Bella:Secretly compelling Ryder to do what I wanted by fooling Fae into thinking he was on her side was my only shot at getting rid of her. The first thing I did at the rising of the sun was pray to the moon goddess, hoping my plan would go smoothly, because that was the only way I could exist in peace with my mates at the school.As I sat at the cafe table with Hazel beside me, I stared at Ryder and Fae, who were a few tables away, and watched her put her hands all over him.“You have barely touched your food, and it’s bothering me. You all are mates, but he is an asshole, and you have two against one,” Hazel said. I forced a smile, picked at my meat, and then looked up again as I took a bite.‘How long will this take? I am losing my patience with her, and I want her off my body.’ I heard Ryder speak, and I widened my eyes, pausing with my fork of meat hanging close to my lips.‘Did I just hear you speak or…?’‘Bella, we have fulfilled the mating ritual and are fully connected. I do
Bella:The entire day had been filled with tension as Fae spent it facing the panel because Mr. Ezekiel wouldn’t let go of the case. I had no clue about his granddaughter or what Fae had done to her, but it worked out for me. Even though I felt bad for him getting hurt, I was happy I won.“... I was just so tired of getting beaten and bullied by her, so I decided to stand up for myself.” I concluded the story, leaving the twins and Hazel in stunned silence.Of course, I didn’t mention the part where I compelled Ryder. I still couldn’t tell if they would accept me the way I was, so I left that out.“You did nothing wrong, Bella. Because of you, we won’t be seeing her face for a while, maybe even a lifetime. She has hurt many people, so she deserves whatever she gets.” Finn, who sat on my left, reached out for my hand. I forced a smile onto my face.We continued our lunch, digressing into different topics until the subject of the match came up.“The match is coming up in a couple of hou
Third Person POV:The game had everyone on the edge of their seats, and Bella’s heart raced each time Ryder faced an opponent. Even though he was skilled, she couldn’t bear the thought of him getting hurt. The entire time, Hazel wore a bright smile, cheering and booing at the right moments.“Hey, do you want to get a drink or something?” Hazel grabbed Bella’s hand, and Bella nodded, grateful for the distraction.Bella turned to inform the guys, who were deeply engrossed in the game.“Do you want us to come?” Kai asked, but Bella shook her head.“We’ll be fine.”Bella didn’t want Ryder to look up and see their seats empty. Plus, she wanted to spend time with Hazel.Hazel stood up quickly, and they made their way out of the bleachers, searching for a vending machine around the field. They found one, but as they approached it, Hazel tugged Bella’s hand, pulling her backward. They slipped behind the vending machine, hiding in an alley that led back to the school building.Bella was about
Bella:The cheer from the entire school snapped me out of my thoughts, and I rushed outside with the twins to see which team had won the tournament. The entire Howlstone crowd was on their feet, chanting with the football team and lifting Ryder on their shoulders.“Yes!” Finn yelled, jumping up with pride. He pulled Kai and me into a hug, as if he was the one who had won a trophy, making me ecstatic.We waited there until the school team made their way over with Ryder still on their shoulders. He told them to stop when he got to us, and they put him down, still cheering.“I’ll be with you guys in a moment,” he said to them, and then they rushed into the school building, screaming at the top of their voices.“We are proud of you, man!” Finn said as they shook hands and engaged in a light hug. Ryder then turned to me. I was dying of excitement and couldn’t say a thing; I just pulled him into a hug.He pulled away, kissed my forehead, and grabbed my hand.“The coach said you put in a goo
Bella:As my lips pressed against Kai’s, I pulled Ryder close to me with my left hand. Kai ravished my mouth, sucking and tugging on my tongue. It was the first time kissing him, and it felt amazing, better than I had imagined. Ryder and Finn closed in on me from the sides, and I felt Ryder’s hardness against my back, which made me pull away from Kai.The reality of my mates wanting me hit me all at once, and panic surged through me. I pushed Ryder backward, then left the circle and sat on the bed.“Did we do something wrong?” Finn asked, and I shook my head.“I... I just can’t do this because... because I don’t know how to. It has only happened in my dreams, and they’re not long enough to figure out how to.”Kai crouched in front of me, caressing my thighs gently. “That’s why we’re here. Allow us to show you how to,” he said, planting kisses slowly from my legs up to my thighs, making me gasp.Finn and Ryder got on the bed behind me, their lips glued to the sides of my neck simultane
Bella:Winter break had finally arrived, and although many unpleasant emotions hung in the air, I tried my best to focus on the good things. Hazel and her aunt were leaving for an island in the Western region of Moonfire, the Rune pack’s territory. This trip stirred up old memories for me. Plus, my father had called a while ago to ask if I wanted to spend the holidays with him, and I still hadn’t given him a reply. I didn’t blame him for letting me go, but his desire to have me back, knowing I would always feel like an outcast, made me unsure about going.“So, have you decided how you would like to spend the holiday?” Hazel asked, cutting through my thoughts as I placed her luggage in the trunk of her aunt’s car. “We only have about four weeks left, and we’ve wasted the last three weeks crying over my terrible relationship,” she said, and I cleared my throat.I had cried with her, but not only because of her own problems, but also mine.I wanted to see my dad, but I couldn’t face him.
Bella:The car’s tires crunched over the snow-covered driveway as we approached the grand estate. Tall, ancient trees lined the path, their branches heavy with snow, casting long shadows on the ground.As we pulled up to the house, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and apprehension. The mansion stood tall and imposing with its stone walls and gothic architecture. I glanced at Kai, and he gave me a reassuring smile, though I could see the tension in his eyes.We stepped out of the car, our breaths visible in the cold air. The front door opened, and there she stood—his grandma. Her presence was commanding, her silver hair pulled back into a tight bun, and her eyes were sharp and assessing like the retired warrior she was.“Welcome,” she said in a firm voice. “I’ve been expecting you.”Kai stared at her for a moment longer before she grabbed him and pulled him close, pressing him tightly against her body with their cheeks colliding. She then let go of him and pulled his cheeks very h
Bella:I couldn’t get the fact that Hazel came from a line of witches out of my mind. Could it be a coincidence? She was weird, and she had all these odd trinkets she brought from home. It was starting to add up.“Are you still up?” I heard Kai’s drowsy voice, causing me to turn and see him with his left cheek plastered on the pillow as he faced me. “Hazel is probably enjoying her life a million miles away, and you’re trying to figure out if she is a witch by losing sleep?” he asked, sitting up and wrapping his arms around my waist.It wasn’t a big deal to him, but to me, it meant everything. What if Hazel knew I was a hybrid and kept it hidden all this while? But she was a wolf. A wolf couldn’t be a witch unless she was a hybrid, too.“Shoot!” I slapped my forehead, my heart palpitating.“What?” Kai asked, and I realized I had panicked aloud. I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck.“I thought I saw something in the sky, and I was going to say, shooting star... you know,” I said. H
THIRD PERSON POV:Bella stood over Enzo’s battered form, her chest heavy from the stresss. Blood dripped from the cuts on her face and arms, but victory was near, so she held herself steady.“Bella! Catch!” Kai yelled, tossing her the stake.“No, you do not have to do this. We are partners,” Enzo said to her, and Bella scoffed. She hated the fact he thought his ‘sweet’ words would change her heart after she saw him take everyone she cared about.Bella reached up, her fingers closing around the black shaft, then she glared at Enzo, who was struggling under her grip. His once-dominating presence was reduced to desperation.“You deserve nothing but death,” Bella said to him, and he chuckled.“I will always find a way to ret—” Before he could finish, she drove the stake into his heart, and he gave a deafening scream that reverberated through the ground.Dark energy swirled around him as his body was being torn apart. Bella wasted no time pulling the stake free and driving it into his head
THIRD PERSON POV:As Bella’s body rose, her hand stretched out, pointing towards Enzo. Then the glow in her eyes dissipated as her eyes opened.“You want me, Enzo? Then come and get me!” she yelled at once. Enzo’s lips curled into a wicked grin, bloodlust evident in his eyes. He released Herald’s broken body, letting it fall to the ground.“Finally, you’re done hiding behind your pathetic friends. I’ll enjoy ripping you apart.” He licked his lips.In a blur, Enzo charged at Bella with blinding speed. Bella stood her ground as he closed the distance between them. She moved calmly, causing him to fall to the ground. Hazel undid the shield protecting them, and they tried to step in, but Bella turned to them.“This is my fight, and if you want to be helpful, then look around. Our troops are dying, and my father.” She locked off her emotions to prevent her mind from getting clouded by the thoughts of her father, who seemed to be dying.Then she turned to Enzo, who got to his feet with a sh
THIRD PERSON POV:Enzo’s eyes narrowed as he saw Sue collapse, clutching her chest where Fred had slashed her. She watched as the venom of his bite spread faster into her bloodstream. It was worse than being bitten by a living wolf, as it was consuming her twice. Rage bubbled inside Enzo as he watched her. She was useless to him, and he felt the need to get rid of her, as she had only foiled all his plans.“You!” He growled under his breath, leaving Halle and rushing toward Sue. As she saw her uncle from the fading light that drew her closer to death, her eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope.“You… you came to help me,” she whispered weakly, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. “I… knew you… cared…”Enzo stared at her in disgust as she said this, and for a moment, it seemed like the battlefield held its breath for this moment where Enzo was about to show kindness.With one pull, Enzo had Sue on her feet, then he stared into her eyes. “Of course, I came for you, Sue. You’ve been
THIRD PERSON POV:Enzo was still outraged about his failed immortality experiment. He was tired of running in circles with Bella and the entire werewolf community. He had sworn it would end that night, but now that it had failed, he imagined finding four hundred werewolves all over. That was close to impossible, and it was eating him deeply.“I asked you for one job, and you couldn’t get it right, yet you want me to acknowledge you!” Enzo barked at Sue, who was still in shock over what had happened.“I swear I didn’t do anything, Enzo. I would never do anything to jeopardize your plan. I will worship you forever, and—”“Silence!” he roared. “You are even more pathetic than my brother!” He gritted his teeth, and Sue felt as though multiple daggers were being thrown into her chest.He had to mention her father. It was said her father died fighting him, but Enzo had taken a liking to her, so he kept her as his daughter. He was nicer to her as a kid, but he abhorred her now, and it hurt.
THIRD PERSON POV:The air reeked of blood and smoke, thick with the cries of war. The Dusk Pack's territory, once a sprawling, serene land, had become a battlefield drowned in chaos. The moon hung low, partially obscured by clouds, casting pale light on the destruction below. Growls and screams filled the night as werewolves clashed with vampires in a brutal fight.Ryder stood at the heart of the storm, his wolf eyes glowing a fierce gold as he ripped through the enemy ranks with unrelenting force. His clothes were torn and soaked in blood. He wondered how his father was doing and if he thought of him often. Then there was Bella, whom he hadn’t heard from in a while. As he fought, he was determined to win because there were a lot of people he needed to reconnect with.They had been torn apart after the vampires struck their den, forcing them to flee back to the Dusk Pack with Riley. He had been scared of his father’s wrath, but now he wished he had listened.“Behind you!” Ryder roared
THIRD PERSON POV:Bella’s spirit wandered aimlessly, her bare feet touching nothing but mist and shadow. The world around her was colorless—a sea of gray stretching infinitely in all directions. There was no up, no down, just an endless void that pulsed with her heartbeat, faint and unsteady.“Where am I?” she whispered as a chill ran up her spine.It was cold here. She looked down at herself, seeing her missing arm somehow restored. She touched it in confusion.“What the hell? What is going on?” she asked aloud, but there was no one to answer her questions.Then she noticed it. A faint, flickering golden glow ahead. It pulsed like a beacon in the dark, and though her instincts screamed for her to run, but she couldn’t stop herself from moving toward it. She was curious to find out what was going on, and she wondered if this was what it felt like to be dead.As she got closer, the glow grew brighter, and soon the mist thinned to reveal something that made her blood run cold. It was hi
THIRD PERSON POV:“Bella!” Hazel’s voice cracked as she rushed toward her, the globe clutched tightly against her chest.“No, stay back!” Halle’s voice cut through the chaos.Bella staggered to her feet, clutching her side where Sue had struck her.“But she’s dying!” Hazel’s voice was shrill, filled with panic and anger.Bella barely registered their words. The sound of her own heartbeat pounded in her ears, growing fainter with each passing moment. Her head drooped, and she let out a weak, shuddering breath. Darkness started to creep into her vision, the edges of her consciousness slipping away. She could heal, but not regenerate an arm, and she was in fear cause her to bleed too much, making it difficult to focus on healing. Evelyn rushed to her, holding her and trying to apply pressure to the bleeding arm. She was scared her daughter would die.Then the ground trembled beneath them.At first, it was a faint vibration rippling through the earth. But within moments, it grew into a vi
THIRD PERSON POV:As the chant of the witches echoed in the air, Hazel and Bella stood close to the rock. Halle stood nearby with her hands raised as she reinforced the protective barrier.“Are you both ready?” Halle asked the two, and they glanced at each other, nodding. They each bit their palms, letting blood drip onto the surface of the rock. The ground trembled as the stone absorbed their blood. A surge of energy rippled outward, and for a moment, it seemed like they had succeeded. But then a chilling laugh echoed through the air, freezing them in place.Sue emerged from the darkness, but neither Bella nor Hazel was moved. The witches kept chanting their spell, and Halle, who had created a powerful barrier, turned to Sue.“Well, isn’t this touching? The living and the dead all merged together. What a joyous reunion,” she said in a mocking tone.Sebastian moved first, stepping between Sue and the girls.“Stay back!” he growled, raising his hands defensively, and Sue chuckled light
THIRD PERSON POV:Fae turned sharply to Sebastian, her eyes blazing with fury.“What the fuck did you just do?” she hissed, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. Sebastian remained still. He didn’t answer, and his gaze fixed on the stone as his blood trickled down its surface.“Sebastian!” Fae snarled, stepping closer as she burned with rage. “You just ruined—”A slow creak interrupted her. It came from deep within the ground beneath the stone, a sound like an ancient door being forced open. Fae froze, her anger replaced by confusion.“What’s that?” she whispered as fear crossed her heart.The vampires surrounding them snapped to attention, their heads turning toward the noise. Before anyone could react, the vampires behind Bella and Hazel snapped their necks, allowing them to fall into darkness.**Bella’s eyes fluttered open. Her head throbbed, and her vision was hazy. She sat up slowly in a sluggish motion. It was still nighttime, and she was trying to remember what had happened.“W