EVE I got up and made breakfast for both of them. I could tell they were getting along a little better, which made me happy, but I knew it wouldn't last.I sat at the bar at the end, with Kha and Drake flanking me and facing each other. "So, you two grew up together obviously. Like your whole life. It sounds like you even got along at one point. Why so much hatred now?"Drake sighed and leaned back, avoiding my eyes. He glanced at Kha, then said, "Well, I'm not going to say it."After a pause, he continued, "Dad was always in my ear about the Banes tainting me, so we started getting into fights around puberty... then there was a girl. She played us both in high school and made total fools out of us. After that, that was pretty much the end of any type of friendship." Kha snorted. "That's a colorful recounting, but yeah, the general details are there, I guess."I turned to Kha. "Well, if you wanted it told your way, you should have said it."Kha's eyes narrowed. "You're right.
KHA Vance was losing his damn mind while I was trying to shower. He hated everything about this situation, but what could I do, really? I was here because of him, after all. He was what made me an alpha. "You need to get a grip, Kha," Vance snarled. "I'm trying, Vance," I muttered, letting the hot water cascade over my shoulders. "But it's not exactly easy with you pacing around like a caged animal." "I'm not the one who let things get this messed up," he shot back. "You couldn't even tell who that black-haired girl is. How drunk were you? Drake wouldn't have had the chance had you not given her an opportunity." I clenched my fists, the heat of the water doing little to calm my rising anger. "I know she's a wolf, but her pack is a mystery. She's not local. That much is clear." "Think it's on purpose? Drake getting a chance while you're distracted?" Vance's thoughts were laced with suspicion. I didn't want to consider it, but hell, anything was possible. "It's not like I c
EVE He was relentless, and I couldn't stop. I could tell he was too far gone, lost in the intensity. After making me cum for the third time, his breathing turned ragged, his teeth biting into his lip. I pushed up on my knees, and he moved with me. This was a new position for us, and he was frantic, almost desperate.As he leaned down over my back, his thrusts never losing their rhythm, he whispered, "Don't freak out." I glanced back, realizing he was literally fighting not to shift while touching me.While inside me. I panicked. I shot up to the headboard. He fell back on his heels, his eyes glowing red. He looked so defeated as he shook his head.He crawled up to me. "It always happens when I'm close... nothing is different. I just closed my eyes before. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you by showing you."I trembled, fear and adrenaline coursing through me. It had scared me, but deep down, I knew he wouldn't let anything happen to me. Vance wouldn't either. After all, Vance
DRAKESeeing her agree to go with him, knowing what they were about to do, was unbearable. Emory howled inside my head louder than I'd ever heard. As they started getting louder, their sounds began echoing through the house. I looked around the rental and noticed Eve's headphones on the table. I also remembered the bottle of wine in the fridge. Why not? I grabbed both and headed to the back porch, connecting my phone and blasting the loudest metal music I could find. I needed the jarring noise to drown out them and Emory's turmoil.I poured a glass of wine and downed it quickly, then poured another. I settled into a chair, tucking my casted arm against my chest. The pain was intense, but I wasn't about to admit that to anyone. Lost in the music, I finally managed to block everything else out. I smelled her before I felt her hand on my arm.Opening my eyes, I saw Eve standing above me, her face close to mine. She gently removed the headphones from my head. "You scared me. I though
EVEThe world seemed to close in on me as I watched the car drive away with Kha in it. They weren't taking him to the school station. They were taking him to the county jail. This was real. Terrifyingly real. There was no way he did what they said he did, but I had a sinking feeling about what had happened. It had to be the black-haired girl.Drake picked me up, and as my legs gave out beneath me and I collapsed on the driveway. He carried me inside the house, cradling me like I was a child or something. I was losing it, spiraling into a panic, and he didn't seem to know what to do either. He just sat on the couch with me in his lap, his arm wrapped tightly around me and his cast tucked under my arm as I melted down.I sobbed into his chest for what felt like an eternity, the tears pouring out uncontrollably. After ten solid minutes, he finally spoke. "We need to call his dad.""I can't do it," I whispered, my voice breaking.Drake nodded, taking his phone out. "I'll do it," he
KHA Getting dragged out of the rental and tossed into the county jail like I was trash was a literal nightmare come to life. Every step they took was filled with contempt, each movement shoving me further into a harsh reality I couldn't escape. Vance's voice echoed in my head, a constant storm of panic and rage. "This is real! We're going to be in a cage for a long time!" he screamed, clawing at my sanity. The backseat of the police car was suffocating. "Shut up!" I pleaded silently, trying to maintain composure. "Panicking is only going to make this worse." "They're treating us like criminals! We can't stay here! We can't be locked up!" Vance's protests were frantic, filled with a desperate fury. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block him out, but his voice was relentless. "I know it's bad, but we must keep it together. Just please, stay calm," I urged, though my heart pounded in my chest. The ride to the jail seemed endless, each second stretching into an eternity.
EVE Three agonizing days passed before we were finally able to see Kha. Somehow, Drake and I managed to attend classes. Every time I stepped out of a lecture, he was there waiting, no matter where his own classes were. I noticed that the StClaire pack members were always nearby, keeping an eye on me. This time, I didn't mind their constant presence at all. I even found it somewhat comforting. As I left my psychology lecture, I spotted Drake leaning against a nearby wall. His eyes glowed when he saw me, and he pushed off to meet me halfway. "Do you have a tracker on me or something?" I asked. "Just good timing," he replied with a grin, holding up his cast. "This gets me out of a lot, you know." I couldn't help but laugh a little. "One benefit to it, I guess." He laughed, too. "I'm just glad I can be here for you." As we walked to my next class, Drake's presence was a steadying force. Each step away from Drake made me feel more vulnerable and aware of our nightmare. Final
DRAKE When Eve walked in on Amy going down on me, I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me whole. The sheer embarrassment was enough to make me wish I could disappear. It was like being caught in the worst possible scenario, with no escape. In truth, I had been struggling more than I cared to admit. Cuddling up to Eve over the past five days, pretending it was for her comfort, was becoming increasingly difficult. My need for her was growing into something primal and overwhelming. I had never felt such a powerful urge to mate, which terrified me. The pull was disorienting, and I didn't know how to handle it. My desire had reached a boiling point, and I was scared I would do something that would make Eve hate me. So when Amy suggested a quickie between our shared classes, I didn't have the strength to say no. It seemed like a way to release some pressure without complicating things with Eve. But now, caught red-handed, the decision seemed like the worst mistake I could h
DRAKE The stadium roared with energy, the stands packed with students, parents, and alumni, ready for the season's first game. Eve and I sat near the middle. I glanced at her, her bright blue eyes fixed on the field, her lips tight as she scanned the players."Kha's still safety, right?" she asked, her voice quieter than usual, her nerves showing."Yeah, and Con's the quarterback this year," I confirmed. "Con played well last season, so he'll probably dominate. I was watching his highlight reels, and I'm impressed."Eve bit her lip, her hands gripping the edge of the seat. Her anxiety was obvious. Every time Con or Kha got the ball, her whole body stiffened like she was bracing for impact herself."Are they always this intense?" she asked, her eyes following Kha as he positioned himself for the next play."Yeah," I shrugged, glancing at her. "You'll get used to it. Con especially. He lives for this stuff."Just as I spoke, Con took the snap, dropping back to pass. Kha darted across t
EVE He pulled the towel off of my body as he positioned me on the bed. He got up to lock the door, and I couldn't help but watch him, appreciating how much care he took in everything he did these days. He may have been rubbing off on Drake, but Drake was doing the same in return. When he closed his eyes briefly, I spoke up, "Rissa won't come back anytime soon. She's in class." He looked back at me with a small smile. "I just wanted to make sure," he replied before returning to the bed. As he climbed back onto the bed, the playfulness in his eyes was unmistakable. It reminded me of the first time we were together, how he both treated me with gentleness and teased me throughout. He started tracing my breast, circling my nipple before lightly tugging on the ring. The sensation made me arch my back slightly, pressing into his touch. He smiled at me, and then he leaned down, kissing my nipple before looping his tongue through the ring. I couldn't hold back the loud moan, my hips i
EVE I saw Kha lingering outside the locker room and pulled him aside. His posture was tense, and his usual confidence was absent. I didn't want him to go back in there, not after everything that had happened."Kha, let's just go," I urged. "I don't want to wait for you to change."He looked down at me, the stress in his shoulders easing slightly. "Sure," he agreed, though I sensed some hesitation. "What about Drake? I drove here with him in his truck."I frowned, realizing this could complicate things. Drake and I already had our moment. It was Kha's turn now. I needed some time alone with Kha, away from all the tension building up. "Let him know we're leaving. I'll call for an Uber."Kha nodded and jogged over to Drake, who was sitting nearby. I watched as they exchanged a few words, with Kha gesturing in my direction. Drake looked concerned but didn't argue. He just nodded, and Kha headed back to me.While waiting for the car, I decided to text Con. I didn't want him worrying or wo
EVE The day with Conrad was easy, almost too easy. After the morning's chaos, it was strange how simple everything felt when just the two of us were in his room. We didn't do much. We just hung out, letting the hours slip away without worrying about what was happening outside those walls. He was easy to be around, and the stress that usually came with Kha and Drake was nowhere to be found. It was a relief, even if I felt guilty for enjoying it.As the afternoon crept closer to practice time, I realized I needed to change clothes. My usual routine of heading to my room was out of the question. I couldn't bear the thought of running into Kha or Drake or them getting updates from pack members after everything that had happened. They were probably still fuming, and I wasn't ready to face that just yet."I need to change," I said, glancing at the time. "But I don't want to go to my room."Con nodded, understanding immediately. He got up from where he was sitting and rummaged through a d
DRAKE Kha and I sat in silence, both of us trying to calm down after the near fight that had driven Eve away. My chest still burned with frustration, and I could see the strain in Kha's every movement. We'd almost come to blows, and the close we'd come to tearing each other apart made me sick. We both knew better. But knowing better hadn't stopped us. "She's not in her room," Kha muttered. "How do you know?" I asked. After everything that just happened, the thought of her being alone right now was agonizing. I was about to chase her down if we didn't figure out where she was. Command be damned. "Rissa just told me," he replied through gritted teeth. "She checked. Eve didn't go back to her room." It hit me. I knew where she had gone. There was only one place she would feel safe after what had happened. "She's with Ford." Kha didn't say anything at first, but I could see the fear in his eyes. "Of course she is," he finally said. "Why wouldn't she go to him? He's perfect fo
CONI couldn't believe she was here, lounging on my bed like it was the most natural thing in the world. After breakfast, I thought she'd stick with Kha and Drake, but she came to my room instead. She didn't hesitate, didn't second-guess it. Once I got her to calm down, she just walked in and made herself comfortable. Now, she was stretched across my bed, propped up on her elbows, watching me work on her bracelet. I wasn't even trying, yet she seemed drawn to me, like some invisible force kept pulling us together. She looked so calm and at ease in my room, and I wondered how she fit here so perfectly.I focused on weaving together a couple of leather bands with orange glittery strings. I laid the materials on the desk.She tilted her head. "Where do you keep orange glitter clothing?" she teased.I smiled. "They're from my old jersey from my last college. It became my good luck charm after a while, and I thought it might also bring you some luck."She narrowed her eyes slightly, not
EVE We headed to Kha's room after breakfast, and I knew why. Because Drake's room was directly beneath Con's.As soon as we entered the room, I sighed heavily, knowing what was coming."Just get it out," I said, bracing myself.Kha and Drake exchanged a look, biting back their words. I could see the storm brewing in their eyes, but they were holding back. I wasn't going to let them stew in their frustrations all day, not when I could feel their emotions swirling around us, threatening to suffocate me."No," I insisted. "You're not stewing in this all day. Get it out. Now."That was all it took. The dam broke, and it all came pouring out. Drake started. "We're upset, Eve. This whole thing with Ford... it's driving us crazy. We're jealous, okay? We don't like the way he looks at you, the way he's always there, always perfect. It's like he's this perfect guy for you, and we're scared. We're scared you'll want him more than us."Kha jumped in, his emotions even more raw than expected. "
EVE I woke up feeling queasy, but I pushed through it, determined to start the day on a good note. Kha, Drake, and I headed to the dining hall for breakfast. The usual smells hit me like a freight train, and I had to swallow hard to keep the nausea at bay. I tried to focus on the conversation with Kha and Drake, but ignoring the churning in my stomach was hard.I was picking at my food when I saw Conrad walk in. My stomach clenched harder, but it wasn't just the nausea this time. Something compelled me to move, to go to him. I stood up, ignoring the questioning looks from Kha and Drake, and walked over to Conrad.Before I could even speak, Conrad's hand found my arm, his touch steadying me almost instantaneously. The nausea vanished, and I felt clear-headed for the first time that morning. Without thinking, I invited him to join us once he got his food. But it wasn't just an invitation. It was a command. I realized what I'd done the moment the words left my mouth, but it was too
CONRAD I didn't plan on kissing her. Hell, I wasn't even sure how we ended up so close that it happened. But when it did, everything changed. The moment our lips touched, it was like something inside me shifted. I finally understood why those two guys were so damn obsessed with her. The connection between us was intense and something I couldn't shake even after it ended.I would do anything to kiss her again. The spark, the way it made me feel...I couldn't even put it into words. It was more than just a physical connection. It was like a piece of her had lodged itself inside me, and I didn't want to let it go.The fact that she was pregnant, something that had always made me hesitant, suddenly didn't matter. The baby was a part of her, and that was enough for me. Realizing that what had kept me from taking things further with her was now irrelevant should have been unsettling. But it wasn't.Instead, it felt like everything was falling into place, like this was where I was supposed