-Corrine-With my chin lifted and back straight, I stepped out of the bathroom. My eyes couldn’t stop searching for Andrew’s presence, but my determination forced me to think about something else—anything to divert my attention from him.I followed Eva to the bar and ordered a bottle of beer. “It’s on the house!” the bartender exclaimed, winking at me. I responded with a half-smile, and as I shifted my gaze to Eva, she grinned.“See? You can catch any guy’s attention,” she teased.We took sips from our respective bottles, and I felt relieved that there was no dreadful headache attacking me like when I drank at Mythic Manor. That place was not for me. Neither was Andrew.Damn. I thought about him again.The hum of the microphone drew my attention to the stage, and I saw someone standing there. Everyone cheered, waving at him.“Who’s he?” I asked Eva.Eva was sipping her beer and took a moment to swallow before answering my question. “Oh, him? He’s the owner of this place. He often orga
-Corrine-He lifted me, his lips still attached to mine.I heard the club owner shout dirty remarks about our kiss that made the audience laugh, but both Andrew and I no longer cared about anything.He carried me backstage, or it seemed like it, and withdrew only to catch his breath.We were immersed in something more than just a kiss. I didn’t know what this was, but it was completely different from any intimacy I had ever experienced before.The thumping music echoed again, its sound muffled by the walls of the corridor trapping us. Andrew leaned my back against the wall. My legs circled his waist as if my life depended on him.His figure looked dark and dangerous under the dim purple neon lights. He smirked as he broke the kiss and stared at me, leaving me breathless.“Is that long enough?” he asked in a voice that sent shivers through my stomach.Without needing to look in the mirror, I knew my lips were swollen, and my face was flushed. My eyes couldn’t look away from him, and I
-Corrine-After uttering those dreadful words, they discussed some other things that I didn’t understand. However, I could deduce that these people were not part of Andrew’s pack, if he had one. They were on equal footing. Several times, mentions of Lycans came up, and it reminded me of my encounter with a Lycan. How its hand pierced Rodd’s chest and pulled his heart.My knees instantly weakened, and my hands trembled as I re-buttoned my blouse.“Corrine?”I jolted and held my breath. My fear-filled mind made me unaware of Andrew’s presence.“You okay? What happened?”He walked closer and extended his hand, but I pushed it away.A glimpse of his eyes showed he knew what was going on. He knew I eavesdropped on their conversation, hearing things I shouldn’t have heard.My heart pounded. Was he going to kill me?“We should go back,” I said, trying to sound composed. “Eva must be looking for me.”“She will understand.”“But today is her birthday. I can’t just leave her.” Then I patted the
-Corrine-My heart raced faster. Initially, I thought it was because I was afraid of Andrew or the answer he might give, but then something within me surged, and I realized something was wrong. Then I heard a voice in my head. Soft growls and purrs. My wolf.My eyes widened, remembering that my birthday was approaching. My wolf could emerge at any time now. There were cases where human-wolf shifters appeared a few days before their birthday.I had to call Trevor. And when he came, he must not see me with Andrew.“I have to go,” I said, no longer caring about Andrew’s response.Andrew frowned and grabbed my hand as I tried to walk away. “I’ll take you back.”I jerked my hand, asking him to let go. “No. I can go back on my own.”Before he could hold me again, I ran as fast as I could. I felt relieved and a bit sad when he didn’t chase after me.*The next day, I woke up with a slight headache and an aching body. Last night, I called Trevor, and he asked me to update him every five minut
-Corrine-I waited for the right opportunity to go to the library because I didn’t want Eva to follow me and find out that I was investigating her family. Maybe I could ask her directly, but I felt she knew no more about her father and stepbrother than I did, except for the fact that they were super wealthy.I zipped up my jacket to the neck and slid my hands into the jacket pockets to ward off the cold air. My breath steamed in front of my face. How quickly time passed, and so far, my college life had been fine, except for my encounters with the Lycan.Thinking about Lycan made me glance around. Many students were still passing by on this cold evening. But the sun was about to set, and this hustle and bustle would gradually disappear. I needed to go back soon before I got trapped in darkness and silence like that time. I wasn’t sure what would happen if I ran into the Lycan again. I doubted he would let me escape once more.But... what if... what if the Lycan turned out to be—“Ouch.
-Corrine-I stared and tried to scream, but no sound came out of my throat. Amid the growing pain, I forced both of my legs to move, and I ran away from the Lycan. But this time, he didn’t let me escape. He chased me. I could hear the sound of his footsteps on the leaves and fallen branches.I kept running until I didn’t know where I was anymore. All I knew was that I was getting farther from the university and deeper into the forest. Then I heard my wolf howling in my head, urging me to stop. Her will was so strong that I couldn’t resist, and I stopped abruptly, turning around.The Lycan was still with me, stopping far enough to attack me, but I could still see him. My feet felt like they were stuck to the ground, and my eyes couldn’t blink. Lightning flashed above my head again, and the Lycan walked closer. His figure became clearer, and memories of that night, when I first saw him, flashed through my mind.In my heart, I was sure I knew him. Not because I had met him before, but be
-Corrine-I was grateful to the Moon Goddess because the rain had continued to pour heavily as I assisted Trevor into the car. How he found me, I still did not know. Perhaps my wolf had called out to him. Now that I had officially become a full-fledged werewolf, I could contact any of the pack members through the mind link, including Trevor.I settled Trevor in the passenger seat, then I went to the car’s trunk to get the spare t-shirt that Trevor usually put there. I took the T-shirt into the car. After sitting in the driver’s seat, I put it on.Fortunately, Trevor had taught me how to drive, so then I could take him home to Wesgrove.Midway through the journey, Trevor regained consciousness. But his voice still sounded weak as he inquired about my condition.“Are you okay?” he asked, reaching out to touch my arm.“It wasn’t me you should worry about, Trevor. But yourself,” I replied. My eyes remained fixed on the road.There was a sense of concern that the Lycan might be chasing us.
-Corrine-What the hell?“I don’t think—““I agree,” Dad interjected. “Someone has to protect Corrine while she’s in Golden Valley.” Then Dad turned to me. “If you want to continue your studies, you have to accept this decision, Corrine. It’s the best path we can offer you.”“What if I refuse?” I asked.“Then there will be no more studies. You have to leave Golden Valley and come back here.”“Training to be a warrior isn’t a bad idea,” Mom added. “You have talent, dear. Like Trevor.”My jaw clenched, and my eyes shot a sharp look at Jerome. How dare he smile at me after the suggestion he made? He knew I hated him, so he did it deliberately.You cannot run from me, Corrine.I jerked at the sound of Jerome’s voice in my head. Then I remembered our minds were connected after my wolf appeared. He could invade my thoughts and say things I didn’t want to hear.I have to learn to block his voice.“Well then,” Jerome said, redirecting his gaze away from me. “We will patrol. Be on the lookout
-Andrew-Bent dropped me back at Trevor’s house before noon, and honestly, I was a bit disappointed that no one was waiting for my arrival there. I expected Corrine to greet me and cry in my arms, worrying about me. What a stupid thought. After making sure there was nothing suspicious, no sign of an attack or anything dangerous, I walked to Golden Valley. Maybe Corrine was on campus, going to classes as usual, and she’d probably nag me when we met later. At first, I thought about contacting her through the mind link, but I decided against it. I would wait for her at Houghton Commons while having brunch. I reached into my pocket, glanced at my phone, which was dead because the battery had run out, and then put it back. For some reason, the weather today felt unbearably scorched, and it made me annoyed. My frustration grew when I found Houghton Commons crowded, and I could feel curious stares from the students there. Some of them whispered while glancing at me. Girls I didn’t know
-Andrew-The rogue attack forced all the werewolves out of their homes. I had no choice but to join the chaos. Along with the Moon Dust pack, I attacked and tried to drive the rogues away.“There are so fucking many of them!” Bent shouted amidst our fierce battle with several rogues. We were trying to stop them from destroying the houses in the territory.Bent was right. The waves of rogue attacks seemed endless, and I was almost certain this fight would never end.Then, just as I finished thinking that, suddenly all the rogues ran away as if someone had commanded them to retreat and disappear into the darkness.“What the fuck?” I muttered as I shifted back to my human form.I kept observing the forest behind the settlement, trying to spot any sign of them. But they had vanished, swallowed by the night.Not long after, Harry came up to me. His hands and face were stained with blood, but I couldn’t tell if it was his or the enemy’s.“You better go,” he said.Instead of obeying his comma
-Andrew-I saw Harry’s Adam’s apple move nervously as he swallowed. His eyes flickered, assessing the situation for a few seconds before he said, “Please arrest them.”My grin grew wider.I walked across the front yard of the Alpha’s house, my eyes locked on the three teenage girls still trying to run from me. They shifted midway, and that’s when I was sure they were the werewolves responsible for the attack and terrorizing Corrine.I recognized their wolves and remembered their scents. Rotten, like garbage.My steps quickened until I broke into a run and shifted. With one big leap, I soared through the air, jumping over the three wolves and landing right in front of them.The sound of their frightened and shocked howl was music to my ears as they realized I had caught up to them.I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes. “Going somewhere?”They stood their ground and growled, then, one by one, crouched on their hind legs and leaped at me. Honestly, when I knew the culprits behind the at
-Andrew-Bent arrived just as I reached the end of the street. He pulled over and greeted me as I got in, and the car smoothly glided back into the night.“Where to?” he asked.“Moon Dust,” I replied. “They need a little reminder not to mess with my girl.”Bent had known me long enough to understand when to ask further questions and when to stay silent. Though he often acted tough towards me, he still respected me and knew his boundaries.The empty streets made the drive to Wesgrove faster than usual. The car turned into Moon Dust territory. There were two warriors standing guard at the entrance. Now that the war between us was over, they didn’t need to be overly vigilant. Our threat was now the same: the rogues. But compared to the lycans, the werewolves were more vulnerable to rogue attacks.The two warriors stood still as they saw me and Bent. They didn’t greet us, but they didn’t block our way either.I told Bent to stop the car beside them, then I rolled down the window.“Who’s i
-Corrine-No way.I almost screamed out Eva’s name, but I realized I was in the middle of a sorority house complex. Even the slightest commotion would draw people out, and they would see two giant werewolves, a young woman who might be dead, and me.My heart was pounding so hard it made my ears ringing.One of the werewolves growled at me and started to walk closer. Under the streetlight, I saw the flash of its fur. Reddish-brown. The same color as the fur of the werewolf that killed Daniel.I was too stunned to know what to do. In this situation, I remembered Andrew’s words about me not being able to take care of myself. It seemed he was right.This wasn’t because I was incapable, but the image of Jerome’s death—his blood on my hands—was still haunting me in my subconscious.The werewolf was now charging at me with its jaws wide open. It moved so fast that at that moment; I was sure I would be torn apart by its sharp teeth.“Corrine!”Trevor’s shout startled me, and only then did I c
-Corrine-“Hotel room, my ass!”My argument with Andrew made me forget about Trevor’s presence. Apparently, he had finished talking to the tow truck driver and was now listening to our conversation.Trevor put his arm around me while glaring at Andrew. “If she doesn’t want to stay with you, then she stays with me. Period.”“No can do,” Andrew shook his head. “She’s with me.”“She’s my sister!”“And she’s my mate.”“Fu—” Andrew then turned to me. “Tell me, my sweet, pretty little sister. Who do you want to stay with? I bet you’d choose me—”“I want to stay in the dorm.”I took this middle ground because if I chose one of them, the other wouldn’t stop complaining and pressuring me to change my choice.“I’m a werewolf, in case you forgot. I can protect myself and—”“No, you can’t,” Andrew cut in. “You didn’t even shift until I reminded you earlier.”“For fuck’s sake, Andrew! I was panicked, okay?! It won’t happen again.” I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed. “And stop making decisi
-Corrine-I opened the door just as the car’s windshield shattered. The attack separated me from Andrew because we jumped out in different directions.Right after destroying the car, the werewolf turned its attention to me. It bared its sharp teeth and fangs, growling before leaping at me, not giving me a chance to shift.I jumped to the side and rolled on the cold asphalt. As I stopped, lying on my back, the werewolf was already close, opening its jaw wide, ready to bite me.That’s when Andrew arrived—in his lycan form—and struck the werewolf so hard that it was thrown several meters from its original position.Shift,’ he said through our mind link.“I’m fucking trying to,” I grumbled. “It’s not that I don’t want to shift or—”‘Watch out.’My grumbling wasn’t finished when the werewolf got up and charged at us. This time, I successfully shifted. Standing on four legs, I held my ground as the werewolf attacked me, though Andrew didn’t allow it to touch me. He delivered a solid punch t
-Corrine-I left the box on the bench, but I put the letter in my jacket pocket as evidence. After that, I went back into the convenience store.The clerk inside looked at me, probably wondering why I returned, and I just glanced at her briefly before walking to the refrigerator to grab a cold drink.My hands were shaking as I reached for a drink, and I nearly dropped it. I stood there in front of the fridge, staring blankly.Who was it? Could it be—my mom—oh, by the moon goddess, I couldn’t imagine if it really was my mother.I swallowed, feeling something stuck in my throat, and my breath was heavy as if the air was no longer as light as it should be.“Are you okay?”I jumped and screamed. The bottle slipped from my hand and rolled to the feet of the convenience store clerk. She frowned as she looked at me before bending down to pick up the bottle.As she handed it to me, she repeated her question. “Did something happen? You look pale. Are you sick? Do you need to call someone?”Rig
-Trevor-Although Corrine had told me that Andrew was loaded, I was still shocked when I arrived at his house—it wasn’t a house; it was a fucking mansion—and even more astounded when I entered his garage.“Fuck you,” I muttered to Andrew, staring at the rows of expensive cars he owned.“Thanks,” Andrew replied casually. It seemed like he was used to getting this kind of reaction.We descended the stairs and headed towards a black sports car near the steps. “What’s the point of having so many cars?” I asked as Andrew opened the hood.Andrew glanced at me and then chuckled.“What?” I asked, frowning. “Something’s wrong with me asking?”“No. It’s just… you sound a lot like Corrine.”“What can I say? We’re siblings.” I shrugged.“Yeah. And I know she cares about you a lot.”A moment of silence. “Was that the reason why you didn’t attack me when my pack captured you that night?”Andrew gave me a glimpse of a meaningful look. “If I hurt you, I’d hurt Corrine. And I don’t want to hurt her.”