Anderson's POV At the end of the school day, I offered Tasha and Lila a ride home, and they happily accepted. "So, what do you two think about a little weekend adventure?" I asked, breaking the silence as we made our way to the parking lot, walking side by side. "Weekend adventure?" Lila repeated, looking confused. "Yeah," I said with a grin. "Help me figure out what’s fun around here. You know... show me the ropes," I explained. She raised a brow. "How about you spend the weekend catching up on everything you’ve missed before you joined us?" I rolled my eyes, smirking as I glanced at her. "Seriously? I’ve only been in this city for a few days. I need to get my bearings somehow, not bury myself in books." "Besides,” I added with a playful scoff, “you don’t exactly strike me as the super-serious type.” If she’s a bookworm, we probably aren’t going to vibe much. Tasha laughed. “Don’t mind her. She can be a little extra sometimes. But as for your offer, we are totally in!”
Sarah's POVFinally, after what felt like forever, the door clicked open, and Claire strode in, her heels tapping rhythmically against the tiled floor. She tossed a file onto the table between us, her face unreadable as always. My heart raced, anticipation and dread mingling as I straightened in my chair. “Finally,” I muttered under my breath, crossing my arms. "Apologies for the delay,” she said, sliding into the chair opposite me. "Further investigation has been conducted, and..." Her voice dipped, almost mockingly, “...your scent was not found at the scene. "We also found out that those whose scents were found on the scene are guilty." She took a deep breath, locking eyes with me. "You and your partner did an excellent job erasing any trace."She chuckled lightly, the sound tinged with a mix of admiration and disbelief. "That’s impressive, really."In the city's police force, the five supernatural factions—werewolves, witches, panther shifters, hunters, and humans aware of t
Sarah's POVThe door to Joshua's room creaked open, and there she was, the woman I had seen with Joshua last night, draped in my robe I usually wear every time I spent the night here with Joshua.Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of recognition and triumph. Her lips curled into a smirk. “What do you want?” From her tone and demeanour, it was clear she knew who I was, which made me wonder how long Joshua had been having an affair with her.I raised an eyebrow, refusing to let her see the sting in her words. With a steady gaze and a step forward, I brushed past her, the heels of my shoes clicking against the polished floor. "Where is Joshua?” I asked coldly, not sparing her a second glance. She spun around, her face contorting with anger. "You can’t just walk into our house like this!” She snapped, her voice rising. I stopped in my tracks and turned to face her, tilting my head slightly as if amused by her outburst. "Our house?” I scoffed, letting the disdain drip from my words.
Sarah's POV"How did the interrogation go, Sarah?" The principal, Principal Gaines, asked me in his office.He had called for me earlier.I then explained everything to him.He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You need to be careful, Sarah. People in this city have bad opinions about you, which you know. They are just looking for a reason to drag you down, so watch where you go and what you do."I nodded. "Thank you for always believing in me, sir. I don’t know where I’d be without your support."Every other workplace in the city had turned me down because of my past. But thanks to him, I got this job despite the board’s objections.He chuckled. "You don’t need to thank me. I don’t care about your past or the reasons behind it as long as it doesn’t affect your work, harm the school, or mess with the environment here."I nodded, feigning a smile."I think it's better for you to take a week off," he added. My brows furrowed in confusion. "For what, sir?"He shr
Sarah's POVI fought to keep my face neutral, refusing to let the panic show.Before I could respond, he leaned closer, his breath brushing my face as his voice dropped to a menacing whisper. “So tell me, Sarah... did you go back to the alley after pretending to leave? Because I was told their bodies were found there.” His accusation hit me like a punch to the gut, but I could not let him see how shaken I was. Not now. Not with everything I had riding on this conversation. “How dare you accuse me of that?!” I shot back, slamming my hands on the desk so hard the sound echoed in the room. He did not even flinch; his expression stayed maddeningly calm, his smirk still firmly in place. “Come on, Sarah,” he said, chuckling darkly. "I’m not the only one who thinks so. The whole school, and from what I heard, the entire city, believes it. So don’t act so shocked that I’m calling you out on it.” I glared at him, my mind racing for a way to regain control of the situation. His arrogance
Anderson's POV "I'm not sure the principal is my dad's friend." I said as Lucas and I walked out of Principal Gaines' office. Principal Gaines had called us and Daniel with his lackeys to his office before first period. He had apparently heard about the incident yesterday and gave us all a warning, especially Lucas and me. After Daniel and his lackeys left, Principal Gaines made it clear that he would suspend Lucas and me if something like that happened again. He even threatened to inform my dad if it did, despite my effort to explain that we were not at fault. Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you think he is?" "Because he’s supposed to stay neutral and even side with us!” I snapped. "We explained it wasn’t our fault, but it’s like he had already decided we were guilty.” Frustration edged into my voice. Lucas let out a scoff. “Why should he believe us when I was the one who threw the first punch?" “Is that why you were so quick to apologise and make that ridiculous promise
Anderson's POVTheir presence demanded attention, especially Axel's, whose broad shoulders cut through the space like a knife. He locked eyes with Lucas, his expression a perfect blend of arrogance and malice. Lucas, unbothered, leaned back in his chair, his smirk sharp enough to cut glass. “I don’t know what you mean, boy. Maybe you’ve got the wrong guy.” Axel’s eyes flared with shock and anger in an instant. I could not believe it either, especially after Lucas’ warning earlier. “Who the hell is this guy?!” Axel’s guy barked, stepping forward like he was ready to swing."Back off," Axel ordered.His sharp glare locked onto Lucas. "I’ll deal with this myself."“Don’t play dumb with me. You know exactly what I mean.” Axel let out a frustrated scoff, running a hand through his hair, clearly irritated by Lucas’ silence. "Who the fuck does this dude think he is?"Lucas shrugged. "Let's say the guy who doesn’t flinch when wannabes try to act tough. Does that answer your question?”A
SARAH'S POVThe faint sound of footsteps trailed behind me, just out of sync with my own, tapping against the pavement as I walked home with grocery bags in my hands. My skin prickled as though invisible eyes were burrowing into my back, watching and following me again.It started days ago, right after I left Joshua’s house for the last time. I had told myself it was just paranoia, but tonight was different.“Who the hell is this creep?” I muttered, my voice barely louder than the rustle of the wind.Then, I stopped abruptly and glanced over my shoulder.Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flicker of movement under the streetlamp before it retreated into the darkness. That and the footsteps were enough to erode my doubt.I smirked, tilting my head. Whoever it was, I will find out tonight."Alright, let’s see who you are,” I muttered under my breath. I resumed walking with feigned nonchalance.Every few steps, I threw a glance over my shoulder, trying to catch the figure slipping
Anderson's POVI didn’t sleep all night. Not a blink. Not a second.Because no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept drifting to Sarah. It was more than just thinking about her—it was like an invisible rope was pulling me toward her.The more I resisted, the more I felt like I was betraying a primal part of myself.My chest felt heavy, like someone had dropped a stone on it and kept tugging every time I tried to breathe.And to make it worse, every time I closed my eyes, this weird feeling would wash over me.Something felt off. I couldn’t relax, and it made me anxious. It was like the stupid mate bond was sending alarm bells through my body, making my skin tingle with this strange urgency—my muscles were tense like I was about to fight, and even my claws were itching to come out—which made no sense.I mean, I’m a lycan, not a werewolf. I’m supposed to have control over stuff like this.“Is she in danger?” I could not help but ask myself in the middle of the night, sitting up in b
Sarah's POVMy eyes darted across the room, heart thudding like a war drum.The thick tension that came with Alpha Derek's presence felt like a noose tightening around my throat."What... What do you mean?" My voice trembled, trying my best to mask my fear and panic.Alpha Derek chuckled. It was the kind that would make your spine itch.His gaze pinned me down like prey. "That tongue of yours,” he murmured darkly."It is one of the few things I find impressive about you.""But make no mistake, girl, if you weren’t my son’s… friend, you wouldn’t be standing here, breathing this air. You’d be in a cell, or worse.”I froze. That was not a threat. That was a promise dressed in velvet.Then he stepped forward, his aura crashing over me like a tidal wave.“Tell me,” he said, his voice turning cold and sharp, “who’s the psycho brave enough to mess with my city like this?”I squared my shoulders, trying to ignore how my heart thundered against my ribs like a war drum. If I showed weakness, k
Sarah's POVMy head throbbed like someone had taken a hammer to it.Pain pulsed behind my eyes as I slowly came to, a groan escaping my dry lips.My tongue was dry, and every part of my body ached like I had been hit by a truck.I blinked several times, my vision blurry at first. This wasn't the dungeon. The stone walls and flickering torches were gone. Instead, soft morning light filtered through sheer curtains hanging over a window.I tried to lift my hand to rub my temple, but something cold and heavy pulled against my wrist. The metallic clank made my eyes snap open, and I looked down.The chain was still there. Shackled tightly around my ankle, biting into my skin.My heart leapt into my throat as memories hit me in fragments."What the..." I whispered."Did he figure it out? Does he know I’m connected to the murders now?" My heart pounded as the thought hit me."Did I black out last night?" My brows furrowed, trying to piece it all together.My whole body felt heavy as I pushed
Sarah's POVThe dungeon was thick with tension.Alaric's gaze was locked on me, confused, processing what was happening.But I wasn't looking at him. My mind was spinning, trying to find a way out of this nightmare.Axel's face twisted with rage as he pointed at me."You lying piece of shit!" he growled, his muscles tensed like a coiled spring ready to unleash violence as he lunged toward me—only to be yanked back by Alaric’s sharp command."Stop!" His voice echoed off the stone walls.Axel froze mid-step, but his eyes burnt with defiance. "Just because Dad left you in charge doesn't mean you get to order me around like some pet!"He snarled, baring teeth that seemed sharper than they should be. "I have just as much right to act as you do!"His fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned bone white. "She's playing us, and you know it!"The air in the room suddenly felt colder.Alaric's fists clenched so tight I could hear the bones crack before he turned to face his brother slowly.“Y
Sarah's POV There he stood—Vincent Reyes, the notorious loan shark who owned some of the underground businesses in the city. He was the owner of the loan shark company and also a werewolf. His tall figure filled the doorway.Alaric's eyes flashed with irritation. "You are late, Reyes. The moon doesn't wait for anyone, neither do I."Vincent ran a hand through his slicked-back hair, offering a slight bow that didn't quite reach his eyes. "My sincerest apologies. Had a little... situation."When Vincent's gaze finally landed on me, my heart stopped. Time itself seemed to freeze as I felt naked, as if he could see right through me. His eyes narrowed, head tilting slightly as he studied my face.This was it. He would definitely know who I was and I was dead— even though I was sure we hadn't come across each other before.And now, he was going to tell them everything—that I had killed every one of them because of the loan I was yet to pay back. My fingers dug into my palms and sweat b
SARAH'S POVI woke up to a pounding headache, my vision swimming as if I had been knocked out cold. My body felt heavy, my limbs sluggish, and every breath came in short, shaky gasps.Blurred figures stood in front of me, their voices slurring together like an incoherent murmur as I fought to sit up, forcing myself to push past the weight pressing me down.I had to wake up. I had to figure out where the hell I was.A low groan escaped my lips as I blinked against the flickering glow of torches hanging on the walls. The dim light did little to help me piece together my surroundings.The last thing I remembered was walking into the loan shark’s office, determined to uncover the murderer’s identity through a ritual.I had overheard two students whispering about it at school, and I needed answers.I was in the middle of it when everything went dark.Now, as my vision cleared, I finally saw them.Alaric sat in front of me, legs crossed, his sharp eyes watching me like a predator sizing up
Anderson's POVThe woods were eerily quiet as I stepped into the clearing where Lancelot was already waiting—our usual meeting spot.I chose this place for its isolation because no one would get to see us together.His eyes locked onto mine the second he saw me.“You’re late,” he muttered.I scoffed, dragging my gaze over him like he was nothing more than a waste of space. "Yeah? And?”His brows knitted together, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "You said to meet here at this time—”"And you actually thought I cared?” I cut him off.A flicker of confusion and frustration crossed his face as he gritted his teeth. “Then why the hell are we here? You agreed to—"My hands slid into my pockets as I took another step forward, closing the gap between us. “To make you realise what a fool you have been..."A smirk tugged at my lips. "Because I've just been wasting your time all this while."His whole body went rigid, his breath hitching as the weight of my words sank in."You’ve been… wasting m
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,