Alison didn’t see it coming. My slap was so hard that it wiped some of the powder off her face and left my palm stinging. I could see the clear handprint on her cheek as she slowly turned back to look at me, her eyes wide with disbelief and burning with hatred.She covered her face, and I could tell she was shocked that I actually hit her. Her eyes narrowed, filled with rage. I braced myself, ready for her to come at me, but I wasn’t scared. If she wanted to fight, I was more than ready.Mia, my wolf, was also riled up. She was practically screaming in my head, furious at the insults Alison had thrown at us. If Michael were here, he’d probably say Alison had earned herself a good punishment.“BTCH! How dare you hit me?!” Alison was losing it, screaming at me like a wild animal. “You disgusting, despicable btch, go to hell!”I saw her eyes flash, and suddenly, her wolf started to take over. She lunged at me with all her strength. But Mia was right there with me, pushing her power into
We left Alison behind without a second thought and made our way back toward the dorms.“Honestly, I didn’t even know I had it in me to do that,” I said, looking down at my hands. “This was the first time I’ve ever fought anyone.” It was a weird feeling, realizing just how strong I’d become without noticing. I guess hanging out with someone like Michael had made me overlook it.A thought crossed my mind, and I turned to Kate. “But is it really okay for you to show up in front of her like that? She’s supposed to be Luna someday. Aren’t you worried she’ll come after you later?”Kate just shrugged, not bothered at all. “With Robert no longer in line to be Alpha, who knows if she’ll even get to be Luna? A lot of the people who used to suck up to her have already abandoned her. And even if she does become Luna, no one’s going to respect a leader who treats her pack like that.”It clicked for me then—why Alison had confronted me alone today. She used to always have her group of loyal followe
Kate seemed startled by my sudden outburst."Hey, buddy, calm down," she said gently. "I know this is a bad situation. He’s gone too far by treating you like this."Her words of support made me feel a little better, but I was still frustrated and overwhelmed."But you can’t just leave," Kate continued. "If he’s keeping that close of an eye on you, he’ll find you wherever you go, and eventually, you’ll end up right back where you started.""You're right." I sighed in defeat, my shoulders slumping. I glanced at my phone and saw that I only had an hour before my next class. After that, Michael would come to pick me up, and I’d be back in his little castle—locked away from the world. The only difference now was that I had the college as a brief escape. But in reality, I was still his prisoner.Kate went to a nearby food truck and bought a sandwich, which she handed to me. As I took a bite, I imagined it was Michael’s head I was sinking my teeth into, which brought a small, vindictive smil
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, utterly shocked. Kate had transformed me into someone else entirely. The girl in the mirror had shoulder-length blonde hair, bright red lipstick that made her lips look full and ripe like cherries, and freckles scattered across her cheeks. My usually plain brown eyes were now a striking blue, thanks to the contact lenses Kate had given me. My eyelashes were thick and defined with mascara, accentuating the black eyeliner and brown eyeshadow that made my eyes look far more alluring than usual.I blinked, and the girl in the mirror blinked back. She was wearing a red sling dress that barely reached her thighs. The dress was bold, with an irregular design and a shade of red as bright as the lipstick on my lips. The low-cut neckline exposed more than half of my chest, the fabric tight and emphasizing every curve. A pair of shiny gold earrings dangled from my ears, and a thin chain with a pearl hung around my neck.She didn’t look bad—just not like m
Ten minutes later, I stepped out of the dorm, a small bag slung over my shoulder and a pair of red high heels clicking against the floor. As I descended the stairs, I noticed several people glancing in my direction. Their stares were different from those I had received earlier that morning. Instead of fear, their eyes held curiosity and envy. However, they didn’t linger on me for long, likely sensing some residual aura from being around Michael and the others, despite my lack of scent.As I made my way toward the parking lot, I encountered a minor setback: I bumped into Robert.He looked worse than Alison, utterly disheveled and dispirited. It took me a moment to recognize him, and by the time I realized who he was, it was too late to avoid him. We ended up passing each other face-to-face, my heart skipping a beat in the process.Thankfully, Kate's makeup skills and the butler's powder proved effective—Robert didn’t recognize me. I continued walking as if nothing had happened, maintai
The rest of the drive was quiet. Kate was worn out from driving, and I was overwhelmed just hearing Michael’s name. The sunset was stunning, but it didn’t lift my spirits at all. For the first time, I felt that maybe freedom wasn’t as sweet as I thought.There was this weird emptiness inside me, like I’d left something behind, something important. It felt like I was a kite, flying farther and farther away, but someone else still held the string.As we drove on, I changed out of my red dress, wiped off my makeup, and slipped into my favorite comfy clothes. But even then, I couldn’t relax. I just leaned against the passenger seat, staring out the window as the sky turned darker, feeling my heart sink along with it.Where was Michael now? Had he already figured out I left without saying goodbye? He’d be furious, for sure. The thing he hated most was losing control. And if he knew, he’d probably lock me up for who knows how long.A bitter smile crept onto my face. The crazy part was, a sm
Werewolves are a strange and intricate blend of man and beast. The wolf brings raw strength, ferocity, and instinct, while the human side offers wisdom, strategy, and a resilient spirit. It’s a balance that makes werewolves nearly invincible. When one is hurt, the other heals or comforts, and together, they become a formidable force. Only a rare few things can disrupt this powerful bond—one of them being harm to the wolf within.This is where the Hunters come in. Born out of a need to maintain order and keep evil werewolves in check, Hunters discovered a cruel but effective way to harm us. They use silver arrows, their tips coated with a substance known as wolf poison. On its own, the poison is harmless to humans. But to our kind, it’s lethal. It weakens the wolf inside, cutting off its ability to heal or protect. Without our wolves, we’re just like any other mortal being—fragile and vulnerable.But it wasn’t wolf poison that had me feeling so hollow and miserable right now. The pain
The forest was cloaked in darkness, the only illumination coming from the dim headlights of the car. The air was thick with anticipation, and even though the night was still, there was a tension that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The howl we heard was not just any howl—it was a powerful, commanding sound that reverberated through the trees. It was a howl that demanded respect and attention, one that seemed to signal the arrival of something, or someone, important.Kate and I stood frozen, our eyes darting around, trying to catch a glimpse of the wolves that we knew were out there. The howl was soon followed by others, each one slightly softer, as if in deference to the first. It felt like the entire forest had come alive with the sound of these wolves, and it wasn’t long before I could sense them all around us, hidden by the shadows, their presence undeniable.My heart pounded in my chest, and I instinctively reached out to grab Kate’s hand. To my surprise, her h