I lean against my locker with my arms crossed, watching the other students rushing to the information board in the main hall. A large group has bundled together in front of the board and the atmosphere is tense. I inhale shakily to get my nerves under control.The school announced that the lists of names who made the team will be placed on the board. Everyone is dying to see whether they made the football, cheerleading, or volleyball team. I have to admit that I am stressed out about this and I am quite sure I made the team.The cheering of some students gets my attention and I smile at their enthusiasm. We are not a lot of students in this school, so the odds are in your favor to make some team. I am waiting for the crowd to disappear before taking a look. I shift my weight from one foot to the other and uncross my arms."Yes, I knew it! I don't know why I even worried about it." I hear Greyson say with relief. He starts a chant and the other jocks join in as they head out of the buil
I look at my watch with a frustrated sigh. My leg bounces in anticipation while I glance around, waiting for Ally. Where is she? She should hurry up, otherwise, we are going to be late. I stand up from the sidewalk near her house and pace in front of her house. I pull out my phone to check whether she has sent a message. Nothing.The front door opens and I smile, but it falters when I see Ally's mom. She looks quite terrible, no offense. Where is Ally? Did something happen to her? I walk closer to the woman with furrowed brows."You here for Ally?" The woman sounds like she has just woken up. I nod my head and she walks to me with a slight limp. When she stops in front of me, I smell the alcohol on her and I have to prevent myself from scrunching my nose in disgust. She pulls me in for a hug. I don't want to be impolite so I put my hands on her back, tapping softly."She left with a guy earlier this morning," she says after she lets me out of her grip. I bite my lip and take a look
"I like outside. I want to sit outside," I whine while Ally drags me to the table where Tyler and the rest are sitting. They found a table for themselves in the cafeteria, so they are no longer sitting with the popular students."Ally, I'm serious. I don't want to sit there." Ally laughs off my complaint and we get to the table."Everyone, this is Kate. Kate, this is . . . Well, everyone. You'll get to know them." I force a smile and give them a small wave. Ally sits next to Tyler, leaving me to choose where to sit. Where am I supposed to sit? I thought she would let me sit next to her. Tyler probably does not want that."Does she have to sit with us? Baby, I thought it would just be you." Tyler says and I cringe at the nickname. Baby? It could have been worse. It could have been way worse. At least it is not "Baby girl".Ally puts her hand on his arm to calm him down. I continue to stand, waiting for her to tell me where I can sit or to say something in my defense. I would have told
My footsteps echo through the empty halls. Most of the students have gone home and the practices for today are over. I had so much more fun at practice today than I expected. We actually stand a chance to do good in the league. We're not enough players, but we will survive.Before I leave, I need to get the books I forgot to take from the locker. I have essays due soon for English Lit and History, but it is nothing I cannot handle.My locker opens with a soft creak, and I search through the piles of books. A paper falls out onto the floor. I bend down to pick it up and notice it is the Art project. It completely slipped my mind. It is already Thursday and between the drawing and painting, we need to start as soon as possible if we want to finish it on time."Hey, Kate." I fall against the locker, startled. What is he doing here? He almost gave me a heart attack."Tyler," I say, my heart pounding in my ears. Why is he still here? I do not want to talk to him, so he better leave befo
As I lay in bed, replaying the whole thing, I realize it was all Tyler's fault. I did nothing wrong. He literally grabbed my face which prevented me from escaping. I should have kicked him in the groin as well.I adjust myself and stare at the ceiling. My mother patched me up, and she gave me some heavy medications for the migraine. Whatever that stuff is, I need to get my hands on it when I get back home. Tyler bit a whole laceration on my lip. He must have used his werewolf's teeth because no human has such sharp teeth.There is a knock on the door and I turn to the door, mumbling that they can come in."Hey. Are you okay?" Oliver remains at the door, resting against the doorframe."Yes, I'm fine." He steps closer to the bed and pats my arm to show some sympathy. I do not know whether he knows what happened or if Mum only told him I am upset. I hope she did not tell him the whole story. I doubt she would do that."Supper is ready, but you don't have to come down if you don't want to.
I sit in a locked bathroom stall, my head resting on my knees. I need to get out of here. It was a foolish idea to come to school today. I thought I would be prepared for the backlash and hate I was going to receive, but I had no idea it would be this bad. Maybe Kate does not die, but her reputation sure does.Everyone heard about what had happened, but they heard Tyler's version. Now, I am the bad guy. So many students believe Tyler and some have even gone as far as to threaten me, or at least tried to threaten me.I lean my head back against the stall and close my eyes.And Ally has been standing there, doing nothing. She is ignoring me, playing the perfect victim. The poor girl who was betrayed by her best friend. I do not understand why she does not want to hear my side. She went as far as to block me. Allison immediately believed Tyler and dismissed me like I was nothing. Maybe I am nothing to her.I sit on the cold floor, inspecting my nails while I wait for the bell again. I a
I lay cocooned in blankets on the couch in front of the TV. I decided to bolt during lunch. I even had to bribe the janitor for the keys to get out of school. It's Friday, so who cares."Catherine, dear. You can't just lay in front of the TV for the rest of the weekend. If your father finds out that you skipped school to watch," my mother pauses as she watches the scene. She turns back to me with a slight frown. "If he finds out that you stayed home to watch some animation, he is not going to be happy. Just get up. Go touch some grass," she says and tugs the blankets. The blankets are wrapped tightly around me, causing her to stumble backward when she tries to pull the blanket off me."Let me be, please Mum?" I whine while I pull the blankets tighter around me. My mother grabs the corner of another blanket and yanks it. I almost fall off the couch and have to grab the armrest to support myself. This woman got some strength in those scrawny arms."There's a party tonight. Don't you want
I sneak down the stairs, trying to not wake my parents. My dad came back late last night and he sounded exhausted, so he needs the rest. Oliver has not come home yet from Tyler's party. I wonder if he stayed at the pack house or Cora’s.I quietly open the front door and lock it behind me. Oliver will have to wake my parents to get into the house. It will inevitably lead to him being reprimanded for breaking the curfew. If he gets grounded, that will be a bonus.As I got ready to leave, I remembered that there is a bicycle in the garage. In the original story, Kate rode a bicycle to school sometimes. I wonder if it is still there. I hope so.I open the garage door with no noise and walk in. There it is in the corner. I leap over some boxes to get to the bicycle. I am running late, but I might make it on time with the bike. I maneuver the bike out of the garage and close the garage door.I plug my earphones in and hit shuffle on my playlist, hopping onto my bike and strolling through the
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
I check my phone and notice a message from my mum. I hope you are having fun xA soft smile forms on my lips and I check the time. It is already past ten. We should probably get going. But I want to get another dance in with Jake. With a playful grin, I take Jake’s hand and pull him toward the dance floor. The music pulses around us and I cannot help but sway to the beat, my energy infectious.“Come on, don’t just stand there!” I urge, glancing up at him with a teasing glint in my eyes. As I start to dance, I turn my back to him and playfully grind against him. Laughter spills out as I watch his cheeks flush a faint pink.“Uh, Kate,” he says, his voice low but with that shy confidence I find so endearing, “maybe we should keep it—”“Oh, stop being so serious!” I interrupt and twirl around him with a cheeky smile. The way he tries to maintain his composure only makes me want to tease him more.“Really, I need to—” he starts and I let out a soft giggle.“Need to what?” I tease, winkin
The music thrums through the air, a steady pulse of sound that makes the entire room feel alive. Twinkling fairy lights are strung across the ceiling like fireflies caught in midair and tall artificial trees line the edges of the dance floor. Their leaves are dusted with tiny glowing lanterns. The whole venue looks like something out of a dream. Like an enchanted forest brought to life.Cora twirls me under her arm, laughing as my dress flares out around me. I’m breathless, my cheeks aching from smiling so much. We’ve been dancing for what feels like forever, moving to the beat of every song.“You’re having fun,” Cora teases, bumping her hip against mine.I grin at her. “Obviously.”She gasps dramatically. “Girl, I knew you would have fun. And you wanted to skip this?”I roll my eyes, but I’m still smiling. It’s true. I can’t remember the last time I felt this light, this carefree. And I did want to skip. Maybe it’s the music, or the warm golden glow of the lights, or just the fact th
The doorbell rings just as I take a sip of my morning tea, the warmth of it still lingering in my hands. I set the mug down and make my way to the door.When I swing it open, Cora stands there, beaming, her arms full of garment bags and makeup pouches. “Morning, girl! Ready to make me look like a goddess?” she teases, stepping inside before I can even answer.I laugh and shut the door behind her. “You already do. But, of course, I’ll work my magic.”We got the day off for prom and the house is buzzing with energy. My mum is in the kitchen with Cora’s mum, chatting over tea and biscuits. We take over the sitting room with our dresses, heels, and endless supplies of makeup and hair products.Cora carefully unzips the garment bag, revealing her emerald green dress. It’s stunning/ It is tight-fitting with an elegant neckline, hugging her curves in all the right places. She holds it up against herself, grinning. “What do you think?”I give her an approving nod. “You’re going to steal the
After my shower, I tiptoe to my walk-in closet. I grab some fluffy pajamas before stepping back into the room. The warm glow of my bedside lamp casts long shadows against the walls. The air is cool against my damp skin. Jake is still sitting on my bed, quiet as always. His gaze is sharp, tracking me as I move.He looks exhausted. More so than usual. There is a tiredness settled into his shoulders. I don’t say anything at first. Instead, I climb onto the bed beside him. I lay down with a sigh before shifting closer. Without thinking, I wrap an arm around his legs and hold him where he sits. He stiffens for half a second, exhales, and relaxes slightly into my touch. His body is warm and solid. Safe. I never knew he had such thick thighs. Super hot.He doesn’t pull away and I don’t loosen my hold. It’s comfortable, natural like I belong tucked against his side.For a moment, my mind drifts back to where we started. How different everything was before. How, just a few months ago, I woul