Outside was cold and empty of life. There was no one I saw loitering outside the hall, except for me and the little girl who had invited me out. Although Naomi had been skeptical about the kind of meet up the girl had proposed, she had finally agreed to let me go. After all, what could go wrong? What could a twelve year old possibly commit against me? Well, seeing the dark and hollow environment, I was beginning to doubt and question that question of mine, especially since the bad feeling deep in my gut was getting deeper and wider. I shouldn't have come out here without Naomi. What was I thinking? I should have let Adam know at least. I had allowed my quest for a stupid information about Claire to drive me. I hoped I wouldn’t regret it. The girl still led the way, and I was about to ask her if we hadn't gotten to a place where no one would hear us yet, when she stopped abruptly and turned to face me. I looked at her, expecting her theory about Claire to resurface so that
The smile on my lips got wider at Adam’s blatant display of affection, even though the stares from most of the pack members were anything but encouraging. Claire was looking at me like she wanted to take my head off my neck. I noticed though, that when our eyes met, she smirked at me. The bad feeling in my guts had intensified. I had a feeling that whatever was making her this devious had to do with the little girl that had called me outside and the distraction the latter had talked about. Oh god. Was there a way I could leave this party without being scathed? A sad smile sneaked across my lips and replaced the former happy one, as I searched diligently for Naomi. I bit my lips as I saw her. She was talking with Ben, whilst Noah watched them, his hands splayed on the butt cheeks of one of Claire’s minions. The boy is an idiot.“Maya, focus on me? What is the matter? Where is your happy smile?” I heard Adam's concerned voice whisper into my ear as his lips brushed my earlobes, sendi
Adam closed his eyes when my mouth moved over his flat belly, leaving behind a trail of fire. Wherever I touched him, my mouth, hot and moist, followed. He dragged me closer, urging me onto him. My mouth was tight and hot and driving him mad. A low, ominous growl escaped, the beast shuddering with pleasure, needing primitive satisfaction.My fingernails raked the hard column of his thighs, light, erotic, sending fire leaping, coiling in his gut. His mind blurred, merged more deeply with mine, a red haze of lust and need, love and hunger. He craved my touch, my hands, my silky mouth turning him into a living, breathing flame.He dragged me up, his hands like bands, although he made every effort to be conscious of his strength. His mouth took mine, mating, dancing, so much hunger beating in him I caught it, pressing closer, my body sliding against his, rubbing, heating."Say you want me, Maya." His mouth moved over my throat, closed over my aching breast. Every strong pull sent an answ
The knock sounded for the second time on the door, and Adam groaned, not pleased with the interruption. But if I was to be honest with myself, I had expected the interruption earlier. I hadn't believed that Adam's father would let us stay out of the party for this long, especially me, the celebrant, who the party had been organized for. Thinking of it now, it was wrong of me to have gone away from the party. It was a sign of disrespect actually. But why hadn’t I seen it that way earlier? Well, that was because you were so engrossed in letting Adam's stick inside you. My mind taunted, and I sighed, watching as Adam wore his trousers quickly, before heading to the door. At the door, he paused and turned to me, gesturing with his hand that I put on my dress. I nodded immediately, whilst cussing at myself. Wasn’t I planning to leave? Maya, get your mind out of the gutters, and back on track. I stood up gingerly, and began to snuggle myself into the dress. Adam must be tired of wait
“No, she couldn’t have done it. I was with her the whole time, so when did she leave to steal the necklace? It's not even possible that she knew where the necklace was; she hasn’t been here before. Therefore, how would she know the safe room?” Adam spoke coldly, causing my heart to soar, and my fears to abate maximally.“Are you not seeing it?” He continued. “It is completely impossible that Maya did this. I don’t know how the necklace had gotten into her bag, but she didn’t do it. Perhaps someone else did.” A tear slipped from my right eye. A tear of appreciation. Appreciation for being loved and being stood up for.Adam’s brothers looked at me then. The anger that had swam in their eyes shifted to an apology; they believed him. But his father shook his head, his glaring cold eyes never leaving me, creating a sense of darkness within me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in on this set up. Because that was what it was. A set up. Someone had set me up. But who? Who would want me in
The Lycan King, Mr Brekan, grasped Claire by the arm gently, and pulled her to himself— in a way that a father would pull his daughter to himself—making me green with envy. What did they see in the manipulative brat?“Talk, my child. Tell me what you saw.” Mr Brekan said, his entire attention on Claire. Claire nodded timidly, opened her mouth, then shut it, creating a palpable tension in the hall. Everywhere and everyone was silent. I couldn't even hear the sounds of crickets. It was like everything had kept quiet just to hear what the girl had to say.I wanted to hear too, the lie she was about to spurn and vomit out. I watched her divert her gaze to Adam who still looked at her blankly, probably not understanding why she was acting this way. But I did.I have read all about her types in books. And I knew that she was going to point Adam as one of those that wouldn’t be happy with her confessions.“Adam…did you do anything to Claire?” Claire's father asked, his tone shorn with worr
At Claire's request, the Lycan king nodded his head, as if assimilating the wisdom in her statement. I almost scoffed but for the love of my life.That I was fucking Adam didn’t mean I could go around behaving like a member of his family. From the lycan’s attitude since he saw me at the party, I was sure that I wouldn't be welcomed if Adam should officially introduce me to them as his mate. I didn’t blame the king though. I had no wolf, and I was an omega. I wasn't even from the pack, so my parents and origin were unknown. “Claire just gave a brilliant suggestion. Maya, and Naomi of course, find the little girl who you claim had told you to leave the party hall, and maybe, just maybe, we might put your account into consideration.” The lycan king mentioned, gesturing at me with his head to commence with the search.When I received the king’s approval to search for the girl, I sighed, in relief. My eyes coincided to search around for the girl, but with every passing minute where I
The confinement room smelled of disinfectant and spoiled cabbage, but it was just like Naomi had described it—not as bad as a dungeon. There was a bed right in the middle of the room with a white bed sheet; comfortable at first sight. The room had double windows and there was a bathroom, small but neat. It was okay, just like a holding cell. I could survive here till the investigation result came out. I had faith in Adam that he wouldn't let me rot in the cell. Sitting on the bed after the little tour of about twenty minutes; after the intake of a cup of water which a guard had given me out of the blues, I felt dizzy. I was also tired of waiting for Adam who had promised to see me soon.So, I decided to sleep. I was sure that the time was around 10pm, even though my phone had been confiscated by the guard, including my jewelleries. Taking a deep breath, and muttering a prayer for the investigation to go in my favor, I shut my eyes and slept off. I didn’t know how long I must ha
I waited for ten minutes; I waited till I was sure that Sinclair wouldn’t be coming. Then, I went into the library, having been amazed by the sculptured cat just by the entrance. As I stood amidst the hushed aisles of the library, the scent of aged paper and leather bindings enveloped me like a familiar embrace. It was strangely comforting, this sanctuary of knowledge, amidst the chaos in the hallways. With a faint smile, I decided to explore the shelves, my curiosity piqued by the prospect of uncovering hidden secrets within the pages of dusty tomes.My first class teacher would have to forgive me.Approaching the front desk, I greeted the librarian, a stern-looking woman peering at me over the rim of her glasses. "Excuse me, do you have any books on magic beasts?" I inquired, trying to sound nonchalant despite the excitement bubbling within me.The librarian's expression softened slightly, her curiosity evident as she regarded me. "Magic beasts, you say?" She murmured, her gaz
I was dreaming.I found myself in a dense forest, the trees towering above me, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The air was thick with mist, curling around my ankles and making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. Shadows moved just beyond my sight, elusive and fleeting. The soft rustling of leaves accompanied by the distant call of an owl filled the air, creating an eerie symphony that sent chills down my spine.As I walked deeper into the woods, a strange feeling washed over me. It was as if I was being watched, a presence both comforting and unsettling, like an old friend you hadn’t seen in years. My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of fear and curiosity driving me forward.Suddenly, the trees parted, and I was face to face with a beast. Its eyes glowed with an eerie light, and its body seemed to be made of shadows and mist, shifting and swirling as if it were barely contained. It stood on four legs, each one ending in claws that dug into the earth, ye
At my question about the Queen’s vigilante beasts, Laura jerked and glanced at Peter, who in turn looked at Diana before finally landing his gaze on me. “How do you know about the beasts?”He asked, his tone taking a stern quality.I knew that it was on the tip of his tongue to ask if I had seen them, but then that was impossible, so he didn’t. Yet, it showed that Peter assumed anything was possible when it came to me, showed that I had a penchant for being at places or doing things quite spectacular. I could read that at least in his eyes.“Levina told me all about it when we had left the school’s premises. According to her, the beasts are being deployed as vigilantes in the community. Have any of you seen them?”Laura shook her head. “Levina must have told you that already. So, I don’t know why you would ask that…” She paused, probably seeing the slanting of my mouth in a smirk. “Quench that curiosity, Maya. Nothing good will come out of it this time around. The beasts aren’t Pro
Peter and Laura had said nothing when I came into the house, choosing only to stare at me or rather to peruse my entire self as if looking for hurt on my body. Their eyes had been like lasers, scrutinizing every inch of me as if they could see through my skin to the very core of my being. I had offered them a tentative greeting and shifted uneasily on my feet, feeling like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Finally, Laura had broken the silence. “Go and freshen up, and take dinner. We can talk later.”Relief had flooded through me, though I knew it was only temporary. I had taken my time in the bath, letting the hot water soothe my nerves and wash away the grime and stress of the day. Each minute spent under the warm spray was another minute delaying the inevitable scolding. I had lingered even longer at dinner, chewing each bite slowly and deliberately, trying to stretch the meal as far as I could. But eventually, the plate was empty, and I could no longer delay.N
Expectation?I didn’t really have one for her, only that she stays true to herself and to me, just as Naomi had done.At least I had a new friend. Hopefully it will be enough to convince Laura to sleep tonight without scolding me. I was sure that the news of today had reached her ears. Peter’s too. “Thanks so much, Levina. You are a lifesaver.” I finally responded, piquing my eyebrows when she chuckled at my statement, when she loosened my hands from her waist, and turned aside to look at me. “I think there is a misplacement of some sorts. You are the lifesaver, Dora. It is because of you that I will be able to have a better school and social life; my life actually as a whole. I should be the one showing the appreciation.” She said with a beautiful laugh, her eyes sparkling under the board of moonlight, a sharp contrast to the first time I had actually noticed her. In the cafeteria, her eyes had been empty, totally void of feelings. She had been totally lost. I felt happy again th
It took me three hours to finish detention. Three hours of trying to fight my worst fears. Three hours spent cursing professor Bulock. How could such a cruel thing be used as detention? How could such a cruel method be utilized? I remembered his last words to me in class this morning, his last words that had sent a chill down my back. ‘No way for her to learn about our ways, for her to learn about respect and discipline in class if not through that.’ ‘That’ meaning detention. It would explain the reason why I had been the only one in detention. No one wanted their worst fears thrown at them. No wonder the sheer decorum in school.The bullying had only continued because of who the bully was. But I was sure that Rachel would repent if she was subjected to her fears. Three hours of living with them, and I knew that I wouldn’t disrespect Professor Bulock in his class again, so far as he let me be too. You are still giving conditions? My mind taunted me and I shrugged my shoulders.
I should be in the classroom reserved for detention but I was back at the bleak place again. That place thrummed with filth and despair, just like before.I sighed when a woman's despairing cry echoed in my soul, tearing at me, reprimanding me, drawing me back from the edge of a great precipice. Had I fallen asleep during detention?It was just as before.Every cell in my body craved food and something else, something I could lay my finger on, mostly because I had rehearsed the dream by now. Blood.The hunger raked at me with merciless claws until a red haze covered my sight and my pulse hammered with the need for immediate sustenance. Desperate, I scanned the area above my resting place for the presence of enemies and, finding none, burst through the rich layers of soil, into the air, my heart thundering in my ears, my mind screaming. I landed in a crouch in the midst of dense shrubbery and thick vegetation, and took a slow, careful look around me, not in the least concerned abo
It was the last class of the day, and I was counting down the minutes to the clinging of the dismissal bell. Five minutes to go. I thought giddily, throwing a glance at my watch. I was deathly hungry. After I had left the principal’s office, there had been no time to get to the cafeteria. I had returned to class hungry. It became crazier whenever I remembered the detention—a delay to having Laura’s food. “Well, it seems someone is in a hurry to go somewhere.” I withheld a visible flinch, somehow knowing that the lady lecturing us on magic and music was talking about me. I expected a frown on her face, but I saw a smile on her lips rather; a soft smile, as if I reminded her of someone interesting, someone that she cared about. I forced a smile on my lips too, and hers widened. She shook her head, and gathered her supplies on the table. “I will see you all on Thursday. Make sure to get your assignment ready by then. No excuses.” Assignment? She had given an assignment? I felt m
When we got to the principal’s office, he was in a meeting with someone, and so we had to wait by the door till he was done. We waited for about fifteen minutes before the door opened and Prof. Bulock stepped out of the office. When he saw I and Levina, a still milk-soaked Levina, he piqued his eyebrows, keeping his steely gaze on me. “What did you do to sweet Levina? What did you do this time around?” I snorted. “Does it look like I did anything to her? If your mind was free from prejudice as it should be, you would have noticed that. You would have noticed too, that I was her ally and not a foe. So much for the magic you claim to have for observation. Now, if you will excuse us, Prof Bulock, we have to see Mr Lethon.”Professor Bulock was standing right at the entrance, and his hand clutched the knob tight. Still, he was lucky I had held back from putting the emphasis on the right syllable in his name that would highlight a castrated cow. I wondered what he would do if I ever