ZekeAfter Vespa left, Grandma Zora was busy with pack duties but called us for a meeting the next day. I knew that shit was about to hit the fan.We lounged in the living room, waiting for her. I dreaded the outcome of this meeting, but no matter what, nobody could convince me to stay away from Vespa, not even my grandmother.Ziah tried to make excuses to leave, but my grandma sat him down. The second she sat on her favorite elephant's armchair, he grew uneasy. Kai moped around, his face black as thunder, while I acted detached and stoic.My grandmother's gaze was fixed on us. I couldn't bear to meet her gaze, so I picked up a photo album and flipped through the pages absentmindedly. But that didn't help because my parents' photos caused a pang of heartache in my chest."Boys, we need to stop this madness and address the situation once and for all. I do not approve of that girl; there's something about her that my spirit doesn't accept.""It's because you don't like her," Ziah said ca
ZiahThe rituals were finally over, and I was relieved. Earlier this year, if anyone asked me, I would have said my ultimate desire was to be alpha, but now I couldn't care less.I knew the heavy responsibilities that came with that title and the life filled with restrictions, constantly under the watchful eye of the pack members.The ritual cleansing was just for the sake of formality. I already knew in my heart that Kai would be chosen as alpha, and to be honest, I couldn't be happier about it.Alone on the terrace, I watched my grandma gather with a group of about ten women, who were the wives of the leaders in the council.They were all dressed in flowing gowns embroidered with colorful beads. They had just concluded a meeting and were clapping and making their way towards the gate.I missed Vespa so much that I decided to call her. She picked up after the second ring, sounding sleepy. The second I heard her voice, it felt like I was in paradise. I would give my right arm to this g
Kai I woke up with a headache on voting day. Today, the pack would decide who would become alpha. Strangely, I was not exactly looking forward to this day. Although I wanted to be alpha and should feel pumped up and excited, the feeling wasn't there. I was puzzled as to why.After a light breakfast, we headed to the pack hall, which was a stone's throw from my grandmother's house. Voters queued, and my friend, Oscar volunteered, distributing ballots.Rogues weren't allowed to vote; otherwise, Ziah would have won because he was the most sociable, spent his time with them, and even had the guts to fuck one of them.Zeke was with pack security, monitoring the process, while Ziah was assisting the elders with thumb printing. Bored, I headed outside and overheard voters dissecting the reasons for their candidate choices. It sounded like I was winning.Maybe I was not pumped for the whole thing because my mate was human, and my grandma and pack mates were never going to accept her. To Gr
Vespa I couldn't sleep and found myself awake at nearly midnight. I tossed and twisted in bed, attempting to find a cozy position.Ria lay beside me, snoring softly, while I shut my eyes, hoping to drift off into dreamland, but my mind remained stubbornly awake.Sighing in frustration, I went to the kitchen to get a glass of milk to remedy the situation. On my way, my phone pinged with a text from Kai. /Are you awake?/I sighed in relief, glad that I had someone to chat with./I am./ I typed rapidly and sat on a stool. /I can't seem to catch any Z's tonight. It's like sleep is playing hide-and-seek with me.//Same here,/ he typed back. /Congratulations on winning the alpha election. Happy for you!//Thanks; I don't want to think about it right now. Too much is on my mind. How about I show you a picture of my raging cock?/The second I read it, I felt an intense sexual craving for him, and pleasure aches flooded my body. /winky face/ I waited for a response.My cheeks flushed, and m
VespaRia and I headed back to campus on Saturday evening. The holiday break was nice, but I missed the energy and buzz of campus life.Some students had already returned, and school was not exactly empty. The students’ laughter bubbled up from the campus, their conversations carried out by the wind. Our room was incredibly messy and required a thorough cleaning after being vacant for several weeks. It was frustrating to see how rapidly things could become disorganized when no one was around to maintain the space. A thick layer of dust covered every surface, and my bedding appeared as though a storm had ravaged it. And the cobwebs - I detest cobwebs. We had to vacuum, change our sheets, and keep the room in good shape. After we tidied up, we headed downstairs to the cafeteria for lunch, discussing Monday and how we would have to dive headfirst into our last semester in college."Isn't that Ziah?" Ria squinted, pointing into the distance. I turned around to see a grinning Ziah approac
Golgotha The night I was born, the moon bled. I was told that the moon was a shining silver disk, but when it struck midnight, it turned into a bloody orb, staining the sky with its crimson light. The color of the moon was a sign of my fate—a blessing and a curse.It was a blessing because I was the chosen one, the female child who had the power to destroy, create, and sustain life in our world. Because of that, my dad called me "Moon Child." He prayed that I would live a normal life, a life without sorrow. My life was also a curse because I was bound to the Prince of Darkness, even before I came to life. They sealed an unborn child's destiny without even letting me have a say.My birth was a disaster for my mother. She died while giving me life, after enduring unbearable labor pain. The story goes that she was in the maternity ward, writhing on the bed, screaming so loud that her throat went hoarse, and feeling like someone was stabbing her over and over in every vein.The midwive
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
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