ZekeMy favorite place to while away my time in college was the hiking trail. The surreal view was enchanting, thanks to the moon and stars reflecting on the water below and providing illumination that no artificial lights could ever hope to match.Unfortunately, a noisy gathering disguised as a party shattered the peace of this space. My heightened Lycan senses made the blaring music and thumping bass feel like an assault on my eardrums.No sleep tonight.Holding my acoustic guitar, I fixed my gaze at the constellations. The moon was at its brightest, fueling my body with lunar energy from the Moon Goddess and relaxing my body into a state of calm.I let out a sigh and tipped my head back, connecting to life and appreciating its beauty, while my fingers danced along the guitar strings, producing the familiar notes I held dearly to my heart.The ones my Mama taught me.Mama's soft face and her long, blond plait akin to a thick snake, filled my head. Her eyes, bright gray and sparkling
Vespa Snowy purred from the slightly chilly wind. I wrapped my jacket around it as I ascended the hiking path.No words could describe the pain I felt discovering that the man I once loved was a phony all along. Donovan was a first-grade piece of shit for threatening me with my hard-earned work. The hiking trail was never empty. Friends and fuck-buddies strolled in pairs, the latter assaulting innocent ears with moans and grunts.A loud moan like a baby's cry, drifted over the trail, enough for me to lose the remnants of my sanity. I wondered if fucking like rabid dogs outdoors was a new trend. I made a mental note to ask Kaden, the president of the student union. There must be something about students dumping the privacy of their rooms to defile this beautiful little place and turn it into a sex zoo.Other than that, the peace, fresh air, and my spot under an oak tree were a welcoming respite from the crappiness of Donovan's visit. Fuck Donovan. May his socks remain wet for eterni
Vespa"Can the night not get any worse?" I asked my cat, on our way to the room. Snowy purred in response to my fingers stroking his fur.I couldn't deny that some things Zeke said sent shivers down my spine. The mating bond, for a start. If the bond was real, and the three boys could smell me, or whatever weird verb they used, then there was a big problem. He seemed so serious and I knew there was no way he made his statement up. Other girls would probably feel flattered by the attention of three hot brothers flocking around them, but I worried about my peace of mind if they all began hanging around me. I was glad I was human and couldn't feel any weird bond. Also, one of them could turn out to be a jerk like their in-law, Donovan. Zeke looked harmless, Ziah was sweet and flirty, and Kai seemed to have a possessive complex. I couldn't tell if they were genuine or just playing with my head. I would've dismissed Zeke's claims if the guys were ugly and not devastatingly handsome like
VespaA scowl settled on my face. I stood firm and blocked the entrance, preventing Astrid from entering the room. Astrid, sensing an impending argument, let out a tired sigh, like a fed-up teacher resigned to dealing with their worst student."It's six thirty, an astonishingly late time to return after a party that started at nine pm. Why didn't you come back with Ria? Did the organizers pay you to personally tuck the drunks into bed or did you volunteer to be their caregiver?""Calm your perky tits down," she groaned, trying to push past me. "I didn't do anything stupid. I bumped into Latoya, my friend from school. Her sister schools here and we spent the night in her room."I didn't believe her. My sister had always been carefree and irresponsible. I could count on my fingers and toes all the time she'd gotten out of trouble. Fortunately for her, her life wasn't built on the foundation of duty and expectations like mine. She shoved her phone in my face, showing me photos of her fri
ZiahFighting off sleep, I joyfully surrendered my precious time (note the sarcasm) to my brother, Kai, who was barking orders in the name of a lecture in the silent pavilion.My restless foot engaged in a tap dance against the wooden floor. Kai better wrap this up in five minutes, or I'm out of here with no second thoughts.Campus security could stumble upon this unauthorized meeting and punish us for sneaking around campus at this time of the night. We were under constant scrutiny by humans for posing danger to their perfect lives. But we needed to fish out our enemies before they caused more harm. They'd already made a huge dent in our lives and it seemed unlikely that we would recover.As Kai's brother, everyone expected me to be as passionate as he is, but Kai didn't need assistance; he was always on top of things and ready to handle tasks without our help. If he were a bit more flexible with his opinions, maybe I'd consider pitching in.He always made it clear he was three hours
VespaAfter Ziah begged me to stay, we spent a considerable amount of time together. He was effortlessly hilarious and made me laugh so hard, to a fever pitch by steaming up jokes and a funny interview session. Then I headed back to my room.My sister meticulously packed her stuff and was on her way home because my mom couldn't stop calling her to get herself back to the house.Hearing my mom's voice over the phone whenever she called my sister made my emotions spiral out of control.I tried to be recklessly indifferent about it and compose myself, but my heart responded poorly. I was envious of my mom's relationship with Astrid.Previously, I never gave her neglect a second thought. But seeing it happen right before me made me realize that I was worthless to her. She never called me. Not even once."You're going to act like you don't see what Mom is doing," my voice came off harsher than I intended as I transferred my aggression to Astrid. "You spent the weekend here, and she has cal
VespaRestless and irritable like a mad bull, I stomped back to my room and turned my music to full blast, ignoring that my neighbors were probably reading or napping.Donovan's girlfriend was a first-class goader. I wondered if werewolves had proper home training because most of them lacked the simplest common sense and respect.She was female and couldn't stand up for me. Instead, she decided to show a mean streak and shut all logical reasoning, all because of a man.I should have slapped a tooth out of her mouth instead of walking away like a little lamb. If she wasn't pregnant or a werewolf capable of mauling me to death, maybe I would have been more inclined to give her what she deserved.Crickets chirped overhead as I walked past a Cherry Grove tree, but something nudged me to turn backward. When I did, I saw Zeke quickly closing the distance between us with long strides.Quickly, I turned my back to the other direction, but he caught up with me with ease. "Hey, are you avoiding
KaiOscar stood beside me at the campus volleyball court for the upcoming Spring Fling festival. Laughter and chatter filled the court as I scanned for Vespa, the only reason I was here."You know, I have this theory that the enchanters have gone extinct."My ears were bleeding from Oscar's constant yapping; he never shut up and seemed oblivious to my desire to see my mate. I was this close to telling him to fuck off, but he was the only one I could consider calling a friend."That's ridiculous," I scoffed, clamping my teeth to contain hard words. "How can they suddenly disappear from the face of the earth with our artifacts? They're somewhere planning to strike back."Oscar seemed peeved after my rebuke. The enchanters, a blend of powerful witchcraft who got help from vampires, were our greatest threats. They stole from us, killed our parents, and cast a spell on us, leaving our territory barren and depriving us of Moon Goddess blessings.It was my single focus to destroy them. My bra
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