The night air is cool against my bare skin when the balcony door creaks open. I don’t even have time to react before I feel Jake’s arms around me, pulling me flush against his warm, hard body. His scent—pine, smoke, something uniquely him—wraps around me as he buries his face in my neck. He presses a slow, lingering kiss just beneath my ear.I let out a soft laugh, feeling the very evident state of his arousal against me. “You’re absolutely insatiable, you know that?”Jake hums into the kiss. He kisses me deeply and his tongue slides against mine in a way way that makes my toes curl. His hands skim my sides, warm palms pressing into my bare skin as he pulls me closer. My mind flickers to Blaire, but I don’t want to ruin this moment. I hesitate for just a second too long.“What’s wrong?” Jake pulls back, his dark eyes studying me. I swallow, then sigh. “Blaire stopped by the house.”Something changes in him. His body tenses, his fingers tighten on my waist and his pupils dilate. In a
The scent of coffee and toast drifts up the stairs, pulling me out of sleep. I stretch lazily before rolling out of bed, shivering slightly at the morning chill. I reach over and feel the empty bed. Jake is probably already up.I check my phone screen and see that it is just before six. Ugh, I need to get up for school. I get up with a sigh and head to the shower. The shower is quick and nice, almost lulling me back to sleep. I quickly throw together a outfit and grab Jake’s leather jacket.A small smile tugs at my lips as I shrug it on. It drowns me in warmth and it still somehow smells like him. A lemon and peppermint smell. Something uniquely Jake. Perfect.When I finally make my way downstairs, I hear voices coming from the kitchen. My mum’s soft laughter and Jake’s deep, rumbling response. That alone nearly makes me trip over the last step.Jake is here. Having breakfast. With my mum.I pause in the doorway, watching them. My mum is standing by the counter while she pours anothe
I’m barely out of my PE class, still catching my breath from the last round of laps, when a strong hand suddenly grabs my wrist and yanks me into the locker room. I barely have time to react before another hand clamps gently but firmly over my mouth.My heart kicks up in alarm, but then I catch the scent of that same lemon and something uniquely him. The same as his jacket.I relax instantly.He’s here.He presses me against the cool metal lockers, his golden eyes locked onto mine, dark with something intense. "Didn’t want you screaming," he murmurs, his lips quirking up into a half-smile.I raise an eyebrow as I wait for him to move his hand. When he finally does, I smirk. "You scared the hell out of me, you tosser."He grins but doesn’t apologize. Instead, he leans in. His mouth captures mine in a hungry kiss. His body presses against me and I can feel him. All of him.I gasp against his lips before pulling back, breathless. "Jake," I whisper, hands sliding over his chest. "Why ar
The gym is packed. The energy is electric, the squeak of sneakers on polished floors mixing with the cheers from the stands. My heart pounds. Not from nerves, but from adrenaline. We are two points away from winning and the entire team feels it. Cora stands at the back, ready, her sharp eyes locked on the opposing team’s movements. I’m in the middle, knees bent, fingers twitching, waiting for the perfect moment.The ball comes soaring over the net. Cora is on it in an instant and digs it up perfectly. The setter sends it my way and I don’t even think. I just jump, arm swinging with all the power I have. The smack of the ball meeting my palm is followed by a sharp thud as it hits the court. Point for us.One more.The gym erupts, voices shouting my name, Cora’s name, our team’s name. I glance at the stands and see Jake standing with his arms crossed. His eyes are soft and full of pride. Grayson is beside him, yelling something I can’t make out, while my mum and Cora’s mum clap enthu
I sit in the passenger seat of Jake’s truck, the engine rumbling softly beneath us. His hands grip the steering wheel with white knuckles and I can see the tension in his jaw. Since we left the house, he’s barely spoken, but I can feel his worry radiating off him."Jake," I murmur, reaching over to touch his arm. "I’ll be fine. Really."He glances over at me, his brows furrowed. I can sense him holding back. He’s scared. I know it. He’s always been the protector, the one who takes care of everyone. I don’t want him to feel he must protect me right now."I know," he says quietly, though the doubt laces his voice. "I just don’t like this." His hands leave the steering wheel and rest on his lap. My hand reaches over and I take his hand into mine.I lean over and place a soft kiss on the cheek, trying to reassure him. “You’ll be right here with me,” I say, meeting his gaze. “I’ll keep the phone on. You can listen in.”For a moment, his eyes soften, but I can see he still isn’t convinced.
Jake pulls into the driveway, the car’s engine winding down to a quiet stop. I glance over at Jake, who gives me a small nod before getting out of the car. I take a deep breath as I feel the weight of the evening finally settle on me.I head inside, slipping off my shoes by the door. The house is quiet, but it’s the kind of peaceful that feels right after a long day. There is a smell of something my mum must’ve been cooking earlier and I smile at the thought of her. I make my way upstairs, my steps soft on the wooden floorboards.Outside her room, I stop and knock lightly. There’s no answer, but I know she’s in there. I push the door open slowly and peek inside.Mum’s lying in bed with her eyes closed, but I can tell she’s not asleep. She is just worn out from everything. The volleyball game, the lunch out... it’s all added up.I walk over to the bed and sit down beside her, reaching for the blankets to adjust them. I tuck her in carefully. She opens her eyes, looking at me with a tir
I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the door Kate just walked through. The weight of her words hits me harder than I expected. She gave up prom for me. It’s a small thing, a silly high school tradition, but the fact that she’s so ready to give it up for my pack, for the chaos and danger we’re facing... it hits me deep. I know she wasn’t all that keen on going, but there was a part of me that saw the way her eyes lit up when I mentioned it. She didn’t even hesitate before throwing it all away.Kate’s so different from Blaire in every way that matters. Where Blaire is all about her own plans, her own agenda, Kate never asks for anything in return. It’s like she’s made of something soft and rare. Something that makes my wolf restless, wanting to protect her, to give her everything. I’ve been fighting it to some degree despite knowing that Kate is my mate. Despite knowing she is nothing like Blaire. I cannot deny it anymore. I love her. It’s a truth so loud inside my chest that I c
Cora stands in front of my full-length mirror, smoothing down the emerald-green fabric of her prom dress. She turns slightly to check the fit from every angle before she looks over her shoulder at me.“Well?” she asks with a wide grin.I lean against my bed frame, legs crossed beneath me, and tilt my head. “You look absolutely gorgeous.”Cora beams, giving the skirt a little spin so it flares out around her. “I knew this was the one. The color isn’t too much, right?”“Not at all,” I assure her. “It’s perfect on you. The green makes your eyes look even brighter.”She studies herself for another moment, then sighs happily. “I can’t believe prom is Wednesday. It’s actually happening.”I smile at her excitement, but she catches something in my expression. She turns to me, hands on her hips. “What about you? What are you wearing?”I pause. “I… don’t know yet.”Her brows knit together. “Kate. It’s Monday.”“I’m aware,” I say lightly, but the truth is, I hadn’t really given it much thought.
Jake has never loved anything the way he loves her.From the moment he first saw her, mouth set in a scowl, calling Tyler an asshole for being a dick to Allison, he knew she was different. She wasn’t afraid of them. Of him. And when she nearly tripped in Art class, he caught her. His hands steadying her waist. That was when it hit him.Mate.He ignored it. Pushed it down. But he felt it, deep in his bones, something undeniable and terrifying all at once. He tried to stay away, tried not to look at her, but Kate was Kate. She was impossible to ignore. He remembers her at that party, wearing something that made his chest feel tight, the way she swung at Max without hesitation. He helped her clean up afterward.He remembers giving her his black leather jacket, the way she wore it like she was meant to, like it belonged to her more than it ever did to him. The way she clutched it around herself when she was cold, breathing in his scent like it was her favorite thing in the world. He rem
Emily jolted awake.Her heart was pounding. Her breath coming too fast as her hands clenched so tight in the sheets that her knuckles ached. Her chest heaved, lungs dragging in air like she’d been drowning in her sleep. Her alarm was blaring. For a moment, she couldn’t move. It took her a moment to register where she wasThe room was still dark, the faint glow of London’s streetlights seeping through the curtains.Her dorm. London. The familiar walls, the soft hum of city traffic outside her window, the faint scent of her vanilla candle still lingering from the night before.Not the cold ground soaked in blood. Not Jake screaming for help.She was finally home.Kate. Emily sat up so fast she almost knocked over the half-empty tea cup on her nightstand. Her fingers fumbled as she grabbed her phone, unlocking it with shaking hands.Did she die?Did Kate die?Her thumb tapped the Wattpad app, breath caught somewhere in her throat. The screen loaded slowly, the WiFi deciding now of all
The ground is cold beneath me. I feel it pressing against my back, the rough bite of dirt and leaves. But it doesn’t hurt. Nothing does. There’s just a strange and heavy sensation in my chest, like someone has reached inside and stolen the air from my lungs.I hear Jake before I see him.Not his voice. His snarl.It doesn’t sound human. It doesn’t even sound werewolf. It’s something deeper, darker, like the embodiment of every nightmare, every fear, every unholy thing clawing its way to the surface.And then. Blaire’s screams.This is different. This is fear. Raw. Terrified. Begging.“Jake. Jake, please! Wait—”The sound that follows is wet. A sickening crack. A choked gurgle.Then silence.I stare up at the sky, feeling the edges of my vision flicker. The stars look sharper than usual, like someone took a knife to the sky and carved them out. I wonder if that means I’m dying.Jake is there.I don’t even register him moving. One second, he was ripping Blaire apart. The next, he’s abo
The battle rages on around me, the scent of blood thick in the air and it mixes with the damp earth beneath my boots. My breath is ragged and my arms aching, but I keep moving. I have to find Jake.Gunfire cracks in the distance, each shot sending a sharp jolt through my body. The screams, the growls, the clash of metal against flesh. It all forms a deafening, chaotic symphony that threatens to drown me. I shove through the dense trees as my eyes dart between the shifting shadows. I squint my eyes when I see a figure on the ground.Bianca.My stomach drops. Blood pools beneath her, seeping into the dirt. I rush forward and fall to my knees beside her. Her breathing is shallow, her hands weakly pressing against the wound in her abdomen."Shit," I mutter, tearing at my gear, my fingers fumbling for the small vial of antidote Wes gave me.The forest blurs. The air thickens, the sound of battle dulls into something distant, something unimportant. In its place, I hear another voice. A me
The explosion tears through the forest, a burst of heat and fire erupting in the darkness. The shockwave slams into me like a physical force and knocks the air from my lungs. The ground trembles beneath my feet as flames roar to life, licking up the trees.The blast illuminates the night in an instant, casting flickering shadows. The pack scatters, dodging falling embers and diving for cover as smoke curls into the air.For a split second, there’s nothing but ringing in my ears. Muffled shouts. The distant snap of branches. The crackling of fire eating through the dry leaves.The sharp crack of bullets pierces the chaos, but the pack is ready. They move like shadows, weaving between trees and bushes. A hunter barely has time to react before Tyler slams into him and takes him to the ground with a growl.Jake’s hand slips from mine as he launches himself forward. I watch him transform as he runs to the nearest hunters. I stay low, keeping myself hidden behind the undergrowth. My heart
The pack house is buzzing with quiet, focused energy when Jake and I step inside. Every single person is here. Some are standing in tense groups while others are sitting with protective gear. The air is thick with anticipation.Across the room, Allison and Tyler are deep in conversation with a small group. Among them, Oliver and Bianca stand slightly apart, listening intently.Oliver notices me first. His gaze flickers in my direction and I give him a small smile, lifting my fingers in a wave. He hesitates before nodding back with a slight smile.Jake keeps walking, guiding me toward the far end of the room, where Wes is hunched over a makeshift lab setup. His hands move quickly, mixing liquids, analyzing samples. He is so focused he barely registers us approaching.“How close are you?” Jake asks.Wes exhales sharply. “Very.” He doesn’t look up, instead pointing to a row of vials in front of him. “I’ve narrowed it down, but I need fresh human blood to test the final component.”“Take
The drive to the pack’s hideout is quiet, the hum of the engine blending with the distant sounds of the night. The road twists through dense forest, barely visible from the main highway. It’s a place only a few know about, tucked away behind thick trees and old, winding paths. I do not think I would be able to find it again on my own. Jake drives with one hand on the wheel, the other resting lazily on my hand which is on his thigh. My thumb moves in slow circles and he has a soft smile on his lips. By the time we pull up to the hidden pack house, my heart feels heavier. Jake parks in a concealed spot near the pack house. I unzip the bag on my lap and take out Jake’s clothes before getting my own. I place the bag back on the ground, careful not to wrinkle my dress. It’s ridiculous, really/ Considering everything we’ve just done, you’d think I wouldn’t care so much about keeping it pristine. But I do.Jake just watches, his lips twitching in that quiet but amused way of his.“What?”
I sigh in content as I press my forehead to Jake, still catching my breath. His hands are steady on my hips. He is holding me like he’s in no rush to let me go.“All right,” I mumble, shifting slightly. “I should probably get off now.” Jake just hums, but he makes no move to help.I try again and pushes lightly against his chest, but my legs feel like jelly. Plus, the position is… not ideal for an easy exit. I let out a soft huff. “Jake.”He lets out a quiet laugh as his hands move from my waist and place them under my thighs. Then, with zero effort, he picks me up and moves me onto the passenger seat like I weigh nothing.“Show off,” I mutter, adjusting my dress.He smirks and runs a hand through his hair. “You were taking too long.”I just shake my head, but there’s a grin tugging at my lips. I glance down at my thigh before I grab a tissue from my purse.“Lovely,” I say flatly. “Thanks for that.”Jake leans his head back against the seat, watching me with that quiet amusement. “Y
We move quickly but quietly toward Jake’s truck, my heart pounding in my chest. The night air is cool against my skin, but it does nothing to calm the heat inside me. We hurry into the truck and Jake starts the engine before he maneuvers the truck toward the farthest corner of the parking lot.The moment he shifts into park, his lips are on mine again. I sigh into the kiss as my hand moves over his chest to settle on his neck. His hands roam my waist before he pulls me onto his lap, making me gasp.“Jake,” I scold between kisses, pressing my hands to his chest. “Be careful with the dress.”He chuckles, low and deep, his breath warm against my neck. “I’ve got you,” he murmurs, fingers tracing the fabric slowly before he lifts it just enough.A giggle escapes me as he shifts my underwear aside. His touch sends shivers up my spine. “I’ve never done this in a car before,” I admit, breathless. The space feels both thrilling and awkward, the newness of it making me giddy.“I’ll take care o