Bella:It had been two days since the pact I made with Ryder, but it seemed like forever. He had taken it so seriously that he hadn’t even bothered to text me. It was my request, but I felt bad, especially because I had to avoid him all day.It was football season, and everyone had shifted their attention from other extracurricular activities like fencing to football. Ryder was the captain, making my life worse because I had to listen to a bunch of girls bicker about him daily.“This season might be the best, and I can’t wait to meet hot guys from other schools,” Hazel said, excitement filling her voice. She faced me and walked down the hallway backward as she spoke.“I’m sure it will be great,” I replied flatly as we reached my locker.“Maybe we should focus on something more serious, like our tests,” Hazel suggested in a low tone.As I took out my books, a scent engulfed the entire hallway around me, signaling that Finn and Kai were close, which made me rush over picking my books.“
Bella:The week had been awfully tiring with Ryder and me trying to keep our little secret. It felt so good that all I wanted to do was show it to everyone, even though it meant dealing with the twins, too. For all it was worth, Finn was a good kisser, and I loved it.I had just gotten to school, and I couldn’t get my mind off what happened in the janitor’s closet. It still brought a pleasant feeling to my belly and a few tingles between my thighs.While I was daydreaming, I took out my books, and as soon as I was done, I shut my locker only to see three familiar faces staring at me. This time I couldn’t run like I always did because the hallway was full, and their faces were not tainted with even the littlest smile.“Aubrey, Chelsea, Rebby, I... I didn’t see you there,” I said, clasping my books to my chest with my face turned to the side.Ever since I got what they wanted from the Labyrinth, I had avoided them because I never really cared about their stupid club, but beating Fae mad
Bella:Just as Ryder had asked, I walked two blocks away and stood there, waiting. A sleek, black BMW zoomed past, almost throwing my skirt up in the air, but I grabbed the front, clasping it to my lap. The car parked in front of me, and the driver rolled his window down.My face etched into a frown, and Ryder chuckled lowly.“I’m sorry,” he said, and I rolled my eyes, walking toward the car as he opened the door for me.The car looked new and beautiful, but what did I expect from the alpha? They were stinking rich, but it was almost impossible for him to let Ryder off with just a car. Alpha Fred would rather get him a fleet of cars with drivers to move around the pack.“My dad gave it to me during the weekend,” he said, and I looked at him with my mouth ajar. “It is a gift from my mum, and I don’t know why she bothers so much. I was going to forgive her, but I’m grateful, anyway.” He added.That was great because it showed she cared so much for him, but it didn’t seem like that to hi
Ryder:Before I could tell, Bella had her lips on me. I had longed to do it, but I didn’t want her to feel I would only meet for this. I genuinely enjoyed her company, but I found it difficult to take my hands off her.She broke the kiss, and our eyes met, searching each other’s for the answers to the feelings that burned in us.I grabbed her face, taking her lips again. Sucking and nibbling gently on them for entrance to be granted, and she did at once, but it wasn’t enough, so my hands found their way underneath her skirt as I grabbed her soft thighs.“Ryder,” she gasped, pulling away from me.Everything about her was sexy, from the way she called my name to the pout of her lips, her hair, her body, and her personality. I wanted her, but she was like a forbidden fruit, one that I would have to share if I must have.“Do you want me to stop?” I asked, and she shook her head.“Not that,” she said, and then she ran her hands over my body to my neck. “Close your eyes,” she said, and I di
Bella:“Bella, wait up!” Kai yelled, but I didn’t stop until I got to my room.I pushed the door open at once and rushed into the room, slamming the door with my back against it, panting heavily.“What is the matter?” Hazel asked. My eyes darted across the room to where she lay on her back with her head bent at the edge of the bed, a book in hand.I moved away, walking toward her, and she spun around, dropping her book.“You... smell weird,” she said, and my heart sank.“How bad?”When I asked, she crumpled her nose, taking a huge breath toward me.“Like Ryder.”She got to her feet at once, rushing over to me with a smile on her face. She wanted the tea, and although I wasn’t ready, she had found me out.“This is bad,” I began, tossing my bag on my bed, then pacing around the room, picking my left index finger with my right thumb.What is bad? And why are you tensed? Did Ryder do something? Was it that bad?”She questioned, and I came to a halt, yelling, “No!”Then I placed my palm on
Third Person POV:The entire day, Bella had waited for a text from Ryder, but her phone never displayed his name. She didn’t see him in school either, which was a clear sign he was avoiding her.When she got to her room, her phone beeped with a text. Eagerly, she whipped it out, only to see it was a text from Finn and Kai reminding her about the game.She hissed, tossing her phone away on the bed, then threw herself on it. Hazel, who was in front of the mirror combing her hair, paused.“What is it again, Bella? Why aren’t you getting ready to watch the match?” she asked. Bella sighed again, causing Hazel to walk to Bella’s bed with her comb in hand.“Ryder hasn’t texted the entire day, and I fear I may have pushed him too far yesterday. I was only trying to converse with my mates,” Bella said. Hazel raised a brow, standing akimbo.Bella’s actions yesterday hadn’t been the best, but Hazel felt Bella was doing a lot to keep her secret.“Yeah, by forming a difficult reading group. I do n
Third person POV:Ryder grabbed her jaw gently, pressing hard on it in such a way that she felt pleasure and not pain. He trailed kisses from her neck down to her bare back as Bella let out a desperate gasp of pleasure. His hands ran down her body, slapping her butt, causing her to moan, then he pressed hard on her butt cheek with her face grazing the wall.With a swift motion, he put his arm around her, pulling her backward with her back resting on his bare chest, clasping her to his body while he ran his hands between her thighs.Bella gave out muffled moans, trying to keep her voice down as she feared someone might discover them, but she didn’t want to stop. He gently slid his fingers into her walls, playing with the lips of her pussy while she tried to keep her legs shut to conceal the pleasure.“I want your legs open, love,” he whispered in a gruff tone, patting her leg gently, and she threw her hand carelessly on the wall, hitting the switch, which caused the shower to turn off.
Bella:Finn’s hand landed on Ryder’s face, creating a dent that sent Ryder stumbling backward, but he planted his feet firmly on the ground to avoid falling. Finn went in for another blow, but he missed. Then Kai grabbed him from behind.“Calm down, man. I am pissed too, but you are going to kill him at this rate!” Kai shouted, his voice shooting through the roof while I stood there with my nails digging deep into my skin, unable to believe this was happening in real life.I looked at Hazel, who had her bottom and upper lips glued together. They had caught me, and she had warned me, but I was too foolish to heed her advice. Now I wished I could go back in time.“You go behind our back to claim our mate! What kind of friend are you?” Finn fumed, struggling against Kai’s grip while Ryder stood there with a plain expression on his face. He opened his mouth multiple times to speak, but the words weren’t forthcoming. “We will never be brothers, and I think that is clear enough for us to se
Third Person Pov:After a few minutes, Hazel sat up in bed as sweat clung to her skin while she stared blankly at the dark room. The thoughts of what had happened earlier still swirled through her mind, and Riley’s comforting presence next to her did little to soothe the icy knot of fear and dread settling deep in her stomach. Something about the nightmare didn’t feel right—it felt far too vivid, and too real to be just a dream. Her parents’ faces and the accusations in their voices couldn’t be figments of her imagination, and the witch in her refused to let it go.“No,” she whispered in a shaky breath.Riley’s hand rubbed soothing circles on her back. “Hazel, it was just a nightmare. It’s okay—”He tried to convince her with a sleepy voice, but Hazel shook her head sharply, pushing the covers off her body as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.“It wasn’t just a nightmare, Riley,” she said firmly, trying to steady her voice. Her parents had never come to her, and now that the
THIRD PERSON POV:One would have thought Bella was crazy because of what she was seeing, but she was far from that. She wasn’t the only one plagued by ghosts, but no one knew this for now. While Bella was battling the ghost of Joseph Black-Moon, Hazel was in the Dusk Pack with Riley, trying to enjoy her weekend.They had spent the entire day driving from the Frost pack to his father’s mansion at a beach with a good ocean view. Finally, they got there in the evening.“My butt hurts,” Hazel groaned as soon as Riley came to a halt in the enormous mansion in front of them.Riley leaned in to kiss her cheek. “You can rest all night now, and we can do whatever we want tomorrow.”He spoke as though he hadn’t been the one driving the entire time while Hazel had done nothing but play songs, read a book, and sleep through the entire ride. They both got down from the car, and Riley took Hazel’s bag from her, grabbing her hand with his other hand, then they made their way to the front door. He sl
Bella:“What?” I asked, staring at Finn.“Is something wrong?” Finn asked, and I shook my head at once, shutting my book and getting to my feet. “Bella, is something wrong?” I felt a slight shiver as his hands grazed my skin, then I turned to face him.For a moment, I battled with my mind, wondering if I should spill what I knew to him, but if I didn’t, I would have to solve whatever this was, and I didn’t want to follow the same path I did with Fae.“He is the man from my dream last night.” The words came out of my mouth, and Finn stared with his face contorted in confusion.I sighed, then walked back to the bed.“I had a nightmare last night,” I said to him, and he sat close to me as I started narrating everything I could remember from the dream.I ended by saying, “The dream felt so real, and I have a scar from it.” I showed him the mark on my hand, and he ran his hands over it.“According to Hazel, you didn’t kill Bonnie, so why is she mad at you? She should be mad at Sebastian.”
Bella:Today was cheerful enough for most of the students at Howlstone Academy. The vibrant energy of exam prep filled the air, a relief from the tension that had shadowed the halls two weeks ago when Fae was expelled. There were no bullies lurking around to ruin the day, and for once, I didn’t have to glance over my shoulder, expecting someone to plot my demise.As usual, I walked to class with Hazel and the triplets. The sun streamed through the tall windows, casting long beams across the polished floor, but something about the brightness felt off. It was too cheerful, too perfect. As soon as we stepped into the hallway, the bell blared through the air, startling me.“That’s the bell for class,” Hazel said, her voice snapping me back to reality.“See you guys later,” I said to the triplets, giving them a quick wave as I grabbed Hazel’s hand.We made our way down the corridor, the familiar hum of conversation and footsteps filling the space. At our lockers, I grabbed the books I need
THIRD PERSON POV:CONTINUATION OF FLASH BACKAll hell was let loose when the Luna knew that the first child would be a girl, but there was nothing she could do immediately. This made her decide she would stress Evelyn out so much in order to cause a miscarriage. She started maltreating Evelyn throughout the pregnancy, but she never did this in front of Herald. She was a saint when he was around, but the moment he stepped out, the two women were at loggerheads.Herald believed that Evelyn’s constant nagging was from the effects of the pregnancy, so he provided more material things for her without waiting to hear her out each time she tried to complain to him. This continued until the Fifth month of the pregnancy when Evelyn started spotting. The stress had weighed her down so much that her body could no longer take it.She was placed on bed rest, and she feared her baby would die. That same night, she woke Herald up because she was in a lot of pain, but he didn’t believe that she would
THIRD PERSON POV:Evelyn knew that her life without Fred wasn’t going to be rosy, but she didn’t expect what her in-laws had in store for her. On her first night at the Rune pack, she asked for a room where she could be alone, but her mother-in-law laughed.“What do you think you are here for?” she questioned, and Evelyn stared at her, unsure of what she was playing at. “You just got married, and you act like you do not know what couples do on their first night together. I mean, you have done it before, so continue from…”“I didn’t sleep with Herald,” Evelyn said, but Kate didn’t care.She had achieved what she wanted, and she was certain she had secured beautiful and strong grandchildren to take over their lineage.“Lie all you want, child, but you will sleep with your husband tonight, and you both will produce an heir for this family,” she said, and then Evelyn watched the guards move her things into Herald’s chamber.Herald, on the other hand, didn’t return on time that night. The
Bella:I felt the air being knocked out of my lungs as I asked my mother the question. She hurriedly shut the door, then faced me, shaking her head.“Why would you say that, Bella?” she asked, and I shrugged.“That day in your office, when Hazel talked about things that reminded you of the past, you glanced at me. You must not like me that much, and I definitely remind you of something you want to forget,” I said, watching her shut her eyes momentarily.“I do not hate you, Bella, and I never would. Of course, you remind me of my past because you are my daughter, and I’ve had you for sixteen years plus, and—”“Mum, stop!” I cut her off, raising my tone, forcing her to fall silent.I was tired of being driven around in circles. I wanted answers.“I need to know what happened with you and Dad because it kills me every single time I think about it,” I said, and she scoffed, shaking her head.“You do not need to know everything, Bella, and it’s called the past for a reason. So, do you want
Bella:“Good riddance to bad rubbish,” my mother said, and for the first time, I felt relieved standing close to her.Emily had said a lot about her last night. She had sent Emily’s mother to rescue me, and although it didn’t seem like much, I was grateful she was willing to save me even after all her threats to hand me over when I got discovered.As soon as the Stormclaws exited the school, I turned to leave, but my mother reached for my hand.“We are going for a drive,” she said, and I swallowed hard.This time, I didn’t pull away violently. I allowed her touch to seep in, and it felt a little less cold than it always had.“It’s Saturday, and I need to study,” I said, and she shot me a death glare before cocking her head towards her car, which stood in the parking lot.I took a deep breath, walking towards it. As soon as we got into the car and the doors were locked, she placed both hands on her lap, gripping them tightly. My heart raced as I expected her to do something drastic, bu
THIRD PERSON POV:The moment Emily’s mother said this, the haze in Fae’s eyes cleared at once, but it was too late.“What?” Fae asked as the guard came after her. “Principal Evelyn, I am sorry, and I... I didn’t mean it,” Fae tried to apologize, but no one seemed to listen, and the guard grabbed her hand at once.“Take her away, and I will call her parents right away!” Emily’s mother said to the guard, but then Fae bit him in the hand, causing him to yelp in pain.“That’s it!” the man growled, grabbing both hands and putting them behind her.“This isn’t right, and if you do not unhand me, you will face my father. You will face his wrath, I tell you! This isn’t the end, Howlstone! You cannot treat a Stormclaw like this and get away with it!”Her voice vanished in the distance as the man dragged her back to the dormitory.“Go back to bed right now!” Barry yelled at the students who were still watching, and they all groaned, putting away their phones and sliding away from the windows.In