BLAIR’S POVI sat in the dean of students' affairs office, my fingers itching nervously as I fiddled with the hem of my shirt. Kade sat beside me, looking completely calm, which only made my anxiety worse. I lifted my gaze to stare at the dean, whose face was a mask of dissatisfaction. He kept glancing between me and Kade, and I was sure that if Kade hadn’t been there, he would have unleashed his fury on me. He just seemed to be holding himself back for some unknown reason. What kind of trouble had I gotten myself into? My heart pounded as I waited for him to speak. “Miss Thorn, some issues have been brought to the school’s attention concerning you,” Mr. Gregory, the dean, said in a serious voice after clearing his throat.“What issues?” Kade snapped immediately, acting protective as he adjusted in his seat, and staring at the dean with a frown. I stole a glance at him, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was the one in trouble, not me.Mr. Gregory cleared his throat once
BLAIR’S POV“I’m quite disappointed in you, Blair,” Alpha Steele said with a stern voice as I stood before him, my eyes fixed on the ground. I could feel Jaxon’s presence, and I didn’t want to look at him because I was sure he had a smug smile on his face.The ride here was long and hellish. Jaxon kept taunting me, asking me to apologize to him. He said if I did, he would put in a good word for me to his father.I had ignored him, acting like I wasn’t hearing him and that had obviously pissed him off because he was going to lay his hands on me.“Leave me alone!” I had screamed and the men in front looked back.“Mind your business and just drive,” Jaxon had barked at them. They did just that, facing forward and not paying attention to what was going on in the backseat. I realized that I wasn’t safe in the car even though I was not alone with Jaxon.“You know, you look prettier when you’re afraid or in tears,” he had said to me, touching my cheek with his finger.I moved away from him,
BLAIR’S POVI entered my room and slammed the door behind me, tears blurring my vision. I kept my head down, recalling how my day had gone.Leaving Alpha Steele’s home, no one had offered me a ride, not like I expected it after things ended that way. I tried to book several rides home, but each one cancelled on me like the universe had conspired against me. After waiting for several minutes, I finally found an old woman. “Why are you crying, child?” she asked as she pulled over to me and rolled down the window. I hadn’t realized I was crying until she asked. I wiped my tears immediately, offering her a fake smile before hopping in. “I’m okay, ma’am. Thank you for your concern.” The entire ride, I tried not to cry because she kept watching me through her rearview mirror. “Is it boy troubles?” she asked, trying to strike up a conversation. I really didn’t want to talk about it, especially not with someone I didn’t know.“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it with Granny,” sh
KADE’S POVI gripped the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white, my jaw clenched as I forced my focus on the road ahead. Keeping my anger in check was damn near impossible after seeing Blair cry.Watching her so hurt felt like a knife had been driven straight into my chest. And I would do anything to pull it out and make her happy again. To see her move on without that asshole Jaxon in her life.But I needed help. And the only person who had the power to fix this was my father.Our relationship, however, was strained, if not completely unrepairable. After what happened last year, he barely spoke to me and a wall had been erected between us. But for Blair, I was willing to tear that wall down.Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. My father never made anything easy but this time, I would not back down.As I pulled into the estate, an uneasy feeling settled in me. This was where I had grown up, where most of my fondest memories had been made. But as I grew, this place became
BLAIR’S POVMy foot tapped anxiously against the floor and the room felt suffocating as each second passed. Jaxon sat across from me, glaring with open hatred. Beside him, his father, Alpha Steele, looked irritated.To my right, my mother sat with her head down, and her face pale. Robert, my stepfather, was the only one who looked completely at ease, exuding his usual confidence. And I was the only one struggling to keep it together. In fact, I was about to lose my mind. I never thought Robert would actually step in like this to help me in this situation. When he called yesterday, telling me to prepare for this meeting, I wasn’t sure if my mother had told him everything. She had told me she wouldn’t intervene but from the way things were going, I might not be going back to Jaxon after all.Alpha Steele cleared his throat as he began to speak again. “I understand that Blair is your stepdaughter, but her father made arrangements before he passed.”Robert raised an eyebrow. “Arrangemen
BLAIR’S POV“What’s wrong with Kade?” I wondered, walking down the hallway at school. I could see people glancing at me occasionally, but I didn’t care anymore. They could say whatever they wanted but the best revenge was getting Jaxon out of my life. But now, the one person I actually wanted to keep was pushing me away. Did I say something bad to Kade? I couldn’t think of anything wrong I did to him even after spending hours yesterday thinking about it. So why was he so cold to me yesterday? He left the room without even asking me about the details of the meeting. And then returned very late at night and didn’t say a word to me. He just laid in bed and slept off like I wasn’t in the room. And this morning, he left so early like he was avoiding me.I sighed, gripping my bag tighter, and telling myself that he would come around. He probably just had terrible mood swings. But just as I turned the corner to my locker, I froze. My eyes widened as I took in the sight before me. Standin
KADE’S POV I felt like a piece of shit. No. Lara made me feel like a piece of shit. I accepted my father’s deal, knowing fully well there would be consequences with dating Lara. But I never expected those consequences to come wrapped in a Dior dress with an insufferable need for attention. At first, I told myself I’d break up with her after a few weeks. I’d make up an excuse to end the relationship, maybe even set her up to cheat on me. I didn’t care, as long as my father believed I had nothing to do with the breakup and our deal remained intact. But now? Two weeks felt like a lifetime. Hell, two more days and I was going to lose my mind. But how could I end it so swiftly when my father texted to remind me of our deal? He warned that ending the relationship with Lara would have consequences. Exhaling, I stole a glance at her beside me and felt even more angry. I hated her voice, the way she spoke in that babyish tone, thinking it was cute when all it did was grate on m
BLAIR’S POV I thought I’d seen the worst when it came to triggers. Jaxon and Harper had always been on my mind, but nothing prepared me for what I had to deal with Lara and Kade. Kade returned to the room after lectures but barely said a word to me. When he did, he mumbled something about using the bathroom. I was expecting to know why he wanted to talk to me at the cafeteria before Lara interrupted. But he didn’t bring that up or even act like he wanted to speak to me earlier. He just went straight to the bathroom and when he got out, he picked up his phone and began to scroll away. I acted like I didn’t notice but my heart was tearing to pieces over the fact that he wasn’t even trying to strike up a conversation. Where was the Kade that moved in with me? Fine, he wasn’t an extrovert but he used to glance at me sometimes. This new Kade pretended I didn’t exist even while sharing the same room with me. Sighing, I stole a glance at him, about to speak. But a knock sound
BLAIR’S POVI looked around the storage room, still struggling to believe this was really happening. The place was filthy. Dust covered everything, empty boxes were lying around, the walls looked like they would crumble in any second, and the floor was nothing but broken wood and scattered trash. Mrs. Priscilla stood in front of us as if this disaster was something to be proud of.“Boys and girls,” she called with a crooked smile, like she wanted to offend us. “This is your first assignment,” she said and my stomach twisted.Jaxon frowned and asked, “What exactly are we supposed to do here?”Mrs. Priscilla turned to him and answered, “You’ll tear down the wall near the pipeline, rip up the damaged flooring, and clear out every piece of debris in this room. I want it spotless.”I couldn’t stop myself as I grumbled. “You have got to be kidding.”She acted like I hadn’t said anything. Her finger shot out, pointing at me first, then at Jaxon. “You two will work on that wall.”My jaw drop
BLAIR’S POV“Wake up!”My eyes snapped open, my head aching like I’d been pulled out of a nightmare. Except this was the nightmare.Mrs. Priscilla’s shadow came over me and I looked up to see her hands on her hips as she glared down at me. I scrambled to my feet even though my legs were wobbling and wiped my eyes to blink away the sleep in them. What the hell was the time? And why was she standing in our room like some deranged rooster at the crack of dawn?Beside me, Kade groaned, half-buried under his thin blanket. He turned away from Mrs. Priscilla, pulling the sheet higher over himself. His hair stuck up in every direction, the dark strands messy from sleep, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop from smiling.Mrs. Priscilla wasn’t nearly as amused. She marched over to his bed with all the grace of a military general and tapped her fingers sharply against his forehead. “Up. Now.”Kade’s groggy mumble came muffled from under the blanket. “Go away with your fat hands.”M
BLAIR’S POV I tugged my jacket tighter around me, hating how the cold wind kept sneaking past the fabric like it was on a personal mission to freeze my bones. Winter wasn’t here yet, but it sure as hell was announcing itself like an unwanted guest. I blew air into my palms for warmth, glancing at my phone. It was already two minutes past eight. Seriously? Mrs Priscilla had barked at us about being here at eight sharp. Where was she now? “This is all your fault, Blair,” Harper snapped and I turned to her. Her arms were crossed like a spoiled brat who’d just been told no for the first time in her life. “We wouldn’t be here freezing if it wasn’t for you.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Of course, she’d find a way to twist this around. God forbid Harper takes any responsibility for her miserable life. Apart from freezing my ass off, being dragged away from the comfort of my room, my warm bed, and decent food, forced to spend two hellish weeks around criminals… yeah, the cherry
BLAIR’S POVMrs. Priscilla was a woman who seemed like a myth in Northvale. Many called her “the absolute nightmare” and she was notorious for her methods in bending and stretching students till they became perfect. And here she was, standing in front of us, looking completely in her element. Her expression was neutral, yet somehow filled with an energy that made my stomach sink. The way she surveyed the room, like a queen inspecting her soldiers, only made my anxiety worse. Why did Mr Gregory have to involve her?Mrs Priscilla cleared her throat, and he gave her a nod. “Go ahead,” he said, like he was handing us over to a prison warden. The woman clasped her hands together and began to speak. “I’ve been informed that the four of you have been rather… naughty.” I swallowed hard. That word, coming from her mouth, sounded like the start of a horror movie. Kade, beside me, still looked lost, like he was waiting for someone to tell him who the woman was. Of course, he didn’t know.
BLAIR’S POVI looked at Kade as I listened to the recording, realizing he was the one who made it. He smirked and I looked away, turning my attention to Harper who had just walked into the cafeteria, and was now staring into her phone.And then the whisperings started. “Oh, look who finally decided to show her face.” Someone let out a loud, mocking laugh. “Harper, how does it feel to steal your best friend’s leftovers?” A fresh wave of murmurs spread across the hall. “She really thought Jaxon was worth it?” “What a jealous little wench. Blair leveled up, and Harper just couldn’t take it. She just has to go after her friend’s boys.“She and Jaxon deserve each other, two pathetic losers.” “Who does that?”I sat still, putting a hand under my chin and watching the scene unfold. I tilted my head, wondering how Harper was feeling now that she was being treated like a joke. She seemed to have been so untouchable for so long, and now that she’d fallen, everyone was getting their
KADE’S POVWe finished basketball practice and Jaxon still did not show up. Or maybe he didn’t come to school at all, because he was being ridiculed. If that was the case, it was funny because how could he not have the balls to take what he always dished out?As I was undressing in the locker room, my teammates complained about being hungry.“We’re going to the cafeteria. You coming, Kade?” Jasper called, standing at the door.“You guys can go without me,” I replied, waving them off. “I’ll join you soon.”“Aight.”They left and I was alone in the locker room. I relaxed for a while, listening to a new jam Craig shared. Afterwards, I took a cold shower and changed into my clothes before texting Blair.“”Hey princess, where are you?””Her reply didn’t come immediately and I was about calling when I got a text notification from her.“”I just left the dean’s office. Meet up at the cafeteria?””“”You bet,”” I texted back.I barely made it three steps out of the locker room before coming fa
BLAIR’S POVI woke up to Kade beside me, his arm lazily draped over his eyes, and his chest rising and falling. For a second, I just watched him, soaking in the quiet. It wasn’t often that things between us felt this… peaceful. When he finally stirred, blinking at me, a lazy smile curved on his lips. "You watching me sleep? That’s kinda creepy, princess." I rolled my eyes, stretching my arms over my head. "Shut up. I was just making sure you were still breathing." He chuckled, pushing himself up on one elbow and planting a kiss on my lips. "I meant what I said last night, Blair. I won’t let things like this come between us again. I’ll communicate more. Promise." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Swear it." He held up three fingers like a scout. "Swear on my life." Then, as if reconsidering, he added, "Okay, maybe not my life. But I swear." I smirked. "Good. Because if you pull another disappearing act, I’ll hunt you down." He let out a low laugh, ruffling my hair. "I’d like
KADE’S POVIt’s okay, Will,” Blair said finally, still not looking at me. “I’ll go with him. Thank you for tonight.”“No worries,” he smiled. “Take care of yourself.” He gave her a small nod, then walked off, leaving her with me.The ride home was quiet. Blair barely looked at me. She kept her eyes on the window, and I figured I’d wait until we got home to say anything.Once we walked in, she moved ahead of me, her heels clicking across the floor. She reached for the back of her dress, trying to pull the zipper down. I stood frozen as I watched her undo it and slowly step out of the dress.She didn’t have a bra on, just panties and nipple covers. The second she turned even slightly, I could see the shape of her breasts and my body reacted before I could stop it.But Blair didn’t care. It was like I wasn’t even there. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself, her soft ass bouncing a little as she moved.“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, trying to calm myself. “Can we talk?”
KADE’S POVI stepped back a little, smirking. “You heard me, Jaxon. I’m doing the world a favor. Honestly, should I send you a bill for saving lives?”A few people laughed, and someone even snorted.Jaxon’s face turned red. “You’re one to talk. You’re out here screwing your stepsister,” he said with a sneer. “Isn’t that incest? You’re disgusting.”I laughed. “You clearly don’t know what incest means.” I shrugged. “Not surprised though. Life must be tough with a brain like yours.”He shoved me hard, veins popping in his neck, eyes wild. But I just smiled.“You think you’re funny, huh?” he spat.“Let’s make it easy,” I said. “You must feel like a loser, so let’s find out if you are one. Go ahead, point to just one person who’s fucked you and will actually admit it.”Silence.No one spoke. Not even him or Harper. I smiled wider. “Didn’t think so.” Then I added, just loud enough for everyone to hear, “Maybe you just don’t swing that way, Jaxon. That’s why Blair wants nothing to do with y