Her breathing is soft and even, the sound hypnotic. I lie stiff beside her with my body angled away, but my eyes? They are locked on her face. Peaceful. Unburdened. It pisses me off because I know better.Kate’s betrayal plays on repeat in my head. I see it every time I close my eyes. That bastard hunter leader throwing his arms around her, smiling as if she was making him proud. And Kate? She did not fight it. No resistance, no denial. She stood there, complicit.The rage I’d felt that day... hell, it still burns. My vision tunneled, my wolf practically tearing at the seams, demanding blood. But I did not move. Not fast enough, anyway. The gunfire cut through the chaos first.Two of my packmates dropped before I could even process what was happening. The sound of their bodies hitting the dirt, the coppery stench of blood. It’s still fresh, like it just happened yesterday. The other two... we lost them later. Their injuries were too far gone, too much for even our strongest healers.F
The weight of my thoughts lingers as I lay there, staring at the ceiling. It feels wrong. It feels so wrong, being here, tangled in memories, in confusion, in pain. But I can’t leave. Not yet.My phone buzzes and I glance at the screen. Wes.I swipe to answer, the coldness creeping into my chest. “What?”“Where are you?” Wes asks, his voice steady, but I can hear the undercurrent of concern.I sigh while rubbing a hand across my face. “Kate’s.”There’s a pause, too long. “What are you doing at Kate’s house?” His voice is sharper.I feel the heat rise in my chest, anger flaring at the mention of her name. “Why do you care where I am, Wes? She’s the reason four of our pack is dead. She’s the reason you and I were shot. She’s the reason everything’s messed up.”Wes sighs deeply on the other end of the line. “It’s a long story, Jake.”“I’ve got time.”Wes breathes out, and then reluctantly, he begins.“When the bullets were flying, when we were under attack, Kate came crawling to me,” he
The shrill beeping of Kate’s alarm jolts me awake. I groan, my hand fumbling for the offending noise. I finally find the button and silence it. She does not even stir, still tucked into the blanket like she does not have a care in the world.I roll out of bed, rubbing a hand over my face before glancing back at her. Peaceful. Oblivious. Shaking my head, I grab a shirt from the floor and throw it on before stepping out of the room.The faint smell of coffee hit me before I reach the kitchen. Her mom stands at the counter, humming quietly as she flips through a magazine. When she sees me, her face lights up.“Jake!” she says with a warmth I have forgotten. “Oh, it’s so good to see you.”She crosses the room in a few quick steps and wraps me in a hug. I stand there awkwardly for a second, then pat her back.“It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Lauder,” I say, managing a small smile.“Oh, stop it with the ‘Mrs. Lauder.’ It’s Ellie.” She pulls back with her hands on my arms as she beams up at m
My eyes flutter open as I wake up, a soft groan escaping my lips. My body stretches out against the sheets, actually rested. It has been quite a while since I felt this rested. The light seeps through the curtains and covers the room in a muted glow.I blink at the clock beside my bed. The numbers blur together before they finally click. Oh shit.A jolt of panic shoots through me as I sit up too fast, my heart pounding. I’m late. Way too late.Adrenaline kicks in and I scramble out of bed. I yank on a loose hoodie without bothering to check the mirror. My shift at the diner. I was supposed to be there hours ago.I hurry down the stairs, my feet stumbling over themselves while I try to shake off the grogginess. When I reach the kitchen, I freeze in the doorway.Jake is sitting at the table, a plate of breakfast in front of him. My mum is chatting away, smiling like she has not seen him in years. Well, she has not seen him in months. My stomach twists, a strange mix of guilt and grati
I trace small patterns on Jake’s arm, my head resting on his shoulder. His hold around my middle is firm, reassuring, his body pressed against mine like an unshakable force in the chaos of my emotions.The tears have not stopped. They keep coming, each one dragging more guilt to the surface. Jake’s arms tighten around me as if he can somehow keep me together when I feel like I might shatter.I focus on the steady rise and fall of his breathing. I try to anchor myself in the warmth of his presence. As I cry, my heart aches for him too. He has suffered because of me, endured so much because of the choices I made. Each sob makes me want to apologize over and over, to take it all back, but I know I never can. The damage is already done. And yet, here he is, holding me, staying with me, despite everything.Something shifts in that moment. For the first time in months, I don’t feel completely alone. Jake’s presence helps me breathe through the pain, grounding me in the moment.Time stretc
A sharp sound rings through my ears. I groan in protest and my arm shoots to the nightstand. My eyes remain closed as my hand roams over the surface, trying to find my phone.I finally open my eyes to scan the surface of the nightstand and grab my phone, turning the alarm off.Why would I set an alarm for 06:00?A text appears on the screen, but I ignore it since it is from an unknown number.I throw the phone on the bed before I let out a heavy sigh.As I get up, my eyes dart from the floor back to the bed.Where am I?This is not my bed. And this is definitely not my room.The phone vibrates with another message from the same unknown number. I look around the room and blink a few times, just to make sure that I wasn't still dreaming.The last thing I remember is falling asleep on my bed in the dorm.Is this a joke?The phone vibrates for the third time. I snatch the phone from the bed and open the messages.Welcome EmilySince you hated my book so much and critiqued it, I'll allow yo
"And I binged Lucifer while I ate a whole pizza by myself," Allison says, her smile practically glowing with pride. I nod my head as I try my best not to make a face. "Wow. Crazy. You crazy girl" plays in my head and a chuckle escapes. "Hey, Allison—""Why do you keep calling me Allison? It's Ally. You're freaking me out." She frowns at me like I'm an idiot. Without waiting for me, she continues to walk on and I roll my eyes. I can remember the conversation that Kate and Ally had on their way to school, so I'm just going to stick with that."Ally," I say, deliberately emphasizing her name,"did you hear about all the new kids that are starting today?" She halts, pivoting toward to me while she shakes her head.“Yeah, apparently fourteen kids. Six are seniors, so they’ll be in our homeroom,” I continue, catching up to her with a wink.Ally huffs and shakes her head again. “You know I don’t care about gossip. It’s so childish.”My teeth clamp down on the inside of my cheek to stop the
When lunch arrives, I am exhausted. I forgot how much energy school took. And we have not even started with the work yet. The teachers are going through their rules and some went through the curriculum for the year. I have been staring at my phone's screen for most of the periods, waiting for another text. Now that I think about it, I wonder if I can text back.I find Ally sitting outside on the grass with no food. Right, she has an eating disorder. I think she blames Kate for it later in a fight.I, on the other hand, have loaded my tray with all kinds of food. I'm starving and it is free. I sit down next to her. A silence settles over us as I eat something that I have never seen in my life, but it looks good and it tastes delightful."Some of the new kids aren't here yet," she says as she plays with a strand of her hair."I thought you weren't one for gossip," I retort back, and she just rolls her eyes. She lays back on the grass."These new guys are weird. It is like they're all fam
I trace small patterns on Jake’s arm, my head resting on his shoulder. His hold around my middle is firm, reassuring, his body pressed against mine like an unshakable force in the chaos of my emotions.The tears have not stopped. They keep coming, each one dragging more guilt to the surface. Jake’s arms tighten around me as if he can somehow keep me together when I feel like I might shatter.I focus on the steady rise and fall of his breathing. I try to anchor myself in the warmth of his presence. As I cry, my heart aches for him too. He has suffered because of me, endured so much because of the choices I made. Each sob makes me want to apologize over and over, to take it all back, but I know I never can. The damage is already done. And yet, here he is, holding me, staying with me, despite everything.Something shifts in that moment. For the first time in months, I don’t feel completely alone. Jake’s presence helps me breathe through the pain, grounding me in the moment.Time stretc
My eyes flutter open as I wake up, a soft groan escaping my lips. My body stretches out against the sheets, actually rested. It has been quite a while since I felt this rested. The light seeps through the curtains and covers the room in a muted glow.I blink at the clock beside my bed. The numbers blur together before they finally click. Oh shit.A jolt of panic shoots through me as I sit up too fast, my heart pounding. I’m late. Way too late.Adrenaline kicks in and I scramble out of bed. I yank on a loose hoodie without bothering to check the mirror. My shift at the diner. I was supposed to be there hours ago.I hurry down the stairs, my feet stumbling over themselves while I try to shake off the grogginess. When I reach the kitchen, I freeze in the doorway.Jake is sitting at the table, a plate of breakfast in front of him. My mum is chatting away, smiling like she has not seen him in years. Well, she has not seen him in months. My stomach twists, a strange mix of guilt and grati
The shrill beeping of Kate’s alarm jolts me awake. I groan, my hand fumbling for the offending noise. I finally find the button and silence it. She does not even stir, still tucked into the blanket like she does not have a care in the world.I roll out of bed, rubbing a hand over my face before glancing back at her. Peaceful. Oblivious. Shaking my head, I grab a shirt from the floor and throw it on before stepping out of the room.The faint smell of coffee hit me before I reach the kitchen. Her mom stands at the counter, humming quietly as she flips through a magazine. When she sees me, her face lights up.“Jake!” she says with a warmth I have forgotten. “Oh, it’s so good to see you.”She crosses the room in a few quick steps and wraps me in a hug. I stand there awkwardly for a second, then pat her back.“It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Lauder,” I say, managing a small smile.“Oh, stop it with the ‘Mrs. Lauder.’ It’s Ellie.” She pulls back with her hands on my arms as she beams up at m
The weight of my thoughts lingers as I lay there, staring at the ceiling. It feels wrong. It feels so wrong, being here, tangled in memories, in confusion, in pain. But I can’t leave. Not yet.My phone buzzes and I glance at the screen. Wes.I swipe to answer, the coldness creeping into my chest. “What?”“Where are you?” Wes asks, his voice steady, but I can hear the undercurrent of concern.I sigh while rubbing a hand across my face. “Kate’s.”There’s a pause, too long. “What are you doing at Kate’s house?” His voice is sharper.I feel the heat rise in my chest, anger flaring at the mention of her name. “Why do you care where I am, Wes? She’s the reason four of our pack is dead. She’s the reason you and I were shot. She’s the reason everything’s messed up.”Wes sighs deeply on the other end of the line. “It’s a long story, Jake.”“I’ve got time.”Wes breathes out, and then reluctantly, he begins.“When the bullets were flying, when we were under attack, Kate came crawling to me,” he
Her breathing is soft and even, the sound hypnotic. I lie stiff beside her with my body angled away, but my eyes? They are locked on her face. Peaceful. Unburdened. It pisses me off because I know better.Kate’s betrayal plays on repeat in my head. I see it every time I close my eyes. That bastard hunter leader throwing his arms around her, smiling as if she was making him proud. And Kate? She did not fight it. No resistance, no denial. She stood there, complicit.The rage I’d felt that day... hell, it still burns. My vision tunneled, my wolf practically tearing at the seams, demanding blood. But I did not move. Not fast enough, anyway. The gunfire cut through the chaos first.Two of my packmates dropped before I could even process what was happening. The sound of their bodies hitting the dirt, the coppery stench of blood. It’s still fresh, like it just happened yesterday. The other two... we lost them later. Their injuries were too far gone, too much for even our strongest healers.F
The engine hums to a stop, leaving us in thick silence. My hands grip the steering wheel, knuckles white as I force myself to take a breath. I can feel her sitting beside me, her presence like a weight in the air—one that suffocates and comforts me all at once. I should say something. Anything. But I don’t.Instead, I shove the door open and step out into the cool night. My boots hit the ground with more force than I intend, the sound breaking the stillness. I don’t look back as I head to the truck bed. I lower her bike carefully with automatic movements.“Here,” I mutter, placing it down more gently than she probably deserves. “Your bike.”“Thanks.” Her voice is distant, detached, and it cuts through me sharper than any knife. She takes the bike and heads toward the garage without looking at me. I watch her retreat, torn between wanting to follow and wanting to get as far away from her as possible.I hate her.I hate her for the blood on her hands. For the four pack members I’ll ne
The diner is eerily quiet, the kind of silence that presses down on me as I step inside. The lights are dimmed. The faint scent of grease and coffee linger in the air. My footsteps echo faintly against the tiles as I head to the counter, stopping just short of the counter. From the kitchen, I hear movement. There is a shuffle, the clang of dishes, and then her voice.“We’re closed,” Kate calls out, her tone firm but weary.I do not move. I just stand there, staring at the swinging door that separates us.When Kate pushes through the door, wiping her hands on a towel, her breath catches in her throat. Her eyes lock onto mine. There is a fraction of fear before resignation flickers across her face. Resignation or Acceptance. I can’t tell.“Kate.” I hear the hate in my own voice. It sounds like I want to kill her. I kind of want to.She looks exhausted. She has given up. On herself, on life. On me.I stride forward, crossing the distance between us in two long strides. My hands grip her
The familiar hum of the diner’s lights buzzes faintly against the backdrop of clinking dishes and quiet conversation. I lean against the corner of my truck, parked just far enough from the diner to remain unseen while I watch through the glowing windows as Kate moves through the space like she belongs there. Her apron is tied loosely at the back and her dark hair is in a messy braid. She smiles at a customer and my chest aches in a way I do not want to admit.I had followed Wes straight from Kate’s house, adrenaline buzzing through my veins. My thoughts were chaotic and loud. Seeing Wes give Kate a hug before leaving had been the final straw. How could Wes, someone who had been shot because of her, stand there and act like nothing had happened?Cornering Wes had been impulsive, but I was not in the mood to think twice.Wes did not even flinch when I shoved him against a tree next to the road.“You’re getting real comfortable at her place, aren’t you?” I felt my wolf fighting to take o
When he pulls up to my house, the engine quiets, but neither of us makes a move to get out right away. The moment stretches and just when I think Jake might say something, He opens his door and steps out. Without a word, he walks to the back of the truck and carefully pulls my bike off.“Here,” he says while he places the bike down. “Your bike.”“Thanks,” I say, my voice a little more distant than I intended. I take the bike from him and head to the garage, the weight of the day still hanging heavily on my shoulders. I step into the garage and place my bike against the wall, making sure it’s safe, but the act of doing something small is hardly enough to shake off the anxiety gnawing at me.I feel Jake’s gaze burning into me while I walk back from the garage. I come to a stop, taking a breath before turning to face him.Jake stands there with a rigid posture rigid but his eyes are softer than before. There’s a hesitation in him, something almost human. It makes me feel a little less