Anderson's POVThe classroom was heavy with silence as I scoffed at Sofia’s request."Discuss something privately?" I leaned back in my seat, tilting my head mockingly."What for?” I asked, my tone laced with mockery."Or wait—” I let out a humourless chuckle, leaning back slightly."Are you here to finish what your father failed to? You know, actually kill me this time?”Gasps echoed across the room.Someone muttered, “What’s going on?”Another voice followed, confused, “Wait—what does he mean?”—not directed at me, just thrown into the air like the weight of my words had stunned them all.Sofia exhaled sharply, visibly pissed but trying to keep her composure."Please, just follow me,” she said."It won’t take much of your time. I promise. I just want to talk.”I narrowed my eyes."If you can’t say whatever you need to right here, in front of everyone, then forget it,” I said, my voice cutting through the air like ice."I’m not moving an inch.”She flinched slightly at my tone but did
Anderson's POVI turned, my expression frozen in disbelief. It was as if I did not hear her right. It was too ridiculous. So ridiculous that I scoffed before I even processed my own reaction."What did you just say?" I asked."I love you, Anderson. I've always do." She repeated.“You’re joking, right?” I said, my voice laced with mockery.But Sofia, standing there like a wounded animal, did not waver. Her eyes held that desperate glint that irritated me more than anything else.“No,” she murmured.A bitter laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it."You?” I gestured at her, disbelief evident in my tone."You love me?" I let out another chuckle, shaking my head."Wow. That’s a new level of delusion, even for you.”"And that's why I’ve been acting this way. I know it’s stupid. You can call me anything you want—I’ll accept it. I deserve it. I just…”“Well, thank God you know how stupid this is,” I muttered under my breath.She exhaled shakily. “I just can’t help it, Anderson. Seeing y
Sarah's POVThe long rectangular table at the centre was cluttered with paperwork and a few pens rolling aimlessly.Principal Gaines had just finished having a brief meeting with us—the teachers.After he left, a few teachers leaned back in their chairs, arms crossed, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and irritation.At the head of the table, Mr Callahan, a history teacher with greying hair and tired eyes, recounted with frustration how Anderson had disrespected him earlier when he confronted Anderson for arriving late and walking in confidently."I just can’t believe this." He exhaled sharply, shaking his head."On a normal day, what Anderson did would warrant at least a three-week suspension. But no, he decides to just let him off the hook? Unbelievable."A few teachers nodded in agreement.Mr Douglas, the strict mathematics teacher, scoffed. "Gaines is getting soft. A kid shows blatant disrespect, and instead of consequences, he gets a slap on the wrist?"Ms Harper, the fiery E
Sarah's POVA teacher, Ms Turner, whispered to Mr Hale, "No wonder she was defending him earlier. Pathetic."My heart clenched. This—this was exactly why I had been hesitant about Anderson’s demands. His reckless words and lies were about to destroy me.The moment my eyes met Lucas’s, my heart skipped a beat. His sharp glare and raised brows made it clear, knowing the reason behind it.But he can't blame me. I mean, it's his brother's fault for lying against me. But even if I told the truth that there was nothing romantic or sexual between us, who would believe me?Anderson stood slowly, his gaze unwavering as he met Axel’s fury head-on.Lucas rose too, frowning. "Axel, what the hell are you talking about?"Axel smirked darkly. "Oh, come on, Lucas. You really think you can cover for him?""I know the truth, and I think everyone else should too," he smirked.The whispers grew louder."So, he's not lying?""What the actual fuck?!"I stood there, frozen. Shame, humiliation, and devastati
Anderson's POVAt that moment, I did not care about staying out of trouble with Alpha Derek’s family when Axel dared lie about Sarah and me.Not that I had not already planned to make their lives hell, but lying? That was a whole new level of pathetic. He and his brother were the biggest frauds I had ever seen, and I was not about to let them get away with it. Watching Axel squirm as I tore his little dominance act to shreds in front of everyone? Absolutely satisfying. His every stutter, every flicker of uncertainty and confusion—I relished all of it.If Principal Gaines had not shown up, I honestly had no idea what would have happened next. A full-blown fight? Probably. My instincts had taken over, and I was ready to wreck Axel.But then Sofia—the weakest link in their little dynasty—had gone running to the principal.Hearing both sides of the story, Principal Gaines made his decision: Axel got slapped with a two-week suspension for lying, and me? I walked out scot-free.Axel stormed
SARAH'S POVThe Blackwood family—what do they think they are? Just because they sit at the top of the chain in this city, wielding power like a birthright, does that give Alaric the audacity to walk into my office, unannounced, during closing hours, as if his presence was some kind of privilege?The nerve.The knock on my door had been ordinary, something I barely acknowledged as I continued wrapping up some paperwork, assuming it was a staff member or perhaps a student. Never in my wildest thoughts did I expect him.And the funniest part? The door opened, and there he was, standing there with that damn smug smile as if we were old friends meeting up for coffee."Hey, Sarah," he greeted as if he did not almost turn my life into a mess with his lie.I did not even bother hiding my irritation as I folded my arms across my chest."What do you want?" My tone was sharp, leaving no room for pleasantries.His smile faltered, a flicker of confusion passing through his sharp features."What ha
Sarah's POVThe stares that followed Alaric and me as we stepped out of my office and walked down the hallway were intense and filled with judgement—of seeing us together after the lies his brother said about me in my presence.But Anderson’s? His was different. It was not just shock at seeing us together, especially after the lies his brother had spread about me. No, his gaze burmt with something much fiercer.Unlike the others, who stole quick glances before looking away, he did not bother to hide his reaction. His face twisted with fury, his eyes drilling into me until my breath hitched. I could only exhale when he finally disappeared from sight.“Is it because I’m a stranger in this world that your students and colleagues keep glaring at me like they want me gone?” Alaric asked, his voice barely above a whisper."Or am I just overthinking it?”I let out a small chuckle. “You have no idea how I found out about your brother’s false accusations.”He halted, his brows furrowed in conf
Anderson's POVAnger, fury and rage. They coursed through my veins like wildfire as I watched Sarah walk away with Alaric earlier in school. My fists clenched so tightly my knuckles turned white, my jaw aching from how hard I gritted my teeth. Jealousy? Hell no!That wasn't jealousy. That was disgust—pure, unfiltered disgust. How could she? How could she agree to go on a date with the same guy who nearly ruined her with that ridiculous lie—if I had not stepped in and saved her ass?I was not the only one who felt that way. Other students whispered in shock, questioning how she could walk beside him, smiling like none of it ever happened. They called her all sorts of names as she strolled down the hallway with him, completely unbothered. I did not know why, but I found myself secretly following them. That was how I discovered he had taken her to a five-star restaurant in the heart of the city. All through the date, she kept laughing at everything he said—like he was the funni
Author's POVIn the skeleton of an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city, Harry, Anderson's adoptive father, paced like a caged animal, his shoes scuffing against the dirt-strewn floor.He checked his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes, his jaw clenched tight as he drummed impatiently against it.“Damn it. She should be here by now,” he muttered, glancing toward Gaines."Every second we waste..." He shook his head, the moonlight catching the beads of sweat on his temple."Every second we waste is another second closer to everything falling apart. If Derek connects those dots..." His voice trailed off as he slammed his fist against a concrete pillar."We don’t have the luxury of time.” His voice was sharp, filled with mounting frustration.Gaines, leaning casually against a pillar, exhaled through his nose.He had been watching Harry’s restlessness with mild amusement, but there was an underlying tension in his stance as well.He checked his own wristwatch before res
Anderson's POVI did not expect to see my adoptive mother return with Lucas."Didn’t you leave already?" I asked flatly, raising a brow at her as she strolled in with Lucas."Weren’t you supposed to leave with Dad? What's wrong?” My voice was laced with suspicion.Something felt off.She smiled—too easily, too calmly. “Oh, nothing’s wrong. We just decided I should stay here overnight while he handles things.”I did not believe her for a second—it was as if she had another agenda other than just to spend time with me a bit before leaving the next morning like she had claimed.But before I could press further, she seamlessly changed the subject."We should have dinner together," she suggested, her tone light but leaving no room for refusal.I did not argue. I never really did with her or my adoptive father."Fine," I muttered, already rising to head to my room."I'll join you later. Need to freshen up first."She said nothing, but I felt her eyes on me as I walked off.Under the water,
Anderson's POV My adoptive father's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "I need to know everything—what he saw and why he let you go just like that." At first, I did not want to tell them. But after thinking about it, I realised Alpha Derek’s reaction last night meant my identity could actually be at risk. If I were in his position, I would not have let it go so easily either. I took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. "Fine." "When he looked into my memory, he didn’t see anything important—just random, irrelevant memories. Nothing that could expose who I really am." Instead of the shock I was expecting, the expressions on my adoptive parents were unreadable. That did not sit right with me. "You’re not surprised or shocked," I said slowly. "Why?" "Because it’s possible," he admitted. My brows arched. "How?" Then, he explained that powerful Alphas and Lycans could block certain memories from being seen when someone tries to dig into their minds—their subconscious
Anderson's POVHad my entire life been built on lies and deceit?The weight of my adoptive father's revelations pressed against my chest, suffocating me like a noose tightening around my throat.The people I called my parents were nothing but liars, feeding me fabricated stories and twisting truths to keep me in the dark for a reason I was yet to find out.First, they lied about being my biological parents. Then, they concocted some absurd story about why I was a lycan, making me believe I was the only one left in existence—history also backed the claim.And now… now, I was being told that Alpha Derek was not just a werewolf but a lycan himself, who had somehow created an army of lycans of his own—more like his assassins and puppets—before the great curse that sent lycans into extinction was placed.It did not make sense. None of it did."What do you mean?" I asked, my voice strained as I stared at my adoptive father.My legs felt weak, and before I realised it, I had collapsed onto t
Anderson's POVMy jaw tightened as I turned to face my adoptive father, eyes narrowing."Why does it even matter?" I demanded, my voice laced with anger."Why are you acting like you care when your decision has already been made?""You’ve got it wrong," my adoptive mother said."We are not here to take you back home."I stared at her, confusion flashing across my face."What?" The word escaped before I could stop it.If they were not here to drag me back, then why the hell were they here?"Then why are you here?" I demanded, my patience thinning by the second.She gestured toward the sofa. "Sit."Reluctantly, I obeyed, sinking back into the sofa, my body tense.She then shifted her gaze to Lucas. "Stand up and return to your seat."He obeyed, shifting beside me.Then, my adoptive father spoke. "There's a reason you are here in the first place—the dream—and what Evelyn said about it."Back home, she was a witch our pack turned to whenever there was a need to.When I kept having the sam
Anderson's POVThe second I pulled into the driveway and saw my adoptive father’s car parked right outside the mansion, my blood boiled. So that’s why Lucas had insisted I come home. That sneaky bastard.I shoved the car door open, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. He had promised—promised—he would not tell them. And yet, here they were, almost midnight—making it clear they weren't just here for a casual visit.The moment I stepped inside, my eyes locked onto him, sitting across from my adoptive parents.Anger flared inside me as I strode toward him, completely disregarding my adoptive parents' presence.“You are a goddamn snake,” I spat, my voice dripping with venom."A sly, two-faced bastard who doesn’t even have the guts to own up to his hypocrisy.”I let out a slow, mocking clap, my lips curling into a sneer. “If there were an award for backstabbing and hypocrisy, you'd be clutching it right now, standing on a podium, giving a speech on loyalty while stabbing someone in the bac
Author's POV"Choose your next words very carefully," Alpha Derek said quietly, his voice laced with venom.Katya sneered. "Or what?""I've lost so many of my people. We are the ones suffering the most from these murders, so yeah, I have every right to speak."Alaric leaned forward, confusion evident on his face. "What the hell are you talking about? Every person in that organisation was slaughtered except the werewolves who weren't there because of our moon feast. That's why we've been protecting them all this time while also using them as bait, knowing the killer would come for them soon."Her laugh was sharp and cold. "Exactly! How convenient that the werewolves just happened to be absent on the night of the massacre. How convenient that the killer chose that night, knowing they wouldn't be there. How convenient that none of you have been affected by these killings. How convenient that, despite all your father’s supposed power and resources, he still hasn't found a single trace of
Author's POVAlaric could not shake off the nagging feeling that something was off back at the river because Sarah’s sudden change in mood had caught him off guard. One moment, she seemed fine, and the next, she was insisting on going home—so desperately that she even tried to leave without him. That was what made him suspicious.So after dropping her off, he didn’t just drive away. He waited outside her apartment building, watching as she bolted inside, hoping to find out what had her so rattled.But he could not because of his father's call, reminding him of the emergency council meeting among the four supernatural factions.Now, as the heavy wooden doors of the castle’s grand chamber creaked open, Alaric stepped inside.The vast room stretched before him, its vaulted ceilings towering overhead, ancient tapestries lining the walls. This was where the top-tier supernatural leaders gathered—where decisions that shaped their world in the city were made.A long, obsidian table stretched
Sarah's POVThe moment the door clicked shut, I rushed forward, locking it as if that could somehow keep out the mess of emotions and desire he left behind.Then, I collapsed onto my bed, pressing the heels of my palms to my eyes.My chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as Anderson's words echoed in my head and as my body throbbed from the tension he had built up and left unfulfilled. My mind was at war with itself."Sarah, you are playing with fire," I muttered under my breath, torn between reason and the gnawing desire clawing at my self-control.My skin still buzzed from his touch, as if his fingertips had left invisible embers behind.I pressed my fingers against my lips, as if that could somehow erase the way he had owned them—teased, tasted, and claimed them with nothing but his lips."Can you handle the aftermath if you do?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.I knew what giving in could mean—hell, he could use it against me, tell people just t