Heart racing and pounding loud in his ear, chest heaving as he weaved his way around the people in his way. His eyes caught a basket of tomatoes, and effortlessly he jumped over it, hearing the owner yell after him.
"Stop!" Ethan glanced at the group of boys chasing after him. Are they not tired? He could barely feel his legs, his strength wearing thin as they had been chasing him for almost an hour. His fist clenched. He couldn't give up; he needed to lose them. If they got to him, it would be over. His rib still hurt, and the doctor had warned him he might have internal bleeding if the bullying didn’t stop. He couldn't afford to get hospitalized, not with so much else to worry about. He glanced back again, just to keep their distance in check, but found them gone. Had he lost them? He halted for a moment—they were nowhere in sight. Gripping his bag closer, he headed for the next corner but was welcomed by a punch to his face. Ethan fell, nose bleeding. His head spun as he hit the ground hard, pain shooting through his back, making him yelp. "Where do you think you're going, misfit?" James, the most brutal one among them, smirked down at him. Hastily, Ethan got to his feet and tried to run out of the corner, but was met with another brutal punch, sending him back to the floor with a busted lip. Thane, who had hit him, glared down at him. "Please, let me go," Ethan couldn’t help but beg. A single hit might kill him. James grabbed his collar, his face inches away as he shot him the coldest look. "Begging now, huh? Thought you'd learn by now that it only makes it worse." Ethan could taste the metallic bitterness of his blood on his lips. He wanted to fight back, scream, run—do anything but plead—but the pain radiating through his body was overwhelming. One of the boys snickered, kicking Ethan's bag, its contents sprawling across the floor. Ethan's eyes flickered to his belongings: books, notes, his phone. He watched as the boy stepped on his notes, and it took every ounce of strength in him not to yell. "Look at you. Nothing but a pathetic stray," James sneered. "I gave you a strict warning, didn’t I? I asked you to be careful with my essay, but you made it obvious the work was yours." Ethan sniffled. "I told you, I have no idea how Mrs. Katherine found out," he defended, only to have James slam him against the brick wall, making him wince. "Yes, you did. You did it on purpose, thinking I wouldn't make you do my schoolwork anymore. But guess what? As long as you're alive and still in Washington, I'll torment you until your last breath," James spat. Ethan's vision blurred as he tried to fight back his tears. He wanted to argue that he had done everything to avoid suspicion, but it was pointless to argue with someone like James. Being the son of a famous tycoon in the city, James had everyone wrapped around his finger—both students and teachers. No one would believe Ethan's story, even if he dared to tell it. Not only James but many others at school despised him. Ethan had gotten into the college on a scholarship, and he'd thought it was a dream come true. But setting foot on campus had turned it into a nightmare. He barely fit in, and even though he tried hard not to get noticed, his academic performance quickly drew attention. Instead of bringing pride, it made him a target. As the son of the wealthiest man in the city, James was used to getting whatever he wanted—and to being seen as the best. Ethan's presence, his undeniable brilliance, threatened that image, even though he hadn’t meant to. "I think... instead of helping you with your work and stuff..." Ethan began, hoping what he was about to say wouldn’t trigger James any further. But he had no choice. "I think I should... maybe tutor you? So you can do it yourself." "The fuck?" Thane cursed behind James, a hint that Ethan had crossed a line. James laughed, a laugh that seemed unhinged. "You want to tutor me? What do you think I am, a dumbass?" Ethan's jaw clenched. What the hell did he want from him, then? That was the only help he could offer. He couldn’t possibly make himself fail intentionally just because of James. Ethan had goals too—to succeed, and to support his sick mother. Before he could stop himself, the words slipped out. "I think instead of wasting your time here bullying me, you should be feeding your brain with necessary things." He had gone insane. He had finally gone insane to say such a thing. Ethan swallowed hard, trying to focus on James’s face, which now wore a smirk, his eyes narrowing coldly. Surprisingly, James let go of his collar. Ethan would have fallen if it weren’t for the wall, his knees weak from the intense running. Were they letting him go? His last shred of hope shattered as James grinned and gave the order. "Beat him up." Ethan's eyes widened. No, not like this! "No, wait. You can't—" The boys swiftly closed in, sweeping his feet out from under him. Ethan curled into a ball as they stomped on him, each kick making his head spin with pain. _ "Mister Ethan Wave, you're young, with a lot ahead of you. Don't let anyone take that away from you. You're lucky again... but you can't keep letting this happen all the time. Internal bleeding is not something you can handle," the female doctor advised, her quipped and Ethan knew so well she was trying to keep her frustration in check. This wasn't the first time she was patching him up, urging him to open up, but Ethan knew better; that would only make things worse. "We'll have to admit you, Mister Ethan. Your body needs a proper check," the doctor said from behind. "What—" Ethan's eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. "Admit me? I don't think that's necessary..." "It could get serious and lead to surgery. It's just for a while. Please stay," the doctor cut in. He sighed at the word "surgery." He couldn’t afford that, especially with no money and so much else to cover. On the third day, Ethan felt better, though the bruises remained. No one had visited him; he had no relatives other than his sick mother. It had been three days since he last saw her—she would be worried sick. “When am I getting discharged?” he asked the nurse attending to him, his expression flat. “Tomorrow, Mister Wave—” “Can I go home today? I can’t stay here any longer,” he cut in. “But your treatment—” “I want to leave. I’m fine already,” he snapped, his chest heaving with frustration. He hated his life. “Oh... okay. I’ll inform the doctor,” the nurse said before leaving the ward. The process was quick; the doctor prescribed medication and urged him to rest. Ethan nodded, knowing that wouldn’t be possible in his situation. With the little money he had, he headed to see his mother first. She looked thinner than before, the hollows of her cheeks deepened, and the once-bright spark in her eyes had dulled. She lay weakly on the bed, tubes in her nostrils and wrist, the steady beeping of machines echoing in the room. He hated seeing her like this—sick, fragile, and slowly fading away. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he approached and sat beside her. The doctor had been vague about her prognosis, but Ethan knew the illness had taken hold of her months ago. The diagnosis was merely a way to delay the inevitable. His mother was everything to him, and he refused to lose her. “Hey, Mom,” he said quietly, forcing a smile. “How are you feeling?” She turned her head slightly to look at him. “Better,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “The nurses have been taking good care of me.” “How is school, my love?” Her trembling hand reached for his. Her breath was weak and labored. “School is fine... just as usual,” he lied, forcing another smile. He couldn’t tell his mother about James and his friends bullying him; that would only worry her. “You’re such a great liar, son,” she chuckled. Right, he had bruises on his face. Her eyes flashed with sadness, but she said nothing. The ward fell silent for a while. The weight of the situation gnawed at him, making it feel like the world was closing in, leaving him no space to breathe. The next diagnosis was looming, and he still hadn’t gathered enough money. Now, he had missed three days of work; his boss would be furious. Her fingers tightened weakly around his arm. “You are strong, Ethan; you’ve always been. Don’t lose that, no matter how tough things get.” He nodded, though he couldn’t help but wonder when things would finally get better."You're fired," Ethan's heart dropped to his feet as the cruel words sank in. He searched for a hint of compassion in the middle-aged man's face, but there was none. His boss looked at him with the same icy indifference he'd shown for the past few weeks."But... sir, I was at the hospital—""Singing the same song again about your sick mother?" His boss sneered, cutting him off. "I'm tired of being so considerate, boy, ignoring all your mistakes and taking your lame excuses." His voice was sharp, each word hitting Ethan like a physical blow. "You’re not the only one with problems. Get your priorities straight."Ethan's throat tightened. He had expected this—deep down, he knew it was coming—but hearing it out loud made his world crumble."I—" He swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "I need this job... you don’t understand.""I don’t care what you need," the man spat, his face twisted in disdain. "This is a business, not a charity. Get out.""Sir... just one last chance, I p
The class began as Professor Lucian continued from where the old lecturer had left off. His voice was thick yet smooth. Each time his gaze met Ethan's, Ethan quickly looked away.Why did it affect him? Was it the same for everyone else?Ethan's eyes darted around the room. He noticed the girls were practically drooling over him, their faces lighting up whenever Professor Lucian's gaze fell in their direction.Ethan couldn't concentrate. He then decided to fix his eyes on his book.The class seemed to drag on, finally ending after an hour. Professor Lucian was good—smooth in his teaching, his accent impeccable.The girls clapped as he wrapped up his lecture, drawing out the list of names in the class."Sarah Martin," he called out with ease, his voice filling the room."Present, sir," a girl exclaimed excitedly from the back."Is this some kind of freaking high school or something?" Ethan heard James mutter under his breath.Professor Lucian's piercing gaze snapped to James, and he imm
Weak, lowly human... Not just a human, but a male. A fucking male, bullied by his own peers. He was full of shit.The moon goddess was certainly playing tricks on him.After centuries of searching, filled with the hope of finding his female mate—the one he desired above all—he ended up with a male.His beta had been right. He was cursed never to be happy. How could he have thought the moon goddess would forgive him after what he had done years ago?The heavens would torment him until the end of his immortal life. Why not just end him as punishment instead of tormenting him this way?Lucian eyes settled on the unconscious boy laying on his king sized bed. His body full of bruises, some old, some fresh. Just how weak his mate is?His dark eyes observed his face close. The boy's face was delicate, paled beneath the bruise and scratches that marred his skin. His breath were shallow, with each rise and fall if his chest reminding Lucian of how fragile he was.Lucian was twice his size—a f
Ethan dashed out of the tall building, his breath heavy and heart pounding like a caged animal desperate to escape. Those deep, golden-red eyes that glowed like lava would forever haunt his sanity.The sound of cracking bones, the screams, and the blood replayed in his mind. Though Professor Lucian had saved him, it still terrified him.A loud honk snapped him back to reality."Watch out, you fool!" the driver of the car that almost hit him yelled."Sorry," Ethan gasped, catching his breath as he continued running. He only stopped when he was far enough from the place.The area was well-developed, an estate with tall buildings that seemed to touch the sky, their architecture grand and imposing, reflecting power and wealth. The windows mirrored the hues of the setting sun.With directions and help from people he met along the way, Ethan found a nearby bank to withdraw some money to get home.An hour later, Ethan stood before his apartment. It hit him that Professor Lucian now knew wher
"Way too dangerous," he had said? Ethan mocked his pathetic life. His instincts screamed at him that he was insane, crazy, and utterly preposterous for being here—at the doorstep of Professor Lucian.This was the place he had fled in fear, yet here he was again. He pulled out his phone, staring at Professor Lucian's number, hesitating to call and announce his presence.If the man killed him tonight, would it make any difference? Besides, life was all about taking risks.Ethan wanted to run, to flee without looking back, but that wasn’t an option. His mother life was on the line. He had to save her."Yes?" Professor Lucian's deep, husky voice resonated on the other end of the line, sending a chill down Ethan's spine."I'm here," he announced, his voice barely a whisper. He could imagine the sly smile that Professor Lucian would surely have on his face right now."Get in."Ethan ended the call and took a deep breath, gathering what little courage he had left as he advanced toward the ex
"W-why would I do that?" Even with how terrifying Lucian looked at the moment, Ethan managed to question him. Despite trembling under his hold and sweating as if he were staring death in the face, he still found the courage to defy his order.If it had been someone else, Lucian would have snapped their neck and watched their blood drain from their body. Hell, he wanted to do just that, his fingers was hitching-- but not with Ethan."Would you like me to do it for you?" Lucian asked, his face still an inch away, his voice dripping with venom.Ethan swallowed hard. "Y... you’re—" he paused and cleared his dry throat. "You’re still holding my hands, sir."Lucian’s gaze shifted to Ethan’s trapped hands and then back to his face. He released him and waited for him to comply."Well... uh, Mr. Lucian..." Ethan began with a stutter. "Well, the thing is... I, uh... I’m not into men, and I..." That was all Ethan could say before he felt his feet leave the floor.The movement was too quick for h
"A male mate?" Eric turned to face Lucian, who stood by the window, staring blankly at the city below. "It's not so bad. It's not as if you haven't mounted a male before," he mumbled, sinking into the couch.Lucian glanced over his shoulder, his gaze icy. "I was in a rut... and clearly, he was a werewolf without a terrible personality.. like being a weak human."Eric reached for the glass of alcohol beside him and took a small sip. "Just accept it, Lucian. You've waited so long for this. It was a cursed bond, meant to either break you or fix you. Try to see the bright side..."Lucian shut his eyes at the foolish words of his closest friend, Alpha Eric—the only person who didn’t shrink in fear at the sight of him."Fix me?" Lucian let out a dark, ominous chuckle. "He was bullied, almost killed by his own peers. If I hadn't come to save him, he’d be dead. Fragile, forgetful, asks too many questions, and cries a lot. Do you think someone with that kind of personality could be my mate and
Ethan swallowed hard, his throat dry. He tried to find his words, but his voice refused to cooperate as Lucian's cold gaze pinned him. The man before him was beyond mad—he could feel it."I... I didn't mean to..." Ethan quickly stood and stammered, his heart pounding against his chest."Mean to what?" Lucian interrupted, his cold aura unyielding. "Did you think I'd let off the hook?""No... I was going to return your money. I'll work hard and give it back to you. But living with you, I... I can't do that," Ethan said quickly, panic bubbling in his chest."I don’t give a damn about what you can or cannot do?" Lucian raised a brow, his voice laced with irritation. "When I give you an order, you obey, little mate."Ethan's fists clenched, a pang of defiance sparking in his nerves. "You can't just expect me to jump at every one of your demands. I have my own life too... I appreciate your help, and I'm going to pay you back—"Lucian's brows furrowed.Ethan continued, "I'll work day and nig
‘Lucian!’‘Please come back to me!’‘I’m sorry.’‘Come back!!’Lucian gasped awake on the bed, sweat dripping down his forehead, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath, eyes darting around.His room?Wait. How did he get here?His brows furrowed as he collected his memories. Right—Zeno took Ethan, and he had gone to save him, and...Lucian froze, his brows knitting further. He sat up immediately, eyes wide. He couldn't remember what happened next.‘Stay away!’Ethan's voice echoed. Lucian hissed as his head throbbed. Shit!Ethan had yelled at him. Rejected him. Had been scared of him, and he had...Why the fuck couldn’t he remember?!Lucian swung the sheet from his body, rose from the bed, and burst out of his room. Breath heavy, eyes darting frantically, he settled them on Butler Ben.“Ethan,” he breathed worriedly, approaching Ben. “Where is he?…”“Uh…” Before Ben could reply, another voice sounded.“Lucian?”Lucian’s head snapped around, sighting the person he was desper
"Let me out of here, bastard!" Ethan yelled at the men."Seriously, are you not going to gag him?" one of them spoke, staring at Ethan in disgust."Yeah... I better," the second said, eyes searching for a rope."He's going to kill you all, bastards!" Ethan yelled again.The one who seemed to be the boss of the men in the room chuckled.He stepped forward, dark eyes glittering with amusement as he crouched before Ethan and grabbed his jaw."Kill us?" he drawled mockingly. "That little professor of yours is probably dead by now. All we're waiting for is Zeno's call before we cut your guts open."Ethan jerked his face away, trying to mask his fear. He was terrified, but he didn’t want to give these men what they wanted.The man barked a short laugh. "Look at you, trying to act tough. No one is coming to save you, boy. Just say your last words instead."Could they be right?Is Lucian coming? Will he find him?Suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped.A chill crept down their spines.
Martin gasped, hearing the gunshots, his head snapping toward the door.What the hell was that?Are they shooting Mr. Black? And if so… why did they have to shoot so many bullets to bring him down?What did you expect, Martin? Perhaps Mr. Black brought his men.But he had clearly heard Mr. Black came with just the man named Eric.A groan tore through his throat. He was gagged, hands tied behind him. Every part of him ached. He needed to get out of here and find Ethan before they hurt him.Once Zeno was done here, he planned to take Ethan's life—and he couldn't let that happen.“Shut the hell up!” the man watching him snapped, but Martin didn’t stop struggling against the rope, letting out muffled sounds.“Shut up!” the man yelled but clutched his ears as the gunshots sounded even louder.“Shit! Just how many men did Mr. Black bring?”A scream pierced the air the moment the gunshots stopped, followed by the sickening crack of bones and the tear of flesh…Then a guttural growl—one that
“But I want to help,” Xander insisted. “The tracker can…”“We know everything before you came. Even the location of where Ethan is,” Eric said, and Xander's face went pale. “Seriously? Why did you think it was easy for Martin to take Ethan?”Right. Xander had thought about that too. Mr. Black wouldn't let his security slip around Ethan after Mr. Moore's attack.Xander glanced at Lucian, who still hadn't spoken a word. This man was hella dangerous.“Your method was pretty cool but very old. I'm sure your father already suspected your movements and might have seen through Martin.” Eric continued. “Nice effort, kid.”“Ah,” Lucian let out a deep sigh. “I can't believe I lost the bet.” His eyes finally fluttered open.Then he rose to his feet, locking gaze with Xander. His piercing gaze made Xander wonder if this was truly the professor in their school.It was as though his menacing aura had just increased tenfold.He approached with light, steady, and deliberate steps. If Xander weren't
"Urgh! Let me out of here!”“Martin!”Martin's jaw clenched as Ethan's voice trailed behind him while he headed to the car with Zeno and a few men.He took a last glance at the restricted building in the middle of the woods before entering the car. Zeno had chosen this location so Ethan would be hard to find.It was several miles away from the city; barely a soul could be seen around here.After almost an hour of driving, Zeno spoke, breaking the silence in the car.“Where the hell is Xander?” he asked, while Martin kept his gaze on the passing view outside the car window.“I don't know,” he replied.“Ha… don't give me that kind of crappy answer. You expect me to believe you don't know where your bastard brother is?” Zeno barked out a soft laugh. “I thought you both were close; I guess that’s wrong. How could you not have told him you were about to betray your friend?”“Because you asked me not to tell anyone,” Martin's fists clenched. “And, point of correction… Ethan is not my friend
He didn't return last night.Ethan bit the inside of his cheek. Lucian wasn’t home.What could have kept him so busy that he didn’t show up? What could be the reason?Another woman?Ethan slammed his palm against his forehead. Don’t think like that, Ethan. You can’t be insecure. Lucian hasn’t been with any other woman ever since he met him.But why did he worry so much about him? It felt like he couldn’t breathe properly when Lucian wasn’t around for too long. It had been almost two days, and he was missing him.Could it be because Lucian was investigating his father’s case or it was simply due to his work?Ethan sighed. He asked himself too many questions. He should be more worried about the school that was about to kick him out.Ethan’s phone rang, and with a swift movement, he reached for it.The hospital?“Mr. Wave… your mother has gone into a critical state…”That was all Ethan allowed himself to hear before bolting out of the room, ignoring Butler Ben’s voice calling after him.
“Help who again?”Eric drew in a deep breath, fully aware that Lucian had heard him the first time but chose to pretend he hadn't. Classic Lucian.“Luther’s sons.”A laugh broke from Lucian’s throat—light and soft at first, then growing louder until it echoed through the four corners of the private club room.Eric waited patiently for him to finish. He knew it would be damn near impossible to convince this crazy male to help them—mostly because of Martin. Lycans don’t forget their enemies.They don’t forgive, and they sure as hell don’t forget. Once you’re on their blacklist, you stay there forever.Especially someone as crazy as his friend here.And when they finally strike, Lycans tend to wipe out every trace of their enemies—including their offspring.Mr. Moore wasn’t the only victim. The poor man lost everything in a blink, including his son. Now, it’s as if that fool never existed.Lycans do give warnings, though. Once, twice... and by the third time, the victim finds out what de
A ragged cough tore from his throat, his fist rising to his mouth. Yara gave him a worried look and pointed to the bottled water on the table beside him. Ethan reached for it and drank nearly half the contents. He cleared his throat and gave Yara a quick smile. “What kind of work did you do though? All these things are so expensive. How come he got them for me? I don’t think I can accept them. They’re all too much.” Ethan’s eyes darted. He needed to change the topic. “What kind of job do you do, Ethan?” “I…” Ethan paused. What could he say? Should he reveal everything from the start? How he met Lucian, his brutality, his true nature, the bond between them... Ethan realized so much had happened in such a short span of time. He couldn’t say it all—well, not yet. And he didn’t want to lie to his mother either. “Oh my!” Yara gasped, eyes wide. Ethan looked at her, confused. “Huh? Mom, what’s wrong?” “Don’t tell me you’re doing something illegal. Did you join some gangster sh*t?
The ward turned silent. Too silent—one could hear a pin drop. Ethan could hear his heartbeat racing—too hard, too fast—and he thought he might really faint right then, but that wasn’t his concern right now… What in the motherfûcking world had Lucian just spilled out? Lucian winked at him, and Ethan felt like gouging those eyes out—perhaps even cutting off his tongue too. “We’ll see again, Mrs. Wave,” Lucian inclined his head gently and began leaving. Then Yara’s laughter broke the silence, her eyes shut as she almost collapsed back on her bed. Lucian, who was about to touch the door, froze and glanced back at her.m, wondering why she suddenly find him funny. “Your boss is so funny.” Ethan, getting the hint that his mother hadn’t believed Lucian, quickly rushed to shove him out before he could say anything else. Yara blinked in confusion. Lucian, who staggered outside, shot a glare at Ethan as the door slid shut. “What the fuck…” “Shh!” Ethan quickly clamped his