Vespa My heart pounded like crazy as I paced back and forth in the room. My whole body vibrated with raw fear, making me shiver from head to toe. For a solid two minutes, Ria and I couldn't bring ourselves to say anything. Ria's face was empty like a lifeless doll, but I could tell that her heart was dashing itself against her chest.My hands trembled so hard that my nails cut crescent moons into my palms. I looked down at them to distract myself from the fear that was eating me up. Mute as a fish, I lowered myself to the reading desk. Everything was happening all at once, and the more Ria kept insisting that Ziah was behind this, the more I began to shake as fearful images built in my mind.Just thinking about the consequences of murder tore and shattered me. "I can't wrap my head around this, Ria," I managed to say like a pig having my throat cut. "Why would Zah Iah do something so extreme?"Ria rolled her eyes. "Don't you get it? He loves you and would go to extra lengths, doing
Ziah Ignoring my jealous heart, which hungered to stop Vespa from spending the night with Kai, my curiosity to know more about the lecturer's death overshadowed my thoughts.Kai got lucky. There won't be a next time.The campus was a beehive of activity; students rushed to come see things for themselves, and even the lecturers and staff members hurried to the central fountain where the alleged accident took place.Everyone was in a frenzy, talking at once. I needed to know what exactly happened to the man and couldn't wrap my head around the fact that hours ago, the same man who was acting all high and mighty, talking big and flexing his ego, was now like a candle blown out—no more breath, no more life.Life was strange.Lecturers huddled together in intense conversations, sharing their speculations, and the security team was in full action, making sure that no one came close to the car. But my Lycan vision made it possible for me to see from a distance.The lecturer's car was a midni
Vespa Spending the night turned into spending the weekend with Kai. Although there were a lot of lovemaking sessions, I was lucky that Kai loved to read, making it a win-win. However, I noticed that I couldn't read in the middle of the night because every time I tried, all I could see was the dead lecturer's mangled face. On Sunday night, I decided to give it another shot and study for my exam the next day.The dark room became dimly lit when I turned on the small desk lamp on the reading table. Kai was fast asleep in his bed, snoring softly with his dark hair tousled. The dude was fine as hell.I brought out my books from my bag, and placed them beside Kai's well-arranged books, all on coding and software engineering, and I began reading. It started well until my mind drifted and became with the lecturer. I groaned in frustration while trying again to focus; but his face kept flashing in my mind, interrupting my concentration.At some point, I saw his disapproving gaze on every pag
VespaThe boys, including Kai, kept pestering me, literally groveling that I came with them to the Lycan pack. I agreed because the campus was becoming quite boring and lonely since Ria had gone home.The werewolves and a few other students were the only ones on campus, and about four days after the exam, their buses came to pick them up. I spent the night with Zeke, and so we headed to the bus station together.But when I spotted several colorful buses, I asked myself what the heck I was doing. Zeke gave me a gentle push to hop on board, and I joined the throngs of werewolves and Lycans heading home.Some gave me strange looks, as expected, wondering what a human was doing in their midst and wondering whom I was shagging. Inside the bus, the boys' shenanigans began. Kai found a seat in the back, and Ziah quickly sat beside me, leaving me painfully squeezed between Kai and Ziah.Zeke couldn't care less, perhaps because we spent the night together. The werewolves chatted in the bus abou
VespaThe second Zeke was rushed in, and the house descended into absolute chaos and confusion. It was as if a tornado had hit when I saw Kai carrying a bloody and semi-conscious body.A terrified shriek escaped my lips. My breath became raspy, and my heartbeat thrashed in my ears. The crimson liquid pooled around Zeke, seeping through the fabric of his torn shirt.Ziah, Kai, and the other members of the household gathered around. I couldn't bring myself to go close to him because I was feeling dizzy, and my stomach churned. My trembling hand gripped the banister to steady myself."What happened to him?" Grandma Zora shrieked with fear choking her voice. Her face, from her neck down, was stained with splotches of red."Call the healer right now," she cried, panicking. "Tell them it's an emergency.""We sent for her already," Kai said.My heart rate increased watching Zeke helpless and powerless. He was bleeding, and if nothing was done to stop it, I was afraid of the consequences."Whe
VespaThe second Zeke was rushed in, and the house descended into absolute chaos and confusion. It was as if a tornado had hit when I saw Kai carrying a bloody and semi-conscious body.A terrified shriek escaped my lips. My breath became raspy, and my heartbeat thrashed in my ears. The crimson liquid pooled around Zeke, seeping through the fabric of his torn shirt.Ziah, Kai, and the other members of the household gathered around. I couldn't bring myself to go close to him because I was feeling dizzy, and my stomach churned. My trembling hand gripped the banister to steady myself."What happened to him?" Grandma Zora shrieked with fear choking her voice. Her face, from her neck down, was stained with splotches of red."Call the healer right now," she cried, panicking. "Tell them it's an emergency.""We sent for her already," Kai said.My heart rate increased watching Zeke helpless and powerless. He was bleeding, and if nothing was done to stop it, I was afraid of the consequences."Whe
ZekeNobody gave me a prior notice that being a convalescent sucked. It was like being trapped in a never-ending cycle of limitations. The hours ticked by slowly and painfully, and I hoped to feel better, but instead, my body was playing a cruel joke on me.I couldn't move without pain or hesitation, and simple tasks like lifting my head and changing my position were now a challenge. I had to rely on others for help.The worst part is Kai gloated about warning me not to go left. Mr. Know-It-All must be bragging to everyone.Thank goodness the once deep and raw gashes on my body were closing up and forming delicate pink scars.Also, the pack physiotherapist was on his way to check my progress. So, that was a little win. Selena walked in, and my lips pressed together. I was displeased and clenched my palm when she moved closer to check the stupid bandage on my arm.It was infuriating when I found out that Selena betrayed me. My so-called best friend, who knew how important it was to keep
VespaListening to Zeke admit that he could share me with his brothers made my heart stumble out a frantic beat, and my laughter crackled like a leap of electricity.Zeke watched me, confused and wondering why I was laughing. The idea sounded great, but no. First of all, the brothers were jealous of each other. Three people loving me at once was a lot to process. Ever since I met the boys, I tried reading some books on multiple partners but stopped my research due to all the problems that have heaped on me last month. The idea of companionship and support from multiple men seemed enticing, but now that I was in the Lycan pack and had met their grandmother, who doesn't hide her dislike for me, I knew it wasn't going to work. It sounded palatable for now, but eventually the jealousy and insecurity would become overwhelming. The brothers would begin to hate one another and even hurt themselves because of me. I wanted a deep, meaningful relationship with one person and didn't mind choosi
Chapter FiftyAthenaFour months had passed, and the academy graduation day had finally arrived. It was a bright and beautiful morning, and students, parents, and teachers gathered to celebrate this milestone. My dad and mom were there with my sister. Uncle Zika and their wives were also present. I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my dress. I had settled for a simple blue gown that had a long slit. Mia helped me with my hair and makeup, ensuring perfect detail. Oh, and did I mention that Cameron was still alive, and Mia was engaged to her boyfriend Sean? She wore an off-the-shoulder dress to flaunt her mark with pride. I tried not to look at it because I always became jealous whenever I did. Mom and Dad beamed with pride, taking photos of me and Caleb. Cameron's dad, King Marcos, had also arrived, and when I curtsied respectfully, he smiled warmly at me and hugged me. His mom still had not been found, and some people speculated that she might have killed herself. Cameron ofte
AthenaSex with Cameron was beautiful. I never knew it could get so addicting, and I always thought the act was overhyped until I experienced it. The more the weeks passed, the more I couldn’t get enough of him. He had complained about condoms, saying that it wasn’t like the real thing, but I would always scream at him to stop being stupid and that I wouldn’t be responsible for his death. We kept the news from our parents. Cameron’s mom had disappeared and was nowhere to be found. Cameron pretended to be calm the time we bumped into King Thor, but when he was closing off, he landed a punch on the king's jaw that I heard crack. He got a few bruises from the king’s bodyguards, but I was proud of him. The bastard deserved to be manhandled.Despite everything, I needed validation that I was doing the right thing. I couldn’t tell my mom because she would tell my dad, so the only person I could confide in was my grandmother. One of the weekends, I took a train to her house, which was close
Cameron's POVI'd never been on the verge of tears in years. It was taboo for boys to show emotion. Lately, life has been unfair to me, and realizing that nothing could ever be okay again has made me feel like a failure. I had always thought my life was great and better than most. Now, it was clear that that was just a delusion. The fact that my parents were on the brink of divorce because my mom fucked that bastard, Thor, made my blood boil.This roller coaster left my body drained. I didn't care how stupid I looked in tears; the feelings overwhelmed me. When the first wave of grief subsided, I finally looked at Athena, who was also in tears. She cupped my chin and kissed my forehead. “Why? Athena. Why does it have to be me? First, it's our bond and the pain of knowing you and I can never be together. Now, this?”“I'm sorry,” her mouth trembled as tears streamed down her face. “It isn't right. I wish I could fix it.”She wrapped her arms around me tightly, and I held her back whil
AthenaA crease appeared on Cameron's forehead, and he looked pinched and unhappy from my rejection. I moved my hand frequently, trying to distract myself, and thought he would understand as usual, but he seemed too defensive."It's just a dance, Athena. Even strangers dance. Things aren't that bad; please don't push it," I said, remaining calm. Cameron grinned at me, and I didn't understand why he was so stubborn."Fine then, I'm not going to ruin the fun. I hope you wouldn't mind if I danced with another girl.""Break a leg."He looked like I had just slapped him in the face, surprised by my response, but I needed to protect him from myself, even if it hurt. He turned around and left, and soon, he was dancing with a popular girl from school. Watching them felt too painful. I skipped to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of juice to distract myself.I noticed someone at the door and thought it was Cameron, but it was my cousin Alex. He smiled a little too broadly, and there was an
AthenaI bit the inside of my cheek, feeling trapped and unsure of my options to return to school. It was easy to second-guess myself because teenagers and young adults my age were mean, and no matter how I pretended that words didn’t get to me, I knew that wasn’t true. Stepping off the plane, I hoped I had made the right decision. I flagged a taxi from the airport parking lot, wondered why they were so expensive and hiked their prices compared to regular taxis, but I had no choice because Mom had gotten me a truckload of edibles and even more for Caleb. The driver dropped me off at the school gates, and I didn’t know if it was the hopeful expectation that there was going to be a strange twist between Cameron and me or the fear that things could get worse and that I was shooting myself in the foot. My heart pounded as I dragged my suitcase behind me. I stopped when I spotted Cameron standing and smiling at me at the gate; my heart melted.Our love brought us back to each other in wa
Cameron My gaze never left Athena. She was too startled by my bold declaration, and even though I was more uncertain than ever about what I was doing, and my dad was caught off guard by my words, I couldn’t help it. A part of me knew I was digging my grave, and I liked life too much to lose it. But at the same time, seeing Athena roused my deep affection and attachment for her. It wasn’t just about lust; there was more to my feelings. I wanted to move closer, to touch her. My pulse raced, and I felt a hyper-awareness of being close to her. Only she could cause me this mental fuzziness and the feeling of possessing her and keeping her safe.Her father looked confused. I heard his quick intake of breath. Athena stood tongue-tied, and shock flew through her mother’s eyes. I could tell my father was irritated.“What is wrong with you?” he whispered harshly, but I was too far gone. Athena looked different, skinnier than when I last saw her. She looked like someone who had been through a
Athena The next day dragged on without much happening. Everyone soon returned to their lives, with Dad busy with alpha duties and Mom busy with work and the home front. I knew this was how it would be—that everyone would forget my predicament or soon see me as a sore loser who couldn’t overcome the fact that Cameron and I could never be together. But I was wrong. My mom had invited my grandma to come over, which was a real surprise, as my grandma was a pure witch, and it was risky for her to be in our pack. Having her over made me feel a certain type of way. I had inherited her bloodline, and with it came a legacy of pain and heartache. I didn’t know if I wanted to see her.I drifted to sleep but could hear my grandma’s voice in my dreams. When I woke up, I realized she was indeed downstairs. My parents and sister were welcoming her warmly. I remained in bed; a part of me wanted to rush downstairs and fling myself into her arms. Instead, I made my way to the window and peered down
AthenaThe next few days were a blur of sorrow and nothingness. I struggled to remain alive and succumbed to the sadness that consumed me. I hated myself. I wished my life was over. There was nothing positive to look out for in this bleakness. My parents were concerned, but I chose isolation, finding people's words and concerns irritating. My eyes were swollen from crying, and my bed was bearing the brunt of this depression. I didn't leave it; if the poor bed could speak, it would be screaming n. I knew I would be expelled from school; that was a no-brainer. My dad and mom tried to reach out to me. Even my uncles, Zeke and Ziah, came over with their wives, but I didn't want to see anyone.Caleb had sacrificed to travel back with me, but he shouldn't have bothered because his presence didn't lift my spirits. The whole family was angry with Alex for exposing my secret, but I knew it was for the best. Cameron would be free now, and it was useless holding him back. I heard my mom knoc
CameronIf anyone had ever told me that this revelation would break the bond I shared with Athena, I would have never believed them because Athena seemed like everything good in my world, all in one package. I devoted myself to her and desired to share everything with her—my body, mind, and soul. I gave my heart to her to treasure with trust. We matched perfectly and had never fallen in love so quickly or completely.A wedding seemed the next logical step. I thought I would feel happy with her and that even if we encountered issues, they would be minor things with solutions.But now, my heart was shattered beyond repair. I was furious, I was afraid, and the thought of bonding with Athena leading to my death frightened me beyond measure. The hurt was raw, and the terror came gasping up my throat in a cold, panting fear. Ever since that night at the ballroom, surrounded by the elite who gathered to watch the commotion occur, my life went downhill. That night, a hush fell over the cr