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
“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
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
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
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.
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
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
“No.” My voice was hoarse but firm.Ethan's gaze snapped back to mine with a frown. I could feel the tension in the way his body coiled, ready to strike.I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe past the lingering haze of pain. “It wasn’t an external attack,” I whispered.Silence followed once again. I let it linger because how exactly was I supposed to explain that my sorceress side had manifested as an entity in my mind and it was strong enough to harm me physically?Ethan’s grip flexed, his control razor-thin. I could see it in the way his jaw tightened, in the flicker of something unreadable behind his dark eyes. He was anxious.I licked my lips, forcing the words out. “It was me,” I admitted. “It happened in my dream.”The weight of their gazes pressed in on me.“Explain,” Ethan ordered, biting down on his Jaw.“I've been having certain dreams for a while where I sorta talk to my wolf and this girl,” I paused, twiddling my thumbs.“What did she look like?“ Khalid headed toward
The moment my bare feet met the moist grass of the forest in my dreamscape, I felt it.A sentient shift in the atmosphere.The air felt denser and fully charged with something electric and violent. The trees rustled as they trembled and recoiled from a storm brewing. The usual scent of petrichor and pine was tainted with the acrid burn of unnatural.And there they were.My wolf, white fur stained with mud and an onyx liquid, her eyes burning with molten golden fury.And her opposition. Me.Or rather, the version of me I had come to fear. My doppelganger, the Melbringer. The last time I'd encountered her in my dreamscape, she nearly killed me with her wrath. It looked like my wolf had now taken my place.She swung around wreathed in smoke and tresses, flickering between substance and shadow. Her pallid eyes squinted sharp with amusement with lips curled in a delighted smirk. Whatever was happening, she was relishing it.An opaque filmy force coiled around her fingers, twisting through
I rubbed my palms together before holding them to my face. The thrill rushed through me, bubbling up like a spark catching fire. I would see them pretty soon too.I was going home to my parents, to my mom, to my dad, to Becca, and the rest of Springville.A tightening sensation pulled at the tips of my fingers as my body slowly began to run cold. The rest of Springville? My hands dropped to my sides. To Higan, my mate who had rejected me?My gaze fell to the ground as my body ran colder. I had somehow forgotten about a huge chunk of my life in Springville. The bullying, the rejection, the ostracizing.What would happen when I returned? I proposed that my parents let me stay the rest of the school term at home and my mom agreed but what about college after? Summer break? I would still be in town, under The rule of Higan Sinclair as the Alpha.“Harlyn love?“ Tyler shook me lightly by the shoulder, his voice dipping light with concern.I blinked quickly, forcing a smile. “Sorry, I just g
I adjusted the silver ribbons on the black stair hands before stepping back slightly to assess my work. The mansion’s grand staircase shimmered with strands of warm twinkly lights, and a small tree stood proudly in the foyer waiting to be decorated."Too much, too soon?" I asked with a soft hum, peering at Khalid, who shuffled by the railings hanging garlands in an ugly beige Christmas sweater and denim.He shot me a playful crease of his nose and a smirk. "No such thing. It’s December."My lips quirked up faintly before I exhaled, my fingers lightly tracing the pine needles. The scent of wine and pecan pie wafted through the room with the gentle rhythm of the perky holiday playlist Khalid had insisted on.Boxes of decorations were sprawled across the floor, and tangled vines of mini light bulbs snaked over the furniture like rebellious ivy.It was a heavy contrast from the sight at home when it was just me and my parents. We always made early preparations but none of it rivaled the g
I inhaled deeply, swallowing down the knot growing in my throat. Shaking the lingering tension from my limbs, I shifted my stance and prepared myself.Ethan’s movements remained measured, and deliberate, as if he had all the time in the world to wear me down. And he did. After a while, I was running on fumes, my breaths had grown short and my muscles ached beyond possible redemption. Or so it felt.But I still had enough in me to show I hadn't been playing around in the time that had passed.I pushed forward, my fists tightening as I launched myself at him, aiming for his side. He dodged swiftly, effortless as ever, his body shifting with a frustrating smoothness that made it feel like he was barely trying. Again.I didn't have the energy to dwell on the difference in experience. I simply twisted my heel to strike again. As expected, he caught my wrist mid-swing, his grip firm but not bruising. My pulse lurched, heat and ice warring in my veins.His dark emerald eyes flickered with so
Dressed in the same dark bodysuit as Caleb, Ethan stood in the center of the room with an air of composed authority as he adjusted his digital wristband. His hair had been trimmed shorter and he seemed to have gained mass in some way.What had he been doing? Why was he here in particular? His presence was an instant, unwelcome disruption to the fragile sense of calm I had built over the past weeks.I immediately stiffened, my fingers curled into my palms as I stopped in my tracks and my lips curled in distaste.Caleb, for his part, didn’t seem surprised. He merely gave Ethan a curt nod before turning to me. “I’ll leave you two to it.”He was in on it, of course. I scowled but said nothing, watching as Caleb exited the room, leaving me alone with the one person I least wanted to see.Ethan finally looked up to meet my eyes, my heart pulsed with gentle tremors. It only irritated me further. I hadn't seen him in so long and all he was doing was staring.He seemed to be studying me with a
He studied me for a moment, his tone even. “No offense Harlyn but you're not that formidable to insight much fear in any one of us. We've been around for quite some time, we've dealt with plenty of things, not much counts as scary anymore.”I blinked in surprise. “Okay?“ I flushed from embarrassment, scoffing, “So what's the problem?“From my doppelganger's speculation, they were supposed to be scared of me. Not that I was hoping they would be but that would be the only logical explanation as to their distance.“They don’t think you like them,” he cut straight to the point. “We have played a certain part in your life so far that you've voiced to be infuriating. They believe you dislike them for it and technically you're the one avoiding them.”I had resented them in the heat of my shift but it was for what they had taken part in, keeping me here, hiding things from me, and following Ethan’s orders like my life was something they could dictate. My resentment wasn’t actually for any of
The air carried a subtle scent of pomegranates I suspected was from the new shampoos Khalid bought me two days ago after I got myself a new hairdo. The room was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of pages as I flipped through yet another book on self-control.I wasn’t sure how much good they were doing.Somehow the last conversation I had with Ethan two weeks ago still made a point to play in my mind in unshakable echoes. His explanation about the original werewolf bloodlines, his tales of meeting my apparent mother, Gaiyetre, the mark, and then the warning.'...now that you’re aware of it, you might start waking up parts of yourself that have been dormant this whole time... your real abilities could start manifesting. Things beyond just speed or heightened senses...'To my dismay, he wasn’t wrong. I had been feeling it. Every day since my shift. Some force inside me had been shifting and stirring uncontrolled.The energy in my limbs felt heavier, and denser, like I was carrying a
I dropped my hands to catch what was happening. Out of the corner of my eyes, I picked up the sight of his hands retracting into his pocket, cradling a syringe.“He-he injected me with…” my words slurred, failing to ring out loud enough for anyone to hear over the growing commotion.Before I could try to say more, my legs gave out and I fell.“You'll be fine,” I heard the blue-eyed man whisper to me. It wasn't particularly menacing but I was still terrified.My entire body protested against giving in to whatever liquid was pulsing in my veins at the moment but I couldn't help it, I was fading away.Why wasn't my body countering its effects? That was my last question for the night before I passed out.xxxI was startled right awake sitting atop a soft plushy surface. With a casual feel under my fingers, I quickly realized it was a bed.“Huh?“ I uttered in confusion recognizing the pale green lily lace pattern on the sheets of the bed.It was the same in my room given to me by Ethan. A