DALAI did not see myself in a high-end boutique with Lady Arya, flipping through racks of dresses that probably cost more than my entire life savings. Yet here we were. The smell of expensive perfume clung so tightly that I choked. My mind reeled whenever I saw a price tag, but Lady Arya reacted utterly differently.She was in her element, floating between sections, plucking designer gowns from hangers and draping them over her arm like they weighed nothing. The store attendants practically tripped over themselves, trying to please her. I, on the other hand, felt like a fish out of water. How could I even pick a thing here? “This one,” Lady Arya declared, grinning as she held up a floor-length emerald gown against me. “Or…no, maybe this one! Do you like it?” She swapped it out for a shimmery gold dress that looked like it belonged at a royal ball.We were NOT attending a royal ball. I arched my brow, perplexed. “You do realize I’m only going to a school party. Not the Oscars?”L
DALA Who knew bribery would bring out some decency in him? In no time did we settled in the car. Arya and I occupied the backseat. She wouldn’t stop humming a happy tune while anxiety gripped me like a vice, unwilling to let go. I had never been to a party like this one before. The school was barely welcoming, not to mention a party with little to no supervision. “Who’s genius idea was it to sneak out?” Vander asked, igniting the engine. The promise of that bike really did make him chatty. I wasn’t being judgmental— or maybe I was, but his sudden interest in whatever this was was questionable. “Joint effort,” Arya responded, flashing me a mischievous smile that my lips was too stiff to respond. She looked and acted more childlike today, and I liked it for her. Through the rearview mirror, Vander met my eyes, and my stomach jerked before I could tear my gaze away from his. The corner of his lips lifted slightly. Perhaps I had seen wrong. “I want nothing to do with this
Don’t Trust Your Bitchy Aunt.”DALA“Hey, you!" I flinched at the loud thud of the door that followed. “Lunch is served, and my Mom wants you downstairs,” Isabella announced, leaning against the doorframe like she owned the place. Her phone was pressed to her ear, and her voice carried that lazy arrogance I’d come to always expect from her. I frowned, putting away the notepad balanced on my knees. “Lunch is served or I’m supposed to serve lunch?” Isabella just gave me a look— half disgust, half annoyance— before rolling her eyes. “It’s already on the table, dummy!” She turned on her heel, still chatting into the phone as she headed down the hallway. “Have you heard? The Erymor triplets are back from their tour. They’re even hotter now— yes, hotter! Like, how is that possible?” I stood, more confused than ever. Lunch was never “served” in this house by anyone except me. I was the one who cooked, plated, and cleaned up afterward. The idea that someone else had somehow prepared
What In The MadHouse Is This Place?”DALAWhen my eyes flickered open, the first thing I registered was the soft hum of the car engine. I squinted against the light streaming through the windows and shot upright in my seat. "Where are we?" My voice was hoarse; my throat dry as I watched how the vehicle weaved through gate after gate as imposing as prison bars. The driver, a stiffened man with a scar slicing through one eyebrow, glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "The mansion," he said curtly. “What mansion?!" I half yelled, panic surging through me. The driver didn’t respond this time; his stone-cold face reflected in the rearview mirror, and his silence only amplified my unease. Instinctively, my hand reached for the door handle. Locked. “I said, what mansion?” I snapped, clawing at the locked door handle again. "Let me out!" I shouted, kicking the seat in front of me like a child throwing a tantrum. Without warning, the driver slammed his foot on the brakes. The
You Belong To All Three Of Us.”DALAMy body shivered and I clenched my fist, not sure if it was out of shock or fury. The lady beneath him tilted her head back, her lips parted in what looked like pain. She's going to die at this rate but… not under my watch! “What the hell are you doing?!” I shouted, throwing myself at him. I hit him full force and it felt like my body ran into a brick wall. The drink in his hand spilled but he barely budged. Nonetheless, I managed to wedge myself between them, pushing his chest with all the strength I had. “Get away from her!” I yelled protectively but subtly, my stomach curled at the feeling of his bare chest against my hand. The young man raised his brow, clearly unimpressed by my outburst. His grip on the lady loosened, and he sucked in breath. “Why are you here?" He drawled, his tone far too casual for a man who was caught strangling someone!“Are you insane?” I spat, glaring up at him. “You were just trying to—” Goosebumps coated
Tell Anyone And You Are Dead!”DALA“Young man? Point of correction— I do not belong to anyone. Definitely not three haggard-looking dudes.” I fired back, though the men before me were a stark contrast to my words. Knox whose piercing gaze hadn’t left mine, was a mix of cold command and barely restrained lust. The one in a green shirt– I met him first at the lobby and still had that unyielding smirk so infuriating it made my teeth clench. And the kitchen guy with a revealed toned muscle? He looked like he’d rather be anywhere else but here, though the sharpness in his eyes warned he wasn’t to be underestimated. They didn’t just look alike— they were identical in every way that mattered: tall, broad-shouldered, devastatingly handsome, and radiating power. “Woah… careful, girl!” Smirky cautioned. “That attitude might get you hurt.” “Then go ahead,” I spat, lifting my chin. “If you’re going to hurt me, stop wasting my time and get it over with.” The room went silent. For a momen
KNOXI hated mornings. Nothing good ever came of them, and today was no exception.‘Where are you? Our old man is getting really upset.’ Kael mind-linked me as I lazily descended the stairs to the main lounge.I rolled my eyes. ‘He better take some chill pills. I'm close by.’ Sharp and early at dawn, our father, Alpha Killian, had sent news to the three of us to meet him at the main lounge at 7 am sharp. It was past 7 am but who cares? I already knew it wouldn’t be a pleasant conversation. I glanced at my brothers as I walked into the grand hall, curtseying slightly to my father and taking a seat. Kael, as usual, looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, his hair a mess and his expression, flippant. Kai, on the other hand, was never caught unprepared. He looked freshened up in a plain tee shirt and a pair of jeans. But... his expression was as unbothered as ever. “What took you so long?” Father growled, glaring at me. “You boys think I called you here for fun?” “We’re here now,
DALAHe yanked my hair, his grip unyielding and tight around dark locs that I feared every strand of hair would be uprooted from my scalp in no time—this asshole. Now, I was slammed against his broad chest, though trapped between him and a wall. “Are you crazy?!” I shrieked annoyedly, looking up at those honey-brown eyes that seemed to disarm me despite the incredible amount of anger they held.Unsurprisingly, I would never be able to break free, except he was willing to let go. “I will scream if you don’t let me go right now!”He flashed me a lopsided smile that displayed the dimple on his left cheek. “By all means, have at it,” Knox gestured with his other hand. “I hope someone comes to rescue you from me.”My stomach curled. I hated him so much, all three of them. Yet, my body reacted in the wrongest way to this proximity.He was too close, his strong masculine scent filling my nose, and I almost melted into him. I needed to snap out of this.Angling my head to meet his gaze agai
DALA Who knew bribery would bring out some decency in him? In no time did we settled in the car. Arya and I occupied the backseat. She wouldn’t stop humming a happy tune while anxiety gripped me like a vice, unwilling to let go. I had never been to a party like this one before. The school was barely welcoming, not to mention a party with little to no supervision. “Who’s genius idea was it to sneak out?” Vander asked, igniting the engine. The promise of that bike really did make him chatty. I wasn’t being judgmental— or maybe I was, but his sudden interest in whatever this was was questionable. “Joint effort,” Arya responded, flashing me a mischievous smile that my lips was too stiff to respond. She looked and acted more childlike today, and I liked it for her. Through the rearview mirror, Vander met my eyes, and my stomach jerked before I could tear my gaze away from his. The corner of his lips lifted slightly. Perhaps I had seen wrong. “I want nothing to do with this
DALAI did not see myself in a high-end boutique with Lady Arya, flipping through racks of dresses that probably cost more than my entire life savings. Yet here we were. The smell of expensive perfume clung so tightly that I choked. My mind reeled whenever I saw a price tag, but Lady Arya reacted utterly differently.She was in her element, floating between sections, plucking designer gowns from hangers and draping them over her arm like they weighed nothing. The store attendants practically tripped over themselves, trying to please her. I, on the other hand, felt like a fish out of water. How could I even pick a thing here? “This one,” Lady Arya declared, grinning as she held up a floor-length emerald gown against me. “Or…no, maybe this one! Do you like it?” She swapped it out for a shimmery gold dress that looked like it belonged at a royal ball.We were NOT attending a royal ball. I arched my brow, perplexed. “You do realize I’m only going to a school party. Not the Oscars?”L
DALA My breath got caught in my throat as I stared at the mask like a knife was being launched at me. Taking that mask would put me in absolute trouble. I felt a pulse in my throat. They didn’t know, they were just guessing, right? “You really think that she could be Lunalust?” Amber joked, “Seriously?” I let out a fake laughter, sounding more like a hyena than hyenas themselves. “Then I guess she’s Beyonce,” I joked. Both of them exchanged curious glances. The blonde spoke first. “Oh, so you know…” “Of course we do! First, it’s absolutely ridiculous that you believe she is in this school because of what? A logo? That’s unreasonable, and I am not putting that contaminated mask on my face. Neither is she.” I gulped hard, nodding like a child getting defended by her mother. “Yeah, whatever.” They rolled their eyes, “Neither of you looks as hot as her anyways. We should have skipped you two.” “You now have the chance to do so,” Amber shot back. “Run along.” My lips
DALAMorning came rather too quickly, and I barely slept a wink, not with Arya’s outburst still playing repeatedly in my head. Regardless, I had no choice but to start my day, though wondering if she was still mad at me.There had to be a way I could make it up to her. My phone buzzed on the nightstand beside me, ringing while my aunt’s name was displayed as the caller. She was relentless with her calls, and I ignored every single one of them. I turned my phone off and pulled myself out of bed.Serving breakfast was my responsibility, as always. It didn’t feel like I was just Arya’s maid for some reason, but I didn’t mind. This family clothed and fed me, and I was suddenly in college. It was only normal for me to try to do right by them.The smell of eggs and toast filled the grand dining hall as I moved around, setting plates and pouring juice with the hopes of getting away before they arrived. Perhaps I was too slow. The family arrived individually, sitting at the long, ridiculousl
KNOXKai and I were sprawled out in my room doing important work.Important work had us glued to my laptop screen. LunaLust’s latest stream was playing, and neither of us had spoken in minutes—too busy watching and melting.Fuck. She was sexy. There was just something about her that reeled me in so deep I couldn’t care to detach.“Bro!” Kai muttered, “Why couldn’t the moon goddess give me a mate like that? What kind of injustice is this? She moves like water, fucking hell! Why is Kael missing this?”“He’s probably wanking to—”“You know he wouldn’t,” Kai intercepted, and it was true. Kael was decent—maybe too decent—for dirty things like that if I wasn’t forcing him into them.I hummed her background tune, my fingers tapping absently against the laptop’s trackpad as I replayed the last few seconds. “Dude, you’ve replayed that like ten times,” Kai complained, launching a pillow at me. I caught it before it hit my face and shoved it off. “Shut up.”I rewound, but this time, something c
VANDERI didn’t even know why I’d brought it up here— the cigarette packet flicking back and forth between my fingers. It wasn’t lit, not even opened, and I shouldn’t. I was trying to quit, after all.The rooftop was still enough to calm the storm in my head, though it was one step of self-control away from just lighting one up and being done with it. It wasn’t like I was addicted or anything, I could stop if I wanted to.The door behind me creaked open, but I didn’t turn as Kael’s steady footsteps resounded closer. “I thought you were trying to quit,” Kael’s voice cut through the silence.I exhaled slowly, pressing the packet between my thumb and forefinger. “I don’t have a reason to quit, like you.” Kael didn’t respond right away. We both knew what the silence meant. He stood next to me, gazing at the open, velvety sky. Kael had always been the only one to check in without pushing or prying.Seconds slipped by, time taking up space between us. “Thanks, man,” I mentioned, glancing
DALAThe rain sure had comedic timing, calling a ceasefire as soon as it was time to go. I stepped outside the diner, and there was a limousine. An actual black, stretch, windows-too-dark-to-see-anything-inside limousine— same as this morning. My brain screeched to a halt, my mind on autopilot as I gawked hard, blinking again before turning on my heels to Knox, who had a perfectly crafted smile gracing his face.“Really? What’s this?” Knox stood beside it, casually tucking his hands in his pockets, like this wasn’t the most obnoxious display of wealth I’d seen up close, probably second to them having a whole private classroom. His thin, red…luscious lips (if you were me, you’d stare too. He’s stupidly attractive) curled into an infuriatingly smug smile. “Your chariot, obviously.”“You brought a whole limo?” I gestured at it like I needed someone else to confirm I wasn’t hallucinating. “For what? To pick up little ol’ me?”Kai, who stood by the door, snorted, barely looking up from
VANDERIt had been a long time since I’d been behind the wheel, and damn, had I missed it. This…was where I could be myself, not within the stifling walls of that house.The moment my foot hit the gas, I felt that familiar high. The world blurred past in streaks of green, and the hum of the engine sent a thrill straight through me. This was the kind of thing that made me feel alive. No pretense, no fake smiles, no expectations. Just the open road, the car, and my hands wrapped around the wheel like I owned the world. Except. I didn’t own the world. I owned nothing.In the passenger seat, Dala was clutching her seatbelt like it was a damn rosary, looking at me like I was about to drive us straight into a ditch.“Vander!” she yelped, her voice pitching as I swerved past a slow-moving truck with barely a foot of space between us. “I’d really, really appreciate it if you didn’t have us scraped off the pavement today.”I smirked, not slowing in the slightest. “Where’s the fun in that?”“T
DALA The lecture was torture. And not the ‘Ugh, I hate this subject’ kind. No, no. This was the ‘Why am I here? Who did I offend in my past life?’ type of suffering. Professor Xavier—because apparently, that was his actual title—stood at the front of the room, looking like he’d rather be anywhere but here, which was ironic considering I was thinking the same thing. He went on and on, his deep voice droning over topics I wasn’t even sure existed before today. If I wasn’t trying so hard not to attract attention, I would’ve laid my head on my desk and accepted my fate. There were only a few students, which made it worse. There was no place to hide. Every time Xavier’s sharp gaze swept over the room, I felt like a criminal under trial. Then, as if the universe hadn’t done enough, he said the words that made my stomach drop. “You will each meet me in my office before the week runs out to get my signature on your enrollment file. No exceptions.” Oh. Great. The only thing worse th