I got into the back seat of Liam’s car, a recent-model silver sedan. As they talked about the dinner and the performance, I listened attentively to their conversation. It seemed that the Alpha and his heir had recently returned from yet another clash at the shadowed borders. Annie’s father was one of the border guards and was away most of the time, so she was especially excited to see him, even if only for a few days. The dinner was meant to celebrate this moment of peace with family and close friends."We’re here!" Liam announced, parking in front of a large two-story house with a sprawling garden. The house sat on elevated ground, with the first floor slightly above street level and a driveway that appeared to lead down to an underground garage. Its location was relatively close to where Nicolas lived, which made perfect sense—after all, his father was the clan’s Beta."Let’s go to the kitchen first. I want to introduce you to my mom." Annie grabbed my arm while Liam unloaded the so
The phone had been vibrating on my desk for the past hour. I didn’t feel like getting up to answer whoever it was. I stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling while Lisa absorbed my emotions. In return, I absorbed her pain and discarded it like trash. I couldn’t cry—actually, I couldn’t feel anything at all. Little by little, I drifted off.I didn’t wake up at dawn to work out like I usually did. Instead, I woke up to my aunt shaking me.“Eliza, get ready, or you’ll be late for class! By the way, your friend is here to pick you up.”“My friend?” I replied, still a bit confused as I tried to sit up. Lisa was quiet inside me, but I could feel that she was calmer and more composed.I put on my uniform, quickly brushed my hair, and grabbed my backpack from the corner of the room. I wasn’t in the mood to spend much time getting ready today. As soon as I opened the door, I heard my grandma’s soft laughter as she talked to someone. Stepping closer, I saw Nicolas sitting at the table, nibbling on
A few weeks had passed since that incident, and luckily, I hadn’t run into William again since then. Annie and the band had been going out a lot lately, hitting up parties I wasn’t invited to, so I spent a lot of time at home finishing the songs for my next album.Marcos, my manager, was thrilled when he found out Lisa was coming back. He was already making all the arrangements for recording the new songs. Soon, I’d need a special permit to go out and record, but I’d deal with that when the time came.Right now, I was in P.E. class. The teacher wanted to go over some exercises to assess the students’ speed and endurance, so I started warming up. Annie was right beside me, mimicking my stretches. With a clipboard in hand, the teacher called a few girls over to the court for a race. My name was on the list for the first round.“You’re gonna eat my dust!” Lorraine sneered next to me. The other girls around her laughed as they got into position.“This is our chance!” I thought.“Show them
I got a ride with Liam and Annie. After parking downtown, we joined the others for a stroll, checking out our options for a place to eat."Let’s try that new restaurant" Annie suggested, pointing to a big house with a glass facade. "My mom said it’s really good."I studied the sleek, modern exterior. It reminded me a lot of the restaurants I used to go to while on tour."Who did she hear that from?" Jonathan grumbled. "I heard the food there is way too expensive. Just a student like me can’t afford that.""Let’s go for it!" I said confidently. I missed the more refined dishes I used to eat in the city. "It’s on me!""What? Are you serious? Can you really afford that?" Maxsuel asked, looking stunned. I smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. He wasn’t the only one who looked embarrassed about accepting the offer."No way! I’ll pay!" Nicolas jumped in, trying to be chivalrous. I immediately shut him down. "You guys are invited to another birthday celebration this weekend, aren’t you?" Another
It was a cloudy Sunday. The day was at its peak as I ran through the forest, shooting arrows at fixed targets. Today was Eliza’s hunting day—a preparation for the championship that would take place in fifteen days.I kept running until I spotted a rabbit and quickly shot an arrow before it had the chance to escape. Bullseye! Lisa was annoyed, itching to come out.“I want to train too!” she kept insisting.I hung my quiver and bow on the side of a tree and started taking off my clothes. Folding them neatly, I placed them inside my backpack and hung it on a lower branch, close to my bow. Initially, I wanted to test how rusty I had gotten, considering I hadn’t been practicing as much as I should. But the accuracy of my shots told me I was ready.Shifting into wolf form, Lisa grabbed the rabbit in her mouth, and we ran freely—until our fur stood on end. A clear sign that a strong predator was nearby. I couldn’t pick up its scent, which unsettled me. Trusting my instincts, I dropped the ra
My eyelids felt unbearably heavy, begging for sleep, but I couldn’t afford to give in. Meanwhile, my phone battery had already died, and if William didn’t show up, I wouldn’t be able to call for help anymore. Had I made the right choice by calling him?I dragged myself forward a few inches, forcing the wound to throb with pain again. Pain was the only thing keeping me awake. The wind had begun to turn cold, a sign that afternoon would soon give way to another dark, freezing night.Just as my eyes started to close again, I heard footsteps approaching at high speed. Before I could react, a massive wolf with reddish-brown fur appeared before me. My heart pounded in my chest, snapping me out of the daze I had been sinking into. A mix of emotions churned in my stomach, making my anxiety spike.I lifted my gaze, and the moment our wolves’ eyes met, he dropped the bag he had been carrying in his mouth. His scent in wolf form was even stronger, sending a jolt through me because of this damned
It was warm and cozy. I pulled the blanket closer, refusing to open my eyes as someone poked me."Eliza, wake up. You need to take your medicine." A gentle, soothing voice spoke calmly to me. I immediately opened my eyes and sat up abruptly as the events from earlier rushed back. I should be in a forest, not in a soft bed in some unfamiliar room. The only light in the room came from a lamp on a nightstand beside where Annie was sitting."Ouch!" A sharp pain shot through my stomach from the sudden movement. I looked down at my belly and noticed I was wearing a pink nightgown."I cleaned you up and got you dressed," Annie explained, noticing the confusion on my face. "What happened to you?""Didn't William tell you?" If I was with Annie, he must've explained something."No." She lowered her head, looking sad. She seemed worried. "He brought you in late last night and asked me to take care of you and give you your medicine on time. He told me you were the one who needed to explain what h
“How did you defeat the monster?” he asked me for the tenth time, with endless patience. I refused to answer him again, but it seemed like he was willing to spend the entire day doing this.“How did you defeat the monster?” he asked again a few more times before my patience finally ran out. I decided to play along and see where this would go.“By ripping its head off, of course!” It was an obvious question since that was the only way to kill a shadow monster. He smiled, knowing he had won this round, and kept going.“And how did you manage to do that?”“By biting down hard and tearing it off, obviously!” I gave him a sarcastic smile.“I’m in no rush. Let’s try this again, shall we?”“It’s just a matter of observation, planning, and moving quickly at the right moment,” I explained before he could repeat the question. “The fight didn’t even last a minute. Monsters can be incredibly strong because they show a certain level of intelligence, adapting to our movements and learning to defend
The real training was about to begin. A fight between two wolves was way more intense—and brutal. I felt awkward as I undressed and slipped on the robe they gave me.“No need to be shy, sweetheart. I’ll help you through it, okay?” said Kate, who was in the room with me, trying to reassure me.I walked barefoot out onto the backyard patio, with Kate right behind me. John and his sons were already there, standing at attention. The way they all stared as I approached made my face burn with embarrassment, and I ended up lowering my gaze.“Well, well… doesn’t look so tough now,” Arthur took the opportunity to tease me.“Since we know you’re a shy little wolf, we figured this was more appropriate,” John said, referring to the fact that his sons weren’t naked—they were wearing men’s robes.Wolves were used to running in packs, so nudity wasn’t a big deal for them. But for a lone wolf like me, it was a bit much. I was genuinely touched that they had considered how I’d feel.John went over a b
I took care of my hygiene before heading to my room and setting my alarm for the next morning. When I woke up, I felt completely refreshed and even helped Kate set the table for breakfast. When Nicolas and Arthur showed up, they looked like a pair of zombies."I'm dead. Do I really have to train today, Dad?" Arthur groaned."More than anyone," John replied. I could feel Arthur shooting daggers at me with his eyes, but I pretended not to notice. "Today and tomorrow, you’ll be doing hand-to-hand combat in human form. Eliza will be your opponent, and I’ll be supervising the whole thing."“I get to fight Eliza? Can’t wait,” Arthur said with a sly grin.“Should I tell him or do you want to?” Nicolas whispered, barely holding back a laugh.“Let the kid enjoy the moment,” I whispered back.“Just go easy on me, okay?” Arthur asked. I gave him a nod as I finished my breakfast.I stopped by my room to grab the training outfit they’d given me, then headed out to the garden. I started warming up
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t gone back to talk to the Phantom Guy. Weeks had passed, and my routine of visiting the waterfall had become solid. Senior graduation was right around the corner—in fact, it was happening next week. Because of that, Beta John decided to run an intensive training program with his sons to get Nicolas ready for the alpha oath.“Phantom Guy, school’s officially over, and I passed with flying colors. I got the highest scores in the whole school, so I’m top of the class. Smart, huh? I even gave myself a little break from the piano lessons I teach Caroline. Some people aren’t on vacation yet, so they’re still going to school for tutoring or makeup classes. Anyone who doesn’t pass the retakes is gonna fail the year—but thankfully, that’s not my problem.” I laughed softly, swinging my feet in the water.“Anyway, I’ve got some news you might not like. Next Thursday is senior graduation, when students take the alpha oath. Then Saturday is the end-of-year dance. I’m
What felt like a long run for the wolves following me—clearly exhausted—had already become routine for me. I hardly noticed time passing anymore when I came here. I stopped in front of the waterfall and let out a howl. This was our final stop. Catching Annie’s attention, I motioned for her to follow me, and we stepped into the tent to change."You okay?" I asked. Her breathing was way too fast."Just a little tired. Try to go easier next time," she said with a gentle smile."Sure!" I was already finishing getting dressed while she was still sprawled out on the ground, catching her breath. "Don’t forget to put your swimsuit on underneath."She nodded slightly, and I stepped out of the tent, zipping it closed behind me. I didn’t see the boys, but I could smell they were nearby. I walked up to the waterfall and stood there for a while, staring at the water."Your wolf is beautiful," Nicolas said, coming up beside me."Thanks," I replied with a smile, then turned my gaze back to the water
John’s request totally caught me off guard. Kate ended up dropping her silverware in surprise, while Arthur was left speechless, totally confused. I looked down and thought about it for a bit. He didn’t pressure me, but I was worried it’d make things awkward if I just said no.“Why did you agree to that?” Nicolas asked once we were alone. He’d taken me to the practice room so we could talk. I sat on the floor, crossed my legs, and looked down.“I just wanted to show you some songs, but your dad answered the door—and he recognized me as the white wolf.” I shrugged, feeling a little discouraged. “So we ended up talking, and I kinda said more than I should’ve. I’m sorry.”Nicolas sat down in front of me on the floor. He didn’t look upset at all.“I’m surprised you opened up like that, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Actually, I’m kinda excited. My dad’s good at keeping secrets, so don’t worry. Plus, the training’s on private property outside of town, so no one’s gonna see us.”“I’m n
It hadn’t been easy to focus on studying, and I couldn’t concentrate on the classes I had to teach last week either. I’d spent three days in a row talking to the mysterious ghost, and I already missed being there. It was wildly irrational, but being at the waterfall had somehow become the best part of my day—the moment I looked forward to the most.“Aunt Lisa, is this right?” It was Tuesday’s class. Caroline tugged gently at the hem of my shirt, trying to get my attention.“You’re off on the timing, sweetheart,” I replied patiently.“You seem different. You were like this last class too.”“Like what?” I asked, puzzled.“Smiley! You’re smiling a lot.” I paused for a few seconds and realized she was right—I was smiling. I wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t pointed it out.“It’s like the music’s just flowing through my head, like a waterfall,” I said. Since the first time I interacted with Mr. Ghost, I’d written two brand-new songs from scratch and finished four others I’d left incomple
The week started off pretty much like any other—same old routine—but with one big difference that came from inside me. My feelings weren’t all over the place anymore. With my head clear, I started sketching out notes in one of my sheet music books during my free time. Even with exams going on, I managed to juggle studying and composing.I’ve always had a great memory, so one focused read-through was usually all I needed to do well on tests. A lot of the time, while answering questions, I could clearly picture the teacher explaining the material, word for word. Same with the textbooks—I could even recall the chapter and page the info was on.Thursday’s test was in the morning. I took my time turning it in so I could leave with Annie. Morgan quickly caught up to us and walked with us down the hallway. She and Annie were going back and forth about the questions. I could tell Morgan was straight-up complaining, while Annie was kinda defending the test, saying it wasn’t that bad. I stayed
Exactly three days had passed since I last saw him. Lisa’s heart was finally starting to calm down again. It was a Sunday morning, and all I wanted was to finish a song I’d been working on for the past few weeks. I strummed Preciosa, a persistent melody stuck in my head, but the words just wouldn’t come.I decided it was time to be alone for a few hours, to try and reconnect with myself. Leaving Preciosa behind, I walked into the forest and started running in my human form, completely shutting out all thoughts and feelings—including Lisa’s voice. I trained with her every night at dawn, but her constant longing for our mate had been draining my energy and killing my appetite.“I can’t believe this thing’s still here—and untouched,” I said, circling the tent I’d set up near the waterfall. There was no sign it had been used since. I was drenched in sweat after the long run. My eyes locked onto the waterfall, completely mesmerized by the view. It was the first time I’d come here during th
I walked home slowly after school, still drowsy and lost in the sweet memories. Out of nowhere, my phone started ringing, and I grabbed it eagerly. The name “Stupid Heir” flashing on the screen made my heart skip a beat.“Stupid Heir?” An irritated voice came from right behind me.“Oh, I didn’t see you there!” I gave him an innocent look, but he wasn’t fooled. “Well… it’s just funny, that’s all.”I let a mischievous smile slip. I couldn’t exactly change his contact name to boyfriend unless he was ready to own that title publicly.“Let’s go before someone sees us,” he said firmly.I followed him discreetly to his car, which was parked across the street. I’d been so out of it I hadn’t even noticed it. He drove in silence for a while before pulling over on a deserted road.“Did something happen?” I asked as soon as he cut the engine.“I have to head to the border base tomorrow. I’ll be there for intensive training, so we won’t be seeing each other for a while.”“How long?” I asked, worri