Chapter one

"Let me go,"

She said, struggling with the man. He was obviously bigger and stronger than she was. She didn't know what to do as she was scared down to her toes.

"I mean no harm," The man spoke.

"Then let me go," she screamed at him.

"You have to listen to me Anna,"

"How do you know my name?" She questioned.

"Annabelle!!!"

She heard her name from afar and noticed it wasn't her captor that called her name.

"Annabelle!"

She blinked her eyes open. It was morning already. Third time this week had she had this same dream and it was just Thursday. She had other dreams similar to this one but this one has been persistent. She didn't believe in anything other than the things I could see. She thought it was as a result of watching too many horror movies at night. Raised by a single Mom, she was pretty entitled to a lot of things. As the only child of her mother, her mother was all she had and vice versa. She sighed as she looked at her mother.

"Good morning mom,"

"Good morning Annabelle. You should get ready for school. I'd leave home very soon and with they way you're slacking, you'd miss the school bus!"

"Ok Mom,"

She rolled out of bed and got ready. She had my bath and sat in front of the mirror. She could have sworn that her eyes turned deep red for a couple of seconds. She blinked.

"I guess excess twilight is really having some effect on me,"

She said to herself. She went down and had breakfast. She had no appetite yet she was very hungry. She couldn't explain what was going on. She sighed. There was nothing she could do. She thought she was crazy. She missed the bus so she pulled out her phone and ordered a ride to school. She wondered why she had to school at Crystals College. It was far from home she didn't want school there. Somethings happened at Crystals that nobody could explain. Not even her. She got to school. For a single mom, her mother made life pretty comfortable. She thought as she was walking down the hall way when she bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there" she apologized.

"Pathetic humans!"

That was rude.

"Hey, you don't have to be mean" she spoke out, stopping him right in his tracks. 

He turned to face her and he growled. His eyes went blood red. She fell backwards. He eyed her and turned away. She looked around, got up and headed for classes. She was really distracted all through. Not being able to focus was the last thing she wanted right now. She was still struggling with her thoughts when the bell rang. She wasn't one of the popular kids at school so she was pretty much on her own most days. She saw him at lunch again. The dude that was mean to her earlier. She looked away. She felt him staring at her. He was pretty popular and she wasn't. She guessed that was why he had to be mean. Social status. She felt his eyes on her neck and she grabbed her lunch to leave. She stood up and heard her name.

It was a whisper but she heard it loud and clear. She looked around. Everybody was busy with their own thing. It was noisy. She couldn't have possibly heard her name over the noise. She grabbed her bag and prayed the day ended quickly. There was nothing more she wanted than to be back home where she felt extremely safe.

Her phone beeped. Her Mom. She said she was going to be late today. She knew the rules already.

"When you get in, lock the doors and don't open it for anybody,"

Her mother's voice rang in her head. She couldn't even get them out because she had heard it so many times. She was going to be 18 in a few months but her mom didn't think like that. To her, she was still a baby. She sighed. There was nothing she could do but obey. One time she brought a guy home, her mother knew. Even though the guy left hours before the came back, she knew immediately she entered the house. She didn't know how but her mother did.

She got up and headed for the school bus. She took a seat at the back of the bus when someone sat near her. Nobody ever does because she rarely paid attention to anybody. She looked up. It was a guy. He had bright grey eyes like she did. He smiled at her. She turned back to her book. While waiting for the bus to get filled within a specific allocated time, he brought out his phone.

"In case you want to talk, I'm Alexander" he said.

"I'm Annabelle" she said and went back to her book immediately.

She swore she heard him hold his breath then let it out.

"I've been watching you for a while" he said

"Yeah, why?" She asked, still not looking in his direction 

"You just interest me"

"You're about to get really disappointed then Alexander" she said, looking at him.

"Call me Alex"

"Whatever"

She said looking back at her book. She could not concentrate. Annoying. She looked at the window.

"When is this bus supposed to move?" He asked.

"2:30"

"It's just 2:06"

"So?" She asked

"Why do you have to sit in here till 2:30 then?"

"Because I want to"

"You aren't friendly I assume?"

"You assumed correct. I'm not" she said

"I don't care"

"You are a literal pain in my ass" she said, hoping he would bug off.

"That's the wrong place to be" he laughed

She smiled. Maybe he wasn't that bad after all. She smiled then turned to the window

"Caught you smiling. You should do that often" he said.

She nodded.

"So where do you stay?" He asked

"Sunflower valley"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, why?" She asked 

"I just moved there weeks ago"

"Nice. Welcome to the boredom" she said congratulating him.

"I actually find it very peaceful"

"Yeah right" she scoffed

"So what book are you reading?"

"Twilight"

"What's twilight?" He asked, really amused

"Are you serious?" She asked, equally amused.

"As I'd ever be" he replied 

He was actually serious. Who hasn't heard of twilight? Where was this dude From? She laughed out loud

"Making fun of me?" He asked

"I'm not. I'm sorry. But everybody has heard, read or watched twilight"

"Well, I haven't. Never heard of it or watched it or read it either" he said back

"You should. It's the best selling novel or movie of all time" she said

He shrugged. 

"I bet I'd be unimpressed' he said

The bus started to move some minutes after. They both got down at Sunflower valley. They strolled home together. He got home before she did because his house was before hers. She walked on. She got home, locked the doors and headed to the kitchen to fix something to eat. This was basically life for her

***

"You think?" Justin asked.

"There's something about her Justin. I'm telling you. When I bumped into her, there was this spark. This gush of wind and we were inside the building"

"Damian, she's just a girl that doesn't even know her place and for heavens sake, she's human" Justin reminded.

"What if my mate is supposed to be human?" Damian asked.

"You're the prince of Cordina. An alpha to the South side pack. You're a hybrid for pete's sakes. I doubt if fate would pair you up with a human Damian"

His best friend spoke. He sighed. His best friend had a good point. He had no reason to end up with a human but this girl did something to him. She made him look twice. She made his skin crawl in a good way. She made him smile when he looked away. He didn't even know her name. He had seen her a couple of times but they had never been that close. Justin knew him better than his parents did.

If he was right and trust him, he was never wrong, he should listen to his best friend. He just couldn't get her out of his head. Cordina was miles away from here. Apparently, their parents sent them to school here. So they could at least learn the ways of humans. But they were more of them in this school than more of them at Cordina international. It was really funny. They knew themselves, Some good, some pure evil but some respected and feared. Damian was the only existing hybrid. So yes he was feared and respected. Justin was a wolf. They had known each other since birth. There was just this connection between them. How did Damian come to be?

His dad fell in love with the queen of south side pack. Fell in love? Damian don't think so. Now, they spent most days at each other's throat. Fighting in their true forms. Damian thinks he married her because of the throne. When he was a kid, he tried to turn Damian against the wolves. Damian had his first kill when he was five. Damian would never forget. Darien Gerald. He was royalty but he was a vampire. Damian concluded his dad had a personal beef with him and Damian was his personal soldier. After that, he and his mom had their first fist fight in his presence.

She changed into a wolf instantly with one jump. His fangs came out and he went after Damian's mom. The last fight was days before he left for the french quarters. His mom wanted him here, his dad wanted him in Cordina. They were arguing and the next thing was his fangs grew out and he went after her. Damian had stepped in. His fist went into his father's heart. He was nineteen. His father had to stop doing some things. The surprise on his father's face when he gasped

"You ungrateful idiot!"

His father spat at him as he squeezed his heart in his fist.

"Touch my mom again and I'll rip your heart out without thinking twice" he responded.

He wasn't cool with leaving Mom there but she did have a pack to rule. Damian stayed on his own here. He and Justin stayed together actually. 

"Damian? Dinner?"

Justin asked

"I'd feed on fresh blood"

He said. Once did he feed on Justin. He trusted him with his life and he was hungry as hell. Damian didn't kill him. His healing powers were amazing since he was bonded to Damian, he had access to some of his abilities. His speed, his fast healing. Damian stood up and told Justin not to wait up for him. 

He left to find someone to feed on. It wasn't long before he did find someone. He fed but didn't kill. By day break, the person will be okay and won't remember what happened. Damian returned home before dawn. Justin would always wake up. No matter how silent he was. He was a wolf so his hearing was something else. He got in and slept a bit. Justin woke up before he did and got ready for school. School. Her, Damian thought. He really hoped to see her again. He just needed to. He had two conclusions. Either Justin was right and she was a witch with some kind of spell or Justin was wrong and he was supposed to be with her. Human or not, Damian hated witches. It was a long story. Not his to start. He got ready for school. Justin drove.

Student gathered to see them every time. Obviously, they were handsome and attention was something they were used to, even in Cordina. He got down and saw her. Someone drove her. The person looked so familiar. A woman. Damian couldn't place exactly where he saw her but he did know her. Justin touched me.

"You okay?"

"I am" Damian answered 

"You know I can tell when you're lying. We are linked"

"Sorry, I just saw somebody that looked so familiar" he said

He stopped again. She was walking. He couldn't stop staring at her. She felt it. There was something about her that he couldn't place. She felt it and turned back. Their eyes met and she looked away. She headed to her class

"There's something about her Justin"

"Then find out. Get to know her"

"What?" Damian said

"If you're so drawn to her, then it's for a reason. I might have been wrong about her"

Damian shook his head in disagreement. No!