DRAKE We made our way inside the pool house. I led her to a secluded room, away from prying eyes. I'd lost my virginity in this very room, in this same bed. I was never going to tell her that, though. I wanted to replace those memories with the real thing. As soon as the door closed behind us, she was in my arms with an enthusiasm that took my breath away. The sounds she made were like a drug, each gasp and moan fueling the fire in me. I watched her face as I laid her on the bed, her eyes closed, her lips parted as she breathed heavily. Seeing her already so lost in me was almost too much to bear.I leaned down, exploring every curve of her body.She responded, her body arching toward mine, gripping my forearm with an intensity that matched my own hunger.I was so ready for her, every fiber craving her body. I had to work to pace myself. As I kissed and licked up her thigh, she tugged on my hair. I was making all manner of noises. All raw, all primal. All noises I would have
EVEHe pushed me down on the mattress, putting his entire weight on me as he started growling and moaning loudly in my ear. I felt each wave wash through his body as he pulsated inside me. I loved how I felt every inch, every subtle and not-so-subtle ripple as his muscles moved in response to the pleasure surging through him. He rolled onto his back, pulling me on top of him. I rested my head on his chest, tracing patterns on his skin. “You like sex. I can tell,” I said with a teasing smile. He laughed softly. “What guy doesn’t?” “Yeah, but you really like it,” I replied. “Yeah, you're right. I’m always insanely horny. Hell, I would do it three times a day if you’d agree.” I couldn't stop myself from teasing him. “Quite the stamina, huh?” “I’m not playing,” he said seriously. “I’ve been that way as long as I can remember.” Discomfort crossed his face, and he seemed to regret admitting it. “Don’t do that,” I said. “If it’s a part of you, I want to know about it. I'd say I've p
EVEI could hear the panic in his voice. He was beside himself, talking rapidly, saying he had lost me and hated everything about his life right now. "Eve, please come back to me. I can't stand this," he pleaded. I could almost see him, chaotic and disheveled, desperation pouring out of him. "I can't, Kha," I whispered. "They dropped the charges totally, and the girl was kicked out of school," he said, his voice cracking. "They even asked if I wanted to press charges, but I just want this to end. Please, Eve, come back." "You don't want people to know you were taken advantage of, do you?" I asked quietly. There was a heavy pause before he agreed, sounding so sad it made my heart ache. "I want to control it, Eve. I don't want to be so damn volatile all the time. I want to get better for you. I realize now I was using everything as an excuse. I can control myself better if I try," he said, his voice breaking as he sobbed between words. "Please, come back to me." A plane roared ove
KHAWhen Eve called me, I heard the helicopter pass overhead. It was the same helicopter. The nature preserves monitor the area, which meant she was at Drake's house with him. Then she lied to me. Why did she lie to me?Because she was scared of me. Because I had hurt her. It hurt her so badly she would be scarred for the rest of her life. She would carry those scars forever because of me. I hated myself for it.I needed to confirm my suspicions. I texted Eve goodnight and told her I loved her. She answered instantly, telling me goodnight and that she loved me too. She had said she would talk to me if I stopped rapid-firing messages, so 100 wouldn’t get a reply, but one would. Lesson learned. Not that I could control it when I was in a full panic attack, which had been constant since she broke up with me.I crouched low, hidden by the shadows cast by the massive oak tree outside Drake's mansion. My heart pounded in my chest, a painful reminder of the mistakes that had led me here. Eve
EVEI hurried to the back door as Kha had instructed. Gerty arrived and wrapped me in a hug... She handed me a large, heavy backpack. Kha had clearly tried to think of everything to comfort me. As I opened the backpack and started sifting through the chaotic assortment of items, I couldn't help but smile at his thoughtfulness. There were at least ten of his old frat shirts, knowing how much I loved the soft fabric and often stole them from him. Nestled among the shirts were several new ice packs and a heating pad. The fleece throw from his couch, which I frequently wrapped around myself in his perpetually cold dorm room, was also there. I could tell he'd sprayed it with his cologne. I found a plastic bag in the front pocket containing some strange-looking vials. Kha had attached a note: "The brown one is nasty but the best for pain. Just dip your finger in a little and lick it off once a day. You'll hate it, but it will help with the pain and help it heal. The green one will
DRAKE He gave her too much. He gave her too fucking much, and now she was high. Far too high for her own good. I couldn't contain my fury. I felt the need to hit something. Anything. The tension in my muscles screamed for release. I hated being this angry. Suddenly, Eve started screaming that I was a spider just as Lori walked in. "A spider! A huge, scary spider! You're going to bite me!" She crawled away, her eyes wide with terror. I reached out to console her, but she slapped my hand away. "Don't touch me! Stay away!" I tried to explain, "Kha sent pain meds, and I think she overdosed." "Eve, it's okay," I tried to soothe her, but she slapped my hand away, glaring at me with wild eyes. "Don't touch me! Where's Kha? I need Kha...." she screamed. I sank to the floor near the door, feeling utterly helpless. "Lori, please! Get Kha! Call him now!" she begged, her desperation growing. Lori knelt beside her, "Eve, calm down, we're trying to help." But Eve's pleas continued.
KHAWhen my phone buzzed, I hoped it was Eve. My heart sank when I saw it was Drake, saying she was begging to see me because she had overdosed. I told my dad, and we left immediately. On the way, he called Mom to confirm whether it was safe for Banes to come on Stclaire territory. Lori’s response was simple, "I'm here. Don't worry."Hours later, we were in bed with Eve curled up between us. Drake shifted uncomfortably, and Eve grabbed his arm. "No, we're not done," she mumbled.Drake grimaced. "Can we reposition? I'm sure he's in as much pain as I am right now." He was right. My hip and leg had been cramping for a while, but I wasn’t going to say anything because she was finally in my arms again.We shuffled around, and Drake pulled her onto his lap, leaning back against the headboard. She looked almost childlike as she reached out to me. I took her hand, letting her pull me back beside Drake. Shoulder to shoulder, we sat on the bed while she curled up between our laps."You two
KHA I felt like I was being torn apart. I looked at Eve, her face etched with fear and pain, and then at Drake. I knew staying would only make things worse."I'll go," I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady. "But I'm not giving up on her."Drake didn't respond. He just held Eve tighter, his eyes daring me to argue. I turned and walked out of the room, each step feeling heavier than the last.As I rounded the corner, I froze, catching sight of my dad, Ty, and my mom stumbling out of the master bedroom, hair messy and half-dressed. The sight was nauseating."Fucking figures," I spat, unable to hold back the disgust.Ty smirked, "Good morning to you too, son.""Don't you dare call me that," I snapped.Dad shrugged, trying to smooth down his hair. "What's got you so riled up this early?""Maybe the fact that you're all acting like teenagers at a frat party. With your fucking sons in the same goddamn house," I shot back.My dad sneered. "Watch your mouth, Kha."Ty chuckled, "You
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