DARRYLI couldn’t bring myself to go to school after what happened with Jake. The way my hand tightened around his throat, the way my wolf surged forward, growling to take over. if Hazel hadn’t stopped me, I might have torn him apart right there. Shadow, my wolf, had wanted blood, and in that moment, I realized just how dangerous being around Hazel could be. Not for me, but for everyone else.So, I stayed home. I needed distance.“You’re being an idiot,” Shadow’s voice rumbled. “Our mate is in school, and you’re here, sulking.”I groaned and sank deeper into my bed, clutching my pillow like it could somehow muffle him out. “We can’t be around her every second,” I snapped. “You know what happens when we’re close. I lose control. You lose control.”“And staying away is working out great, isn’t it?” Shadow sneered. “Because I’m definitely losing it more right now. The bond isn’t going to weaken just because you’re hiding under a blanket.”He wasn’t wrong, and that made it worse. My ches
HAZELI walked into the school auditorium, where students were whispering to each other with wide eyes. Two police officers stood by the stage with a clipboard in hand. One of them was calling names from a list, and each student reluctantly walked forward for questioning.I slipped into a seat near the back, letting my bag fall beside me. My mind was still swirling with thoughts, none of them helpful. Jake was attacked. I wasn’t sure why I felt so shaken—Jake was my ex boyfriend, and he was very much annoying. But the attack felt personal in a way I couldn’t explain.I was seated near the back, pretending to focus on the notebook balanced on my knees, but my ears picked up every word around me."Did you hear what Emily told the cops?" a girl whispered.“No, what?” another student replied as she leaned closer. “She said she saw shadows, like a huge animal or something, just before it happened. But it couldn’t be. I mean, this is Ravenville, not some wilderness.”My fingers tightened o
HAZEL “Tell me the truth, Hazel,” my father’s voice was calm like he was trying to pull something out of me that I wasn’t ready to share. “Did you see anything? Anything at all?”I could feel the weight of his gaze on me as he waited for an answer. My pulse quickened, and I stared at the floor, my mind racing for a way out. But the truth? It felt too dangerous to tell, and I wasn’t about to get anyone else involved. Especially not Darryl.“No,” I said bluntly, not meeting his eyes.“Are you sure?” he pressed leaned in slightly, his eyes narrowing as he looked directly into mine. “Did you see anyone running?”I swallowed hard. It felt like my father was reading me, trying to pull the truth from my very soul. But how could I tell him the truth when I didn’t even fully understand it myself? How could I explain the way my heart twisted whenever I thought of Darryl or the weird suspicion crawling through my mind that something wasn’t right with the whole situation?“No,” I repeated, even
HAZELThe class was dragging on, the hum of the teacher’s voice blending with the scratch of pens against paper. We were supposed to be taking notes on the lesson, but my attention kept wandering back to him—Darryl. He was sitting a few rows ahead of me, his dark hair falling over his forehead, eyes fixed on the front of the class. But whenever I looked his way, I could feel it. His gaze. He was looking at me.I’d glance up and catch his eyes just as they flicked away. The first time it happened, my heart did a weird skip, and I quickly turned my attention back to my notes, pretending I hadn’t noticed. But the second time... and the third... it was harder to pretend. Each time I caught him staring, something inside of me tightened, like I was being drawn in, and yet I couldn’t look away.It wasn’t until the fourth or fifth time that I realized how unsettling it was. But also, kind of... thrilling? Why did it feel like my heart was beating faster each time I met his eyes? I tried to s
Darryl’s POV I knew she was following me. From the moment I stepped out of the classroom, I could hear her soft footsteps trailing behind. Even if Hazel tried to be quiet, she couldn’t hide from me. Not from a werewolf. Every movement of her was impossible not to notice. And then there was her scent. Sweet and warm, like vanilla and wildflowers, it wrapped around me and pulled me closer to her even as I tried to put distance between us. She didn’t know. Of course, she didn’t know. A human who would never feel the same magnetic connection that I felt every time she was near. It was getting hard just bearing this feelings alone. The thought burned through me as I reached the office door and knocked. Her golden eyes flashed through my mind, and I had to grip the doorframe to keep my hands from shaking. The way she’d looked at me earlier in class... it was like she could see straight through me. I wanted to grab her then and there, pull her close, and tell her the truth. I
HAZELI sat in the back of the classroom, half-listening to Mr. Thompson’s lecture as he rambled on about ancient folklore. My mind wandered, but I didn’t mind. The subject of the day was something I loved—animals that could turn into werewolves. Stories about the supernatural were practically my lifeblood. Anything paranormal, really, and I was all in.Mr. Thompson’s voice cut through the haze of my thoughts. “Today, we’ll talk about a fascinating part of history—the legends of werewolves. You’ve all heard them, I’m sure. The beasts who live among us, hiding in plain sight. But who can tell me… what causes a person to transform into one of these creatures?”I shifted in my seat, glancing around. Some students were whispering, others scribbling in notebooks. Darryl, of course, was sitting in the back, as usual. Mr. Thompson’s gaze landed on him, his eyes gleaming like he already knew what he was going to ask. “Ah, Darryl. I believe you might know a little about this one.”Darryl looke
HAZELI stood in front of my closet, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My hands trembled slightly as I reached for a sweater, then pulled back, frowning. "It's just a project," I whispered to herself. "Just a project at Darryl's house. Nothing more." What was I even doing? Why did it feel like I was preparing for some life-altering event instead of a school project?The day Darryl had approached me to discuss the assignment replayed in my head. I’d been sitting in the cafeteria, minding my own business, when he’d walked up with an expression unreadable as always.“So…when do you want to work on the project?” he’d asked.I had frozen, not knowing what to say. How could I form words when he was standing so close with his intense gaze fixed on me? Before I could stammer out a response, he’d pulled out a slip of paper, scribbled something on it, and handed it to me."Here's my address. Just come over whenever you're ready," he’d said with a calm tone and I took the paper without q
DARRYL Stepping outside was the only way I could keep myself in control. Hazel’s presence had been suffocating in the best and worst ways. The scent of her clung to my senses like an addiction I couldn’t shake. Being around her made me feel like I was about to lose control, and the last thing I wanted was for her to see me like that. I stood in the cool night air, leaning against the side of the store. The mate bond was stronger than I had ever imagined, pulling at me, tearing through every wall I had built over the years. I took a deep breath, rubbing my temples as I tried to calm the storm raging inside me. Being near Hazel made everything harder. She was my mate, the one person who could bring me peace, yet she was also my greatest danger. Claiming her would mean putting her life at risk. Malachi would sense the bond, and he wouldn’t stop until she was dead. I shook off the feeling and pushed myself off the wall as I walked back into the store. The first thing I noticed was Ha
HAZELI woke up to sunlight streaming through the curtains of Lucian's guest room. Two days I'd been here, hiding from everything - from Darryl, from Katrina, from my dad and from what I'd become. The soft mattress had become my sanctuary, but even that couldn't keep the world at bay forever.A car engine rumbled in the driveway and the sound got louder as it approached. My heart jumped - were Lucian's parents back early? I swung my legs out of bed and walked out of the room, ready to call out to him."Lucian, I think your parents are-" The words died in my throat as the engine's distinctive sound registered in my brain. That wasn't just any car. That was a police cruiser. My father's cruiser."No," I whispered, scrambling to the window. Sure enough, there was my dad's patrol car, and there he was, stepping out in his crisp uniform like he was every inch the authoritative mayor and police chief he was."Lucian!" I screamed, panic making my voice crack. "LUCIAN!"He appeared in the doo
Hazel I opened my mouth, trying to find the right words to explain Darryl's absence without revealing anything supernatural. My mind raced through possible excuses, each sounding more ridiculous than the last. Just as I was about to sputter some nonsense, Lucian's phone pinged."Hold that thought," he said, reaching for his phone. "Let me check this real quick."I waited, grateful for the interruption. My heart was still pounding from nearly having to explain everything about Darryl, the wolves, and why I was really here."Who is it?" I asked, trying to sound as casual as possible."Actually, it's Darryl," Lucian replied, his eyes scanning the screen."What?" I nearly choked on my coffee. "Darryl?"Lucian nodded, still reading the message. "Yeah, he's asking about football practice. Says 'How far, man? Are you coming for practice today at school? I've been practicing.'"He turned to me, his eyebrows raised. "Is this what you've been hiding? That he's been having private practice sess
HAZELI stood in the darkness, my mind still reeling from Katrina's revelations. My feet started moving toward Darryl's hideout, but I stopped abruptly. If what she'd shown me was true, if Darryl really was that violent beast in the videos... I couldn't risk being anywhere near him.The thought of those missing girlfriends made my stomach churn. How many had there been? What had really happened to them? The Darryl I knew seemed so different from the monster in those videos, but maybe that's exactly what those other girls had thought too, right before they disappeared.Home. It was the only place left, but even that felt impossible. Dad had been calling non-stop for five days, probably had the entire police force looking for me. What would I even say to him? Sorry I disappeared, by the way, I'm some kind of supernatural creature called a Golden Wolf? Yeah, that would go well. But then again, maybe he already knew. Those silver bullets in his study weren't there by accident. He'd been
HAZEL I sat in the dark room, my heart pounding against my ribs. They'd thrown me in here what felt like hours ago. No windows, just thick concrete walls and a heavy metal door. All I could think about was Darryl lying unconscious on the cabin floor, that purple poison running through his veins.I stood up, determined to find a way out. I had to get to him. Just as I reached for the door, it burst open, slamming against the wall. Two guards rushed in, pushing me back into the room. Katrina sauntered in after them, dragging Amy with her. My stomach dropped when I saw Amy's state – fresh bruises bloomed across her face, and blood trickled from her split lip."Look who I found trying to run away from the pack," Katrina said, shoving Amy to the ground."Amy!" I tried to run to her, but the guards held me back.Amy looked up at me, her eyes full of tears. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I tried to help, but—" She broke off with a cry as Katrina kicked her."Stop it!" I shouted, struggling against the
HAZELJust as the moment between us got intense, that stupid rat bit my leg! I screamed and jumped up so fast I nearly hit my head on the ceiling. Darryl jumped up too, looking ready to fight."Ouch! That little monster bit me!" I yelled, rubbing my leg."I'm going to kill that rat," Darryl said, his eyes scanning the room. He looked so serious about it that I couldn't help but laugh.What happened next was like something out of a comedy. Darryl was crawling around on his hands and knees, looking under furniture for a tiny rat. I stood on the bed, not wanting to get bitten again."There it is!" I pointed at a shadow moving behind some boxes. Darryl lunged, but the rat was faster. He ended up face-first in a pile of old blankets."For a mighty Alpha werewolf, you're not very good at catching rats," I laughed. He shot me a playful glare."Oh yeah? Let's see you do better!" He stood up, crossing his arms.I tried to use my new super-senses to track the rat. I closed my eyes and focused r
HAZELI couldn't help but smile as I left Darryl far behind me. Running like this felt amazing - like I was flying through the forest. The wind whipped through my hair, and everything around me was just a blur of colors.Finally, I stopped and waited for him to catch up. While waiting, I touched one of the trees near me. It was strange - I could feel life pulsing through it, like a heartbeat under my fingers. Everything in the forest felt alive and connected somehow.Just as I was exploring these new sensations, Darryl rushed past me, probably thinking he was taking the lead again. I laughed and shot forward, easily passing him once more. This new power flowing through me was incredible. I never wanted it to stop."Hazel!" Darryl called out behind me. "We've passed where I want us to hide. Stop running!"I skidded to a halt, my feet barely leaving marks on the ground. Darryl finally caught up to me, bending over and panting hard. I realized I wasn't even breathing heavily."That was..
HAZEL I was going crazy sitting in that room. Elena kept checking on me every few minutes like I might explode or something, and the antiseptic smell was making my new enhanced senses go haywire. Darryl had been gone for what felt like forever, and I couldn't take it anymore.When Elena stepped out to get more supplies, I saw my chance. I know Darryl told her to watch me, but he wasn't my boss. Besides, I felt fine – better than fine, actually. The golden light under my skin had faded to a soft glow, and my head finally felt clear.Getting out was easier than I expected. I just waited until Elena went to check on another patient, then slipped through the back door. The cool night air felt amazing on my skin, and and I took a deep breath, finally able to smell something besides hospital chemicals.The area around the healer's facility was quiet – too quiet. No pack members anywhere, which seemed weird. I started walking, testing out my new senses. Every smell told a story – here's whe
DARRYLI held Hazel close, not wanting to let go. Her scent calmed my wolf, making me want to stay. But I couldn't."I'll be back soon," I whispered, forcing myself to pull away. Her golden eyes watched me, full of questions I couldn't answer yet.Outside the room, I found Elena checking some test results. I grabbed her arm gently."Elena, I need you to stay with her," I said. My voice was serious. "Don't let anyone in. Not even pack members. We can't trust anyone right now."Elena nodded. "Of course. But where are you going?"Before I could answer, my father's mind link hit me hard. His anger burned through our connection, making me flinch.GET HERE NOW."I have to go," I told Elena. "My father wants to see me about what happened at the party."Elena's face showed worry. "Be careful. The Alpha will genuinely be annoyed."His anger burned through our connection. I could feel Shadow, my wolf, wanting to resist the Alpha command, but I knew I had to go. Looking one last time at Hazel th
HAZELI stared at my reflection, watching golden light pulse beneath my skin. The words "Golden Wolf" echoed in my head, but they felt wrong and impossible. Then I thought about my parents and froze.My dad was human. My mom had been human before she died. How could I be a Golden Wolf?The markings under my skin rippled like they were trying to break free. I pressed my hand against the mirror, watching the strange patterns shift and flow. Everything I thought I knew about myself was crumbling.Then memories started flooding back. Dad's strange behavior over the years. All the rules and restrictions. Never letting me stay out after dark. The silver bullets I'd found hidden in his study. His hatred of Darryl."Dad knew," I whispered, turning to face Elena and Darryl. "He must have known what I am. That's why he was so protective. Why he sent me away to the city." My head spun with questions. "He said he was protecting me from something. But what? And how did my mom..." I couldn't finish