CARLA"What are you talking about?" I fought back my tears, with my hand on the spot where she hit me. It was stinging a lot. Students piled up, already forming a crowd, taking photos and making videos. I hate moments like this the most. I hated being the center of attention. That was why I always avoided being on anyone's bad side."You don't know?" She scoffed, amidst tears. "You really don't know, or you're pretending not to know?!"She yanked my hair, bumping me into the locker. Gasps and shrieks erupted in the hallways, as she viciously pinned my face against the locker. I cried out in pain, but she only went harder on me."What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Smith demanded. I wasn't looking at him to know how upset he was. But from his voice, I could tell he was almost getting feral. "Stay out of this, Smith!" She barked at him, tightening her grip on my hair. Tears stung my eyes as she slammed my face into the locker again. "Stop it!" I cried. "Please!" "It's all y
UNKNOWN Watching her cry was quite a sight. She was making a huge mess of herself, cussing out loud at Dawson and swearing to get her revenge on him. She was emotionally and psychologically fucked up. At this point, she was ready to do anything, however dirty it would be, just to get back at Dawson for the humiliation he had just put her through.It made her the perfect target for my plans. Destroying Dawson was my reason for existence. Bringing him to crumble was my destiny. But I could never achieve that alone. I needed allies. Folks that had as much resentment as I had for him. Or even more.Bittered folks who wouldn't mind doing anything; going to any length; shedding blood, just to have their revenge.Anger was the strongest emotion ever, and it tended to blindfold its victims. It made them easier to manipulate. Just like her. She was oozing with murderous rage. It wouldn't be hard to convince her to join my quest to destroy Dawson. But to convince her, I had to reveal myself
CARLASmith was absent in the remaining classes we shared. And so was Dawson. When it was time to leave and head to the café, Brian came to find me. "Let's go, Carla. I'll drive you to your workplace." He took my books and my bag and led the way out of the building. "What about Smith?""He left early.""He's still mad at me, isn't he?"Brian didn't answer, so I took that as a 'yes.'My shoulders sagged. Today sure was one of the worst days of my life First, I got humiliated by Tricia, and now, Smith wasn't talking to me. It was all so depressing. I hated fighting with Smith. We rarely did. But the few times were always so suffocating and painful. Like a part of me was brutally cut off. It was the worst feeling ever. The ride with Brian was quiet. He did try to start up a conversation, but I was too drained to keep it going. So we just fell silent. I was trying to reflect on what I did that had Smith mad at me. He wanted me to stay away from Dawson. He wanted me to stop enterta
DAWSONRick Taylor, my Beta, had suggested that I play nicer from hereon. Ditch my jerk attitude and try being polite and very gentlemanly. All day, I've tried to stick to that advice. When Smith came at my face, accusing me of manipulating my friends and flings to come after Carla, I should have forgotten my fist on his face, but I held back my rage. As hard as it was, I walked away. God, it was hard. But my decision to be a better guy was the only thing that kept me walking until I was out of the school building, into my car, and heading back to the apartment.I couldn't linger around. The chaos in school had my nerves at an all-time high. I needed to cool off in my haven.Hours later, I wanted nothing but to see Carla. Be sure she was alright. Tricia had pulled her hair and did a couple of shit. Had to see those things didn't leave lasting damage on her. Also, I had to clarify what happened between Tricia and me. She had to know the real story and why Tricia was blaming her for
DAWSON The noisy honking caused my ears to buzz, forcing me awake. I yawned sleepily, looking out the window. Geez, it was dark already! I rummaged through the car for my phone. I found it and checked the time. It was almost 10 p.m. How long did I sleep? Another yawn and stretch got rid of whatever trace of sleep that was clinging to me. Carla should be getting off work any second. Would Smith be picking her up? I checked the parking lot and there wasn't a sign of his car. Was he on his way? He had better be here soon. She shouldn't take the subway. Not at this time of the night. If only she would love to ride with me… "Goodnight!" Her giddy voice squealed as she pushed the revolving door, stepping out of the café. She looked around, maybe in search of Smith. No sign of him, so she sighed and took the sidewalks. Obviously, heading to the subway. Would she let me give her a lift? The question churned my mind. 'You'll never know unless you try,' my wolf echoed
CARLA"What?" Blood drained from my face, leaving me pale. My lips went dry, and I almost lost my voice from how shocked I was. "It has to do with you, Carla. That's the truth. The whole truth."His confession was mind-boggling and exciting at the same time. Ever since I heard of his breakup with Tricia, I always suspected it had to do with me. But hearing him admit it felt a lot more exhilarating. It felt so unreal. My heart raced like in a marathon. Butterflies attacked the hollow of my stomach.His words repeatedly echoed in my head until I was almost smiling. Almost.He tilted his head, giving me such a dreamy look. "You have got to say something at this point, Ma'am." I gulped, rubbing my clammy hands on my dress. His stares were unnerving. I couldn't dare to look at him for too long.He chuckled lightly, and I glanced at him. He sucked in his lower lip, and goddess, it sent a definite tingle between my legs."You don't seem too surprised. I guess you already suspected it ha
SMITHLoving your best friend has always been one of the most popular and romantic tropes in books and movies.I recall sitting in front of televisions and going 'awwn' as they finally realized their feelings for each other in the last scenes of the movie or the last pages of the book.No matter how much agony and pain they go through, it all gets sorted out in the end, and they admit their feelings for each other.It was fiction, but it was nice watching them. Until it became my reality, and I had to realize how different reality was. It sucked. The fights you have with your best friend might not strengthen the bond or make her realize how much you love her in the end. On the contrary, it might push her away into the arms of the guy you hated the most."You didn't come to get me," She explained, nervously grabbing my hoodie. "Smith, please…""Right. So I'm absent for a second, and he's already taking my place. What the fuck?""No one's taking your place. All he did was give me a ri
CARLA "Hurry up, Carla!" My impatient roommates yelled from the bedroom. "Coming!" I yelled back from the bathroom. I was almost late for my first class. Just ten minutes more and I would be late. I slept past my usual time, so I had little time to prepare for school. I had already dressed up when I felt the wetness dropping into my panties, and then the slight ache in my lower abdomen was all the signs I needed that it was that time of the month. How did I forget? I'd been so busy with school and work that I didn't remember to buy some tampons. Borrowing wasn't my forte, but I had to, and thank Goddess, my roommates were kind enough to give me a couple of pads. But I needed painkillers, too, for the pending vicious cramps. They didn't have any. Now, I am scared of going to school. The pain was already brewing. It might worsen in school, and I wouldn't know what to do. I thought of skipping school today, but even that scared me the most. I had important classes, p
DAWSON The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room, but it did little to ease the cold, heavy knot of dread settling deep in my gut. I stared at my father, his face pale, eyes wide with disbelief and terror. The words he had just spoken to me rang in my ears like a hammer striking metal.“A rogue... a rogue is still out there?”His voice shook, even though he tried to keep it steady. My father, the Elder Alpha, a man who had always been strong, unshakable, was visibly rattled. And for the first time in my life, I felt a knot of fear myself.After Carla described the incident of her attack, concluding that it could have only be done by a rogue. I could feel the weight of the information settling heavily on my chest. It wasn’t just the news of a rogue wolf; it was the possibility that everything we had fought for, everything my father had worked so tirelessly to build and secure, could be undone and also the fact that the rogue decided to attack Carla.“We’ve been over thi
CARLAIt’s strange, being awake like this. For the past week or two, the world had been a blur of beeping machines, sterile white walls, and the faint smell of antiseptic that never quite left my nose. I couldn't place what had happened, not really. It was like the details of the night of the attack were buried under layers of fog, a haze I couldn’t cut through no matter how hard I tried.All I remembered clearly was pain. The sharp sting of claws slashing through my skin, the feeling of blood flowing in thick streams, and then nothing. The darkness had been kind of a relief, to be honest. Not knowing whether I’d survive or not was somehow better than having to live with the memory of it.But now, the haze was lifting. Slowly, very slowly.I blinked, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling, hearing the quiet hum of the machines that monitored my vitals. The room was calm, but there was a tension in the air that I couldn’t shake. It lingered in the background like an invisible presence. I
SMITHThe heavy scent of pine and damp earth clung to me ashoved sted my tie yet again. My fathr’s insistence that w,e visit the pack felt less like a request and more like a command. He framed it as a gesture of goodwill, a chance to offer condolences to strengthen alliances. But for me, this visit wasn’t about politics or optics.The pack’s territory was quieter than I remembered, subdued in a way that set my teeth on edge. Loss hung thick in the air, pressing down on my chest as I stepped out ,of the car. Carla’s absence was a gaping wound, one I couldn’t ignore.My father, ever th composed diplomat, led the way to the Pack house. His strides were purposeful, his demeanor unshaken. I followed, my thoughts tangled and restless. This moment needed precision, the right balance of sincerity and strategy.When the Dawson’s father opened the door, the grief on his face was undeniable. His bloodshot eyes and slumped shoulders spoke volumes, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a
DAWSONThe clock on my dashboard blinked 7:45 p.m., mocking me with every passing minute. Carla was waiting, and I was already fifteen minutes late. p.m. knuckles tightened on the steering wheel as I sped through the winding streets toward the park. Every second felt like a small betrayal. She hated when I was late.I glanced at my phone lying on the passenger seat. No texts or missed calls. Was she annoyed? Probably. But she’d understand. She always did.As I drove through the quiet streets, the thought of Carla kept popping up in my head. Carla had a way of grounding me, of making everything seem less chaotic. The last few weeks had been hard, with my father tightening his grip on every aspect of my life and my friends pulling away. Carla was the one constant. The one person who didn’t expect me to live up to impossible standards or prove myself worthy of a legacy I wasn’t sure I wanted.But I wasn’t blind. I knew her patience wasn’t endless. She had put up with so much already— the
UNKNOWN POVThe warehouse was dark, the air thick with the scent of rust and damp wood. The silence was suffocating, broken only by the distant hum of the city beyond the thick walls. He stood near a stack of old crates, watching the heavy metal door. His eyes narrowed as it creaked open, the sound slicing through the stillness.Joyce walked in, her heels clicking sharply against the cold concrete floor, each step purposeful and precise. There was no hesitation in her movements—everything about her screamed control. Her posture was rigid, the lines of her body taut, and the hard set of her jaw told him she wasn’t here for pleasantries. She wasn’t here to play games.He didn’t speak at first, his gaze locked onto her, studying her every movement. She stopped just inside the door, her eyes meeting his across the dimly lit space.“You’ve got some nerve,” he finally said, his voice calm but edged with a dangerous undercurrent. He didn’t step forward, instead remaining hidden in the shadow
DAWSONCarla’s footsteps echoed in the hallway as she walked away, her shoulders slumped with something heavy. She had made up her mind, I thought, but I could feel the weight in her every movement. There was something she hadn’t said, something still hanging in the air. The way she hesitated just before leaving told me there was more. My heart ached as I realized how close I was to losing her, how much she was still holding back. I couldn’t let her leave like this.I made a quick decision. Without a second thought, I turned, stepping toward the door. “Carla, wait!” I called out, my voice rough, desperate.She froze, but didn’t turn around immediately. “Dawson, I need to go,” she said, her voice small, almost breaking. “Please, just let me be.”I could hear the pain in her tone, and it made my chest tighten. I stepped up behind her, not too close, but close enough to make sure she could feel me. “I know you're scared, Carla,” I said, my voice softer now. “But don’t walk away like this
DAWSON I watched Carla disappear down the hallway, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. My voice rang out, sharp and desperate. “Carla! Stop!” She didn’t. She kept running, her shoulders set and head turned away, as if the sound of my voice only drove her to move faster. My stomach twisted at the sight. She thought—she thought I had something going on with Joyce. The idea was laughable if it wasn’t so devastating. With a low growl of frustration, I shoved Joyce off me, barely noticing her protest. I couldn’t deal with her right now. I could barely think straight as it was. All I knew was that I couldn’t let Carla go, not like this, not with her believing something that wasn’t true. I took off after her, my legs moving on instinct. My chest burned with every step, but the ache in my lungs was nothing compared to the thought of losing her. As I turned the corner, my heart clenched when I saw her crash into Rick Taylor. He steadied her, concern etched in his features as he lo
Dawson“Dawson!” Mother barged into my room, right before I could even sit. “Son, what's going on with you?”“Mother, can you please leave me alone?” I assessed her with an angry gaze. “Go back to your dinner with your insufferable mate. Just let me be.”Her fists clenched and her nails dug into her skin. “You will not speak about your father like that.”“Forgive me, mother. But he doesn't feel like a father to me. He's treating me like he would any servant. Telling me what to do and who to build friendships with. He took my freedom of movement away. Now he's taking control of my feelings. I don't get to decide on anything anymore. He's calling the shots. And what am I supposed to do? Follow his every whim like a fucking puppet?”“Watch your mouth,” Mother silenced my outburst with a slap to my face. Her eyes were fierce. You bet she's gonna do more than slaps if I don't tone it down with my harsh words over her “mate”. I guess I took after her then. We can't stand it when our mates
DAWSON“She did what?” My ears stung at Rick Taylor's words. My fingers dug angrily into the cushion as I waited for him to repeat what I thought I just heard. “Joyce blocked her off in the hallway and said really nasty things to her.” Rick Taylor repeated accurately not missing a word that he'd said earlier. “Good thing I stopped her before she could do more verbal damage. I walked Carla to the middle of the compound and then she left.”My wolf was both furious and sad, and so was I. The urge to bust out of my room, find Joyce, and throttle the fuck out of her was wrestled and overshadowed by the sadness, of knowing Carla must have been hurt. She's so fucking fragile. A big contrast to the wild, bitchy Joyce. “Was…was she okay?” The words tumbled over themselves as they made their way out of my lips. I glanced up at Rick Taylor, after his few seconds of suspenseful silence. His brow twitched and he scratched his temples lightly with a finger. “Honestly, she wasn't,” He said, a