Live each day like it's my last.That statement unnerved me. I actually felt a chill run through my body at the man's words. I didn't say anything in response, I only turned around for my next class. I didn't know how I'd find it but oh well.After my second and last class for the day, I realized Damien and I hadn't discussed where we would meet and I didn't even have his number yet. How would we meet to go back?I walked out of the class to find none other than Damien waiting for me."Hey... How'd you find me?""I have your schedule with me""And I don't have your number..." I took out my phone as I spoke. "Here, put it in""You sound like you're hitting on me""Yeah, you wish" I joked."Here you go. Come on we should be leaving now""Are there other wolves here?" I asked as Damien led me out of the school and to the car."In this school?" "Yes""Well... Lots of teens and young adults our age who want to actually further their education come here so they can be close to the pack. V
Months had gone by since I first stepped foot on Black Bourne, and I was almost done with my first semester and dreading exams. Slowly, I'd adjusted into the pack. I was mostly at college or in my room anyway. I'd even gotten used to seeing Leah and Kieran together. Neither of them bothered me anymore. I'd learnt to look the other way. Even my feelings for Kieran weren't as solid as they used to be. I wasn't sure what I felt for him anymore.The only people who made Blackbourne a not so total nightmare were Damien and Esme and Alaric. Alaric had slowly become the big brother I never thought I wanted and Damien was one of my best friends, not that I had many, and Esme had always been like a sister to me despite the unavoidable strain Kieran and the whole situation put on our relationship.I was sitting in the garden late one evening trying to study with Damien's help, but my mind was all over the place, and Damien could tell."Have you decided whether you'll go or not?" He asked out of
I got a sense of deja vu as I entered Mrs Danbury's cottage. She was seated in her old wooden chair with her big old book in her hand."Mrs Danbury, good morning.""How are you, child?""I'm fine...""Well, there's no point lying to me now, is there?"I chuckled as I sat on the chair I normally used. Mrs Danbury rose from her seat to fetch some of her special tea. As she poured me a cup, I smiled."I've missed your tea,""Of course. You can't get it anywhere else. Now tell me, how are you really?""The last few months have been hard. Adjusting to the new surroundings, the wolves... All of it. And nothing has really happened. Like nothing weird or supernatural. I heard the kidnappings stopped soon after we left Oakville, and Black Bourne's been pretty quiet too. ""There's always a calm before the storm, you know. You can appreciate these peaceful moments or use them to prepare for the war ahead""And how about your mate? You two ought to have bonded by now""Nope. There's nothing th
My mother threw her arms around me, embracing me in a tight hug.“Oh my baby. I've missed you so much”“I've missed you too mum” She held onto me much longer before she let go. “Come on in. Honey, who's your friend? Mum asked as she finally noticed Damien standing behind me. “He's a friend from college. He offered to come with me” “I see,” mum replied as she led us into the living room. Nothing had really changed much since I left. Mum's work was still scattered on the table and couch. And she looked visibly tired and stressed. I felt a small pang of guilt knowing I was responsible for some of that stress.“Talia isn't home now. She said she'd try meeting you in Blackbourne one of these days when she's free from work. We're quite the workaholics in our family aren't we” mum ended with a small laugh.“Yes, I guess we are,” I replied. “Damien, I'd like you to meet my mum. Mum, Damien” I introduced them both officially. “It's lovely being her Ma'am you've raised an amazing daughter”
It was well into the night when I returned home, and I was still shaken from my encounter with James. Thankfully, Damien hadn't brought any of it up. His silence during the drive home was comforting in itself.He told me goodnight as he dropped me right in front of the mansion. I walked up the stairs and found myself in front of Kieran's room. his door was open, and I heard his voice calling put to me as I passed by."Eva"I paused and entered the room. "What is it?" I asked as I saw him sitting on his bed relaxed, with his back on the bed."How was your little excursion back home?" I rolled my eyes. "I've had quite the day, and I really don't have the strength for any back and forth banter with you, Kieran. So if you have something to say, just say it so I can go to my room."Kieran looked at me. He was clearly observing me. It made me wonder what he wanted to tell me."You must've wondered a lot of times exactly why you're here, haven't you?" My mind cleared as soon as the senten
Bear a child... At my age. I still had my whole life ahead of me. I wasn't ready to just settle down with a man who didn't love me. Kieran's proposition was preposterous, but I knew it was more than just a compromise. It was what was required of me.As I turned on my bed and faced the window, the early morning sun hit my face through the curtains. The sun rose every day, pushing out the darkness. But I'd been stuck in the dark for far too long. When would my own light come? There was no hope for me in the midst of this confused world. I wished for once that I could just lie there a little longer and do nothing, but of course, I couldn't. I stirred and pulled myself out of bed. It was the weekend but I had a lot of school work to catch up on. I trudged into the bathroom, took my bath, and got dressed. I joined the rest of the house for breakfast downstairs, but I wasn't in high spirits, so I didn't engage in small talk. Half the time, I could feel Kieran's eyes on me, but I pretended
Esme's story shocked me, and I had so many questions like why she never mentioned that she was a wolf?I knew I had to hold back my questions for the moment she saw so clearly shaken up and not in the best frame of mind. So I decided to just be there for her. The questions and answers could come later. “Come on. Let's get you to your room” I said gently as I helped her out of the couch and took her upstairs.“Do you need anything?” I asked after she was properly settled in bed, but she shook her head no. I sat by her and stroked her hair till she eventually fell asleep. When I left Esme's room, I saw Kieran standing outside. He seemed to have been contemplating whether or not to come in“Kieran, can we talk?” He nodded and walked into his room. I took the initiative and followed him in. He sat on his bed, and I followed suit at a much safer distance.“You have questions. Ask”“And you're going to answer them?” He didn't give me a response, so I went on.“Why did he come here, and wh
Esme's story shocked me and I had so many questions. Why did she never mention that she was a wolf and how had she never turned since I'd found out the secret. I knew I had to hold back my questions for the moment she saw so clearly shaken up and not in the best frame of mind. So I decided to just be there for her. The questions and answers could come later. “Come on. Let's get you to your room” I said gently as I helped her out of the couch and took her upstairs.“Do you need anything?” I asked after she was properly settled in bed but she shook her head no. I sat by her and stroked her hair till she eventually fell asleep. When I left Esme's room, I saw Kieran standing outside. He seemed to have been contemplating whether or not to come in“Kieran, can we talk?” He nodded and walked into his room. I took the initiative and followed him in. He sat on his bed and I followed suit at a much safer distance.“You have questions. Ask”“And you're going to answer them?” He didn't give m
Just then, James returned with his dad. I peeled my eyes from the woman, focusing on the reason I'd come."Sheriff Smith, good afternoon.""Eva, how you doin', James here told me you needed some news articles for a uh, an essay?""Yes, sir.""Okay, you can check our old records, James will take ya,""Come on," James nudged me, and I followed him down the corridor and into a small office by the left. The room was filled with shelves. Stacked on each shelf were books and old news articles. The room wasn't dusty, a sign of regular cleaning. The only furniture in the room was a desk and two chairs on opposite ends of the table. They still looked brand new. Perhaps no one was actually posted in the office. "This is the storage room. Well, one of them. This place is accessible to the public under the right circumstances. The main storage room for sensitive information is elsewhere." I looked at all the work before me. As I advanced further into the room, I saw that the files were properl
Just then, James returned with his dad. I peeled my eyes from the woman, focusing on the reason I'd come."Sheriff Smith, good afternoon.""Eva, how you doin', James here told me you needed some news articles for a uh, an essay?""Yes, sir.""Okay, you can check our old records, James will take ya,""Come on," James nudged me, and I followed him down the corridor and into a small office by the left. The room was filled with shelves. Stacked on each shelf were books and old news articles. The room wasn't dusty, a sign of regular cleaning. The only furniture in the room was a desk and two chairs on opposite ends of the table. They still looked brand new. Perhaps no one was actually posted in the office. "This is the storage room. Well, one of them. This place is accessible to the public under the right circumstances. The main storage room for sensitive information is elsewhere." I looked at all the work before me. As I advanced further into the room, I saw that the files were properl
Esme hadn't returned to the mansion after almost 2 weeks and at that point, everyone was worried. She was practically missing and none of the calls to her phone were going through. Mine and Kieran's mating ritual was happening soon too and it wasn't something that could be postponed. Everyone hoped that she would return before then.But there was no luck. It was the night of the ritual and Esme was still missing. "You look beautiful, Talia told me as she prepared me for the ceremony. I still didn't know exactly what was meant to happen. Esme was supposed to tell me and I never got the chance to ask Kieran. So I was basically going there with no clue of what was supposed to happen. "I'm so nervous" I admitted."Don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll do great.""Thanks Talia"She smiled at me before she led me outside the mansion where the ritual would happen under the light of the full moon. She escorted me like a brie going down the alter and like a groom, Kieran was waiting at the e
Lying on the floor was the same water that had given me directions to the bathroom. He was sprawled out on the floor, covered in his own blood.I let out a scream, but Kieran quickly held me and pulled me back so I couldn't see the body anymore. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here. I'm right here with you. Nothing is going to happen." His voice was soothing, and he succeeded in calming me down."Come with me." Kieran led me back outside, and he notified the manager. Soon, the place was filled with cops. They questioned me, and I told them exactly what had happened. "Are you okay?" Kieran asked me while we waited for the cops to let everyone go."They threatened me, and then they used that poor man to send a message. What kind of people play with the lives of other people like that?" "Rouges can be quite brutish in their ways. They'll go to whatever lengths to prove a point. Whoever did that was here tonight, and they probably slipped out before we even saw the body" "That poor man did
Lying on the floor was the same waiter that had given me directions to the bathroom. He was sprawled out on the floor, covered in his own blood.I let out a scream, but Kieran quickly held me and pulled me back so I couldn't see the body anymore. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here. I'm right here with you. Nothing is going to happen." His voice was soothing, and he succeeded in calming me down."Come with me." Kieran led me back outside, and he notified the manager. Soon, the place was filled with cops. They questioned me, and I told them exactly what had happened. "Are you okay?" Kieran asked me while we waited for the cops to let everyone go."They threatened me, and then they used that poor man to send a message. What kind of people play with the lives of other people like that?" "Rouges can be quite brutish in their ways. They'll go to whatever lengths to prove a point. Whoever did that was here tonight, and they probably slipped out before we even saw the body" "That poor man did
I was looking forward to mybdate with Kieran. I didn't do anything fancy, especially because I didn't have any nice dresses that could fit my baby bump. Talia managed to find me a cute summer dress that fit perfectly. and she helped me with my hair and a little bit of makeup."It seems Kieran is really putting in the extra effort," She said"Yeah." "I'm happy for you Eva, you deserve to be happy." I smiled at her through the mirror as she helped me detangle my hair. Kieran knocked on my door at exactly 7:40 pm."Are you ready?" "Yes, I am,""Shall we?" He offered me his arm to take, and I did so gladly. "Where are we going? I asked him as he held the car door open for me.""You'll see." I still hadn't seen most of Blackbourne since I mostly went from home to school and back, and the route the took was on the opposite side of the roads I was more familiar with. Wherever it was that we were going, I felt safe knowing that I was with Kieran. We ended up at a high-end restaurant ove
"I'll admit there's definitely something there," I told Alaric. I didn't want to admit just how deep my feelings were. Alaric laughed. "See, I knew it. You could only play hard to get for so long. Eva's a great girl. Treat her right," He said seriously. I knew I hadn't been fair to her since we'd met, but I intended to change that. I made up my mind that once she recovered and woke up, I would take her out on a date. And then I'd confess to her how I really felt. "You know what? I'll tell her. I'm going to ask her to give me a second chance, and I won't hurt her again." "You better not because Talia's told me to break every bone in your body the next time you hurt Eva's feelings. "I won't. Not again." While we were talking, Leah came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. I made eye contact with Alaric, and he cleared his throat and excused us. "What is it, Leah?" "I miss you,""What do you mean? You see me every day.""Barely. You're always with Eva. Just because she
4 months passed, and I was already in my last trimester. Plans were underway for the mating ritual between me and Kieran. The pregnancy had begun to weigh me down more, something about carrying a wolf baby. The doctor said I would only get weaker because the child was taking more of my life force as it grew bigger. I still didn't know its gender because I wanted it to be a surprise. I twisted in bed and let out a grunt."Be careful, Eva," Talia said as she rushed to help me into a more conformable position. "It's fine, I'm fine. Just...""Extremely weak?""Yeah, that." "I'm really worried about you. You still have 2 months before you have to deliver, and you already look halfway dead. The baby is taking too much from you." This had been Talia's Countenance since the doctor first told everyone about the baby taking up my own life force."It's okay, Talia. I already made it this far. I'll be fine, both me and the baby. You'll see" "I'm just worried about you," "I know." I sighed
James' confession and declaration of love caught me by surprise. I wasn't sure what to say or how to respond. "It's okay. You don't have to say anything just yet. I just wanted you to know" He looked out the window, and silence filled the car for a moment before he spoke again"Did you come alone? Do I need to drop you back?" "Oh, umm... no, I'm not alone. I'll just call him now." I brought out my phone, and Damien picked on the first ring."Hi, can you come pick me up at town Square?""You left the woods on your own?" "Yes, I just wanted to go for a walk. Just come now so we can go. I'm tired already. And not to mention hungry." The pancakes had barely done anything to my slowly growing tummy."I'm on my way,""We could grab a snack if you're still hungry. We're right outside the bakery." James suggested "Oh yes, thank you! That would be great. Just get me the best pastries they've got." James chuckled, "Yes ma'am." James was back very quickly, and I munched down on one of the