GolgothaThe human world was alien to me. Everything was so different. There were no fierce competitions, conjuring illusions, or charm wars. They were normal beings, so basic, weak, and uninteresting.The noise here was unbearable. It was all too much. My senses were overwhelmed, and I started to lose control over my thoughts and emotions. I could hardly stand the noise of the city and the smell of the garbage—especially the fucking sewage.I wandered around like a scavenger, living in perpetual fear. The constant reminder from my coven was a reminder that I could never hide from the prince of darkness.All that changed when I met Judah, a witch from another coven. She was everything eccentric, and she lived among the humans in town. She loved animals and would go for hours playing with cats. She was a drama queen with long, dirty blonde hair flowing to her lap, and she wore flowing bohemian clothes and an assortment of wooden and glass beads. Judah was banished from her coven for h
VespaI felt a growing unease, knowing that the boys had been avoiding me ever since they found out about my connection with the witches. It felt like they'd suddenly become afraid of me.Golgotha's stupid tale kept echoing in my mind, but how could I believe such lies? If I were a witch, why wasn't there anything unusual about me?Hours grew into two days, and I noticed Ziah hadn't been coming to class. This fueled my irritation even more, and I decided to clear the air and put an end to this nonsense.I headed to the student union secretariat and sighed in relief from the quietness of the place. Then, I fished my phone from my bag and called Kai.His voice sounded unnaturally quiet and faded into a hushed stillness, while mine rose an octave."For someone who has always portrayed himself as the strong, fearless one, you heard crap about my association with witchcraft, and now you're suddenly trembling in fear. Where's all that spunk and boldness you claim to have?"I heard him sigh a
VespaA day before my birthday, Ria and Ziah dragged me to the salon to get my hair done. They tried to distract me from all my negative fears and thoughts. Reluctantly, I stepped into the campus salon, immediately greeted by the bubbly hairdresser. With a warm smile, she handed me a glossy magazine filled with countless hairstyle options.I didn't want anything over the top and opted to trim my pixie even shorter, giving my face a fresh and stylish look.The hairdresser was quite the talker. She worked on my hair and chattered away about her problems, completely ignoring the fact that she was tugging on my hair a bit too forcefully. Trying to be polite, I held back my discomfort. But then she decided to use hot repair oil on my hair, and I squirmed in my seat. Thankfully, the nail tech's experience wasn't all bad. I opted for short and square nails, painted in a lovely pastel color. My nails looked fabulous, and afterward, Ria and I headed back to our room.Kai was at the door, sur
ZekeVespa trembled violently. A sharp, smoky, and repulsive witch smell drifted out of her pores. It stung my eyes and felt like I was swallowing hot soot from hell.I'd never experienced anything like this in my life. It was terrifying to see her in that state, so helpless and fragile. It was like watching someone's life slip away.But damn, that smell was killing me and suffocating my lungs. I wanted to be there for her and comfort her, but I couldn't come close without feeling like I was choking on toxic fumes.I've always known Kai was strong—maybe stronger than Ziah and I—but I never knew the extent until now. He was sweating and dying from the offensive smell, yet he had Vespa on his lap and sat on a concrete slab. "Vespa, stay with us," he cradled her like a baby. "You're going to be okay. We are going to find a solution for you."I grimaced and wanted to look away, but I couldn't. Ziah swallowed rapidly, stumbling back a step and coughing. Vespa's best friend Ria looked so te
ZiahMy heart was pounding like crazy as I listened to my brothers pleading with me to wait for backup. They were right and worried about my safety, but I was so determined to save Vespa and put an end to this crazy situation.I couldn't stand there and let her suffer. It felt like I was stuck in a real-life horror movie, with everything happening so fast and intensely."So are we going to watch her die?” I snapped."Be reasonable, Ziah,” Kai snapped back. “The coven is a powerful one.”"I don't care," I said through gritted teeth.A soft groan escaped Vespa's lips. She wasn't thrashing wildly or trembling with fever anymore. Despite the smell, we rushed to her side, and I crumpled with relief when her eyes shot open.Ria uncrossed her legs quickly and rushed to the bed while Vespa heaved herself up, her head drooping back."Vespa, can you hear me?" Ria clasped her hand. "Are you okay?"The damn smell!Vespa's gaze was unfocused as she stared into the mid-distance."I'm so tired,” sh
VespaI woke up in the morning with a terrible headache. It was so bad that it felt like my head was about to burst open like melons. Groaning, I tried to shake off the discomfort, but the pain refused to leave.My head banged, and I slowly sat up, taking deep breaths to find some relief. I felt a dryness and scratchiness in my throat, which must have been the result of all the shouting and crying from the previous night.I couldn't explain what happened to me last night. It felt like I was possessed by an army of people invading my mind and telling me what to do. It was terrifying, and I never want to go through that again.I needed to figure out how to protect myself and regain control over my mind. I couldn't let all that darkness control me. Golgotha was fast asleep on a chair with her head tipped back in an uncomfortable position while peacefully asleep. I remember losing track of my spatial awareness and the trouble I caused for Ria and the boys.It made me feel terrible like I
VespaI woke up in the morning with a terrible headache. It was so bad that it felt like my head was about to burst open like melons. Groaning, I tried to shake off the discomfort, but the pain remained.My head banged, and I slowly sat up, taking deep breaths to find some relief. I felt the dryness and scratchiness in my throat, which must have been the result of all the shouting and crying from the previous night.I could not explain what happened to me last night. It was like I was possessed, where a whole army of people invaded my mind, telling me what to do. It was terrifying, and I never want to go through that again.Surely there must be a way to protect myself, and I have to figure it out. I couldn't let all that darkness control me. I needed to regain control over my mind and protect myself from whatever forces were trying to take over.Golgotha was fast asleep on a chair, her head tipped back in an uncomfortable position. Ria was peacefully asleep. I remember losing track of
GolgothaVespa dragged herself to the bathroom, and I felt an overwhelming grief. No mother in their right senses would want to see their daughter in such excruciating pain. I felt a deep and painful sorrow and a tightness in my chest that would not loosen.I blamed myself for everything, feeling guilty for bringing an innocent person into the world to suffer. I knew the consequences of having kids, yet I went ahead and got one. She was getting weaker and deteriorating.Her Lycan boyfriend sat at the edge of the bed, his face marked with loathing and disgust. I never knew someone could frown this hard, and if I didn't have powers on my own, I'd be scared by the intensity of his glare. He hated me so much.Not that I needed him to like me or anything, but I knew how much Vespa loved him, and he would be of immense help in saving her. Also, I didn't blame him; witches and Lycans were mortal enemies. No matter how I tried to prove to him that I never wanted to be associated with my coven
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