"You’re not Luna material, Hailey. I reject you." Dimitri's cruel words echoed in her ears as Hailey stood frozen, humiliated in front of the entire pack. Her betrothed—her supposed fated mate—had shattered her in the most public way possible. But before the pain could consume her, a deep, commanding voice interrupted. "Then I’ll claim her." When shy, nerdy Hailey is publicly rejected by Dimitri her betrothed, the Alpha of the Red Moon Pack, her world crumbles. But just when hope seems lost, Paxton, the charismatic Alpha of the Blue Moon Pack, THE BASKETBALL LEADER! and her secret crush, claims her as his Luna, igniting a passion she never knew existed. As rivalries brews and jealousy threatens to tear them apart, Hailey must find her inner strength to embrace her new life and protect her heart. Will she rise above the chaos to claim her true place by Paxton’s side, or will the shadows of her past consume her?
view moreChapter 1
Hailey's POV I stood in a discreet corner watching Paxton and his friends practice at the basketball court. I always wondered why they still enjoyed playing basketball even though we are no longer in high school. Everyone else has gone home but this has been my daily routine for the longest time. I had my eyes fixed only on Paxton, I wasn't seeing anyone else. Paxton could be described in one sentence and that is as the hottest guy in school. He is my long-time crush, I know it's not a wise decision to crush on someone like him because every other girl in the school was crushing on him as well. There's a high possibility that he might never notice me but that's not a problem to me, I'm okay with crushing from a distance. Suddenly, their ball flew in my direction and fell right in front of me. Oh no! I made to turn around and run away but unfortunately, they had already seen me. Paxton was staring blankly at me. Damn! What do I do? I slowly squatted down and picked up the ball. One of his friends made to rush towards me but Paxton stopped him, he approached me instead. I felt my body tense up as I watched him walk towards me. Oh no! What do I do now? I am running out of idea and I badly need one at this moment. Maybe I should drop the ball and run away. I have never spoken to him before, what am I going to say to him now? Then, it suddenly struck me, I do not even need to say anything to him, I'll just hand over the ball to him and that's the end of it. He got to where I stood and stretched out his hands. I quickly handed him the ball and surprisingly, he flashed me a small smile. Hold on! Did that just happen? Did Almighty Paxton just smile at me? "Everyone else has gone home, what are you doing here? It's getting late," he said. It's not getting late, it's late already. And why is he speaking to me? why does he sound worried? He has the ball, Shouldn't he be running back to his guys? "Hey, you can hear me right? I'm talking to you," his voice snapped me out of my trance. "Oh...uhm... I'm..." I suddenly forgot the alphabet to form a sentence with. For goodness sake, where are my brains when I need them? "What's your name?" He asked. "Hailey," I replied. At Least, I couldn't possibly forget my name. "Hailey, it's late, what are you doing here?" He asked. "I... Uhm... I like watching you guys play," I stuttered. Okay now, why was I stuttering? Surprisingly, he smiled again. Today has got to be the best day of my life because what??? I'm standing a few feet away from Paxton, my long-time crush, breathing the same air as him, speaking to him. And the biggest highlight, he smiled at me. Who would have thought? "Do you have any means of getting home? It's late and it's not safe," he said. "Of course, I'll find my way home, that's not a problem," I replied and turned around to leave. "Hey, we are actually done playing, I could drop you off," he said. I instantly halted on my spot and turned back towards him. I was practically screaming in my head out of excitement. He wants to drop me off with his car? How did we get here? "You... You will do that?" I stuttered. It was taking everything in me not to scream out right now. "Well, you are out late because of us, it's the least I could do," he replied. A wide smile broke out on my face, may all my days be as fruitful as today. "Alright, you wait right here okay? I'll just go say bye to my guys," he said and ran back to the pitch. I watched with a big smile on my face as he bade his guys goodbye and walked back toward me. "C'mon," he said leading the way to his car and I followed behind. ** "So you like watching us play huh? Does that mean you come around often?" He asked as he drove me home. "Often?" I chuckled. "I come around every single day." "But how come I've never seen you?" He said. "I'm always extra careful to avoid being caught by you guys, your ball just decided to expose me today," I joked and he laughed. "Well, maybe my ball wanted me to meet you today," he muttered and I turned away from him, I didn't want him to see my burning cheeks. I was blushing uncontrollably. “Well, I’m having a party this weekend for my birthday. You should come,” he said casually, as if he didn’t just drop the most life-changing offer. Wait, what? “Me?” I stammered. “Yeah, you,” he smirked, tossing the ball back to his friends. “It’s at my place. Saturday night. Be there.” He gave me one last smile before driving faster. My heart was pounding in my chest. Did Paxton just invite me to his party? *Paxton*, the guy every girl on campus dreamed about? As soon as I got back to my dorm, I burst through the door, barely able to contain my excitement. “Paxton invited me to his birthday party!” I squealed, as my roommates stared at me in disbelief. “The Paxton?!” one of my roommates asked, her jaw dropping. I nodded, grinning like an idiot. “Yes! I’m going to his party tomorrow!” “Ahh girl, you're so lucky!” Jenny said and I smiled excitedly. ** The next day, I spent hours getting ready, wanting everything to be perfect. I could barely contain my excitement as I stood outside, waiting for Paxton to pick me up. My heart fluttered when his car pulled up, and he stepped out, walking over to open the door for me. “Ready?” he asked with a smirk. I nodded and climbed into the car, feeling like I was in a dream. The drive to the party felt surreal. When we arrived, Paxton opened the door for me again, and I stepped out, feeling like all eyes were on me. As we walked into the hall, the music thumped through the air, and people turned to look. Whispers spread across the room as everyone stared at us, at *me* with Paxton, the famous most handsome playboy, by my side. I could feel the eyes of every girl in the room on me, some curious, others envious. “So Hailey, what should I offer you? Beer or soft drink?” Paxton asked as we sat on the high table. “Just a soft drink.” I smiled. I was floating on cloud nine until everything came crashing down. Out of nowhere, I felt something cold and wet splash across my face. I gasped, reaching up to wipe my face, only to realize someone had poured juice all over me. I turned to see who it was, and my heart sank. Standing in front of me was Dimitri, the one my pack had betrothed me to, staring at me with a cold, hard gaze. My Mate.Hailey’s POVThe moment our eyes met—if they even did—my breath hitched in my throat. Paxton. My past, my mistake, my regret. Or was he? My mind spun as I struggled to process his presence here. Did he see me? Did he recognize me? A part of me wished he didn’t, but another part—a buried, stupid part—wondered if he’d been looking for me all along.Jessie’s voice pulled me back to reality. "Hailey, are you even listening?" she asked, nudging my arm.I blinked, snapping my attention to her. "Jessie, isn’t it obvious?" I gestured discreetly toward the crowd, my fingers trembling. "Look over there! Paxton is here." I exhaled sharply, feeling a mixture of frustration and panic bubble inside me. "If I had known he’d be here, I wouldn’t have followed you. You dragged me into this mess, and now I’m stuck in the same space as the one person I’ve been avoiding for years!"Jessie crossed her arms, a teasing smirk curling on her lips. "Wow, Hails, you’re acting like he’s a monster or something. Re
Hailey's POVI never planned on attending this party tonight. In fact, I had outright refused when Jesse first suggested it. But she had a way of convincing me, and truthfully, I needed the distraction. My mind had been a chaotic mess lately, tangled up in endless thoughts—especially about Paxton. It wasn’t that I wanted to think about him, but no matter how much I tried to push him out, he always found a way to creep back in.After making sure my daughter was sound asleep in her room, I took a deep breath and dressed up. Nothing too fancy—just a simple but elegant dress that hugged my curves in the right places, though I couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious. Jesse was already waiting for me outside the party hall, excitement practically radiating off her.The moment we stepped inside, the atmosphere hit me like a wave. The bass from the music thumped against my chest, the air thick with the scent of alcohol, sweat, and expensive colognes. Laughter and chatter filled the spa
Here’s your revised and lengthened scene with deeper emotional expression, character reactions, tension, and a plot twist to keep things engaging.Hailey's POVAfter my encounter with Paxton at the shopping mall, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time—happiness. The way he stood up for me, like I actually mattered to him, sent warmth through my chest. But that feeling didn’t last long. Seeing him again, surrounded by those girls, laughing and flirting like he hadn’t just been my hero moments ago, made my stomach twist painfully. I hated how easily he affected me.Pushing those thoughts away, I focused on getting home. My daughter, Ava, barely mumbled a word before heading straight to her room for her nap. I sighed, brushing a hand through my hair before heading to the kitchen.Tonight was supposed to be fun. Just me and Jessy—my best friend—having a housewife and wine night, gossiping, laughing, forgetting the real world for a while. I pulled out some noodles, setting them to b
Hailey’s POV As I fingered the necklace Paxton had given me, a flood of emotions swept through me. The delicate pendant sparkled faintly under the mall’s fluorescent lights, but its significance weighed heavily on my chest. When he told me not to get myself into trouble again, his tone was teasing, but there was something else there—concern, maybe? I couldn’t help but smile at him, a soft, genuine curve of my lips, as though for a fleeting moment, we were something akin to a family. But deep down, I knew better. This fragile sense of togetherness was as fleeting as a shooting star, especially with his mother in the picture. That woman had the power to shatter any semblance of peace in our lives. I tightened my grip on the necklace and made a silent vow to keep Emily away from Paxton and his world. He couldn’t know she was his daughter. If he found out, everything I’d worked to protect would come crashing down. My thoughts spiraled as I glanced at Emily. Did he even remember today
**Hailey’s POV**I hadn’t expected to run into Paxton—of all people—today. The odds of it happening were slim, but somehow, there he was, stepping between me and the grumpy woman who had been eyeing me like I didn’t belong in this high-end mall. His sudden appearance made my heart jump. Had he been calling me? Instinctively, I reached into my bag, fumbling for my phone. When I pulled it out, my stomach twisted—fifteen missed calls. I swallowed hard, quickly shoving it back into my bag, guilt blooming in my chest. But what really threw me off was the way he spoke. "You’ve got a nice taste in jewelry," Paxton said smoothly, taking the necklace from the woman who had been glaring at me moments ago. I blinked at him, stunned. Did he really just say that? He never noticed little things like this before, not when we were… Well, not in a long time. Then came the words that truly caught me off guard. "Hey, baby. So, you’re here. You’ve got such a good taste—just the kind I love." Bab
**Hailey’s POV** When the jewelry was found in Emily’s possession, my heart froze. It felt as though the ground beneath me had opened up, threatening to swallow us whole. Emily? My sweet little Emily, the child who could barely keep her room tidy, now being accused of stealing something so precious? I wanted to believe this was all a mistake, a cruel misunderstanding that would soon be resolved. But as the store attendant held up the gleaming necklace, its brilliance mocking my disbelief, the reality of the situation hit me like a sledgehammer. The murmurs from onlookers grew louder, each whisper slicing through my fragile composure. “Why?” I muttered under my breath, staring at Emily as though searching for answers in her wide, tear-filled eyes. “Why would you do this, Emily?” “I didn’t, Mommy!” she cried, her voice trembling with fear. “I just wanted to look at it, I swear! I didn’t mean to—” “Enough!” the attendant snapped, her voice sharp and unforgiving. She snatched th
Hailey’s POV I wouldn’t lie—I was fuming. The nerve of Paxton, ordering me to pick up his clothes on a weekend of all times, especially knowing it was my daughter’s birthday. I had made it clear when I took the job as his personal assistant that weekends were off-limits unless it was an emergency. And this? This was no emergency; this was a power play. The way he dismissed me during the call, cutting me off before I could even explain how important today was, made my blood boil. Was this his way of getting back at me? For what? Something I’d done years ago? Something recent? I couldn’t figure it out, but the bitterness in his tone was unmistakable. Still, I didn’t have much of a choice. Emily deserved a happy birthday, and if swallowing my pride meant keeping my job to provide for her, then so be it. “Emily, darling, go to Auntie Jessie,” I said, plastering on a smile to mask my frustration. “She’ll help you get dressed, okay? Mommy has to take care of something really quickly,
**Hailey's POV** The sun streamed into my bedroom, casting a golden glow across the room as I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. My mind wandered to eight years ago—a day filled with both excruciating pain and immense joy. I had fought tooth and nail to bring my daughter into this world. I smiled at the memory, my eyes misting slightly as pride swelled in my chest. My baby girl wasn’t a baby anymore. She was growing into a smart, curious, and wonderful young lady. Today, she turned eight—a milestone that felt like it came too fast. I turned away from the mirror, wiping a tear that escaped, and walked over to wake her up. She was still bundled under the covers, her small face peeking out as she slept soundly. " Emily, my love, wake up," I said softly, brushing a few strands of hair from her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked sleepily at me. "Mom?" she mumbled, her voice laced with drowsiness. "Happy birthday, sweetheart!" I said, grinning wi
**Hailey’s POV** I stood there, rooted to the bathroom tiles, my heart hammering so loud I was sure Paxton could hear it. His piercing gaze burned into me, a mixture of frustration and something else I couldn’t quite name—pain, maybe? His words echoed in my head, bouncing off the walls of my uncertainty. Why didn’t I tell him about my daughter? The question lingered in the air, suffocating me. I wanted to run. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to turn and bolt, but my feet refused to cooperate. My hands trembled as I clutched my dress, the fabric bunched in my fingers like a lifeline. What could I say? The truth? That the little girl he had no idea existed was his? Or should I lie? Tell him some fabricated story about a nonexistent relationship to push him away? But then he asked again, his voice softer this time but no less intense. "Hailey, why didn’t you tell me? Are you trying to hide her from me?" I swallowed hard, my throat dry as sandpaper. My lips parted, but no so
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Mga Comments