Ginger:
Doom is an understatement of the condition I am in at the moment. Seeing Hu watching from his window makes it worse. It’s like he feeds off my misfortune and enjoys it.
“I have to make this right,” I mutter, slumping onto the bed and pulling out my phone.
I type the words, “How to fall utterly in love with my boyfriend,” into the search bar. For minutes, I scroll endlessly, looking for the perfect solution to forget Hu and focus on Caspian, but I find nothing. With a frustrated groan, I toss my phone aside, throwing my head back onto the bed with my eyes shut.
Suddenly, a thought crosses my mind. A part of me thinks it’s crazy and dirty, but nothing beats sex with a guy who doesn’t care about you. I take a deep breath, sliding my hand down into my panties.
I feel my throbbing clit beneath my hand, then I pull my hand out, reaching for the sheets to cover my body. I slide my fingers in again, and this time I do not stop. With my eyes shut, I bite my lips as I massage my needy clit, sliding my fingers down my folds while I try to think of Caspian. His face forms in my mind, and I imagine drowning in his kiss. Everything goes well until I almost hit my climax, and suddenly Caspian’s face is replaced with Hu’s.
I want to stop, but my body cannot. The mere thought of Hu’s lips on my skin drives me to the edge, and in no time, my body jerks as I am bound in the most ecstatic pleasure.
“Hu.” his name leaves my lips in a breathy moan.
“Yeah,” his voice cuts through the silence, making my blood run cold. My eyes snap open, and I see him standing inches away from me.
“Argh…” I barely finish my sentence when Hu places his hand over my lips, closing the space between us.
My heart races as I stare at him. He takes a deep breath, then speaks in a low tone.
“Do not scream, please.”
I nod, and he slowly takes his hand away from my lips, his eyes still locked on mine. His hands press down on each side of the bed, trapping my body in between.
“How did you get in here?” I ask in a trembling voice.
He cocks his head toward the window.
“And how long have you been here?”
“Long enough to see you finish,” he says, and his words make my face heat up as embarrassment washes over me.
“I liked the way you said my name,” he adds, inching closer. My heart pounds as I glare into his eyes, getting lost in them for a moment. His lips brush against mine, but something snaps in me at once, and I press my palm to his face, pushing it away.
“You are fucking sick!” The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. The warmth and love I feel for him instantly turns to disgust. My wolf growls angrily.
He backs away, holding up his arms in mock surrender.
“Okay, okay, let’s take this slowly.”
I open the cover on my body as he says this, then swing my legs off the bed.
“Why the hell are you here?” I demand, my brows furrowed.
“To apologize,” he answers immediately, his voice softer now. He runs a hand through his wavy black hair. “Last night, I was tipsy, and I had no clue it was your first. I knew we should’ve stopped, but it felt so right, and I didn’t want to stop.”
His words make my stomach churn.
“Were you tipsy this morning when Ruby bullied me and made the entire school laugh? And what did you do? Kiss her.” I scoff, and he sighs.
“I’m sorry about that too, and I knew I should’ve—”
“But you didn’t.”
“Ginger, I don’t want to argue. I’m here because Hana wouldn’t stop talking about you and Caspian. Then she mentioned he would be your first, and I felt terrible knowing it was me.”
“Is that really it?” I ask, and his brows furrow into a frown.
“Or do you just not want me to be with Caspian?” He falls silent.
“Tell me, Hu!” My voice rises.
“I want you,” he whispers, and I shake my head, getting to my feet.
“You want me, but you can never date me because you don’t do girlfriends. But the Moon Goddess forbid Caspian should have me because you feel something between us, and you want to hold on to that while we keep fucking.” I scoff, looking into his eyes. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.
“You don’t want me, Hu. You don’t even know what the fuck you want. Or do you think I don’t know you’re an eclipse baby?”
“Well, Caspian isn’t any different!” he shoots back.
“He loves, and he is loyal. That is different, Hu. Caspian wouldn’t have walked away from me after having sex with me, but you did.”
“…And I said I’m sorry,” he mumbles.
“Yeah, just like you said it was a mistake.” I remind him, then try to turn away, but he catches my wrist, pulling me to his chest. I meet his gaze, and as I look into his beautiful eyes, I wonder how someone can be this beautiful with a dark heart.
“We both know someone will get hurt in this relationship, and that person is Caspian. I walked in on you, touching yourself to the thoughts of me. I have no clue what this is, but I know you feel it too, Ginger,” he whispers into my ear, his lips brushing against it slightly.
I swallow hard, debating whether to tell him about the mate bond, but I don’t want to get hurt further. Caspian is my mate too, and I would be a damned fool to choose someone who would hurt me.
“I’m not going to let you just fuck around with me, Hu. I did whatever I could to get the thoughts of you out of my system. It is called first-time sex for a reason, and once I get with Caspian, you’ll be history. So don’t feel too good about yourself.”
I try to sound confident, and the way his eyes narrow shows his ego is faltering.
“Get out!” I grit my teeth, and his lips curl into a cocky smirk as he tries to regain his composure.
Before he can respond, my mother’s voice shoots through the corridor.
“Ginger!”
Panic surges through me, and I feel my soul leave for a moment. I grab Hu’s hand, shoving him toward the closet.
“Quick, hide,” I say in a low tone, and he frowns, but gets in just in time as my mom opens the door.
I walk toward her.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, and I nod, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as I try to maintain a smile.
“It sounded like you were having an argument, but I didn’t see anyone walk through the door, and—”
“I was rehearsing,” I say, and she raises a brow. “I signed up for this drama club Hana introduced me to.”
The lie comes out naturally, and I feel relief as she nods.
“Glad you are fitting in. Well, dinner is ready,” she says, and I nod as she turns to leave.
“Can I go to Hana’s after dinner? We have to go across town to her friend’s place, Wendy.”
She is about to speak, but I beat her to it. “I won’t stay out late, and I am fitting in perfectly.”
“Sure. As long as Hana is there,” she says, then she leaves.
I shut the door, leaning against it as I inhale deeply.
At that moment, Hu opens the closet.
“Lying to your mother to see a guy?”
“Does the Luna know her son climbs through girls’ windows?” He stays silent, and I walk to the window, opening it. “So, stay out of my business and get out!”
He leaves at once, and I throw myself onto the bed, rubbing my temples.
I didn’t know what I wanted before, but now I do. Hu is too much of an asshole, so I will just choose Caspian, and no one will know of that night with Hu. I take out my phone to text Caspian.
“I’ll see you in thirty minutes. I love you.”
I sigh, tossing my phone away, waiting for his message.
In less than a second, it beeps with a notification. I reach for it, hoping to see a reply from Caspian, but it is an unknown number texting me.
“I know what you did last night with Hu. See you at Caspian’s, and I hope he is eager to know, too.”
My blood runs cold as I read the message. Someone knows our secret, but who could it be?
GINGER:The entire evening, I can’t stop thinking about the text. I want to back out now, but Caspian already has the notion I don’t really like him—which isn’t totally true. Everything was fine until last night, and boy, do I wish I could erase Hu from my memory.“Remember, you have to be home before nine!” Mother yells as I make my way out the door.I wish I’d get hit by a truck, I mutter under my breath, flagging down a taxi.**As the taxi pulls up in front of Caspian’s house, I feel like a heavy weight is crushing my chest. I pay the driver and step out, my legs heavier with every step toward the front door. It’s only a stone’s throw away, but it feels like I’m on a journey of a thousand miles. Fuck… is this what guilt feels like?The front door swings open before I even knock. Caspian stands there, my ever-loving boyfriend, with a huge grin stretched across his face.“You came,” he says cheerfully, pulling me into a hug. His hand rests on my waist, while I stand there motionless
HU:I should’ve never come to this stupid get-together after what happened between Ginger and me. But what excuse could I possibly give Caspian? Oh, I had sex with your girlfriend, so I won’t make it. Fuck. I’m screwed, and I knew it the second Ginger walked through that door.It’s unlike me to think about a girl twice. I’ve got enough life problems without adding her to the list. But she’s everywhere in my mind. For the past twenty-four hours, I’ve barely thought about my father—just Ginger. Her beautiful face. Her perfect body.“Fuck,” I sigh, running a hand through my hair as I pull open the back door and step onto the soft grass, the cool night air hitting my skin.I thought maybe I’d get over this weird feeling twisting in my chest, but every time I see her, it flares up like wildfire. Watching Caspian’s arm slung around her like she belongs to him… Wait, she does belong to him. But that only makes the strange energy coursing through my veins worse, urging me to rip his fucking h
Ginger’s POV:I remain on Caspian’s body, and he keeps caressing me gently, making me feel even worse. The room is cool with the fans on, but I can hardly breathe. When I can no longer take it, I let out a forced breath and stand up.“Are you okay?” he asks, and I nod with a smile.“I was thinking we could do something—maybe watch a movie,” I say, and he nods.“That would be great. I should get some snacks downstairs.” He starts to leave, but I quickly reach for his arms.I need an excuse to leave, and this is my chance.“Why don’t you pick out the movies while I grab the snacks?” I ask, and he nods. I push myself out of bed quickly and head out of the room.Once in the corridor, I pause with my back against the door to catch my breath. This is one hell of a rollercoaster, and it’s making me lose my mind. The only upside is that I haven’t thought of my dad. My body is too busy processing these stupid feelings for a boy who doesn’t giv
HU:Last night was literally one of the worst for me. I could barely sleep after I opened my big mouth. How can I sleep when Ginger is walking around with the thought that I have feelings for her? Yes, I do, but she isn’t supposed to know—not like this. In fact, never. Caspian would end my life if he knew, and I’m not ready to lose years of friendship.The entire night, I watched her window like a police guard on patrol. She doesn’t want me around, and I know it’s wrong to even think about sneaking in at midnight, but a part of me wants to.**The buzz of my alarm pulls me awake, letting me know I finally got some sleep. The first thing I do as I stand is look out the window. Hers is still shut—she is really standing on business. I let out a sigh, then quickly dress for school, rushing downstairs to have my breakfast before the entire family makes it to the dining room.“Leaving so early?” Mother asks
HU: I am about to turn around and leave like I didn’t see them, but Caspian yells out my name. “Hu, my man!” I curse under my breath and plant a smile on my face, walking up to him. He extends his hand, and I shake it before he pulls me close, our shoulders brushing. “You’ve been scarce and quiet these days. What’s up?” he asks, and I fight hard not to meet Ginger’s gaze. “Nothing. I’m cool. Just on the low,” I reply, but my chest tightens when I see Ruby walking toward us. I don’t know what she’s going to do, but I know it won’t be good. Running isn’t an option, so I stay still, hoping she won’t open her big mouth. “Hey, guys,” she greets with the biggest grin, then turns to Ginger. “Hi.” Her tone is too friendly. It’s not go
HU:The rink falls silent, and I immediately regret my action. Worse, I have no explanation to give Caspian for why I yelled at him that way. All eyes shift to me, but my focus stays locked on Caspian. His brows shoot up, and Ginger stiffens in his arms. A second passes, then another, before he tilts his head and lets out a chuckle.“Damn, Hu. I didn’t know I was disrupting a dictatorship.” He tries to make a lighthearted joke, and I immediately understand that he thinks I’m having one of my episodes, but this isn’t it.Some students murmur as my grip tightens around my hockey stick, my jaw aching from how hard I’m clenching it.“As I was saying!” I raise my voice, further solidifying his suspicions. The rink falls silent again. “We’re starting with drills. Speed laps first. If you can’t keep up, don’t bother showing up next time!”Caspian shakes his head at me, silently
HU:As I make my rounds on the rink, I spot Ruby skating toward me, and I let out a sigh. When she gets close enough, I come to a stop.“What on earth has been going on?” she demands, a frown forming on my face as I stare at her.“I have no idea what you are talking about.”She scoffs at my response, folding her arms. She nearly trips, but I instinctively reach out and grab her hand.“Oh, please do not save me. Your hands have already been on her!” she growls, and I release her with another sigh.“Are you serious right now? She was about to fall, and—”“You yelled at Caspian because of her, and I know that.”I stop speaking as she cuts me off. For a moment, there is silence between us.“You claimed you had no feelings for her, but you are just a liar. Worse still, you are not even trying to hide it. People have already noticed because I heard the gir
GINGER: Shock is an understatement for what I feel right now. It’s like the universe is conspiring against me, determined to make me suffer. I could have trained with Caspian, but somehow, fate decided against it. The coach continues speaking while I remain frozen, Caspian stroking my hand in reassurance. Meanwhile, he is assigned to some random girl. “Hey, loosen up,” Caspian whispers in my ear to calm me. I glance up at him, my breath caught in my throat. “Hu is my best friend,” he continues. “I promise, you’re in excellent hands. He can be tough, and yeah, he has his issues, but not everything is his fault. Deep down, he’s a good guy.” I force a smile and nod, even though my stomach is churning. If only Caspian knew that Hu’s outburst earlie
GINGER:Hu leads me upstairs to a room in the house, shutting the door behind him as we walk in. He finds the light switch, turning it on. At first, it feels like déjà vu, but then it strikes me. This is the room we had sex in on the first night at the welcome party.“I guess every beginning deserves an ending,” I say to Hu, who raises a brow, unsure of what I am saying. “Doesn’t this room look familiar?” I question, and he opens his mouth to speak, but then he realizes.A smirk forms on my lips as I walk to the bed, sitting on it, running my hands over the sheets. The exact sheet we did it on—or maybe they just have a lot of sheets in the same colour and design. Hu walks towards me.“Are you sure you want to do this, or will you walk away from me again after…” I barely finish my words when his hand fists my throat, swallowing the words with a rough, messy, and desperate kiss.His
Ginger:“Look, Caspian and Hu have been having a conversation for over ten minutes,” Hana says, but I refuse to take my eyes off the Monopoly board as I think it is just a lie to get me to fail.“That is goal one of this party achieved,” Wendy says, taking her eyes off the board, and when I see Hana isn’t trying anything funny, it dawns on me they are every bit serious.My attention falls solely on the two of them as their eyes remain on both boys. Then I turn slightly to see them discussing happily. This lifts off a heavy burden from my chest, which I didn’t know had been there for a while. Probably for months.“That brings us to phase two of this party,” Hana says, and I look back at them to see both of them glaring at me with what appears to be a forced smile.My brows furrow slightly. “What?” I ask.Hana lets out a sigh at first.“I know you have said a million time
HU:Left to me, I will not be at Caspian’s party. I wanted something for just Ginger and me, but I know this means a lot to her. I do not know what it feels like to have two mates, and I hope I never have to find out. Well, I won’t because I am so sure I do not have two mates.It is already time for the party, so I drive across to Ginger’s house. There she stands, dressed casually in a miniskirt and crop top, which strikes a few nerves I try to suppress as she walks towards the car. I open the door for her from inside—a little too jealous of her choice of outfit.“Hey,” she says, leaning in to kiss my lips.“Hey,” I mutter as my eyes descend to her exposed lap before going back to her eyes, which are still in mine.“Why are you looking at me that way?” she
GINGER:Today is Hu’s graduation. It is supposed to be a happy day for him, but his face has been gloomy from the start. I understand his fear, but he makes it look like I will run off with some guy before he blinks an eye. We are at the graduation ground, which is full of family, friends, and students, all waiting for the ceremony to finish.We are sitting in a special spot which is reserved for the Alpha’s family. Luna Holly invited us to sit with them because of my tie with Hu. Hana and Wendy are seated beside me.“You know it’s been more than two months, but I still cannot believe you are Hu’s mate, and I have been sharing you with him ever since,” Hana voices, seeing I will not take my eyes off Hu. Her words barely register in my mind as Hu’s name blasts from the speaker for the athlete's achievement award.He stands up gracefully, making his way to the stage with his face in a frown. He looks good in his blu
GINGER:Hu’s words hit me hard as a feeling of embarrassment warms my face. Anyone with self-dignity should walk away from someone who has such vulgar things to say in a demanding tone, reducing you to nothing. But even I question my self-worth. I should at least be scared, but my body finds him hot, and I imagine what he just said.“Sit exactly where I want—on my fucking cock.” His words replay in my mind like they have been branded inside my skull.Honestly, I have been turned on the moment I saw him doing bench presses. The way his muscles flexed with each rep kept sending untold sensations to my belly. His hands slip from my waist as he pulls away, walking back to the bench. I don’t know how he still looks so calm when I feel like I’ve been shaken down to my bones.Hu lowers himself onto the bench and spreads his legs slightly, resting his arms on his thighs. Then his eyes lock on mine again.“Now,” he says, his voice softer but still layered with that dominance that coils heat in
GINGER:Horror drains out of my body as I watch Hu’s face harden. I bet he’s really disgusted to see me like this. I know we’ve had sex and all, but maybe he hasn’t noticed how bad my body looks until now. He’s probably regretting being with me.“What are you doing?” he asks, crossing his arms, his brows knitting together.“I…I…”“Tried to wrap your entire body in tape so it could make you look better?” he questions, scrunching his face. “Why would you even think about that?” His voice goes an octave higher. “Have I ever complained about your body, or done something to make you think—”“This isn’t about you, Hu.” I cut him off in a low voice. My eyes sting, and my fingers tremble at my sides.“Then who is it about? Do you have some other guy out there you’re working so hard to impress right now? Tell me!” His voice spikes again, and it startles me. I take a step back, then another, my back brushing the corner of the wall.He stops, sucking in a breath, stroking his temples. He’s getti
GINGER:Sometimes, I cannot believe Hu and I are together. A part of me still feels bad for Caspian, but he hasn’t done anything off the charts. Each time I check on him, he says he’s fine, and I can only take his words. His relationship with Hu isn’t necessarily damaged, but I cannot for sure call them best friends. Hu, too, seems fine, and it is like I am the only person worrying about it.“Good morning, love,” Hu rasps, tightening his grip on my waist, and I turn to face him.“Good morning,” I reply in a small voice, and he goes silent, staring up at the ceiling. He has been like this for a while now. Each time we have a sleepover, I wake up to him staring into thin air, and sometimes it makes me think there is something bothering him.Of course there is, but I fear it has something to do with us.“I know I have asked a million times, but what is bothering you?” He shifts on the bed, directing his gaze at me with a smile on his lips. “You need to tell me, because I cannot help but
HU:The second her towel crashes to the ground, every ounce of restraint I’ve been clinging to disintegrates as I take in her bare form. I have had her before, but it was in darkness, and now I can see her clearly. She is everything I had imagined and even better. Everything about her is perfect—from the curve of her hips, her smile, her perky tits, to her smooth skin. And what makes it even better? She is all mine.She presses further into me, her bare skin grazing my shirt, and I grab her like I’ve waited my whole damn life for this—because I have. My hands slide down her waist, gripping her thighs, lifting her as her legs wrap around me. I walk us into the shower, not even bothering to shut the glass door. The warm water pours down over us, but it’s nothing compared to the heat tearing through my body. Her back hits the tile, and I take her mouth with mine—hungry, deep, and rough
HU:It’s been two days. Two days of Ginger explaining everything to me, and yes, it makes sense, but somehow I still cannot believe it. The thought that she is mine. That should be enough to silence every storm in my chest, but it doesn’t.I find myself even more troubled than I was, and each moment we spend together, I keep looking at her like she’s made of glass, like if I blink too long, she’ll vanish. I wanted her more than anything.I fought for her in ways I’d never fought for anyone. And now that she’s here, I feel… off. Like I’m not enough, or even doing anything right. I know it has only been two days, but it feels like an eternity and I already fucked up. I haven’t even marked her yet, because I’m scared of what will happen when we become infinitely tied to one another.Hearing her say she loves me is new to me each time, but