Katie's PovFor the last two weeks, Killian Huxley had found a way to burrow into my life and under my skin. He wasn't everywhere—more like he was in places you least expect someone like him to be which made the experience a lot more intense.Evan on the other hand had recently turned into the bright light in the dim environment that was my high school. I couldn't even tell the difference if it was him being nice or he was just being civil and I on the other hand, just wasn't used to that.I was in the library trying to read when the Principal's voice came over the intercom“Students, there will be an emergency assembly to be held in the auditorium. You are all expected to be present in the next five minutes, thank you.”I couldn't help but wonder what the emergency assembly was for. Was the Pack under attack or what?I quickly packed my books, and the rest of my belongings, and headed out of the library.The hallway was chaotic, with students shoving each other in their haste to reac
Katie's POV “Glad you could finally join us, Miss Katie Whitlock…”Principal Shawman announced all the way from the podium, giving me all of the eyes that I never asked for. I felt like the ground should just open up and swallow me."Attention whore…" I heard someone say. I wasn't interested in who was saying it, so I didn't bother finding out.Principal Shawman cleared his throat and all of the side remarks stopped as he commanded everyone's attention back. His black blazer shimmered under the pressure of the state light.“Students of Red Moon High," he began. " It has come to my attention that there has been an irrational bullying of a certain student here in our school.”My head shot up faster than the next second could have struck. It was the last thing I was expecting to hear. Suddenly everything turned quiet and no one was saying anything.“Leslie Akins??” He called out.Then the random chatters fueled the air again, students throwing dart eyes at me and then at her as she came
“Am I in trouble?” I asked, which to me was a really dumb question to ask, considering I left in the middle of Leslie apologizing and also, school won't be over till another thirty minutes.He chuckled, a small cloud of fog leaving his lips. "I think we're both in trouble, you more so than me though."Evan chuckled again, before sitting on the bench keeping some inches between us as he stared ahead. I took out one earpiece and handed it to him so it didn't feel rude that I went back blocking him out.He took it and fixed it into his ear.“Mazzy star…that's a little old school," he said. "I thought you would be on the current blaze.”“Current blaze??” I chuckled. “Prof… Evan, no one says that. Not even me who is a little old school.” I saidHe shrugged. “Time dynamics is funny. What is old to you is new to me and vice versa with everyone else," he explained. "You would get to understand that someday.”I didn't know what to say in response, so we just listened to the song in silence, th
Katie's POV “Miranda is my mate," Evan said out of nowhere. His fingers trace the line curves engraved into the table, creating a shallow depth. His aura changed, and I could tell he was sad.“What happened?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.“She fell ill for an entire year," Evan answered after about a minute. "That was the most difficult phase of my life," he said, his voice filled with sadness. "She got well though, but…" he trailed off.I didn't know what to say or do. I'm not best when it comes to saying comforting words, and right now saying anything to Evan didn't seem like such a good idea.Evan and I sat down in silence until the ice cream came."Don't pay attention to me and enjoy your ice cream," Evan said, his voice no longer filled with sadness.I had blueberry gelato ice cream while Evan had coffee, which I found weird. I haven't really spoken to him enough for him to know my favorite flavor for anything I was taking. I didn't let him know of this but I showed
Katie's PovHe shrugs it off. “It is the least I can do after all I—you have been through.”I gave Evan a smile in agreement, as we drove to the bus stop."Th–""I'm going to stay here till the bus comes," Evan said before I could thank him and bid him goodbye.I sighed in defeat, because his mind seemed made up, and no amount of words would make him change his mind.Evan and I waited by the bus stop until the bus came and we bid each other goodbye.Arriving at the cafe, I noticed Shedrack had cleaned and set up everything perfectly."Shedrack," I called out to him, and he turned to me with a bright smile, which only made me feel more guilty. "Sorry, I came late, and let you do all the work," I apologized."There's nothing to be sorry for, Katie," Shedrack said dismissively with a smile across his lips. "I just did what anyone would do."I smiled in return and made my way to the backroom to get changed into my work clothes.After changing into my work clothes, I walked over to where S
Katie’s POVKillian emerges from the dark just behind the walls of the café, “A party would be nice for your edges.” I could already imagine the subtle smug look he would have on his face. I don't know how he does it, I think it is a complex that has to be linked with rich people. Their peculiar ability to act so rude with a perfect smile or neutral like they couldn't give a f**k.“You are no more mysterious, just stalk-ish and uncool," I said irritatedly. "And before you say anything, I have my solid reason why me going to that party might just never work," I suddenly felt the urge to explain myself to him. "One, Donald is not gonna let me go—”“Why don't you just call him your dad?” he interrupted.I cocked my head in disbelief. “If anyone in this goddamn pack was supposed to know how fake my father and I’s relationship is, it is you, his biggest rival who he won't stop yapping about," I pointed out plainly. "It's like you're an insect that had managed to get under his skin. I won
Killian’s POV“You know what, Ana? I will catch you and let me freshen up.”I left without looking back. Walking straight into a separate elevator which she strolled right into, causing the air to instantly go stale with awkwardness. I totally forgot we took the same private elevator to the top floor rooms where my parents had decided to move her to from the hotel so we could be ‘closer’, regardless of how much I told them I didn't need the extra effort they were putting in to make it work.*Flashback*“Mum, I took her on a date, bought her flowers, and we went strolling. All the while I'm working with the locals for votes and watching over the new business. What more do you want from me??”I had been complaining of her words of ‘encouragement’ which only made me feel like I wasn't doing enough for Ana.“I’m not saying you aren't doing enough for Ana. I'm just saying I know how difficult it can be with your schedule. That's why I brought her closer so you both can be in the same build
Killian's POV “She said she didn't want to have anything to do with me. In her words, I should just leave her alone.” Hearing myself speak, I felt like a sulking teenager, whining about their crush and not wanting to have anything to do with them. It irritated me. But something about the way she said those words to me with exasperation in her breath made me truly believe she wanted to have nothing to do with me.And all above this, I hated the idea of failing and losing. Failing a simple mission, a task, or losing a huge deal—and in this case, this was a huge deal. Even though at first I thought the woman was just being paranoid.Stephen snickered irritatedly, and I f it for the fact that I actually need the company of someone who wasn't kissing my ass, I would have sent him to the moon goddess herself.“You know, I would have asked what you did to deserve such cold words but knowing you, I can probably imagine pretty clearly what you might have said to hurt her," Stephen said, a mo
Killian's POV I drove both my car into the woods opposite the bend that lent to the tent. I drove it up to a point I felt the visibility would be hard to notice in the thick of the night. The bus could stay where it was. It was a victim in the whole operation anyways. The other bodies I had to lift and dumb somewhere behind a large log of wood of a collapsed tree. After that, I would be left with dealing with whoever it was that was behind this operation. By the time I was back to the tent, she was sitting right in the center of the chair just as I left her, but this time, she lifted her head. Relief filled my body as I saw that she looked way better than I had left her. I mean, the swollen face was still sort of there but she didn't look like she was in pain. “Hey…” She said to me with a small smile. “You didn't think I was going to give in to them, did you?” She asked, after wincing at her attempt to smile. “I am just glad you are alive. My father would have had my head if somet
Katie's POV Just like that, I was a little girl again sitting between my mother's legs as she took care of my hair because none of the hairdressers in the pack were willing to make the hair of the child whose mother was said to be proclaimed a witch. I remember having to cry to my mother every time I got treated differently. And everytime, she would have that one same sad look in her eyes that would fall to the earth. Some days, she would spill tears onto them, other days when she was drunk enough—she was not even close to a messy drunk—she would just laugh it off with more strength and ask me to sit between her legs. There she would tell me about stories I have heard over a 100 times. The thing about these stories was that even though they were the same and I have heard them over and over, over the years, they always improved in detail. There was always something new to be made clearer about her story and not once did I ever doubt the stories she told me severally regardless of the
Killian's POV A whole survey began. Mel was alive. Even though my body was reeking of fatigue, I couldn't stop moving my burning muscles. I dragged both bodies I dropped in the woods somewhere farther away from the path that a car could come through in the woods, did the same to the bodies on the road while also checking their body for the mark of the special force. Each and every one of them had the mark, so it wasn't just a coincidence. They were all special force members acting like they were savages, under the control of…Anna Adam’s command, Shedrack’s mother. I always wondered how she was connected to all of this. Now I know how. She didn't have to deny it, It was clear now that she played her part in keeping me out of the pack. It was just sad that I was going to have to make an example out of her even after knowing her kid. I went into the car to check on Katie. I unlocked the door without announcing and they both screamed for their lives. “Hey hey…it's me!” I raised my han
Killian's POV My senses heightened as I tried to feel all of my environment, but I knew that was panic slippin into my blood streams. The urge to control what was beyond you was always a good prove that you were in the enemy's territory. The calm before the storm was over. Heavy feet landed onto the ground next to me and I didn't hesitate. I went straight for the kill, punching a hole into the wall of the shadow being standing in the night. The cry of pain cut out by my other hand while one was stuck in his gut. His ugly male breath poured in my face as I tried to lower him to the ground in silence without letting the others know. I was walking into a blind fight in enemy territory. I had no idea how many they were or what they were up to, but I knew they were close. The watch tower was never too far from the main camp. I took a deep breath, rubbing my wet arm against the tree and making sure that it stayed that way, away from me. I didn't want to keep wasting time over thinking how
Killian's POV One minute I am thinking about them, then next thing I know, they are flashing in my face looking straight out of a horror show. Katie's dark brown curly locks were wild on her head as she clutched onto Jessica, dragging her down just before I concluded the bend. I wasn't even done processing the fact that I had just seen them in the middle of the road, running in the middle of the freaking night. I collided with two bodies that forced me to bring the car to a halt. I couldn't help but wonder what just happened and where they came out from. One second the road was empty and now I was seeing at least four people. Their bodies dropped right in my face. I mean I was staring right at them when it happened and I wanted to pretend like it didn't just happen. It wasn't until Katie screamed at me, “Keep going! They are savages!” She really was the one I saw…I wasn't hallucinating. “Katie?!!” I called out to her, coming down from the car. “Killian?!!” She sounded so excited.
Killian's POV I was on my way following the same route to Stephen's bunker. The drive alone was way better and driving my personal car out of that godforsaken pack gave me even more reason to not return. I doubted I killed Ana, the fall was enough to make her pass out but not die. Being she was actively betraying me, they would probably find her before she loses more blood than she can afford. Her body was well rested on the ground next to her very ugly flower vase. I refused to not feel bad or guilty about my intrusive thoughts on killing her. But I wanted a ‘I told you so’ moment with my parents after all this was over. I pulled out my phone to call Stephen since Mel wasn't picking up. She wasn't a fan of calling and driving and that didn't come as a surprise to me. Stephen picked up after the first dial. “Hey…are you guys almost here??” He asked the question I was sort of going to ask him about Mel. “No…” I started, staring into the blaring empty road before me. “I am coming al
Katie's POV My throat was hot. The air I was breathing felt choking to my lungs, almost like I was inhaling hot smoke from a burning fire close to my face. I tried to scream but the clothes in my mouth wouldn't help me stop. I dressed away only to find out I have been bound by my hands to my back by a piece of material. The wheels in my head began to spin outrageously as I realized that I was dealing with something way bigger than me. I tried to scream because the more conscious I was getting, the more I was starting to realize that I was in big trouble. I so badly wanted it to be a dream because I couldn't tell the difference between a dream and reality. But this, this didn't feel like I was dreaming. “Jessica??” I whispered, hoping she was close to me and it wasn't my captor. “Yeah…” Her voice was weak. “Thank God! Are you okay??” I asked her. “Keep your voice down. They are still around the bus. They got Mel. We need to help Mel.” Jessica said in a weak voice. I could locate
Killian's POV I debated between going back to my apartment for a change in outfit but she didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve clean clothes or clean air for the betrayal she was playing in our faces. At first, I was going to let her be. It wasn't forgiveness, I just felt I had way too much on my plate to focus on her till the full implications of her action dawned on me. She didn't give a single fuck about consequences too. That was the funny part. Did she forget the backbone of our marriage contract was based on trust and alliance. There was no time to do behind the scenes in depth research where I could find out how she really came about being a backstabbing bitch and if—my favorite part—her family was involved. That way, I could finally have the evidence I needed against the Andersons. It was unfortunate that my father turned an intentional blind eye to their disloyalty for whatever reason. I alighted from my car, bringing the beanie over my hair further down while keeping my
Joanna's POVThe cameras went off and Donald detached from my body like I was made of fire, he stormed to his office and shut the door behind him while leaving me to settle with the producer. I wasn't composing though, I have been taking care of the ropes for a while now and have gotten used to doing it alone. It didn't change the fact I was exhausted and he was mad at me. I knew why but refused to accept it for a fact because it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that he was lumping all the faults on me, when we both had her inside the entire time. I waited in the living room with an open but untouched bottle of wine beside me, begging to be touched. I just couldn't let them see me falling heavily on the wine as a form of dependency. I painted the strong independent woman picture right from the very face day I found out how much power my father held. I wanted to be in his seat. He warned me that it wasn't for me. That no matter how I struggled to have this life I so dearly wanted, it would