BLAIR’S POVI sat on the edge of the bed with a clenched jaw, my fists balled tightly as I fought to control my wolf. She was angry, urging me to rip into Harper without thinking and her rage was pulsing in me. All I had to do was just sink my claws into her smug little face and end whatever game she thought she was playing. But I knew that would be rash.The room door suddenly creaked open and I lifted my head to see that it was Harper. My wolf stirred angrily but I maintained a straight face.If only she had an idea of all the muderous thoughts I was having, she wouldn’t have stepped in like everything was fine, throwing me one of those her fake smiles. I looked at her hand and I noticed that she was holding a bottle of soda, cold sweat dripping down the plastic. “Oh, Blair,” she sighed when her eyes landed on me. “You must be sad because of Beth,” she added, walking closer like she gave a damn. “She’ll be fine, okay?” I didn’t answer. I didn’t trust myself to. I stared ahead
BLAIR’S POVI didn’t realize I had fallen asleep until someone’s hands shook me awake. My eyes flew open and I let out a sigh of relief when I saw who it was. I blinked up into Kade’s face, his eyes peering down on me. When did I even fall asleep? I must have drifted off waiting for him. I was supposed to be at alert, considering I was sharing a room with the enemy.“That must have been some deep sleep,” I heard him mumble with a small smile.I smiled back weakly as I sat up on the bed and ran my fingers through my hair. “Are you okay?” he asked, lowering himself to the mattress. His thumb brushed my hair from my cheek and then he leaned forward, kissing me, softly. I couldn’t help but kiss him back and I sighed into his lips, feeling so much better.When we parted, I forced a smile. “How did the interrogation go?”He huffed a humorless breath. “It was complete bullshit,” he answered. “They ran through the same questions four different ways, like repeting them would make a new answe
BLAIR’S POVIt was morning again. As we eat breakfast, I stared at the empty seat across from me for what had to be the tenth time. My spoon sat untouched in a bowl of oatmeal that had now gone cold because I wasn’t paying any attention to it.Where was Harper? I hadn’t seen her since we left the room this morning. I didn’t see her anywhere in the hallway and neither was she sitting with Sherry who has had her head down this whole time.“Hey,” Kade nudged me. “You haven’t touched your food. What is it?”“It’s Harper,” I whispered, glancing towards the door. “She’s not here and her absence is louder now.” My stomach twisted, not from hunger but from the sick anticipation of whatever she could be planning next.Before Kade could answer, the friendly young staff, Callie, approached our table with her hands clasped nervously. I looked up at her, hopeful.“How are you doing?” She asked before I could say anything. “We’re holding up fine,” I quickly replied. “Has there been any update o
BLAIR’S POVKade’s jaw clenched hard and I could feel the war waging inside him. His instinct to protect me was louder than any logic. But he also knew the kind of shit storm we’d be dragging ourselves into if he got in the way. Besides, I knew I was innocent and he knew that too.So after a long, burning second, he gave a stiff nod. He didn’t say anything, just let his hand fall from my hand.I gave him a small smile and followed the officers out of the dining hall, keeping my head high. Everyone watched with wide eyes and the whispers only grew wider, like I was already wearing the stain of guilt.The men led me into an office that smelled like old paper and something faintly acidic. I was taken to the drug investigation officer who was a bulky man with a sour face. He motioned for me to raise my arms and I did. Wordlessly, he and another woman searched me thoroughly but not invasively, probably disappointed they didn’t find pills sewn into my bra strap or something.Then one of
BLAIR’S POVI took a slow breath and looked at all the faces in the room. “Before I say another word, I suggest you find Harper’s ex-boyfriend and get him to take a drug test.”The men exchanged glances and Harper’s head snapped toward me. “What are you insinuating?” Her voice cracked right in the middle, a small tremor she couldn’t hide. “This is about you. You’re the one being tested here.”I didn’t look at her. My gaze remained on the leader who was staring back at me. “Bring him in. If I’m lying, the test will say so.”The officer looked between us, perhaps deliberating on what to do. The confusion in the air was pressing harder but I was enjoying it. I couldn’t wait for Harper to see how much her plan failed.Finally, the man muttered, “Get the ex boyfriend in here. Now. What’s his name?” He quickly asked me.“Oh, it’s Jaxon,” I offered with a smile. “Jaxon Steele.”“But—” Harper started.“If this is some sort of prank,” he cut her off sharply, “Or an attempt to waste our time a
BLAIR’S POVI scratched my nails into the skin of my palms as I waited. I had named Sherry as Harper’s accomplice and now, we were waiting for her to be brought here. The door opened and Sherry was marched inside, her eyes darting around like she already knew she was in trouble. My heart thudded so hard against my ribs, but I managed to keep my face cold. I had to pull this off. I just had to.Across the room, Harper shifted in her seat. She was trying too hard to look calm, but her body betrayed her. She kept trying to make eye contact with Sherry but I caught her gaze and didn’t bother hiding my glare. I hoped she was smart enough to realize her little plan had exploded right in her face.The leader turned to me. “Alright. Over to you, Blair. You asked for Sherry to be brought in. Well, here she is.”I nodded and then got on my feet. I felt the eyes in the room hook on me, but I only looked at Sherry. “I asked for Sherry,” I started in a clear voice, “Because she’s the one who hu
BLAIR’S POV“Why didn’t you come to me?” Mrs Priscilla asked me. Immediately Harper was taken away, she turned to me and when I caught her eyes watching me, she tilted her head. I knew that was a signal for me to follow her, so I did. But I didn’t go alone. I pulled Kade along with me. Now outside, the woman looked rather upset as she bombarded me with questions. “This could have been settled among us,” she said, crossing her arms stiffly. “I’m not the one who called the Pack’s drug enforcement,” I shot back in my own defense. “Harper did that. Why am I being queried?“You really don’t get it, do you?” She sighed. I stared at her, trying to understand what she was really upset about. I soon figured that it wasn’t just Harper’s arrest. It was the possibility of exposure, of losing control over the tidy image Northvale tried to maintain.“You are supposed to report to me because that’s how order is maintained, Blair,” she said finally, “We handle things internally. Quietly.”I chuc
Blair’s POVI didn’t look back immediately I heard those words. I let her go on and she did. "You want to know why?" she asked, her voice getting louder. "I’ll tell you."I finally turned to look at her and she was leaning forward, staring at me with so much resentment. "Tell me what?""Since we were kids," she began with a scowl, "it was always Blair this, Blair that. Even my own parents couldn’t shut up about you."I frowned, confused at first, but she kept talking."I spent three whole weeks getting ready for that pageant in middle school," she said. "Three weeks! I practiced my walk, my answers, everything. And you? You showed up, gave your little perfect answers, and walked away with the crown."I stared at her, utterly stunned. "That was more than ten years ago, Harper," I said, almost whispering. "You’re still hung up on that?"She let out a humorless laugh. "Of course it’s nothing to you," she said bitterly. "You barely even tried. You even said it yourself—how you didn’
BLAIR’S POV Kade’s jaw clenched hard and I could feel the war waging inside him. His instinct to protect me was louder than any logic. But he also knew the kind of shit storm we’d be dragging ourselves into if he got in the way. Besides, I knew I was innocent and he knew that too. So after a long, burning second, he gave a stiff nod. He didn’t say anything, just let his hand fall from my hand. I gave him a small smile and followed the officers out of the dining hall, keeping my head high. Everyone watched with wide eyes and the whispers only grew wider, like I was already wearing the stain of guilt. The men led me into an office that smelled like old paper and something faintly acidic. I was taken to the drug investigation officer who was a bulky man with a sour face. He motioned for me to raise my arms and I did. Wordlessly, he and another woman searched me thoroughly but not invasively, probably disappointed they didn’t find pills sewn into my bra strap or something. Then
Blair’s POV I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. So this was Mrs Priscilla’s grand plan? A psychologist? When she said we would be working with delinquents, I thought we would suffer through punishments. I definitely did not expect to sit through a therapy session. Community service, they said. Not group therapy. I didn’t sign up for this nonsense. And yet, here I was, perched awkwardly on a hard chair while the psychologist with her tightly pinned hair and gentle, annoying smile tried to pick apart my brain. What did they even expect to achieve with this? Make us hold hands with delinquents and sing songs about teamwork? Did Mrs Priscilla really think I would open up about myself? And even if I did, what next? Lock us up with criminals? “Tell me, Blair,” the psychologist cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. I’d been expertly avoiding her gaze, like maybe if I ignored her long enough, she’d give up. I didn’t get such luck as she went on with her question. “How
BLAIR’S POV Harper didn’t answer right away. She looked down, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her dress, pulling at a loose thread, perhaps buying herself time. Then she shrugged. “I was never jealous of you when you started dating Jaxon, Blair.” she started and I scoffed. “Is that so?” “I was actually happy for you,” she said in her own defense. “You were my friend and I never looked at Jaxon in a romantic way or anything like that until he started texting me.” “Hmm,” I mumbled, crossing my arms. “So he made the first move, huh?” “You were the one who gave him my number,” she said, her voice rising. “That was because you were my best friend!” I shot back, matching her tone. “Fine, I was naive but you knew exactly what you were doing when you fucked him.” She shook her head like I got it all wrong and I decided to stay quiet so that she would explain. “Jaxon texted me first,” she repeated in a quiet voice. “It was just friendly at first. Until he began flirting with
BLAIR’S POV The screech of the door opening was the first thing I heard from my sleep, followed immediately by that painfully familiar voice that irritated me, coming through the quiet like a trumpet. “Get up, all of you!” I groaned and buried my face deeper into the pillow, but it was useless. I was starting to believe that Mrs. Priscilla’s voice could wake the dead. I forced my eyes open and there she was, towering by the door like a villain straight out of a bad dream. I squinted at the still-dark sky outside the window. The sun wasn’t even out yet. Couldn’t the moon goddess strike this woman with a temporary cold or something? Just long enough for us to get a full night’s sleep? “If your back is still on the bed in the next thirty seconds, you’ll be assigned more responsibilities today,” she snapped and I groaned loudly, pushing myself up. “We’re going hiking,” she announced with way too much energy for someone who clearly fed off our misery. “You’ve got twenty minutes to
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 ch
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 ch
BLAIR’S POV I scratched my nails into the skin of my palms as I waited. I had named Sherry as Harper’s accomplice and now, we were waiting for her to be brought here. The door opened and Sherry was marched inside, her eyes darting around like she already knew she was in trouble. My heart thudded so hard against my ribs, but I managed to keep my face cold. I had to pull this off. I just had to. Across the room, Harper shifted in her seat. She was trying too hard to look calm, but her body betrayed her. She kept trying to make eye contact with Sherry but I caught her gaze and didn’t bother hiding my glare. I hoped she was smart enough to realize her little plan had exploded right in her face. The leader turned to me. “Alright. Over to you, Blair. You asked for Sherry to be brought in. Well, here she is.” I nodded and then got on my feet. I felt the eyes in the room hook on me, but I only looked at Sherry. “I asked for Sherry,” I started in a clear voice, “Because she’s the one
Chapter 91Blair’s POVThe car barely rolled to a stop when we got to school before the driver turned to us, his tone unusually stiff. “Your father asked me to take you both straight to the administrative wing. He’s expecting you both in the dean’s office.”My brows pulled together. “Now?”He nodded, and I glanced at Kade. His brows lifted, and we shared a look. This could not be good.We were just getting out of a roller coaster ride and I was already bracing myself for the storm from Robert and my mom. I could already imagine the raised voices, long-winded lectures, the kind of dressing-down reserved for kids who didn’t know any better. I wasn’t in the mood to be treated like some clueless teenager who had stumbled into trouble. Not after everything. But we couldn’t refuse.When we got to the administrative building, we stepped out of the car and I let out a sharp breath. My skin was already prickling with tension but Kade took my hand in his and held it tightly.“We’ll be fine,” h
Blair’s POVAfter leaving the drug enforcement office, I decided to visit Beth at the clinic inside the detention center. Being at a hospital reminded me of the time when Kade was unconscious and hospitalized due to poisoning. Walking down hallways while trying to locate Beth’s ward, I remembered how disoriented I was at the time. After he recovered, I prayed to never have to visit a hospital again. Well, here I was. Finally finding the ward, I walked over to Beth’s bedside, barely breathing myself. I looked around, taking in the soft hiss of the machines connected to her. I also took note of the slow rising and falling of her chest. She looked so small tucked under the hospital sheets and I wiped at my cheeks roughly, furious that I was crying again.“You’re a good girl,” I whispered, running a finger over her smooth cheek. “The only good thing about this place.”I swallowed the lump in my throat. Beth had dreams—big ones which she told me about. She wanted out of the detention c