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
The days following the scavenger hunt were a whirlwind of shared moments. Whether it was study hall, after-school events, or just passing each other in the hallways, Annabel was always there. It felt oddly natural, though part of me still hesitated to let my guard down entirely. One Friday, the school organized a cooking workshop for a home economics project. Students were randomly paired to encourage teamwork. By some twist of fate or perhaps Annabel’s meddling, I found myself partnered with her again. “Urgh! Not again,” my eyes rolled as I saw my name tagged to the same table as hers.For a few moments, I contemplated reporting to the teacher that I wanted my partner changed but that would be a whole lot of headache. The teacher would want me to give a genuine excuse to why she shouldn’t be paired with me and I wouldn’t be able to provide one.It would sound stupid if I told her that she shouldn’t be paired with me because she knew my secret that even I wouldn’t be able to say out
I barely registered the sound of Annabel’s voice cutting through the chaos. She was talking with her friends as they approached the restroom’s door that was opened. Ren taking over had intensified all my senses so I had sensed her from afar even before they could.She had almost passed the restroom without peeping through to check what was going on but a subtle growl fell from my throat at that moment.“HEY! What’s going on in here?” She shouted, her voice laced with authority.She didn’t even care that it was a male restroom; she immediately swung in to take action. Bernard froze for a split second, giving me a moment to catch my breath. “Annabel,” Bernard sneered. “This doesn’t concern you.” “Like hell, it doesn’t!” she snapped, marching toward us. “You think this is going to make you look tough? Beating up someone who hasn’t even thrown a punch?” “You don’t understand—” “I understand plenty; what do you mean by I don’t understand?” she said, cutting him off. “And so will the
The air was thick with the scent of sage and wildflowers as Lisa approached the small wooden cabin at the edge of the pack’s territory. It stood on a lonely cliff overlooking the restless waves of the ocean.This was Nyssa’s sanctuary, a place of quiet power and mystique.Lisa hesitated at the door, her heart pounding against her ribcage.She had heard whispers of Nyssa, a rogue with ancient knowledge, a wolf who lived outside the rules but possessed the wisdom to change lives forever.Taking a deep breath, she knocked.The door creaked open on its own, revealing a dimly lit interior. Candles flickered on shelves filled with vials of mysterious liquids, dried herbs, and old books. Nyssa sat cross-legged on a rug in the center, her piercing green eyes locking onto Lisa with a knowing smile."Finally here. I’ve been expecting you," Nyssa said, her voice as smooth as silk. "The girl torn between duty and desire."Lisa swallowed hard and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "You k
The grand hall of the Alpha’s Court was alive with murmurs as the pack members filled the rows of wooden benches. The disputes were minor but significant enough to be heard in the presence of witnesses. The Alpha and Luna sat at the elevated table, flanked by their council, but today was different: Lisa was at the center of the proceedings, a position typically reserved for higher-ranking wolves.She stood poised beside the Alpha, her head held high, a quiet confidence in her stance. Her father, the Beta, had entrusted her with handling these cases, a trial to prove her ability to lead and mediate. The pack whispered, some skeptical of her youth, others intrigued by her presence.“Let the first case be heard,” the Alpha announced, his voice commanding the attention of the room.Two wolves stepped forward, their faces tense with frustration. One was Mason, a farmer with a stout build and a weathered face, and the other was Clara, a younger wolf with fierce determination in her eyes.“T
The Luna’s chambers were a whirlwind of activity. Swatches of fabric, complex invitations, and a large board with detailed sketches of decorations filled the space. Lisa stood at the center, her sharp mind focused on the tasks at hand while Luna paced anxiously.“This is not just any celebration, Lisa,” Luna Margot said, her tone clipped with urgency. “It’s the prince’s eighteenth birthday, the day he steps into his role as the future Alpha. Everything must be perfect.”Lisa glanced at the sketch of the grand ballroom pinned to the board. It was an elaborate design with golden banners, cascading floral arrangements, and a towering cake. “It’s coming together well, Luna. The florists are set to deliver tomorrow, and the invitations have all been sent. We’ve ensured the guest list includes allies from neighboring packs.”The Luna stopped pacing and placed a hand on Lisa’s arm, her eyes softening. “I trust you, Lisa. You’ve been my rock through all of this. But…” She hesitated, her voice
TWO WEEKS AGOThe library at Sherlock High School was unusually quiet for a Saturday afternoon. Oliver sat at one of the corner tables, books spread out before him, but his eyes weren’t on the pages. Instead, they stared blankly at the wooden tabletop, his mind tangled with worries.“Why are the days so fast? This is getting nearer than expected,” his mouth moved along with his thoughts.The Alpha fitness tests loomed over him. It was a constant weight pressing on his chest; he couldn’t think of anything aside from that. He had tried to push it aside and focus on his studies, but the knowledge of what awaited him after his eighteenth birthday was inescapable.“Do I really have to do this?” his thought consumed him until the tiny voice growled a bit underneath“I know. Just calm down. I know it’s my responsibility; I just don’t think I’m confident at this point,” he responded to his who responded with a cold silenceThat was Rye’s way of silently supporting him. He was already havin
The midterms were finally over, and the air at Sherlock High School was lighter with relief. For Annabel, Ali, and Oliver, it was a perfect opportunity to step away from the grind of academics and visit someone who had been on their minds for weeks, the boy who had recently woken up from his coma.They made their way to the rehabilitation center, where Darren was undergoing therapy. The halls smelled of antiseptic, and the muffled sounds of soft voices and whirring machines filled the space as they walked deeper into the building.He had been moved from the intensive care unit to the normal ward a few weeks ago but they couldn’t come visit. However, Oliver had been in communications with him, encouraging him to try his best at living once again. They decided to keep things between them about his waking up and going through therapy until he was ready to come out about it. When they entered Darren’s room, he was sitting in a wheelchair by the window, staring at the rain outside. His t
Annabel woke up to the soft hum of the hospital machines, the rhythmic beeping providing a strange sense of comfort. The room was dimly lit, the moon casting a silver glow through the blinds. It was the last night she would spend in this place before being discharged, and though she was relieved, something about the stillness of the night made her restless.Everyone had been by her side throughout the day; Courtney, Dela, Bernard, Oliver, and her parents. She was grateful for their presence, but exhaustion had weighed her down, and she had fallen asleep early. Now, as the silence stretched around her, her eyelids grew heavy once again, and she drifted off into a dream.***A familiar scent of wildflowers and fresh earth surrounded her as she walked deeper into the road. A soft glow shone from behind and Annabel turned to see her mother standing there. Although she wasn’t the one who had raised her, but the one she had lost and the last healer of the werewolf kind, she still felt the a
Annabel blinked as the warm lights of the hospital settled into her vision. She felt light, almost as if she were floating, but the comforting warmth of the blanket tucked around her reassured her that she was safe.Courtney, Dela, and Bernard sat by her bedside, her parents standing nearby as the doctor finished his check-up. The tension in the room had been thick until the doctor finally spoke."Her condition is remarkable. I've never seen a wound heal this fast," he said, pressing gently against her abdomen. Annabel winced slightly, but the pain was nowhere near what she had expected.Her mother let out a breath of relief. "Thank Goodness."Her father nodded in agreement. "So, she'll be fine? We don’t have to worry about any complications, right?"The doctor smiled. "Not just fine. She'll be ready for discharge by tomorrow morning. However, I’d advise her to take it easy for a few more days. She needs to rest a lot and avoid strenuous jobs or activities"Courtney clapped her hands
Murmurs erupted among the officials at the announcement of the Alpha’s purpose for the meeting. The Alpha had made sure the words about Lucas didn’t get out until he was ready to deal with him so they didn’t know what was going on.Oliver was at the right hand of the alpha, trying hard to calm his boiling inside so he wouldn’t ruin the meeting that his father had called.“Bring him in.”The alpha’s voice roared as the guards led Lucas in. He was tied with thick silver chains and his hands were behind his back. The murmurs that had once died down erupted with full force.Some of the officials even had to stand up to be sure they were seeing right. What could warrant a father to have his child bound in chains?“I am an alpha that has always upheld integrity because I believe that is what our pack is built on. There’s no reason for me to jeopardize this belief just because my son is involved. Today, we will be reviewing the crime of the traitor who has done everything evil to turn our pa
The days dragged by in a haze of anxiety and exhaustion. Annabel had not stirred since the surgery. A full week had passed, and yet there was no sign of her waking up. The doctors assured them that her vitals were stable, that she was still fighting, but the waiting gnawed at Oliver like a relentless beast.He sat by her bedside every day, holding her hand, whispering to her.“Are you that angry at me that you don’t want to see me? You look so upset even in your sleep,” he muttered, adjusting the bangs scattered on her face.He talked about anything and everything, hoping his voice would pull her back. He told her about the sunrise, about how the pack was restless without her, about how he needed her to wake up because he didn’t know how to live in a world where she wasn’t conscious. But every day, his words were met with the same steady beep of the monitor and the soft sound of her breathing.He clenched his fists, his exhaustion heaving out.“I need to go back to the pack,” he final
Lucas gritted his teeth as he forced himself up from the floor, his werewolf strength pushing against the poison that coursed through his veins. His muscles ached, his vision blurred for a second, but the sheer will to survive and take Annabel down fueled him. He staggered to the bed and fished out the dagger she had hidden under the pillow."You thought you could outsmart me?" he growled, his voice hoarse but filled with venom.Annabel’s eyes widened as she saw the glint of the blade. She struggled to steady herself, the poison affecting her but at a slower rate than Lucas. Her body was fighting back, her lineage granting her some resilience, but she was far from safe.Before she could react, Lucas lunged at her with his remaining strength, plunging the dagger deep into her abdomen. A sharp cry of pain tore through her lips as she stumbled back, clutching at the blade lodged in her stomach. Blood seeped through her fingers, her breath coming in ragged gasps."You—!" she choked, her
Her driver dropped her in school upon request and she went straight to her room to bid Courtney and Dela goodbye.“So you are bent on not letting us know the resort you are going to with your boyfriend? That’s a mean one,” Dela whined but she only smiled in return“Thank you both for being a good friend every single time. I enjoy doing friendship with you both. There are a lot of memories that I had swam in throughout the night and I just couldn’t help but laugh at this point we have come to,” she said with her voice thinning as she tried not to break down in tearsDela moved to her side and gave her a hug. “Why are you talking as if we won’t see each other anymore? We still have a whole month to graduation and also, we can pull up at each other’s houses anytime. Don’t make a big deal out of this.” “I know right. You are making me so emotional right now. Is there something going on? It’s too early to drop appreciation messages” Courtney chipped in“I just wanted to do it before any o
Annabel had just finished her exams after two exhausting weeks so she decided to crash in her bed throughout the day before heading out to the resort with Lucas the following day. She had packed her bag for the trip and told her friends she won’t be around for the next three days.She knew the probability of coming back dead so she decided to visit her house for the last time. That evening, she had dinner with her parents who didn’t know of her plan in advance.“Are you still going out with that nameless boyfriend of yours? I left you alone because I didn’t want to distract your exams. Now that you are done, it’s time to make your firm decision. I stand with Oliver though, since you have decided to discard Bernard,” her father poured his mind over dinnerShe just sat there quietly slicing through her steak. Her presence at home was not to argue but to pay them a special visit, incase her plan goes south.“I didn’t discard Bernard, I just let him go from the burden and shackles that th
The silence in Lisa’s house was deafening, broken only by the frantic rhythm of her own heartbeat. She moved through the darkened rooms, her hands outstretched, searching for anything that could offer a semblance of security. Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the curtains, sent shivers down her spine.She tried the light switches, but nothing happened. The house was plunged into complete darkness. “Hello?” she called out, her voice trembling. “Is anyone there? Where are you all?”Only silence answered her questions. She stumbled towards the living room, her hands groping for her emergency flashlight. It was gone. Panic began to rise in her throat, choking her. She knew she wasn't alone.Her parents had gone out of town for the evening so she was the only one at home. She expected Lucas to move but didn’t know it would be this fast.A sudden, sharp pain erupted in her head as she turned to find her way back to the room, and the world dissolved into blackness.When Lisa re
The morning sun cast long shadows as Lisa pulled up to the familiar café. It was a place that held countless memories, both joyful and painful, now tainted by her recent betrayal. She took a deep breath, the scent of roasted coffee doing little to calm her nerves. Today was about redemption, or at least, a desperate attempt at it because she wasn’t sure how it would turn out at the end of the day.She stepped inside, the warm, inviting atmosphere a stark contrast to the coldness that had settled between her and her friends. Carly, Amara, Jacob, and Flora were seated at their usual table, their expressions a mixture of apprehension and guarded curiosity. Lisa walked towards them, her heart pounding.“Hi,” she said softly, her voice barely a whisper.A tense silence filled the air. Carly, ever the pragmatic one, spoke first. “Lisa. You said you wanted to talk.”Lisa nodded, pulling up a chair. “I do. I… I need to apologize. I was wrong. So terribly wrong.”Amara, her eyes filled with a