SERAPHINA’S POVTime blurs. He's there on the floor, motionless, and I'm here in a stunned state of dread. His chest—barely rising. My hands want to pound, want to shock him back to life. Wake up. Please, wake up.Fear crawls through me. The temptation to shake him, to scream, gnaws at my sanity. But what if it makes it worse? What if the invisible thread holding him here snaps? What if it’s already to late? How do I begin to get him out of here? Do I leave his body and run to get Jasper? What if I’m not fast enough?My fingers twitch above his heart, desperate to feel a stronger beat, to see his eyes snap open. Instead, they're met with the cruel reality of his persistent silence. Don't you dare leave me, you bastard.Do something. DO SOMETHING! My thoughts shout, but my body is frozen—the blood is everywhere. Everywhere I look at. I don’t realize it at first, but I’m trembling.Thankfully, the others arrive.Juliet did find help. Minutes after, she rushes back in with Jasper,
KAMILA’S POVI let out a sigh of exhaustion as I step into the room, shutting the door quietly behind me. The weight of this whole Morgan situation bears down on me, reminding me that I've got to find a way to keep things from spiraling further out of control. I pause for a moment, leaning against the door to catch my breath and gather my thoughts."What was that about?" His voice cuts through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. I turn to see him sitting beside Artemis, who's still unconscious. With a comic book in hand, he shoots me that insufferably brooding look he seems to have trademarked. "Has he woken up yet?" I counter, sidestepping his question as I approach Artemis to assess his condition closely.His color appears to be returning, a good sign that the treatment is working. A sigh of relief escapes my lips, and for the fifth time since hearing about the incident, I run my hands through my hair."That's not what I asked," Ace retorts, deliberately closing his bo
SERAPHINA’S POVDespite agreeing with Kamilla's logic about keeping my distance now that I've regained some semblance of freedom, I can't shake the heavy feeling that suddenly envelops my chest.I manage to trudge my way back to my dorm—not the one I shared with Artemis in the boys' dormitory, though. The thought of facing the countless objects that would only etch his face deeper into my memory is unbearable right now. Instead of wallowing in the past, I should be focusing on moving forward, trusting that he will be just fine.Lost in thoughts that are still a jumbled mess, I don't even realize when I've arrived at my room. Pushing the door open, I step inside. I expect to be greeted by dust that has settled on the walls and sheets, the byproducts of days of neglect. However, as I walk in, a sweaty Olivia pulls away from the wall, duster in hand, and looks in my direction with eyes full of curiosity."Olivia?" I freeze in place, not expecting to see her back so soon. A whirlwind o
SERAPHINA’S POVI wait for a response from her for a second before risking a look at her face. Her expression is stoic, lips pursed into a straight line, making me nervous. “Say something,” I almost beg.Finally, she blinks as if waking up from some trance and shakes her head. “So... you think you're connected to the Astria Tribe?” she asks calculatingly, like admitting my claims out loud is even more alarming.“Yes, exactly”' I exclaim, a little too loudly. A surge of excitement courses through me. Finally, someone understands me, without judgment, without thinking I've lost it. I let out a small chuckle until I see her brow arch slowly.“Right... Are you sure you didn't knock your head during the altercation with Morgan? Or could this be stress-induced paranoia?”My excitement drops, replaced by a sinking feeling of disappointment. “See? I knew it. I knew you wouldn't believe me,” I mutter, standing up from my bed and pacing the room, unable to sit still.“Come on, Sera, you ha
SERAPHINA’S POVRight into my first day back at school—following the series of events that included being the target of a psychopath, hallucinations, and befriending Artemis just before he's stabbed with a dagger—something feels distinctly absent. It's as if a sense of warmth, which used to fill the otherwise lifeless hallways of Raven Wood Academy, has evaporated, leaving the opening hours of my day depressingly bleak.I can't pinpoint the cause, but this void haunts me even as I exit my third class, mere minutes after the bell. Dragging my feet to my locker, I switch out textbooks, my shoulders drooping more than usual. I'm so absorbed in my thoughts that I don't even notice someone approaching. When I close my locker and step forward, I mistakenly collide with them, sending their stack of books tumbling to the floor."I'm so sorry," I apologize, still not raising my eyes to see their face. As I bend down to help pick up the fallen books, our hands touch, both reaching for the s
SERAPHINA’S POV"Ow, easy there!" I wince, shooting Olivia a look through the vanity mirror as she yanks my hair, all in the guise of crafting pigtails.Just minutes before, Olivia had burst into the room, full of the 'brilliant' idea that we could spend some quality time braiding our hair and catching a movie. Instantly, I knew what she was up to—another well-intentioned attempt to pull me out of my emotional black hole. Just like Juliet, Alice, and Lucian, she's been on a mission to brighten my days.What they don't seem to grasp is that their overwhelming kindness feels like suffocation. Every hug, every over-enthusiastic smile, and every forced joke just serve as sharp reminders of the emotions I should be experiencing but can't summon anymore."If you don't sit still, the braid's gonna turn out all wonky," Olivia chides, her fingers busy weaving my hair."Yeah, well, I'd rather have a wonky braid than a bald spot," I retort.Catching her eye in the mirror, I see her hands fumbl
ARTEMIS’ POVHer heart's pounding, a rhythm almost as loud as mine, thumping like it wants to break free from my ribcage. I muster a cool smile to hide my jitters. Words are just too weak to capture the storm of emotions swirling in me from finally seeing her—those hypnotic green eyes, after days locked away in that boring, soul-sucking room. Days without her voice, her laugh, the comfort of her presence. Days that drove me nearly mad, figuring out that nothing—absolutely nothing—mattered more than getting out and getting to her.My wolf is practically buzzing inside me, itching to close the distance between us. It craves the simple comfort of her nearness, aching to breathe in her scent like an addict in withdrawal. I want all of that—Goddess, how I want it. But I hold back, every fiber in me straining to keep control. I don't want to spook her, not when I'm still trying to figure out what I even want.Fuck, I've missed her.Missed her so much that everything else blurred into i
ARTEMIS’ POVWe sprint through the forest for what feels like an eternity, the sheer force of pent-up energy disappearing with every step until we come to a slow, panting halt. We find ourselves beside a secluded pond, its surface reflecting the moon's glow. I kneel down, allowing Sera to dismount."That was amazing!" she bursts out, her feet barely touching the ground before she's marveling at the world around her. The wind has turned her hair into a wild, frizzy masterpiece, and she finds a large rock to sit on.I lean in, my wolf's tongue giving her a parting lick on the cheek before stepping into the water."Where are you going?" she asks, curiosity dancing in her eyes. But I offer no answer.Submerging fully, I let the transformation take hold. As I re-emerge, it's my human eyes that meet Sera's, my lips that curve into a devilish grin. "Don't want you to see my tiny bits unless you're interested," My tone carries a wicked humor.Her cheeks flame up, so red they could rival a