrive early enough so we could get the front seats. The fifty something old lecturer was not loud so unless you were close enough to her, you’d end up with nothing for the entire semester. I had to graduate with an Honors and not just because my parents were strict about my grades but because I wanted that. It was the one thing that could get me giddy with excitement.“I was just feeling tired,” I said, shrugging.“That’s a bummer. You missed the most epic moment of the fight,” Her voice dropped down as we entered the class. A few students were present so we managed to acquire the two front seats.“I wasn’t even enjoying it,” I admitted pulling out my notebook from my brown leather duffel bag.“I never enjoyed any of it either,”“But you were screaming pretty loud yesterday,” I could have sworn her voice had been at its highest peak.“Well, a girl has gotta do what she go

Holly's POVPunch. Blood. Another punch. More blood. I fidgeted nervously, trying to subdue the imminent urge to throw up. The sight of blood was playing around with the food I had eaten earlier and yet I kept on looking just like the rest of the students and outsiders, my face scrunched up in disgust. This was definitely nothing close to fun. This was just another harsh way of inducing nightmares.“Are you having fun?” Alex, my roommate and personal bodyguard, shouted above the ongoing roar, tagging at my arm, a look of pure glee on her porcelain face. Why did I let her talk me into this? I could have been cuddled up in my bed covers crying over some sad movie right now.“If seeing people punching each other to each other to death is the definition of having fun, then I’m totally having fun,” I shouted back.“See? I knew you’d like it,” It was either my touch of sarcasm was lost on her or she was trying not to let me ruin the night for her. Either way, she was just being Alex.My bro

Chapter 5CHAPTER FIVE: DINNER WITH THE FOLKSI’m staring at the out of the kitchen window, armed with a cup of milk coffee but barely aware of my surroundings. Its been almost two weeks since I moved to the guest bedroom for my own peace of mind as I tried to comprehend everything. It all still felt surreal. I haven’t talked to anyone and neither have I been able to go to work. In my state, I’m pretty fragile to be operating on patients. Thankfully, my boss is the understanding kind. Everyday, there is nothing I’ve always looked forward to than waking up in the morning and heading to work. Until now. It almost feels like all the life has been sucked out of my very soul.“Hey,” Mark’s voice fills the kitchen. I feel the pain return. That intensified burning ache in my chest. The one I can’t shake off no matter how much I try. The kind of pain is too hard to even tell your best friend about. Mainly, because I’m still in denial. How can I accept that the man I’ve been in love with forev

CHAPTER FOUR: TRUTH BOMBHere I am again, bombarded by a sea of flashing cameras as I strike poses on the red carpet, Mark’s arm wrapped protectively around my waist. The clicks and flashes are relentless, each photographer vying for the perfect shot. We’re at the premiere of a movie Mark had financed, part of his recent venture into the film industry. He’s been dipping his toes into various business areas lately, and this latest project seems to have all the makings of a success. Inside the theater, I find myself sandwiched between Mark on my left and Evelyn on my right, her fiancé Ron seated beside her. I’ve only met Ron once before during a company dinner. He seemed more on the quiet, soft-spoken side. I think Evelyn mentioned he works as a sports reporter for the national TV network. He seemed nice, very opposite Evelyn’s sharp, commanding presence. The lights dim, and the movie begins. From the opening scene, it’s clear this is no ordinary production. The visuals are stunning,

CHAPTER THREE: A LONELY NIGHTDo you know what sucks more than your husband getting a PR crisis on your anniversary night? It’s knowing your best friend is miles away on a different continent, and asleep. I glance at the clock on my phone. It’s nearly four in the morning wherever she is, and I know she’ll be waking up soon for work. It would be rude to call her now, even though I’m desperate to hear her voice, to have someone to vent to, someone who gets it. I miss her so much.So, here I am, sitting on the terrace, staring out at the beach. The soft crash of the waves and the salty breeze do little to soothe the restlessness bubbling in my chest. A half-empty bottle of wine sits next to me, and I lazily twirl the glass in my hand, watching the liquid catch the light from the string of fairy lights overhead. Inside, the ball is still in full swing. The sound of distant laughter and clinking glasses filters out through the open doors. For a second, I stare at the entrance hoping that

CHAPTER TWO: THE ANNIVERSARY BALLThe anniversary ball is going great so far, or at least as great as it can be. The grand hall is alive with the soft drone of conversation, the clinking of champagne glasses, and the occasional burst of laughter. It’s the kind of event that screams opulence, the kind that makes you straighten your posture and double-check your reflection in every surface you pass. Well, the Washington family has always had standard. They are the kind to make sure you remember them.And sure, I can’t deny the thrill of the compliments that come our way every five seconds. “You two are such a stunning couple,” one guest gushes, while another chimes in with, “Mark is so lucky to have you. You complement him perfectly.” It’s flattering, but after the fifth or sixth time, the words start to feel like a script, rehearsed and carefully calculated. Because I know the truth. They’re not really praising me. Oh, no. They’re buttering up my husband. Every smile, every fucking r

PROLOGUEI was seven years old, fully decked out in metal braces that glinted in the sunlight much to my chagrin and those wide-rimmed glasses that made my face look rounder than it already was, when the Washingtons moved across the street into the fanciest townhouse in Everwood Cove. The movers had arrived the day before, and judging by the six massive moving vans clogging the narrow street, it was clear that whoever was moving in had to be loaded. The kind of loaded my mom always whispered about with raised eyebrows and a tilt of her head, as if to suggest it was a bit obscene. She had peeked through the window much like every other neighbour on this street, muttering a few judgemental nonsensicals. Typical mum.The next day, right around noon, the family of three rolled into town in their sleek, jet-black BMW with windows so tinted you couldn’t tell if someone was inside unless the door swung open. And when it did, they stepped out like something out of a movie. That was the first