I turn onto my side with a soft huff, tucking my elbow beneath my head as I stare into the oppressive darkness of the wall across from me. A soft sigh escapes my lips.Those stupid messages from the author have wormed their way into my thoughts. The feeling of imminent dread clings to me and it only worsens my stress-ridden migraine. I don’t know what the author has planned for me.And since she’s veered completely off the original storyline, I have no idea what could possibly happen.A thud from the window jolts me upright. What was that?I strain my ears, waiting for another sound, but the silence that follows is thick and suffocating. My skin prickles with unease. I groan, running a hand through my hair in frustration. Seriously? Is the author just toying with me now?I sink back onto the bed, pulling the covers up to my chin as if they could somehow shield me from whatever is coming.The door to my parents’ room creaks open. Heavy footsteps tread past my door, descending the stair
The rope bites into my hands, rough and unforgiving. Something hard digs into my shoulder. I attempt to open my eyes, but they are glued shut.With a groan, I force them open. The room is not brightly lit and I have to adjust my vision.Where the hell am I?My head lolls to the side, my neck protesting the motion. That is when I notice Allison across from me. Her gaze is locked on the door. Her hands are tied behind her, the same as mine. We are both bound to wooden chairs.Glancing over my shoulder, I see the window. Through the window I notice that we must be deep into the forest, the dark green giving our location away."Hey," Allison whispers, her voice barely cutting through the silence. My eyes snap back to her. The thick wood beams overhead give it an almost primitive feel. It gives off basement vibes.“What is going on? Where are we?” I ask, failing to hide the panic in my voice. I clear my throat and shake my head to clear the fog.Allison’s eyes flick back to the door, then
“I’m one of them?” The words slip from my lips, weak. My father’s expression darkens as he nods slowly.“I can’t let them kill them all,” he whispers. “I have to stop them. Will you help me? Without telling on me?” His gaze darts back to the door, panic clear in his eyes.The pounding in my head intensifies, the sharp light streaming in through the window making me wince. I try to steady my breathing and nod automatically though my mind is a whirl of confusion. “Of course,” I hear myself say, though I feel detached from the words. How did I—how did Kate—become a hunter?I am part of the plan.Allison got caught because of me.What does he mean by killing them all?“Follow my lead.” He turns away from me, heading to the door. The short man from before enters, catching us off guard.“Ah, Kate. I need to put you here,” he says, grabbing my arm and guiding me toward the large window at the far end of the room. “Stand here,” he says as he positions me in the middle. “Perfect. We really cou
The alarm rings.06:00I stare at it, the sound cutting through the silence of the house. A sigh escapes my lips as I reach over to turn it off. Everything feels like a vivid dream. One I can’t wake up from.I thought I could handle this, that it was just a silly Wattpad story, but the emotions are real.Too real.The blood on my hands, the lifeless body of my father.I glance down, half-expecting to see the crimson stains still clinging to my skin. I can feel it.I shoot up, the empty feeling threatening to resurface. I shake my head and force myself out of bed, groaning when I hit the ground. I check my messages.Nothing.Jake has vanished, along with Tyler and Allison. They all think I’m some kind of pro-hunter, responsible for the deaths of twenty pack members.And my father.Stumbling to the closet, I sift through clothes. I search for something comfortable. I do not have the strength to curate a proper outfit today, not when I have volleyball practice this afternoon.I pull on a
The day was the longest it has been since I entered the story. I thought I was going to die from boredom. Or exhaustion.I throw my bag over my shoulder as I head to my bike. After putting in my earphones, I head to the store to buy some noodles (my comfort food these days), bread and eggs for my mum. An unfamiliar song plays in my ears and I let out a tired sigh.I just want to go back home. Like, my own home. In London. I am exhausted. This was not supposed to turn out like this. Catherine was supposed to die. About sixty chapters ago. Perhaps the author forgot that?I look up at the sky. Can you still hear me? I think the author forgot about me.The small store comes into my view and I slow my bike. I jump off the bike and park it against the wall. I don’t have a lock, so if someone wants to steal it, they can be my guest. Probably need it more than I do then.There are a few people in the store, but none of whom I know. I search through a few rows and finally find the eggs. An old
The night air feels colder than usual as I step quietly through the underbrush. Each step is calculated, careful. My mind races as the last few hours replay in my head—Wes asking me to help, the weight of his words still heavy on my chest. He needs me to go further. I can’t say no. Not when everything’s at stake.I reach the edge of the clearing where the hunters are said to meet. It’s quiet, almost too quiet. It’s that kind of silence that presses against your chest. I swallow hard and adjust my jacket, the cool fabric feeling like a barrier between me and whatever’s waiting in the darkness.Suddenly, a figure steps out from the shadows. A woman, in her mid-twenties. She stands tall, her movements fluid and graceful. Almost like a predator in her element. Her dark hair cascades over her shoulders and her eyes glint with an intensity that makes me instinctively step back.“You must be Kate,” she says, her voice smooth.I nod, trying to keep my posture steady, but her presence has an
As I load the guns, trying to focus on the task at hand, Blaire leans back against the wall, a smug grin playing on her lips as if she’s waiting for me to ask.“I can’t believe he fell for it twice,” she says, letting out a light chuckle, her eyes glinting with malicious amusement.I pause, trying not to react too strongly. “Who?” I ask casually, my voice steady.Blaire pushes off from the wall, clearly enjoying the suspense. “Jake,” she says with a knowing smile. “You know, the kid you've been hanging around with. The one you’re pretending is your friend.”A sick feeling churns in my stomach, but I keep my face neutral, feigning surprise. “Jake? How do you know him?”Blaire's smile widens, and her eyes gleam with cruel delight. “Oh, sweetie, I know Jake very well. He was my little project. When he was just a kid, barely fourteen, all innocent and naive. I thought it’d be fun, you know? He had all these secrets, and I just needed a way in.”My breath catches, but I force myself to kee
I take a deep breath, steadying myself as I return to the hallway. My heart thumps in my ears and I try to steady myself before I face Blaire. I walk back to the room where all the guns were located.“Blaire?” I don’t see her and slide the glass door open. "Blaire?” I ask again and Blaire’s head pops out from behind a tree. “Come on. We have to secure the perimeters. We can’t have those devils planting traps on the grounds.”I grab the gun from the counter, heading into the darkness of the night. The gun feels heavy in my hands, but I focus on the task at hand. I follow Blaire closely, the trees around us swaying softly in the cool breeze. The air smells of pine and wet earth. Everything feels strangely still.Blaire mutters something about how we have to look out for a certain trap, but I can barely focus on her words. My mind keeps drifting back to Jake. What he must’ve gone through. What Blaire did to him.I find myself wandering a bit away from her, needing the space to thin
I don’t move. I forget to breathe.Jake takes a small step closer.My pulse jumps. My fingers twitch at my sides, but I stay rooted in place. His golden eyes flicker with something unreadable in them and he pauses. Just for a second. Like he is hesitating. Like he is considering something.And then he makes up his mind.The space between us disappears and his lips brush against mine. Soft, tentative, almost careful. My breath catches. He’s warm, the scent of him wrapping around me. I don’t even think before kissing him back. My hands lift so that my fingers graze the sharp cut of his jaw and I melt into him.The moment swallows me whole. My mind flickers back to every time we’ve done this before. Kissing him on the couch at his cabin, that first stolen kiss that changed everything. The way I kissed him after the game back at my house, adrenaline and excitement still thrumming through me. The time we kissed on the football field, alone. I remember the smell of grass. And Jake. And the
I walk through the crowded hallways, my bag slung over one shoulder. I am still floating from this morning. My skin is buzzing with warmth, a lingering trace of Jake’s arms around me. It’s ridiculous how much I missed him, how much lighter everything feels now that things are okay again. I find myself replaying the moment in my head over and over. The way his arms tightened around me, the way his lips brushed against mine so softly. I don’t think I’ve ever woken up feeling so content.Cora practically materializes at my side, looping her arm through mine in one fluid motion.“So,” she says, her lips stretching into a knowing grin. “I need to find a dress for prom.”I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. “And this is my problem because…?”She stops dead in her tracks, gasping dramatically like I’ve just insulted her entire family lineage. A couple of freshmen glance at her in alarm before scurrying past. “Katherine Lauder, do not tell me you’re not going.”“I wasn’t even thinking
I wake up slowly to warmth, my body curled against Jake’s. My head is nestled in the crook of his neck. His steady breathing soothes me and his arms are still wrapped around me. He holds me as if even in sleep, he refuses to let go. I don’t move. I don’t even think about moving. I stay there, sinking into his steady presence. I focus on the way his scent fills my senses and how his chest rises and falls under my palm.Memories flicker through my drowsy mind. I remember the last time this happened. The couch and the soft hum of the television in the background. I had fallen asleep like this and it was Allison who woke me up. Jake had been holding me then too, just like this. Like he never wanted to let go.The memory makes me tighten my hold on him, burying my face deeper into his neck. He’s here. He’s really here. Safe, warm, real. The relief is overwhelming. Now there is nothing pulling me away. There is no reason to leave this perfect warmth. Carefully, barely even breathing, I li
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