Writer’s POVIrish took a slow deliberate step forward, his gaze locked onto Ava with a look that sent a shiver down her spine. His fingers twitched at his sides aching to touch her. He had been forced to stay away from her all day because of the Alpha’s orders and it had driven him on the edge. Now, standing in front of her, he didn’t care about anything else.With one swift movement, he reached out, pulling Ava into his chest. His arms tightened around her, caging her in and making sure she couldn’t slip away. A deep satisfied breath escaped him as he buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent. It was torture being apart from her. Ava sucked in a sharp breath, her hands pressing against his chest. “Irish,” she muttered, shifting uncomfortably. “Let me go.”But he didn’t.Her hand pushed harder against him because he was stronger, always had been, she struggled but her resistance only fueled his desire to hold her closer. “Irish, stop,” she tried again, her voice firmer.He t
Irish’s POVI sit in class, staring at the open textbook in front of me, but I don’t see the words. The letters blur together, meaningless shapes on the page. My fingers grip the edge of the desk, my knuckles turning pale. My mind isn’t here. It’s on her. It’s on Ava.She had refused to let me follow her home yesterday. I had wanted to, my entire body itching to chase after her, but she had looked at me with those stubborn eyes, daring me to respect her space. I had known it was a bad idea to let her go alone, but she didn’t give me a choice. And now, regret sits heavy on my chest like a weight I can’t shake off.I don’t know if she made it home safely. I don’t know if she’s okay. And it’s driving me insane. My fingers tighten even more around the desk, my jaw clenching so hard it aches. I should have followed her. Rules be damned. Ava always acts like she doesn’t need anyone, but I know better. She’s reckless. She does things on her own, even when she shouldn’t.I bounce my leg under
Irish’s POVMy legs feel heavy as I walk down the school corridor, my jaw clenched so tightly it aches. I can barely think straight. Ava’s absence is gnawing at me, and the more I try to calm down, the worse it gets. She took a sick leave, and something about it doesn’t sit right with me.Ava isn’t the type to just disappear. She’s stubborn, always showing up no matter what.And the only suspect is Zach. I saw him with her yesterday, talking in that smug, careless way he always does. The memory makes my fists curl involuntarily. He’s always flirting, always playing games, and I wouldn’t put it past him to mess with Ava somehow.The thought burns i
Ava’s POVI remember waking up to that awful burning sensation. It felt like my whole body was on fire, itching so badly I could barely breathe. I shifted in bed, trying to get comfortable, but even that didn’t help. The sheets scraped against my skin, making it worse.Why did I feel like that?I rubbed my arms, hoping it would ease the itch, but it didn’t. If anything, it made it worse. I remember sitting up slowly, feeling my heartbeat pick up as I pulled back the blanket. That’s when I noticed my skin.Red blotches covered my arms, the skin looking raw and irritated. It wasn’t just my arms either, my legs were the same. I tugged at the neckline of my nightgown, and my stomach dropped when I saw the
Ava’s POVTheir eyes watched me in silence as I came closer. I could feel the weight of their stares like they could see right through me, see every patch of red blotchy skin, every ache, every lie I was trying to keep buried. My hands trembled slightly as I gripped the hem of my shirt, hoping they wouldn’t notice, but deep down, I knew they already had.And then Irish spoke. His voice was low, cold, and sharp enough to cut through the silence in the room.“What happened to your body?”I froze for a second, my heart racing. The words hit me hard, and my stomach twisted into knots. I didn’t know what to say, or how to explain. His tone wasn’t casual there was something dangerous in it, like he was
Ava’s POVI froze as soon as Steve said it.“I’d rather take Ava,” he’d said, his voice calm, but the impact of those words hit me like a punch to the chest.Sarah’s face hardened immediately. I could see the anger flash in her eyes, even though she tried to hide it by forcing a smile. My stepmom was watching too, her lips pressed tightly together, and I could already feel the Anger.I needed to fix this, fast!I swallowed hard, trying to think of something that would smooth things over. Then, without giving myself time to hesitate, I grabbed Steve’s hand and gave it a little tug. His hand was warm and strong, and for a second, my mind w
Ava’s POVThe sting of the slap still burned on my cheek as I stood quietly. I could feel my eyes watering, but I refused to cry in front of her. She had already hurt me enough, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing my tears. “You humiliated Sarah in front of the three brothers!” she lashed out again, her voice sharp like a knife cutting into me.“I didn’t humiliate her,” I said softly, careful not to raise my voice. I was hurt, yes, but I still respected her enough not to yell.“You’re lying!” she snapped, raising her hand and slapping me again. My head jerked to the side, but I didn’t move. I didn’t fight back. I just stood there and let the pain settle on my skin. “You need to stop talking back and just admit that you embarrassed Sarah!”My face throbbed, but I pressed my lips together and stayed silent. There was no use arguing with her. No matter what I said, she wouldn’t believe me. She never did.“I didn’t mean to embarrass her,” I said after a moment, my v
Ava’s POV“Can we be friends?”Friends? With Vanessa? I didn’t see that coming, and from the look on Vanessa’s face, she didn’t either. Her eyebrows shot up as she stared at Sarah like she’d just grown two heads.“You want to be my friend?” Vanessa asked, her voice dripping with pride. She tilted her chin up and gave Sarah that smug, know-it-all look she loved using to make people feel small. “Do you even realize who I am? I’m the Alpha’s daughter. The one and only Alpha’s daughter.”She said it like she expected Sarah to back down, like just hearing those words would make her rethink her decision. But Sarah didn’t even flinch. Instead, she smiled wider and let out a soft laugh, like she wasn’t intimidated at all.“I know exactly who you are,” Sarah said sweetly. “And that’s why I want to be your friend. You’re strong, confident, and, well… I can tell you’re a good person deep down. I think we could really get along.”For a moment, Vanessa didn’t say anything. I could tell she wasn’t
AVA’S POVWhat have I done?My breath is still shaky, my body warm and tingling from what just happened. I don’t know what came over me, but I blame it on the alcohol. That has to be it. I would never…Bang! Bang!“Ava!” a deep voice shouts from outside, followed by loud knocking.My heart stops. Oh my God.Zayne moves faster than me, grabbing his pants and yanking them on before striding to the door. My body tenses when I realize who the voice belongs to.My boss.
ZAYNE’S POV“Why are you so straightforward tonight?”“Because I realize I can’t keep running away from the mate bond, aside, you guys are the only people who treat me well.”Damn it.A low growl rumbles in my chest as I close the distance between us, gripping her chin between my fingers. “You have no idea what you’re asking for, Ava.”She tilts her head slightly, pressing her cheek into my palm. “Then show me.”Heat rushes through my veins. My patience snaps.
AVA’S POVI pull myself together, forcing my hands to stop shaking as I rummage through my bag for the dress I have to wear. The moment my fingers touch the fabric, my stomach twists. My hands feel weak, but I push through, dragging it out and clutching it against my chest.I take slow, careful steps toward the changing room. My breath is uneven, my head pounding. The moment I shut the door behind me, I let out a deep sigh, staring at my reflection in the mirror.I look… empty.Dark circles frame my eyes. My skin looks pale under the dim lighting, and my lips are dry, slightly chapped. I run my fingers over my face, trying to see if I still recognize myself, but all I see is someone who&rs
AVA’S POVI don’t even realize I’m running until I collide with someone. A sharp gasp escapes me as I stumble back, my heart still hammering from the conversation with Steve.I look up only to realize it is Sarah.Of all people? Sarah, why her?She crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing as she looks me up and down. “Why are you roaming around the school?” Her voice is sharp, almost amused. “Shouldn’t you be in class? Or is this what you do while my mother pays your school fees?”I swallow hard. My palms are sweaty, my throat dry. I don’t know what to say, and at the same time, I
Ava’s POVI woke up the next morning feeling exhausted, my body heavy as if I hadn’t slept at all. The events of yesterday still weigh on me. My stepmom, her cold voice, her cruel words… It’s like an echo in my head.“I just hate that you exist.”I shake my head, trying to push her words away, but they cling to me, refusing to leave. I don’t know why, but for the first time in a long while, I miss my mom. I don’t even remember much about her, just bits and pieces, blurry memories that fade when I try too hard to hold onto them.But I remember the warmth. The softness in her voice. The way she used to hold me.
Ava’s POVI stand there, my body rigid, my breath shaky. My stepmom’s eyes narrow as she folds her arms across her chest. “Since when did you start talking back to me?” she asks, her tone sharp with irritation.I lift my chin, meeting her glare. “Just now,” I say, my voice firm despite the storm raging inside me. “And you should answer my question. Did you take money from Vanessa?”Her expression darkens instantly, as if she can’t believe I would dare to challenge her. I see the flicker of shock in her eyes, the way her lips pressed together in irritation. But I don’t care anymore. I’m tired of everything that’s happening.&l
Ava’s POVIrish’s hand is warm and firm as he pulls me out of the principal's office. His grip is strong, like he’s afraid I’ll slip away if he lets go. I don’t know why, but my heart is racing. Maybe it’s because of all the eyes on us. People are staring, whispering, looking at me like I’ve suddenly become someone important.Because Irish is holding my hand.But Irish doesn’t seem to care about their stares. He just keeps walking, pulling me forward like nothing else matters. Meanwhile, I feel completely out of place, uncomfortable with the way everyone’s eyes follow us.“I need to go back to class,” I say, trying to sound firm.
Ava’s POVVanessa lunges at me, her eyes blazing with fury, and before I can dodge, her hand tangles in my hair, yanking hard. Pain shoots through my scalp, but I don’t cry out. I won’t give her the satisfaction.“You think you can slap me and get away with it?” she hisses, her voice low and dangerous.“You slapped me first!” I snap back, my hands flying to her arm to try to pry her fingers loose. But she’s stronger than she looks, and her grip only tightens.The classroom explodes with noise as desks screech against the floor, students jump to their feet, and phones are whipped out to record the fight. No one steps in to help, of course. They just want a front-row seat to the drama.&nbs
Writer’s POVZayne stormed out of the room, his mind spinning with anger and disgust. He didn’t want to see Vanessa or Zach for now. Not after what he had just witnessed. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his heart pounded violently in his chest. How could Vanessa do something like that? How could she stoop so low?He needed air. He needed to calm down, but every time he thought about what he saw, rage bubbled inside him all over again.He wandered through the hallway, trying to shake off the anger, when suddenly he heard a scream. A high-pitched, terrified scream. His body froze for a second, and then he sprinted toward the sound. It was coming from one of the rooms down the hall.