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
VespaIrritated and dissatisfied that Kai couldn't defend me, I stomped up the stairs, muttering under my breath and hurrying to my room. His silence triggered a lot of bad feelings. How could he remain silent when his grandmother threw those hurtful words at me? I thought he was bolder than his brothers and would defend me, but it seemed I was wrong because he was afraid to stand up to his grandma.It made me question the whole relationship thing. All my life, I endured neglect and people hurling hurtful words at me. I didn't want that anymore. If Kai cannot speak for me, then we're not meant to be together. Or maybe I was overreacting because his grandmother was the matriarch, and it was natural for them to be afraid of her. I lay on the bed and shut my eyes, knowing I would have to cut the holiday short because I couldn't endure any form of toxic energy around me.Talk about perfect timing. Kai strolled in with his swagger, smiling and nodding at me as if he didn't just sit down
ZiahFrom where I sat, I could see the restlessness and sadness in Vespa's face. Her face was pale, and she nursed an aching heart, all thanks to my grandmother. Ever since we arrived with Vespa, Grandma Zora had never stopped nagging about how Vespa was unfit for us. Maybe it was time to address the issue head-on and let her know how much Vespa meant to me.She deserved to feel loved and accepted by my family, and I couldn't let anyone take her away from me. Whatever reservations or concerns my grandmother had was none of my business.I cleared my throat and sat up, getting everyone's attention. "Grandma. I know you're not in support of our relationship with Vespa, but I'm speaking for myself. I love her, and I'm not planning to dump her."Grandma's lips twisted like a tangled knot, and a frown connected her eyebrows. "Nice speech. Now shut up and enjoy your dinner.""I'm serious," I snapped, and her frown became frightening. "She's my mate, and she's going to be in my life for a ver
Kai,A great, painful silence came down upon us, and my tongue lay like a stone in my mouth after Ziah's confession. My mind paddled away with thoughts rushing so fast that I couldn't keep up.Zeke sighed like a punctured tire, running a hand over his long hair, which was badly in need of a haircut. My mind was blank, and I didn't know what to think. There were so many questions I wanted to ask to put the pieces together.An even more terrifying realization washed over me when I assumed that the witch could be hanging around Vespa because she was our mate. If this was the case, then Vespa was not safe, and I needed to keep her as far away from that witch as possible."What business does Vespa have with a witch?" Zeke said, trying to keep his fragile control. "Perhaps the witches are monitoring us and know she's our mate.”"I was just about to say this," Ziah said. "I'm glad we're on the same page.""We need to be careful about how we bring up the matter," I said, my eyes resting on Zia
VespaI kept pestering Kai until he agreed to take me to the brothel later that afternoon. The place was a dumpster with trash blown against the curb, littering the parking lot. The sorry excuse for a building was a double-story, Tudor-style building with peeling paint on the exterior and doors that didn't open smoothly.Seedy-looking characters came and went, and the women of the night were ready to ply their trade. It was indeed a den of iniquity in sex tourism.Some of the women were on the streets dressed in erotic outfits. Some were old and haggard, seriously needing to retire, while others had banging hot looks, like a young and busty girl milf that walked past Kai and almost fainted. "This looks like fun," I said under my breath. Kai pulled me closer and made sure I never let go of his hand. He was ready to pounce on any dude who stared at me twice. "My brother has always been a sex junkie. Now, see where it's led him," Kai scoffed. I wasn't listening because, in broad dayli
VespaAfter spending two extra days with the boys and their oh-so-lovely grandmother, I counted down the minutes until I could escape the house.I was tired of their grandmother's icy conduct and snarky comments. One would think I would develop a thick skin, considering that my mother treated me even worse, but I was done.D-Day came, and Zeke helped with my bag while Ziah couldn't stop sniffing my hair. My freaky side took turns having thorough and mind-blowing sex with the boys the previous night. Whether they noticed or not, they didn't say.On our way to the bus station, their grandmother glared at me, her eyes puncturing holes into me and making me feel like the most disgusting tramp on earth."Goodbye, Grandma Zora," I said and hastened my pace to escape the suffocating feeling. I stepped outside and let out a sigh of relief, silently thanking my stars.It wasn't that I hated the place, but rather that the bitterness was taking its toll on me. I would miss the boys deeply, and I
VespaI gritted my teeth, feeling sore and irritated at Golgotha's presence. Why couldn't she have a semblance of self-respect and get the memo that I didn't want to have anything to do with her?More than once, I made it clear that she meant nothing to me, yet she burst out of nowhere, expecting me to accept her into my life. She might as well wave a magic wand to entrap me. I was an adult who'd built my life without her and endured my family's hostility, yet she expected me to adjust to her terms, let her into my life, and become cuddly with her. "Vespa, please," she pleaded, clasping her arms in a self-soothing gesture and swallowing visibly."Can you move?" I lashed out. "Why are you always following me? Can't I have some space?""It's not what you think," she said calmly. "It's just a coincidence we bumped into each other, I swear.""Coincidence indeed," I muttered under my breath while Snowy playfully pounced on a toy mouse. Astrid gave us some space to talk and informed me tha
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