My heart skipped a beat. I swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. Was she trying to interrogate me? Or was this just Abigail being Abigail? Her enigmatic tone made it impossible to tell and my experience with a certain Jealous girlfriend of a certain mate of mine foretold me to be careful."Oh. I didn’t notice," I lied smoothly. I reached to awkwardly tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear, wishing she'd just get on with the harsh part. I was at my wit's end.Abigail raised her perfectly carved brow, clearly unimpressed by my attempt to deflect. "Well, you should start noticing. It's not something he does often. Or for just anyone. I like that."She liked that? I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. My mind spun, searching for something, anything to say. But before I could, Abigail straightened, her expression softening just enough to feel less intimidating."You should get ready," she said, her tone gentler now. "Prepare yourself for the most reckless spending spr
Tyler slid into the backseat, his lanky frame curling into the space like he owned it. He didn’t bother with a seatbelt, he just slouched back with a cheeky smirk.“Alright, where are we headed?” His voice was sharp and unapologetically confident. The way he spoke was what you’d expect from a rock band frontman who knew he was always the center of attention.“You know, I was just thinking about New York, baby. It’s the city that never sleeps, but you know what? It’s actually the city that makes you regret every bad decision you ever made. And trust me, I’ve made some doozies.” he ranted on. “Do you plan on making doozies, little thing?“ He suddenly sat up and leaned in to ask me.I shook my head, not entirely sure what he meant by doozies. But I guessed it wasn't entirely a positive thing.Abigail shot him a sideways look. She was clearly not amused yet she didn’t bother making any comments. I glanced over at her, trying to decipher if she was secretly regretting this trip. Once aga
I wasn't sure what to focus on, the sheer volume of Tyler’s commentary, the lovely blue top I caught on display two shops ago, or the growing stares from strangers staring at the parade of chaos we were creating.Tyler was all smiles and flirtation, casually winking at anyone who made eye contact, not caring for gender. The rollercoaster of reactions from the men and women grew terrifying.“My my, a dark swan in this pond of filth,” he told a woman passing by, giving her a once-over and completely ignoring her unimpressed glare. “What’s your name darling? Oh, you’re just playing it cool? Alright, I respect that.”I winced, but it was hard not to smile at how oblivious he was to the awkwardness of it all. Part of me was wondering if I should feel self-conscious, but the other part of me was too busy trying not to laugh and die from the attention he was bringing to us.Eventually, we reached a store, and thankfully, Tyler’s attention shifted to the clothes. We spent our time wandering
"Hell has no fury like a woman scorned."That’d been my mantra since the mating ritual during the last full moon. The night Higan Sinclair unleashed the full extent of his hatred for me. He held nothing back, and even the blind could sense it.I’ve cried, cursed—and cried again, but that was just the extent of my fury, the only release I could afford myself. Higan Sinclair was untouchable, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, while I was nothing more than an Omega—a lowly rank that didn’t even warrant his acknowledgment, let alone his respect.Before Higan's scorn, I used to believe in love that could conquer anything. My mother would tell me stories of destined mates, of bonds between Alphas and Omegas, so strong they could survive any storm. But those were just stories, weren't they? In the real world, being mated with someone was a two-edged sword, and I was its latest casualty.A sharp, piercing pain flared in my chest, and I clutched at it reflexively. “Shit!” I hissed through cl
A joke. I had no idea what he was on about, but I’d definitely seen something play out like this before. The taunting, the condescension from Higan and his minions. Higan must have recruited him the minute he got here to taunt me. Well, too bad. Whoever this new student was, I wouldn’t let him have his way with me. Never.His cold and unnerving eyes bore into mine. Even his ridiculously perfect face wasn’t going to disarm me. “You can start by apologizing, you know?” I demanded, my voice laced with defiance. “You bumped into me.”He blinked, a look of disbelief washing over his features. His brows furrowed as if he was trying to recollect himself. He probably figured I wasn’t buying his antics. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there,” he apologized, his tone flat, confirming my suspicion that this was some kind of twisted joke.“Sure you didn’t,” I spat, the words laced with sarcasm, harsher than I’d intended.He recoiled slightly. “No, I—”“And just so you know,” I interrupted, cutt
It took me some seconds to comprehend what was happening. Higan’s grip on my chin, which was nothing short of torturous, was nothing compared to the shock of his lips against mine. It wasn’t just a kiss. it was a claim, an unapologetic assertion of his dominance over me. My body responded against my will as I closed my eyes, electrifying sparks coursing through me as he pressed closer, his body overwhelming mine. My pulse roared in my throat as every inch of me screamed to push him away, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to. The kiss deepened, stirring emotions I didn’t want to acknowledge like something dark that whispered of taboo. But as suddenly as it began, Higan pulled away, leaving me shaken and exposed. I opened my eyes slowly, meeting his gaze. There was a disturbing look etched on his face that I couldn't pinpoint. Regret? Anger? He was always impossible to read, a master at concealing whatever he truly felt. “Pathetic,” he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “You think
What was I doing?How did I get here? I still couldn't bring myself to answer my questions.I'd been walking aimlessly in my nightgown in a foggy forest for what felt like ages. My feet were sore, growing numb to the feeling of the prickling grass and moist mud.Surrounded by nothing but trees and fog, I'd found myself walking straight up a path to Goddess knew what. All I remembered was my mom sending me off to bed after we'd argued about my recent bruises. Everything else that led up to me laying down in a cold damp forest turned up blank in my head.Was I being pranked again? I wouldn't put it past Higan to kidnap me from my room just to leave me in a dirty forest. He'd probably grown bored and thought to torment me into forgetting that horrible kiss he initiated.Suddenly the woods stirred ahead with loud thuds, the sound sending waves of fear down my spine. Oh Goddess, was I being hunted? Did Higan decide it was best to kill me instead?Without thinking much about it, I turned on
Not entirely sure what was happening I shook his hand anyway. It had been a while since anyone reached out to shake mine. “Harlyn Sage.““On your way to school? Shall we walk together?“ He chirped excitedly.What a strange boy. I doubted he knew who he was about to walk with.“I don't think that's such a great idea,” I turned on my feet to walk away. However, he stepped right by my side to walk with me.“Why not?“ He asked with a curious tone.He's new after all, he wouldn't know the train wreck and social weapon that I was. I side glanced at him. He looked quite nice. I didn't want him to find out why.“You'll find out eventually,” I simply muttered, picking up my pace.He followed suit.“ Well until then, I would very much like a walk. I haven't made many friends here.““The social type, I see,” I scoffed lightly.“Not really but it wouldn't hurt to get familiar with people in an unfamiliar place,” he retorted with a small grin.“True,” I shrugged. “How many have you gotten familiar
I wasn't sure what to focus on, the sheer volume of Tyler’s commentary, the lovely blue top I caught on display two shops ago, or the growing stares from strangers staring at the parade of chaos we were creating.Tyler was all smiles and flirtation, casually winking at anyone who made eye contact, not caring for gender. The rollercoaster of reactions from the men and women grew terrifying.“My my, a dark swan in this pond of filth,” he told a woman passing by, giving her a once-over and completely ignoring her unimpressed glare. “What’s your name darling? Oh, you’re just playing it cool? Alright, I respect that.”I winced, but it was hard not to smile at how oblivious he was to the awkwardness of it all. Part of me was wondering if I should feel self-conscious, but the other part of me was too busy trying not to laugh and die from the attention he was bringing to us.Eventually, we reached a store, and thankfully, Tyler’s attention shifted to the clothes. We spent our time wandering
Tyler slid into the backseat, his lanky frame curling into the space like he owned it. He didn’t bother with a seatbelt, he just slouched back with a cheeky smirk.“Alright, where are we headed?” His voice was sharp and unapologetically confident. The way he spoke was what you’d expect from a rock band frontman who knew he was always the center of attention.“You know, I was just thinking about New York, baby. It’s the city that never sleeps, but you know what? It’s actually the city that makes you regret every bad decision you ever made. And trust me, I’ve made some doozies.” he ranted on. “Do you plan on making doozies, little thing?“ He suddenly sat up and leaned in to ask me.I shook my head, not entirely sure what he meant by doozies. But I guessed it wasn't entirely a positive thing.Abigail shot him a sideways look. She was clearly not amused yet she didn’t bother making any comments. I glanced over at her, trying to decipher if she was secretly regretting this trip. Once aga
My heart skipped a beat. I swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. Was she trying to interrogate me? Or was this just Abigail being Abigail? Her enigmatic tone made it impossible to tell and my experience with a certain Jealous girlfriend of a certain mate of mine foretold me to be careful."Oh. I didn’t notice," I lied smoothly. I reached to awkwardly tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear, wishing she'd just get on with the harsh part. I was at my wit's end.Abigail raised her perfectly carved brow, clearly unimpressed by my attempt to deflect. "Well, you should start noticing. It's not something he does often. Or for just anyone. I like that."She liked that? I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. My mind spun, searching for something, anything to say. But before I could, Abigail straightened, her expression softening just enough to feel less intimidating."You should get ready," she said, her tone gentler now. "Prepare yourself for the most reckless spending spr
His words left a cold trail along my skin. Something overwhelmed me but I couldn’t tell what exactly. Fear? Anticipation for a better yet dangerous life? Or something else entirely?“That’s... a lot to take in,” I muttered.“I know,” he cooed. “I don’t expect you to understand everything right away. But I still need you to understand the gravity of the life you may be living from now.”My hand moved lower to the back of his head, and he leaned into my touch. It was hard to measure the said seriousness of the situation when he felt so warm against my palm.Whatever this bond was, it was changing me in ways I couldn’t yet comprehend and to say I was scared would be an understatement. Yet being with Ethan made me feel like I could take anything on. I had never felt that before.His words felt too sincere to ignore. Had he in a way just expressed he was also hoping we could be something? Should I ask him?I hesitated for a bit as my hand gently combined through his mane. His words weighe
It hurts to consider the fact that he might be wrong about the bond. I suddenly felt him tense up. My brows knitted together as I set my gaze on him.He exhaled shakily. “I wasn’t here,” he admitted out of the blue. My eyes flickered around in surprise. “I didn’t come home with the others. I took a detour.” His voice dropped, a note of regret lacing his words. “And I regret it now.”I gasped, utterly flabbergasted.“Wait, how did you—”“Know what you were thinking?” he finished for me, finally lifting his head to meet my gaze again. His eyes were guarded but honest. “Not exactly. I can’t read your mind, but sometimes, pieces of what you’re feeling come through. Certain thoughts float with it.”My chest tightened as I stared at him, feeling both exposed and defensive. “That’s invasive,” I muttered, my cheeks flushing. “You shouldn’t do that.”“I know,” he interrupted, his voice quieter now, almost apologetic. “I try not to, but I can’t always help it. It’s not something I do on purpose.
I couldn’t believe I was actually going through with it.About half an hour ago, I’d decided I needed to see Ethan after waking from my exhausting nap. Luckily, I didn’t get any dreams from my doppelganger, so I rested well enough.But even with the rest, I woke up with the same questions running through my mind. I needed answers. I was sure Ethan wasn’t going to offer them willingly, so I planned to catch him off guard in his room.So there I was, sneaking through the longest hallway I've ever walked through, following the faintest trace of Ethan's scent to locate his bedroom.The house was eerily quiet, to the point I could hear someone breathing from a room downstairs. I was sure if someone listened closely enough, they could hear my every step. I continued anyway.Ethan's sandalwood scent pulled me closer to a black door at one end of the hallway in the second wing of the mansion. The minute I reached his door, my pulse quickened. Why? For one I hadn't really thought about what I
The question caught me off guard. I hadn't really thought about it. A hum buzzed in my throat before I replied. “I'm not sure,” I admitted with a shrug. “Eat pizza? Stare at tall buildings? What do people do in New York?” “Depends on who you ask,” he tilted his head as he talked. “Some people chase dreams. Other just try to survive.” I raised an eyebrow. “And what do you do?” He tilted his head pretending to think. “Survive, mostly. But I do it with style.” I couldn’t help the laugh I let out following his response, though the humor didn’t fully mask my unease. “Seriously, though. What’s the plan here? Am I just supposed to sit around while you all… do whatever it is you do?” Khalid’s grin faltered for a moment. I tried not to guard up from the sudden change but then he quickly recovered. “We’ll figure it out as we go.” I stepped closer to him, narrowing my eyes to show my displeasure at his response. “Be honest with me, Khalid. What am I supposed to do here? Why am I here
“What?” Caleb and I exclaimed together. “Who's Tyler?“ I asked Caleb right after. He simply grunted with a shrug before relaxing his body. “Him apparently,” he said with a sigh.He could just tell me! I resisted snapping. My fingers continued to itch as my irritation grew. What’s with these people evading questions?Khalid had frozen mid-motion, his glare darting to Abigail. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered, pushing the white-haired man—Tyler off him with a shove. Tyler straightened, brushing imaginary dust off his rumpled clothes with a chuckle. “What? Thought I’d liven things up a bit.” Abigail rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Throw a party then, not a full-on brawl in the middle of the house.” I stared as I struggled to piece together what I’d just witnessed and heard. A shapeshifter? Does that mean he is not a werewolf? That explained nothing, rather, it raised a thousand more questions. Tyler’s pearly grin widened as his dark gaze flicked up to me, his e
Shaking my head, I stepped out of the car and peered up at the towering structure. It didn’t feel real. It felt like I’d been dropped off into an alternate world where money was as abundant as air.“Come on,” Khalid urged. “Let’s get you inside. You’re gonna love the view from your room.”More cars settled on the outside pavement of the house yard. I hadn't seen Ethan since last night. I wondered when we'd get to settle and talk again.It could wait anyway. I followed Khalid into the mansion and he led me up the marble steps. He seemed quite in a hurry to have me in a room as he rushed ahead but I couldn't shake off my curiosity yet.I had a feeling the house, despite probably one of many, held more secrets than I could ever imagine. If not secrets then answers to my questions about Ethan and his people and possibly myself.The mansion continued to overwhelm me. My tired legs protested, but I forced myself to keep going, lost in thought. Before I could take another step, a figure rush