The question echoed loudly in my mind, insistent and relentless in its search for an answer. The kiss felt faint like the leftovers of a dream slipping through my grasp. I hoped for a face, a voice—anything to make some sense out of it but came up with nothing. Was it Higan? No… it didn’t feel like him. The kiss in my memory was raw and consuming, driven by something more profound than desire—a connection that transcended reason. Higan and I did not posses that. Did I dream of it? Was it another dream like the one I had with the white wolf tearing my gut out? Frustrated, I rubbed my temples and let out a groan. My pulse still raced from the phantom sensation. Was this another trick of my scrambled mind, or something real I have long forgotten? The afternoon dragged on, and despite my best efforts to stay awake, exhaustion eventually claimed me. My eyes grew heavier with each passing second until I finally surrendered to sleep. I knew what was coming and it did come.
“I’m not an omega,” the words left my mouth in a weak whisper. Though, the haze of my dream was fading fast. Everything around me turned dark as the rustling trees dissolved into the sharp, rhythmic beeping of my heart monitor. “No, you’re not,” a woman’s voice danced through my thoughts. I tried opening my eyes, but the effort only made my eyelids feel heavier. Panic bubbled in my chest, seeping into every nerve as my body refused to move. "Relax, darling. Just keep dreaming. It’s better that way," the lady cackled softly. Her voice slithered through my mind like a taunt, doing little to comfort me. What kind of sick nurse would play tricks like that? Summoning every ounce of strength, I croaked out, "Nurse?" The word barely escaped my lips before my body betrayed me again, and exhaustion dragged me back down. For a few long, suffocating moments, there was nothing but silence. Then I heard it—a wet, choking sound followed by a heavy thud. My breath caught in my throat a
I turned, startled, as Khalid approached us in hurried strides. My stomach tightened, confusion flaring hot in my chest. "What is he doing here?" The question spilled from my lips before I could stop it. “I’ll explain on the plane Harlyn, but you have to come with me now,” He grabbed a bag from my mother I hadn’t realized she was holding. “Here are some of her things, I trust you can get her more when she needs them,” My mother stated. “My things?” I shrieked in disbelief. “Harlyn, this is serious,” my dad stepped in. I turned to look at him, but his face, illuminated under the moonlight, revealed injuries I hadn’t noticed before. “You’re hurt?” I reached to glaze over the bruise on his nose. Who hurt him? What was happening? I was starting to feel my panic rise at the sudden events, my eyes tearing up. This must be some continuation of that silly dream. They’re just trying to emphasize how my life’s in danger, this couldn’t be real. “Harlyn, you need to go!” My dad or
The road stretched endlessly before us, a ribbon of asphalt snaking through the darkened countryside. The headlights from the van lit the occasional tree or sign, casting passing shadows along the path. The van was silent. It was a chilling sort of silence that only comes after something major has happened and nobody knows what's left yet. I sat there, staring at the floor, my mind replaying the things that happened mere moments ago, most especially, the Melbringer. I heard they rarely came into contact with land owned by werewolves, so why was she there? A warm feeling still crept around in my chest when I thought about her and the image of her gaze searing through me. My heart felt hollow in a way as if it had stopped beating in that instant, yet I was still alive. I wondered if I was overthinking it—her eyes and the pain in my chest. Was it a coincidence or truly an attempt on my life like I felt? But why would she want to kill me? I'm not particularly anyone inte
I absorbed what she had said, trying to grasp the enormity of it all. A part of me wanted to ask more, but something in Abigail’s expression told me this wasn’t the time for a deep dive. The van finally came to a stop, and we reached the small, secluded airport. The reality of what was happening started to settle in. A sudden unease spread through me. I hadn’t imagined in all my years that I'd be lunged into this strange world of Melbringerand unspoken secrets. But now, it was clear that I was being pulled deeper into something I wasn’t sure I understood. Abigail, Khalid, and I climbed out of the van, and I followed them to step closer to the large black plane waiting for us. I didn't want to wonder whose plane it was and why it was being used to smuggle me out of the country against my will. I had enough questions to ask. The air felt cool against the skin of my exposed legs. I looked down at my sandals. I remembered then that I'd barely been able to change. My cheeks
Silence fell like a heavyweight after my question. The tension in the air seemed to shift as all eyes turned to rest on me. Abigail’s dark gaze flashed with surprise and a bit of irritation, while Caleb and his twin stared at me as though I’d grown a second head. Khalid on the other hand was nowhere to be found. But it was Ethan’s reaction that hit me hardest. His perforate green eyes locked onto mine, unreadable but persistent in their intensity. It felt like he was searching for something beneath my defiance. His jaw tightened for a brief moment before he finally spoke. “You don’t have a choice.” The bluntness of his words flared a spark of anger in my chest. “Excuse you!” I retorted. “Of course, I have a choice. I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be dragged out here, to be tossed around like someone else’s problem. If I don’t want to go, I simply won’t go.” Ethan stepped closer, his footsteps measured, almost seemingly in a manner that suggested he was approac
I whirled around just in time to see Ethan step into the room, his tall frame casting a commanding presence. My pulse was still hammering at the sudden intrusion. His eyes closed onto me instantly, narrowing as though he could sense the fluttering in my gut. I clenched my fists, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks. “Do you mind knocking?” I snapped, immediately hating how breathless I sounded. He didn’t flinch. “We’re taking off soon,” he said evenly, his gaze fixed. “I came to check if you were ready.” “I’m almost done,” I bit out, tugging the hoodie over my head to hide my flustered expression. The kiss... the memory remained, making my chest hurt in the strangest softest way. For a heartbeat, neither of us moved. The space between us seemed charged, like something unsaid was hanging there, heavy and unresolved. I waited for him to say something as I had nothing to say. Ethan’s eyes softened just a fraction, his voice dipping lower. “You looked... distracted.” “I’m fin
The temperature in the room seemed to drop for me. Ethan's posture stiffened, a flash of something unreadable crossing his face as Khalid jerked his head toward the far end of the plane. “I appreciate the subtlety,” I quipped sarcastically, pushing my hair back. After all, It was difficult to stifle my curiosity as I was well aware of being the topic of discussion. “Watch her,” Ethan ordered, to who exactly I didn’t know but he was already moving toward the back with Khalid for me to guess who he spoke to. Caleb followed silently, his face grim. I watched them disappear through a reinforced door, my stomach twisting with unease. They were talking about me again. I was not surprised, merely irritated. It felt like everything about Ethan and his friends held secrets. There was a secret in every glance, every exchange, everything said, and everything unsaid. They knew something, that was news no more. However, I would be spending time with them, meaning I would get the chance to
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