|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
Back at the general hall separating the dorms, Annabel insisted on helping me clean the scratches I hadn’t even realized I’d gotten. We sat there, the air thick with unspoken tension as she dabbed at a particularly nasty gash on my arm.“I don’t think it’s right to be here. What if someone comes in?” my low voice whispered to her but she only dusted her ears“No one is permitted in the hall at this time of the day.”“You heal fast,” she remarked, changing the topic immediately. Her fingers light against my skin. “But not fast enough to avoid this.”I shrugged. “Comes with the territory.”She leaned back, her expression thoughtful. “You’re so used to doing everything on your own, aren’t you? Even fighting rogue werewolves.”“I’ve had to,” I admitted. “It’s safer that way.”“For who? You or everyone else?” Her question caught me off guard, and I didn’t have an answer.After a moment, she set the first aid kit aside. “You’re not as scary as you think you are, you know. In fact, you’re ki
As part of the school’s monthly tradition, we were required to participate in an extracurricular team bonding event. This time, it was a scavenger hunt across the campus and surrounding woods. The students kept chattering and catching up with their friends that had been separated by class for a few hours of the day. I just stood at a corner with Ali, who was busy stuffing himself with a bag of cookies before the teachers strolled in.They were led by the head teacher, whose face was wearing a blank expression. He had always been like that. I have never seen him smile“Pair up!” he called, handing out lists of riddles and items to find. Annabel appeared at my side before I could blink. “Guess we’re partners again.” “You’re making this a habit,” I muttered, though I didn’t mind as much as I pretended to. However, I needed to make it look like I didn’t want her. People were beginning to suspect us unnecessarily.“I told you, I’m claiming you,” she said with a grin. Her line was so s
Oliver walked through the school’s tennis court, the crisp autumn air swirling around him as the golden leaves crunched beneath his boots. The day had been uneventful so far, but he could sense something different. It felt like something would happen before the end of the day but he wasn’t sure what it would be.He had a match session with Ali so they could unwind after hours of reading. They were about to turn to the dorm when the security informed him that he has a visitor. He realized that he had put his phone on silent and didn’t check it even after the match.Lisa had called him multiple times and had to wait for him after confirming that he was in the school’s premises.“Lisa.” He ran to where she was. She sat near the fountain, her long, auburn hair catching the sunlight, making it glow like fire. Her face was softer than he remembered, as if she had shed the weight of resentment she once carried. As he approached, she turned, meeting his gaze with hesitation.Her fingers were
Oliver walked into his quarters with a heavy sigh, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. The tension from the royal court was still going through his system, but as soon as his eyes landed on Ali, standing near the grand window with his mouth agape, a small chuckle escaped him.“A bug will get into your mouth at this rate,” he said as he closed the distance between themAli turned abruptly at the sound, his dark brown eyes wide with fascination. "Dude, this place is insane!" he exclaimed, taking slow steps forward as he turned in a full circle. "I thought werewolf packs lived in ancient castles or wild forests, but this—this looks like a damn elite town!"Oliver smirked. "I told you, we’re not as different as humans think. We adapt, just like you do. You were the one reading meaning into it."Ali’s gaze swept over the towering bookshelves, the sleek leather couches, and the delicately woven tapestries depicting battles and victories from centuries past. The walls were adorn
Lucas settled in his seat and the meeting commenced. The elders whispered amongst themselves for a few minutes before elder Lionel stood to his feet and turned to face the Alpha where he was sitting with the Luna and his two princes.“My Alpha. Given the fact that Prince Oliver is yet to bring home his mate and the pack is going through such a hard time, we decided to have a meeting that lasted all night long and came to a conclusion that will benefit both the pack and the royal house” Everyone paid rapt attention to the elder talking as they anticipated what the conclusion was. Some of the elders sitting were also whispering inaudible things but not loud enough to tamper with the meeting’s focus.The elder cleared his throat and continued. “We need the Alpha to step down as soon as possible due to tradition. Also, he need to take care of his health, he had been on the throne for years and it’s time for him to take the deserved rest. Prince Oliver who should succeed him seems to be h
“Hey brother!” the girl slid the door with a full smile on her face, only to be met with Ali’s horrified faceShe was puzzled at first and thought she was in the wrong room until Gary signaled to her from the side of the room.“What are you doing here? Was my brother the friend you have here?” she asked, pointing from Ali to Gary, who slowly nodded.“You are his sister?” Ali managed to ask after blinking several times for his brain to get focusedShe nodded slowly, clutching the bag in her hand tightly. The moment was so awkward that none of them knew how to behave. Gary released a cough to ease the tension and Oliver took it up.“Now that you know, we can have a proper introduction. There’s no reason to be shocked for a very long time,” Oliver remarked and Ali made way for her to come in properly, muttering a low “sorry” since he had stood there, preventing her from entering the room.“You know them?” Gary chuckled, grabbing the bag she handed over to him.She had stopped to shop for
Due to some internal issues, the school decided to move the examinations up by three weeks so the students would be able to focus, catch up, and thoroughly prepare for the finals. However, they knew the school’s excuse was not a genuine one; some big parents have called the shot due to the recent dramas that kept happening.“You really had to make me find you. All you had to do was persuade her. I guess it would be difficult too, considering how bitter the bond that ties you is.” The double-colored eyeballs girl came up to Oliver, who was finalizing the study material he wanted to give Gary later in the day.The words were sudden and unclear. Also, prior to that conversation, they didn’t have any form of relationship. Although she had always been an odd one to Oliver. There was something about her that he couldn’t fathom. Her aura was different from others and it felt like she had so much to hide.“I don’t quite follow. What do you mean?” he raised his head and she chuckled as she fol
“You cannot enter. He’s currently sleeping.” The guard stretched his hands to stop her, but she delivered a loud slap on his face.Lisa’s chest rose and heaved as she fumed in anger. “If you don’t want me to break this door down, open it at once,” her voice rang through the hall as she protestedThe frustrated guard stood on his words and insisted that he had received instructions to not allow anyone in, so there was little to what he could do concerning her situation.“Where is there so much noise? Let her in,” the voice commanded from inside and the guard opened the door finallyLisa’s huge strides swallowed the distance between them within seconds. She was pissed up to the point where her sweat was dripping. Throwing her phone on the table, she asked, “What is this? How are you going to explain this?”He only glanced at it from afar, but he knew what the content was. “So, what’s the ruckus about?” his voice unapologeticHer lips parted in shock. “What do you mean by the ruckus? Is
They all ran to the field where Lucas had decorated in advance with the help of the underlings he had there. Everywhere was looking bubbly and beautiful as he waited for her with a bouquet of flowers and ring. The students were oblivious to the fact that he was Oliver’s brother, aside from Bernard and some of his men.“He’s really doing too much. I thought this was a joke. It’s getting a little bit serious,” Bernard remarked, anger turning his face red“I don’t even understand what’s going on anymore. This drama is too much,” one of Bernard’s men sighedThe girls got there around the same time Oliver showed up. He was beside Bernard and was watching what was about to unfold.“Are you not going to stop it?” Bernard asked, glancing at him“Why should I ruin it? There is another perfect place to ruin it better,” he smirkedAt the sight of Annabel, Lucas rushed to where he was and gave her the bouquet. “Happy birthday, my queen” and kissed her foreheadThe other students melted with his g
Oliver made sure to study every day with Gary and Ali as the exams approached. They tried everything from online sessions to the physical meetings and Gary caught up faster since he was an intelligent student.During the weekend, Oliver paid Nyssa a visit at the pack. He was ushered in by the old woman, who has been battling a cold for a while.“I have always known you to be healthy. It’s weird seeing you on the sick bed like this, considering how you have all the cure on your herbal shelf,” he remarked as he saw her on the wooden bedNyssa only chuckled a bit before the cough took over. “No one is above death or sickness. Also, I am only human and not some god.”“Do you feel better or should I arrange for you to be taken to the pack’s hospital?” he proposed and her hand flew up in the air. “Don’t! Even if I’ll die, it will be in this place,” she counteredHe had no choice but to drop it since she wasn’t interested. He settled on the chair he drew out for himself and faced the frail w
For hours, Ali didn’t wake up from his unconsciousness. Gary also fell unconscious when he realized what had happened. He had tried running away in horror but as Oliver ran after him, fear took over and he fainted.Luckily, he had shifted to his human form before the nurse came to the rooftop with other nurses. Rye couldn’t keep his laughter as he watched the drama he had caused unfold.“You think this is funny?” Oliver lashed out at him but he kept snorting“Why? Should I have watched him jump over the rooftop? You hesitate for what I don’t understand. If I didn’t take over, he could have really died. Also, I was able to do that because you allowed it!”“I understand that but why do you keep laughing in such a serious situation? Both of them fainted,” I argued and Rye released another round of laughter“You would have done more than that if it were you. How do you explain a human shifting into something enormous in front of you? Let them have their moment of fear. Don’t worry, they w