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62| ELIJAH

Author: Purpah
last update Last Updated: 2025-04-11 23:59:45
And deal with it, I did.

Football practice was over, and after a short speech, Coach Burke dismissed us… or, well—everyone except me.

I stayed behind, dragging my feet across the dew-damp grass as the others dispersed with laughter and shoulder bumps. I could hear Hunter’s voice somewhere in the distance, too loud and too smug. I ignored it.

Coach Burke’s office was the only place on campus that felt remotely like a safe space. Cluttered with the smell of sweat, old wood, and varnished leather, it was messy in a way that didn’t ask anything of me. I stepped inside and took a long breath.

The shelves were still lined with trophies from generations before me, with faded photographs of former players pinned up like aging ghosts. Medals, ribbons, a cracked hockey puck with someone’s initials carved into it—everything was packed in there. The couch was more of a suggestion than an actual seat. I opted for the chair in front of his desk, nudging aside a stray basketball with the toe
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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   63| ELIJAH

    Burke didn’t keep me in his office for much longer. Since I’d skipped previous practices and team meetings, he gave me a basic rundown for the next month—information I should’ve already known as captain. Information he’d already shared with the others.The faculty gala was coming up and, as usual, on the final day there would be a football game between our school and another college from our pack. Burke handed me the papers detailing the plays, then gave me the kind of scolding that didn’t raise his voice but somehow still made me feel ten inches tall.I took it. Quietly.After everything, I deserved worse. Any other coach would have had me kicked off the team given how often I missed practice. Before letting me go, he handed me a bottle of iced coffee—cold enough that condensation slid over my fingers—and muttered, “Fix things with Luka. Whatever the hell’s going on, it’s not helping either of you to be at odds.”I didn’t say anything in response, mostly because I didn’t know if I c

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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   64| ELIJAH

    I was out of pills again. I pulled out the top drawer in my room and yanked out the pill bottle, scowling when I found it empty. With a curse, I threw it atop the many other bottles and took a step back, falling onto my bed. Luka had come an hour ago to grab his things. I’d considered using that time to talk to him and take Burke’s advice to “fix” it, but I’d ended up just hiding in my room while he and Neil packed. When they were done, Luka left immediately, and Neil stopped by my room to tell me in a small voice that they were leaving. He also told me about Luka’s recent issues with his father. When Neil left, I’d walked out to see what was left of Luka’s room—and it was almost nothing. A few of his clothes were still there. A few t-shirts, a pair of sneakers, a watch, a couple empty notebooks. But none of the things that really made the space his. Not the weird cactus-shaped lamp, not the horror movie posters he used to tape onto the wall with surgical precision, not the worn-o

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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   65| LENORA

    With the gala drawing closer and closer, I had less and less time to do anything other than sit through faculty ‘meetings’ that were really just a congregation of Evelyn’s most devout followers swapping basic ideas and acting like it was groundbreaking. Anytime someone other than her dared to speak, they were shut down explicitly—but none more so than me.Though I was silenced rather rudely most of the time, I was also the one forced to run most of the errands and do all the actual planning. When I asked why, an older professor looked me dead in the eyes and said it was because I was the newest addition to the faculty, therefore it was only right.And who was I to argue?I did as asked—made calls, ran around campus, juggled my classes and sessions with Elijah—all while enduring every backhanded comment with gritted teeth. And yet, as expected, there was no gratitude. Not from the faculty members, and certainly not from the Dean, who nitpicked everything I did.In short, I was tired. T

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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   66| ELIJAH

    “You’re driving?” I heard Lenora ask from behind me. I only turned my head to the side slightly as I replied, “Yeah, it’s kinda far.” I heard her mumble something under her breath, and a smile almost graced my lips—almost. There was silence for a moment… then, “Should I be worried?” This time, I chuckled and turned around fully, regretting the action almost immediately. I could still feel the heat of her palm cradled in mine, and with her looking like that—her dark hair loose and curly, falling all over her shoulders—it was taking the little self-control I had left not to grab that hand again, yank her to me, and make a mess of what was left of her lipstick. It was such a fucking ridiculous idea to hold her hand. Lenora’s eyebrow jumped up, and she reached up to push back the errant strands of her hair that fell across her face. In the process, the collar of her shirt shifted, and I caught sight of her mark again. Irritation filled my throat. “I’m not going to hu

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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   67| LENORA

    As awed as I was by the sight before me—the sea of wildflowers stretching into the horizon, catching the golden light like something out of a dream—I couldn’t help but notice that Elijah had gone still. Not with wonder, but with a strange, distant vacancy. His body was here, but something in his eyes… wasn’t. I looked down at him from where he held me. “Are you okay?” He didn’t answer right away. His gaze remained fixed on the field, his features emptied of the emotion that had softened it ever since we left the library. There was a beat of silence, then, slowly, he nodded and bent to set me down. The flowers swayed gently beneath my feet, brushing my shins like whispers. The earth was soft—unlike the sharp stones and hard paths I’d expected. I glanced down at the delicate blooms, admiring the colour and fragileness of them. I looked up to say something to Elijah, but when I turned back to look for him—he was gone. Not entirely. Just… walking away. “Elijah!” I called out, hea

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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   1| ELIJAH

    The ball blurred in my vision, bouncing erratically, almost as if it had a mind of its own. My hands felt disconnected from my body, slippery and uncooperative. My heart pounded, not with adrenaline but with a frantic, disjointed rhythm that made my chest tight and my breathing shallow. The stadium air felt stifling behind my helmet, the lights glaring down like a spotlight on my every mistake. My legs were heavy, like they were sinking into the polished wood floor. My head swam, the edges of my vision darkening as I struggled to focus. “Move, Elijah!” Lukas’s voice cut through the haze, sharp and commanding, but it sounded distant, as though he were shouting from underwater. Move. Move, I told myself. We were a few seconds away from winning or losing and with one right move, I could change the odds. I always did that, it was something that I was good at. But not right now, not in this state. I forced my feet to respond, to push forward, to do something. But my body betray

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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   2| ELIJAH

    “Who the hell plays football high?” Lukas’s voice boomed through the locker room, ricocheting off the metal walls. He was pacing like a caged animal, his eyes blazing with frustration. I rubbed my temples, the remnants of the game still pounding in my head. I certainly wouldn’t have played football high, but there was a meeting with my father the day before and I needed something to numb the emotions. “Keep your voice down, man.” “Don’t ‘man’ me,” Lukas snapped, spinning to face me. “Do you even know how bad you looked out there? You cost us the championship, Elijah! You put the whole team at risk! What if you’d gotten tested before the match?! What do you think your father would have done? What the hell were you thinking?” “I don’t need the lecture,” I muttered, slumping onto the bench, I rolled my shoulders back, the weight of Luka’s stare digging into my back. “And I’m not high.” “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re actually trying to lie to me?” He took a threatening ste

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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   3| LENORA

    “What’s a beautiful woman like you doing alone in a place like this?” The man’s voice was smooth, low and confident. I rolled my eyes and turned, ready to shoot down another hopeful suitor when my words got thoroughly stuck in my throat. He was younger than me—barely in his mid-twenties, I guessed—wavy black hair that fell over his forehead and just nearly brushing over his eyelids, his face was beautifully sculpted, high cheekbones, sharp jaw, slender nose all joined together to create a masculine and yet somewhat feminine look. Beneath his oversized hoodie, I could tell he was well built and even with the multicoloured lights bouncing about the walls of the bar, his gold eyes managed to shine even though it was faintly. But it wasn’t his good looks that got to me, it was him, as a person. Something within me stirred at his presence, I wanted to get closer to him, I wanted to know everything about him, my body seemed to burn from him and there was this movement under my skin

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  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   67| LENORA

    As awed as I was by the sight before me—the sea of wildflowers stretching into the horizon, catching the golden light like something out of a dream—I couldn’t help but notice that Elijah had gone still. Not with wonder, but with a strange, distant vacancy. His body was here, but something in his eyes… wasn’t. I looked down at him from where he held me. “Are you okay?” He didn’t answer right away. His gaze remained fixed on the field, his features emptied of the emotion that had softened it ever since we left the library. There was a beat of silence, then, slowly, he nodded and bent to set me down. The flowers swayed gently beneath my feet, brushing my shins like whispers. The earth was soft—unlike the sharp stones and hard paths I’d expected. I glanced down at the delicate blooms, admiring the colour and fragileness of them. I looked up to say something to Elijah, but when I turned back to look for him—he was gone. Not entirely. Just… walking away. “Elijah!” I called out, hea

  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   66| ELIJAH

    “You’re driving?” I heard Lenora ask from behind me. I only turned my head to the side slightly as I replied, “Yeah, it’s kinda far.” I heard her mumble something under her breath, and a smile almost graced my lips—almost. There was silence for a moment… then, “Should I be worried?” This time, I chuckled and turned around fully, regretting the action almost immediately. I could still feel the heat of her palm cradled in mine, and with her looking like that—her dark hair loose and curly, falling all over her shoulders—it was taking the little self-control I had left not to grab that hand again, yank her to me, and make a mess of what was left of her lipstick. It was such a fucking ridiculous idea to hold her hand. Lenora’s eyebrow jumped up, and she reached up to push back the errant strands of her hair that fell across her face. In the process, the collar of her shirt shifted, and I caught sight of her mark again. Irritation filled my throat. “I’m not going to hu

  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   65| LENORA

    With the gala drawing closer and closer, I had less and less time to do anything other than sit through faculty ‘meetings’ that were really just a congregation of Evelyn’s most devout followers swapping basic ideas and acting like it was groundbreaking. Anytime someone other than her dared to speak, they were shut down explicitly—but none more so than me.Though I was silenced rather rudely most of the time, I was also the one forced to run most of the errands and do all the actual planning. When I asked why, an older professor looked me dead in the eyes and said it was because I was the newest addition to the faculty, therefore it was only right.And who was I to argue?I did as asked—made calls, ran around campus, juggled my classes and sessions with Elijah—all while enduring every backhanded comment with gritted teeth. And yet, as expected, there was no gratitude. Not from the faculty members, and certainly not from the Dean, who nitpicked everything I did.In short, I was tired. T

  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   64| ELIJAH

    I was out of pills again. I pulled out the top drawer in my room and yanked out the pill bottle, scowling when I found it empty. With a curse, I threw it atop the many other bottles and took a step back, falling onto my bed. Luka had come an hour ago to grab his things. I’d considered using that time to talk to him and take Burke’s advice to “fix” it, but I’d ended up just hiding in my room while he and Neil packed. When they were done, Luka left immediately, and Neil stopped by my room to tell me in a small voice that they were leaving. He also told me about Luka’s recent issues with his father. When Neil left, I’d walked out to see what was left of Luka’s room—and it was almost nothing. A few of his clothes were still there. A few t-shirts, a pair of sneakers, a watch, a couple empty notebooks. But none of the things that really made the space his. Not the weird cactus-shaped lamp, not the horror movie posters he used to tape onto the wall with surgical precision, not the worn-o

  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   63| ELIJAH

    Burke didn’t keep me in his office for much longer. Since I’d skipped previous practices and team meetings, he gave me a basic rundown for the next month—information I should’ve already known as captain. Information he’d already shared with the others.The faculty gala was coming up and, as usual, on the final day there would be a football game between our school and another college from our pack. Burke handed me the papers detailing the plays, then gave me the kind of scolding that didn’t raise his voice but somehow still made me feel ten inches tall.I took it. Quietly.After everything, I deserved worse. Any other coach would have had me kicked off the team given how often I missed practice. Before letting me go, he handed me a bottle of iced coffee—cold enough that condensation slid over my fingers—and muttered, “Fix things with Luka. Whatever the hell’s going on, it’s not helping either of you to be at odds.”I didn’t say anything in response, mostly because I didn’t know if I c

  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   62| ELIJAH

    And deal with it, I did. Football practice was over, and after a short speech, Coach Burke dismissed us… or, well—everyone except me. I stayed behind, dragging my feet across the dew-damp grass as the others dispersed with laughter and shoulder bumps. I could hear Hunter’s voice somewhere in the distance, too loud and too smug. I ignored it. Coach Burke’s office was the only place on campus that felt remotely like a safe space. Cluttered with the smell of sweat, old wood, and varnished leather, it was messy in a way that didn’t ask anything of me. I stepped inside and took a long breath. The shelves were still lined with trophies from generations before me, with faded photographs of former players pinned up like aging ghosts. Medals, ribbons, a cracked hockey puck with someone’s initials carved into it—everything was packed in there. The couch was more of a suggestion than an actual seat. I opted for the chair in front of his desk, nudging aside a stray basketball with the toe

  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   61| LENORA

    By the time the last student left my class, I was ready to fall apart.I didn’t let myself. I smiled, stacked the graded assignments with aching precision, and turned off my laptop and projector as properly as I could. I took my time. I stayed long after the lecture had ended, alone in the classroom with the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead like bees inside my skull. The silence should have helped. It didn’t.The day had started badly and snowballed into something worse. I’d barely made it to class on time, and the moment I stepped into the lecture hall, I knew the rumors hadn’t died.They’d grown teeth.Someone near the back had whistled under their breath when I walked in. Another muttered something about parties and princes, loud enough for half the room to hear. A third leaned toward me and interrupted during an explanation, just to ask with a smirk if I’d be willing to pick him up from the next party too—or was that service reserved for royalty only?The entire room had snicke

  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   60| LENORA

    Victor North was dying.And I was the only person who could save him.I wondered who else knew.Izaak, obviously. The imposing, bald man had stood stock-still the entire time, his expression unreadable, as if Victor hadn’t just revealed that he was rotting from the inside out. But then again, even if he had felt anything, I would never know. Izaak was a wall. A loyal weapon. And Victor’s secrets were clearly buried deep within his chest.But what about Elijah?Did he know his father was dying?Did he suspect?Would he care?I thought about Elijah’s cool stares—that night at dinner—the way he sat, subdued and oppressed in his father’s presence, the way he receded inward whenever anything regarding his father was even breathed near him. I thought about the way he pulled away from conversations involving the scars hidden beneath his clothes, guarded like he was protecting something fragile inside himself.Maybe he already knew.Or maybe, like the rest of the pack, he still believed Victo

  • ALPHA PRINCE’S FORBIDDEN DESIRE   59| LENORA

    When my mother was pregnant with me, my parents visited the goddess’s temple, as was customary for every child born in the werewolf community.They had tried and failed for six long years to conceive—two miscarriages, countless priestly consultations, endless late-night prayers whispered into the dark. After multiple visits to both the temple and the pack gynaecologist, they finally managed to have me—a child who lasted longer than four months in the womb. Unlike the others.It wasn’t normal for werewolves to miscarry. And since my parents were mates, conception should never have been an issue. Their case was a mystery, one that made my survival even more precious. Even more terrifying.By the time they approached the temple, their hearts were raw with grief but beating with desperate hope.My mother knelt at the altar, eyes squeezed shut. The priestess beside her offered a soft, reassuring smile. Her hands were folded in solemn prayer, her lips moving with practiced speed as she murm

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