Everything went back to normal between Ali and me after he apologized. It was as if I had been secretly waiting for his apology. He also suggested that we should visit the hospital again since it had been a while since we went to check on the boy in coma.“We will be starting the final tests soon. I can’t believe he worked hard for nothing.” He sighed as he sat on the bench across the school field.“He’s busy fighting for his life. A school test is not the most important thing right now. He has to wake up first.” I chipped in, and he nodded his head aggressively in agreement before turning to face me.“Don’t you think his parents are being too cruel? What if we call them personally and see what they have to say about his condition? I can’t believe they abandoned him in the hospital and kept sending money over only. That is the highest level of cruelty.” His eyes were filled with tears as he expressed his hurt concerning the situation.He was right, coupled with the fact that none of t
Throughout the trip, I didn’t say anything to her because I was making it obvious that I didn’t like the fact that she followed us. I didn’t want her to repeat the same thing that happened the very first day, and I knew that I had to up my guard around him so he wouldn’t be in danger.Although she claimed it was a misunderstanding, the incident was too vivid to be one. I definitely saw her hand around his neck, and it would make sense if she was trying to end him so he wouldn’t open up about Bernard’s involvement in the incident.Ali chatted with her happily till we got to the hospital and met with his doctor, who told us there had been no big changes ever since we visited the last time.“His parents?”He shook his head, “They still haven’t come to see him in person. His mother only checked him on video call last week.”An unexplainable anger arose from my inside, I was melting with anger as my fist clenched at his revelation. How could they be so cold and brutal? What could be more i
|Annabel|Thanks to Bernard, I lost interest in reading, and my head was filled up with several thoughts. I couldn’t get the fact that he thought he owned me off my head because it kept pissing me off. The random claiming, the stupid assurances he had that I was meant for him just because he knew that he was the stepping stone to my position as the heiress was crazy.My father dotes on me truly, but he wouldn’t hesitate to will the company to someone else if I dared to break off the engagement; he was that brutal. Several times, I had tested the water before the engagement and whined that I didn’t want to be involved with him, and he always retaliated.There was a time we were meant to go on a group vacation, but I refused and pretended to be sick just because I didn’t want to be around Bernard. My father didn’t say much; he canceled the trip and let me be, but I couldn’t go out throughout the entire holiday.“I have a cinema outing with my friends this weekend; can I go?”“I believe
The pungent smell of bleach greeted my nostrils as my eyes struggled to give way in the unfamiliar environment. I managed to drag my eyelids apart before the bright lights above travelled deep into my eyes and made me shut it immediately.My head was filled with a wheezing noise as if I had been near a washing machine all day. Whatever was going on, I couldn’t understand but I was also too tired to move any part of my body. It felt as if all my strength had been sapped and I had been beaten so much in the past few days.“Oh my God! She’s awake!” the tiny, disturbing voice blasted through the room as the footsteps heightened towards my direction I was greeted by Courtney’s huge eyeballs as she almost dipped them into my face in her quest to confirm if I was really awake or not.“Annabel! Can you hear me? Can you even see me?” Her voice matched her choreography. What a loud fellow I managed to open my mouth before her screams brought the attention of everyone to my bed.“What am I doing
|Oliver|The sessions were exhausting for me that very day because it was close to the full moon. That was the first full moon I would be experiencing in the school because I was lucky enough to be at home the last full moon but this time, I was stuck in the school.“If you are that worried, will you come home? I will talk to the school’s principal and send a driver to come pick you up,” my mother expressed her concerns.She could sense my anxiousness and discomfort over the phone. Even if she doesn’t get my feelings when it comes to the marriage talks, she surely understands every other thing going on with me.“I will take care of it. You don’t have to worry about me,” I objected strongly.I added, “If I need anything or your help, I will let you know.”She saw that there was nothing she could say to make me bulge, so she left me and believed that I would take care of myself. I know deep down that she was still anxious and concerned that I would get found out by my fellow mates.“We
|Oliver|The restlessness built within me as the evening crept closer. All my senses were heightened by the pull of the full moon. Every cell in my body was tugging towards the forest; it was becoming uncontrollable with each passing second. Even though it wasn’t long I came to the school, I knew enough to tell me that slipping away during the bonfire would definitely be hard work.With the way everyone was hyped for the bonfire, all alerts and attention would be high, but I also couldn’t risk shifting in front of my classmates, especially not with Bernard and Annabel around. They had been watching me like a hawk these days. My mother’s voice rang in my ears.“I will talk to the school principal and send a driver to pick you up.” But I had refused because I wanted to handle it myself even though I wasn’t sure if I could or how I would. From down the hall, voices of excited students echoed. Ali’s booming laugh shot out like a warning before he barged into the room.My stomach twitched,
The sun was too bright for my liking. It streamed through the dormitory curtains, slicing through my restless sleep. My body still ached, every muscle taut from last night’s shift. I rolled onto my side, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with the memory of Bernard’s voice searching through the forest and Annabel’s suspicious gaze. They had both gotten too close. Too close to the truth.“I need to do something about it. I just have a few months to go.”My energy sapped out with each sigh that dropped off my chest. I wasn’t sure of where to start my agenda of hiding my identity from, and it looked like I had drawn unintentional attention to myself.The dining hall was chaotic as usual when I got there; the chattering and laughter of students got me drained. I kept my head down, my tray tightly clutched in my hand as I struggled to find an empty table. I was close to one when her piercing gaze shot through my skin; it was glaring that she was watching me.Immediately, my legs made a
I was surprised that she knew about something like this for a second before I remembered that she was a fanatic. She read almost all the crazy books and stories about us, so she had an idea of what one looked like already.Before I could think of any answer, she was already by my side in a flash. Her expression softened, and to my surprise, there was no fear in her eyes. Only curiosity and something else I couldn’t place.“I can’t believe I finally met a werewolf in my lifetime! This is hugggeee” her voice was finding its volume with every word.“You know you can’t…”I couldn’t complete the sentence before she cut me off.“The wolf was so beautiful. Can I see it again? Can I touch it?”Happiness was glaring in her voice, but I couldn’t fathom if it was for my good or bad. She was getting overexcited so I needed to calm her down.“Can you just calm down a bit? You know this is complicated and you cannot tell…”Another cut!“Of course! I am already called crazy enough for enjoying those
“Nyssa? What do you mean you’ll go crazy if you don’t see her? How do you even know of her in the first place? She’s not someone just anyone can come across.” Oliver fired his questions at Annabel, his voice laced with both frustration and alarm.Annabel, still shaken from her dream, barely flinched at his reaction. She had spent the past few days trying to decipher whatever all the dreams she kept having meant, but nothing made sense to her.It wasn’t until that afternoon she finally got a hint of where to start from. The wolf had told her that everything she wanted to know will be revealed to her by Nyssa and she has no choice but to see her, and Oliver was the only one who could make that happen.“It doesn’t matter how I know her. I just do,” she shot back. “I need to see her, Oliver. You have to take me.”Oliver shook his head, his jaw tightening. “That’s not possible.”Annabel narrowed her eyes. “Not possible? You mean you won’t do it.”He sighed and turned away. “You don’t under
Oliver never let Annabel’s coldness get to him. He was just fixated on his own things and prepared aggressively for the final exams. Bernard, on the other hand, was always giving a gift or the other to Annabel so he could buy her love and favor.It was obvious to everyone that she was only tolerating him and he needed him just as he needed her.She was reading in the library when Bernard appeared with a box of chocolates to cheer her on but she was not in the mood to be disturbed, thanks to her dream that had been disturbing her for several days continuously.“Can you get this out of my face? I can’t deal with you right now,” she remarked, pushing it back to him"Oh, come on, Annabel. It’s time you stopped playing hard to get. We will get married anyways so why don’t you start tolerating me?”Those words hit Annabel on the wrong side. She flared up to the surprise of everyone, Bernard included.“Do you think all I care about is the damn engagement to you? I don’t care about you or you
For several days, Lisa couldn’t get the rejection out of her head. Nothing was pleasing to her. She refused all the water and food that were served and just got herself curled up under her blanket.Her mother, who was worried about her health, couldn’t bear her daughter sulking terribly because of a mate that didn’t belong to her in the first place.“Are you going to spend all week on the bed? I think you should get over this and move on to the next thing. As long as this doesn’t affect your relationship with Luna.”That only added fuel to the fire. Lisa flew up in anger. Her face laced with dried tears that strode down her cheeks in the past hours.“Do you know what this means? I sacrificed a lot to be by his side. How could he be so wicked? His mate rejected him; did he have to chase her over and over? I am here looking at him so why is he not looking at me too? I want to die right now.” As soon as she completed the sentence, she dived back under the blanket and continued her tears.
The late-night silence in Annabel’s room was broken by her sharp gasp as she bolted upright, her chest heaving with each passing second. Her sheets were twisted around her legs, damp with sweat, and her heartbeat drummed loudly in her ears. The dream—no, the memory, as it felt more and more like, was still vivid. She had been standing in a forest bathed in silver moonlight, her hands outstretched as if summoning something. Shadows danced around her, and a voice she didn’t recognize kept whispering her name.But just as she thought she could grasp the meaning, the image dissolved into darkness, leaving her with only fragments she couldn’t piece together. This wasn’t the first time. For weeks now, these dreams had come, each one pulling her deeper into confusion and fear.She threw her legs over the side of the bed and walked to the mirror. Her reflection stared back, but it didn’t feel like her own. Her hazel eyes looked darker, almost stormy, and her usually calm expression seemed ten
The corridors of the school buzzed with the usual energy as students prepared for the final stretch of exams. Oliver walked through the hallways with quiet determination, his focus set on his studies. After the whirlwind of emotions and confrontations at his birthday party, he had resolved to put his energy into his academics and let other matters settle themselves. His decision wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.A lot was going through his mind as he found his way to class. So many tasks were ahead of him. Once the final exams were out of the way, he would have to advance to Alpha classes. He would be attending meetings with his father, ruling over some affairs, and learning several things before his ascension in six months’ time, when he’s expected to have found a mate.He wasn’t sure if anything would change between him and Annabel because she seemed to have made her resolve and was firm with it. She suddenly became distant and would not even spare him a glance. The fact that she c
Lisa stood before her ornate mirror, the soft glow of candlelight casting a golden hue over her room. Her emerald gown clung perfectly to her frame, the shimmering fabric accentuating her curves. She adjusted her earrings with steady hands, her reflection revealing a look of determination.Tonight was the council meeting where Oliver would formally address the pack. Rumors had swirled about him confirming his mate, but Lisa dismissed them as nonsense. She was certain that Oliver had no one in his heart, not any she’s aware of. She had worked tirelessly to position herself close to him, earning his trust and proving her loyalty to the pack. This evening felt like the culmination of her efforts. It was the night she would inch closer to her goal."He’ll see it," she murmured to herself, smoothing the folds of her dress. "He’ll see that I’m the one who belongs by his side."With a final glance in the mirror, she turned and left her room, her heart light with hope and expectation.***Th
Annabel sat at her desk in the back corner of the classroom, staring blankly at her notes. The words on the page blurred together as her mind wandered, consumed by thoughts of Oliver. She hadn’t seen or heard from him since his birthday celebration, and the tension gnawed at her. Was he okay? Had the tests begun? The questions plagued her, but she couldn’t allow herself to reach out. Her father’s expectations and Bernard’s constant presence weighed heavily on her.Across the room, Bernard’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Annabel,” he called softly, leaning closer. “You’ve been quiet all day. Are you feeling alright?”She forced a polite smile, nodding. “I’m fine. Just tired.”She didn’t have any strength to fight him. The more she ignores him or frowns, the deeper he would press so it was better for her to just give out the smile he wanted to see.Bernard didn’t seem convinced even with the smile but he left. Later that afternoon, he approached her in the hallway, holding out a
Lucas stormed through the dimly lit halls of the estate, his fists clenched at his sides. The news of Oliver’s steady success in the tests was a bitter pill he couldn’t swallow. How was it possible? Despite his injury, Oliver continued to prove himself, his strength and determination shining through every challenge.“This has to stop, I cannot just stand and watch him take what belongs to me!” Lucas growled under his breath as he entered the servants' quarters. His sharp eyes locked onto a young maid who froze under his furious gaze.“You,” he snapped, pointing a finger at her. “You’re going to help me.”His movement started closing in on the maid who trembled at his presence. He had always been a terror whenever he was around. Everyone runs from his gaze, attacks, or presence because he picks offense at any little thing.One thing about Lucas was that he doesn’t hide his jealousy or hatred for Oliver. He has always been vocal about how he wants the throne and would do anything to get
The morning sun broke over the horizon, casting a golden glow on the expansive training grounds where Oliver would begin his ascension tests. The air was crisp, alive with anticipation. This was the day he’d been preparing for and the day to prove his worth as the future Alpha of the pack. Despite the weight of expectation, Oliver stood tall with his chin up.He had prepared for this all his life and had come this far not to be intimidated by the scary tests. He just have to do his best and let the heavens deserve the rest.“Do you like your clothes? Or would you like to get it changed?” his attendant whispered by his side but he just shook his head“This is perfect” his gaze fixed on the mirror in front of him.As he adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, the soft sound of footsteps reached him. He turned to see his mother approaching, her presence was commanding yet comforting. Her auburn hair was swept neatly into a bun, and her eyes held a warmth that cut through the tension in his ches