As soon as the words left her mouth, dread filled me.I stood there frozen, staring blankly at Cherry. What did she mean he left? Levi would never leave me, not over this. He was probably by a corner, watching, waiting for me to come to my senses.But as I looked around, the beat of the music, the chatter, the swirling lights. All faded into a distant buzz. Like a fly I needed to get rid of. I couldn't move. I just stood there, my mouth slightly parted, trying to process it.I hadn't meant for him to actually go. I’d been angry, but…not that angry.Cherry shifted awkwardly in front of me, clearly unsure what to do next. She almost looked worried. Or was it pity?Before I could decipher her emotions, someone shoved past me roughly, knocking me a step to the side. Expensive perfume filled the air, and I recoiled a little in disgust, unable to help myself."Cherry, what are you doing standing here?" Ruby O'Brian’s nasal voice sliced through the heavy air. "Come play a game with the rest
My fingers reached out, gripping the hem of the sheets. My manicured fingers dug into the satin, squeezing the fabric until I could feel my palm go numb. My boyfriend, Shawn, had his head buried between my thighs. His tongue flicked the tip of my clit, and my lips parted with ecstasy. I kept my eyes closed, feeling every touch, every motion. “Keep going,” I whispered, moving my hand so I could place it on his head.He went deeper, going faster, making me gasp loudly. This was always the moment he’d caution me to keep it down, reminding me to stay quiet because my mum was in the room right next to mine. But tonight, he said nothing, he let me moan out my desires.His hands started to move away from my legs, past my belly button to my breast. I used my free hand to follow his, intertwining our fingers to keep us connected.But then I felt something strange, something unusual. His hands were hairier, rougher. His fingers were longer, sharper.I pushed my eyes open in alarm, trying to re
What do you do when you start hearing voices in your head? You shut up and tell no one.“So, you’re just going to ignore me and act like I’m not here?” Lola asked while I sat quietly at the table, having breakfast with my mum.It had only been a few hours since I first heard her in my head, but it felt like a lifetime. She was getting way too loud, and it was making me agitated.“I’m not the one making you angry, our kind is just naturally aggressive.” She said again, this time in a mocking tone.I gripped the handle of my fork and gritted my teeth, trying to pay attention to what my mother was saying. She was talking, but I could barely hear her. She was saying something about my birthday, probably planning something fun we could both do together, like always.She was my favorite person in the whole world and the one person I could always count on. I knew whatever she had in store for today was going to be amazing, but I just couldn’t bring myself to be excited.“Honey, are you okay?
I must still be stuck in last night’s dream.“What do you mean my father?” I asked loudly, my voice sharp. “Take me away to where? You’re not making any sense, mum.”“Astra.”The man spoke, moving towards me. I flinched, taking a step back. I looked from him to my mother, then back to him. He had black hair and blue eyes, similar to mine. His intense eyes on me made my insides turn.What exactly was going on? Who is this man and why was he in my house, calling my name as if we knew each other?“Astra….honey….please.” My mother forced out, staggering to my side. She took my hand and looked me in the eye. “I need to tell you something.”She went ahead and explained the situation. About twenty years ago, in Delaware, she had gone camping in the woods with a few friends. Everything was going well, until the sun set and her friends began to disappear one after the other. Suddenly everyone was gone and she was the only one left, waiting to die.“But then, Julian showed up. He saved me.” She
The darkness swooped in, swallowing me whole. Suddenly, I was in the middle of a park with no recollection of how I had gotten here. The night was darker than usual, not a single streetlight in sight. The air was slightly cooler, the atmosphere void. It was clear that there was no one around for miles to come but still it didn’t feel lonely. There was an airy familiarity that came with this place. Somehow, I felt safe. I looked around, trying to see if I’d be able to find a street sign, but all I saw were the outlines of flowers and grass, with trees that seemed to sway silently whenever the wind howled. It was peaceful, but I couldn’t stay. I didn’t belong here.I started to walk around, moving towards a bench in the middle of two trees. I stopped halfway through. Behind it, a pair of red eyes had begun to form. I was not alone. The thought of someone behind the bushes, watching me all this while sent shivers down my spine.And worse? It had started to move. It’s crimson form now
My mother taught me to stand up for what’s right, and no matter how beautiful a creature Levi was, I wasn’t about to let him stand here and make me feel like I had done something wrong.Open your mouth and say something.My brain kept telling me to speak up, but my body was finding it hard to catch up. Levi and I stood there for what felt like hours. We said nothing, only stared into each other’s eyes, mesmerized.I have a boyfriend.I reminded myself, finally tearing my gaze away from his. He cleared his throat and stepped closer, moving toward me slowly.“You’re new,” he said, his eyes still focused on me.I nodded, afraid he could hear my heart pounding in my chest.He walked behind me, his body inches from mine, heat radiating through the little gap between us. Suddenly, I felt his face on my neck, his nostrils sniffing.“You have a unique scent,” he said.I held my breath, stopping myself from swallowing the lump lodged in my throat. What was happening right now? I felt Lola strug
My body felt weightless, my mind drifting in and out of consciousness. Voices swam around me, distant yet urgent.“What’s wrong with her?” an unfamiliar voice from the crowd demanded."She’s burning up," another voice added, except I knew who this one belonged to. It was my father, Julian. "Something's not right."“Just hang in there, Astra.” Levi breathed into my ears, gently rocking me back and forth as he stroked my hair. “You’re going to be okay.”It was working. His presence was making the pain much more tolerable.I barely registered the firm hands pressing against my forehead, the worried murmurs growing around me. The scent of my brother, Jerry, cut through the haze. A smell I didn’t know I had already picked up in my short time here. He knelt beside me, and although I couldn’t see quite clearly, I could feel the strange stench of worry latched onto him.His strong hands reached out to me, his face tight with concentration, but not towards me. He was trying to get to Lola, to
The sun had already begun to set, Julian stood in the middle of the room, his whole attention focused on me, his presence commanding as ever.He was intimidating, but not enough to keep me from protesting.“What do you mean ready for school tomorrow?” I yelled, unable to control myself.“Did you think you were going to stop having an education just because you’re a werewolf?” He asked, standing tall with his arms crossed over his chest.I blinked up at him. "I knew I was going to be learning. But, education?""Yes. Starting tomorrow, you'll be attending Moondew Academy."My stomach dropped. "Wait, what? You're really sending me to school? Like…an actual school? With werewolves?"His lips twitched in mild amusement. "Of course. What do you think the pups around here do? Run around naked in the wild?”I bit my lower lip. “Well….”I paused and we stared at each other, both of them clearly aware of my unspoken words.“We’re not animals, Astra,” Jerry joined the conversation, slightly offe
As soon as the words left her mouth, dread filled me.I stood there frozen, staring blankly at Cherry. What did she mean he left? Levi would never leave me, not over this. He was probably by a corner, watching, waiting for me to come to my senses.But as I looked around, the beat of the music, the chatter, the swirling lights. All faded into a distant buzz. Like a fly I needed to get rid of. I couldn't move. I just stood there, my mouth slightly parted, trying to process it.I hadn't meant for him to actually go. I’d been angry, but…not that angry.Cherry shifted awkwardly in front of me, clearly unsure what to do next. She almost looked worried. Or was it pity?Before I could decipher her emotions, someone shoved past me roughly, knocking me a step to the side. Expensive perfume filled the air, and I recoiled a little in disgust, unable to help myself."Cherry, what are you doing standing here?" Ruby O'Brian’s nasal voice sliced through the heavy air. "Come play a game with the rest
The music thumped like a living heartbeat, loud enough to drown out any rational thoughts as Levi and I stepped into the brightly lit living room. Colorful lights blinked across the ceiling, casting silhouettes of the Moondew pack's teens grinding and laughing.We were in Damien’s house. It was neat, organized, and stacked with beer and snacks. You could just tell this wasn’t his first rodeo, and with all the parents now living at the pack house, it was easier access without consequences.But I wasn’t thinking about the party—I was thinking about how this time, everything had changed. Or was about to change. Levi was about to be set up, or pushed into an arranged marriage. And worse, it was going to be with someone who didn’t really know him. Someone who had no idea how to calm him when he got in one of his moods.She wasn’t right for him. So who was? Me?Levi’s hand found the small of my back, making me shiver slightly. I peeked up at him as we weaved through the crowd. He looked cal
It was finally Friday. Every hall I passed, every corner, teenagers were whispering about Damien’s party. Almost everyone in Moondew academy was attending, it was the highlight of the weekend.“Thank goddess Damien decided to step up, we haven’t had a proper party since we all started living under the same roof.”I heard a group of girls lamenting a few blocks away from my locker.Apparently, it was unheard of. Students here partied just as much as we did back home, if not more.The rest of the day went on the same, that by the end of my final class, I felt like I’d been present at a million Moondew high school parties.Students hurried out of school grounds, most girls mentioning how they had nothing to wear and how they had to get ready. The halls were in chaos, busier than usual. More hectic and crowded.I was walking to the parking lot to meet up with Levi when Valerie caught up to me, holding a huge textbook in her hand.“Astra…” she was out of breath with beads of sweat forming
I leaned against the passenger side of Levi’s black jeep, the early evening breeze sweeping my bangs across my face. The parking lot was half-empty now, students strolling along the pavement, but my eyes remained fixed on the front doors of Moondew Academy.I bit my lip, replaying our argument on the training field for what had to be the hundredth time. I hated how easily Levi could make me feel ignorant—like I didn’t know what I was doing, like I was still that girl from Hartville fumbling her way into a world I barely understood. But at the same time, I hated how my last words had cut him.I’d seen it in his eyes. My accusation that he was too overprotective. It had stung, especially when all he’s ever done is save me.He wasn’t angry. He was hurt.The doors finally swung open, and my gaze rose. Levi stepped out, moving casually. His hair was wet, but not dripping, and it seemed to have formed a different wave all on its own. He carried himself so well, so effortlessly that everyone
The cool night breeze brushed against my skin as Levi walked me up to my room, but I was more focused on the way our fingers almost touched with every step we took. The party was over, the memory of laughter and music still playing in my mind as vivid as ever.I wasn’t ready to let it go. Not yet."Did you have fun?" he asked, his voice low, almost sleepy.I smiled, nodding. "Yeah…I actually did."His lips twitched like he was trying not to smile too wide. "Good. Then you’ll be happy to know there’s no early morning training tomorrow."Relief flooded me. “Bless you,” I murmured, and he chuckled.“We deserve a break after tonight.”"You’re the best fake boyfriend I’ve ever had," I grinned.He reached out and tugged a loose curl behind my ear. “Sleep tight, half breed.”He walked away backward, still watching me until he turned the corner. I slipped inside and leaned against the door for a second, smiling like an idiot. I couldn’t help it. Tonight had been the most peace I’d felt in a w
It felt like the ground had tilted beneath me. My breath hitched, and my heartbeat banged in my ears. No. No, this couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t really be him.The moment Levi’s eyes landed on Damien, something in him snapped."Get in the car!" he said, gritting his teeth.I blinked at him. "What?""Astra," he growled. "Now!!"There was no room for argument in his tone, so I obeyed, slipping into the passenger seat just as he slammed the driver’s door shut. The engine roared to life, and he took off with a speed that sent my stomach lurching.The tension in the car was thick and the look on his face scared the hell out of me, but I couldn’t just sit there. "Levi, please, talk to me. What are you doing?""We’re going to see my father," he said without looking at me."Levi, no. Please, let’s just...breathe. Maybe it’s not what it looks like.""You saw him, Astra. You know exactly what it looks like.""I don’t want any more trouble. Maybe we should just leave it alone, maybe he won’t
With the help of Levi, I cleaned up and got changed. He gave me his leather jacket—that seemed to swallow me whole—to cover up my stained shirt.We were in the boys locker room alone, the air surprisingly clear. Levi dried my hair and combed it out, cleaning the spot on my shoe where the milk had dripped onto, while I sulked in anger. He wasn’t mad at me, but I could tell he was disappointed.“I told you to ignore her,” he said, dabbing on my skirt to get the milk stain away. “Why don’t you ever listen to me?”I bit my lips, watching him carefully. “I know, I’m sorry. She just knows how to push my buttons.”He sighed. “Maybe our next training should be on how to ignore comments that make no sense.”I looked down at him. “Did it though?”He paused. “What are you asking me?”“What is this mark thing she mentioned?”He sighed again. “I had a feeling someone would bring that up eventually, I just didn’t think it would be this soon.” He stared at me for a long time, but I could tell he was
“Astra, wake up!”Lola’s voice pierced my dreams with a whisper sharp enough to slice through an elephant’s skin."Check on him," she repeated.My eyes blinked open to a haze of pale lamp light. The clock on my nightstand read 5:02 AM. Still dark enough for the pack house to still be bathed in silence, but early enough that even the birds hadn’t dared to sing yet.My body protested as I sat up. Every inch of me ached from yesterday’s trainings, but Lola didn’t speak unless it mattered. Especially not at dawn when I was supposed to be sleeping.I took off my night t-shirt and threw on a tank top, slipped into yoga shorts and sneakers, and tiptoed out of my room. The pack house was cloaked in stillness, long halls bathed in a soft golden glow from the hanging lamps that never turned off. The scent of cedarwood and old leather followed me as I made my way to the end of the hall.To Levi’s room.My hand had barely lifted to knock when the door flew open.Levi stood in the doorway, shirt s
I couldn’t stop hearing the Alpha’s voice.“If you are Levi’s mate, fake or not…it isn’t going to be easy from now on. And if you’re not…then goddess help you when his real mate finds out.”The words spun around my head like a spell I couldn’t break, looping again and again as I sat cross-legged on my bed, staring at the wall like it had answers. It didn’t.Nothing did.I hadn't told Levi. I didn’t plan to. What good would it do? It would just complicate the lie we were both trying so hard to sell, like two people pretending they could walk across a frozen lake without falling through.My fingers twisted in the hem of my skirt. My heart hadn't stopped pounding since the meeting with the Alpha. The gravity of it all weighed heavily on me, like there was about to be a shift in this magical world.If only I could identify it.Once again, I was clueless. Even more that I was now in this mess. Was Ruby right? Was I just ignorant? Should I have thought well and hard before accepting to play