Ziah An icy grip of fear tightened around my heart. The chilling dread of the unknown. My gut instincts warned me about that veiled woman at Vespa's dad's funeral. That woman was evil. She knew I was coming after her and attacked me with that sharp, agonizing pain that ripped through my stomach, like a hot blade slicing through butter. When I doubled over, clutching my abdomen, she disappeared. I tried to speak, but it was impossible while struggling to catch my breath. But most importantly, I needed to shield Vespa from her. It sent chills down my spine to know that Vespa knew her. How would she react if she found out that her acquaintance was evil? She was the damn witch we encountered the other night. But Vespa, bless her clueless soul, had no idea. I wanted to warn Kai, but the all-knowing Lord superior never believed anyone unless there was hard evidence, which I planned to gather from Vespa. Seeing how powerful the woman was, I had to be as discreet as possible. And this t
VespaAfter a long day of classes and assignments, Ria and I were craving some comfort food. We ordered pizza from Pizza Hut and chose the pepperoni pizza with extra cheese with garlic breadsticks on the side. "Why is the delivery guy taking so much time?" I groaned, impatient and checked my phone every few minutes. "He's here." I rushed to the door with excitement, grabbed the pizza box, paid the guy, and grabbed two plates to serve myself and Ria.Moaning in delight. I loved the soft and chewy pizza and dipped the breadsticks in the garlic sauce, eating with relish and not caring about the calories or the mess. Ria had a playlist of mostly pop songs and turned on her Bluetooth speaker.I was eating the last slice of pizza when my phone rang. Astrid was calling, and she sounded upset, making my heart skip."Astrid, what's wrong?""I don't know what's wrong with mom. She's been maltreating Snowy. And she even threatened to sell him if we didn't get him out of the house."I sat up, su
Kai First-semester exams were fast approaching. Reading on my own was exhausting and sometimes boring. I wasn't friends with any of my classmates because most of them were silly humans who bored the hell out of me and were usually nervous in my presence. I couldn't sleep. I got off my bed and grabbed my laptop, trying hard to study in my bedroom. But the silence of the house made my mind wander to strange places and made reading and focusing very difficult. I needed energy and motivation. Getting off my bed, I prepared to head for campus, knowing there would be students doing the same. I packed my books, laptop, headphones, and some snacks, preparing to stay in school until early the next morning.The campus was mostly quiet and empty. Heading to the main auditorium, a large hall open 24/7 with plenty of tables and good Wi-Fi, I found a dozen students scattered around—some reading alone, some in groups, and some popping gum so loudly that I was almost forced to snap it out of thei
VespaKai and Ziah sat opposite me in a warm, cozy booth, enjoying a late breakfast at a small diner on campus. Like people auditioning for a role in the Envy Olympics games, these dudes were so jealous and fought to be crowned the reigning champions with a gold medal. I stared at the vintage walls and bit my lower lip to stop myself from bursting into laughter when Kai’s nostrils flared, and Ziah's smile was twisted and lacked humor. Kai glared at me, and I pretended not to notice and turned my attention back to the wall. Also, every girl was swooning over the boys, but they didn't notice. They were too stiff and basking in jealousy."Er, guys," I said, clearing my throat. "Do me a favor and throw the bad blood out the window. This is not a competition." Kai's frown appeared beneath his arch, making him look like a scarecrow when Ziah passed me whipped cream for my pancakes. Knowing that they were going to outdo each other by showering me with attention made me shake my head in amu
Vespa Panic gripped the boys the moment Kai announced Nebula's distress. I didn't give a fuck about her, but she was pregnant and a female. I wasn't a doctor, but I had little knowledge about pregnancy. It was complicated for a seven-month-old pregnant woman to bleed. She needed immediate medical attention, and we rushed out of the restaurant to help her. She wasn't my favorite person in the world, and the evil part of my heart would have laughed hard because she deserved what she was getting. But no matter what, I would never stoop so low to the level of wishing anyone harm, particularly a pregnant woman. My heart wasn't so dark.My car, which was literally the only property I had now, was out of the automobile workshop, and I threw the keys to Kai, who sped to the hospital."What about that idiot boyfriend of hers?" Ziah freaked out. "It's stupid how the moon goddess paired two numbskulls as mates."We arrived at the private hospital with a huge Red Cross in front and rushed insi
ZekeWe spent all day in the hospital waiting for Nebula to wake up. Kai sprawled on the only chair in the recovery room, taking a short nap.Ziah and Selena were deep in conversation, discussing the next cleansing rituals. And Vespa was bored as hell.I could tell she wanted to leave. Although I assured her countless times that she didn't need to stay, she ignored me. Despite every terrible thing Nebula did to her, she stood selflessly, choosing to wait.In reality, she owed Nebula nothing. Unlike Lycans, humans were poodle-hearted and forgave easily. Nobody could fault Vespa or call her a bad person. This compassionate side of hers drew me in and made me love her even more. She was just twenty-one but forgave easily and loved unconditionally."Why are you staring at me like that?" she said, the sides of her mouth breaking into a charming smile.I returned the smile, tugging on her right hand. "We should get Nebula some toiletries and essentials. That idiot, Donovan, is nowhere to be
VespaFor the first time in my entire school career, my brain failed me in the exam hall. I had thoroughly studied and reviewed the material for hours, but as soon as I sat down to take the exam, my mind suddenly went blank, playing a confusing game of hide-and-seek. I tried very hard to focus to figure out the solution, pinching my lips together in frustration and even closing my eyes for a little while to take a deep breath. But it was like something had been erased from my head. Minutes ticked by, my fingers drummed on the desk, and my mind sank when I saw how focused my classmates were on their tests.I racked my brain trying to read the question again. My experience with investigative journalism has always been positive. I've always enjoyed the course, and I found great satisfaction in seeking justice and uncovering the truth. Seeing these questions now, and the memory lapse I was facing, was surprising.Ria sat in front of me. With concern, she cast a glance in my direction. S
Vespa The door flew open with a loud bang. Ziah walked in, frightening the sex-starved pig.The pervert’s reaction was so epic that laughter exploded from the deepest part of my soul. It gave me so much joy to see his eyes expanding like saucers as if he were trying to take in the entire world at once. Some people keep getting away with evil and have Olympic medals of wickedness and sin in the gold category; but they don't realize that one day, all their dirty secrets will come crashing down like a house of cards.The examiner thought he was the supreme grandmaster, but now he was heading towards his downfall. "Shame on you!" Ziah scrunched up his face, his voice dripping with disgust. "Is this what you do behind closed doors with your students?" Ria and I locked eyes for a moment, grinning with mockery. This was so good that I almost wet my pants with laughter. Maybe I should take this as a full-time job. Ria stood there with her hands folded, looking down her nose at the examin
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