The finishing touches fell into place as Ariana carefully applied the final stroke of lipstick to my lips. Her eyes, already sparkling with anticipation, met my gaze in the mirror. "You look absolutely stunning, Ella," Ariana breathed, her voice filled with awe.But my stomach churned with a different kind of excitement, a nervous flutter that had settled there ever since Michael had asked me to the ball. The grand ballroom, a place I had only ever dreamed of entering, loomed large in my imagination, filled with swirling gowns, elegant waltzes, and countless pairs of watchful eyes.Ariana, sensing my apprehension, placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't be nervous, Ella," she said, her voice warm and reassuring. "Just have fun. Michael is a great guy, and I know you'll have a magical night."Taking a deep breath, I tried to quell the butterflies in my stomach. I knew Ariana was right. This was a night to remember, a night to step outside my comfort zone and embrace the magic o
"Thank you for the dance, Ella," Micheal said.The song finally came to an end, and Michael bowed gallantly with a hopeful smile on his face.I forced a smile back. "It was my pleasure, Michael."I turned to leave, not resisting the urge to steal one last look at Nico.He was still watching me, his eyes filled with that same unspoken longing.A hush fell over the crowd. A flurry of activity rippled through the room as royal guards scurried to clear the dance floor, forming two distinct lines that carved a wide path through the heart of the gathering. Murmurs of anticipation rose like the tide, anticipation thick in the air.My heart pounded in her chest as I looked towards the cleared space, curiosity and apprehension swirling within me. It's the Royal Family," Ariana whispered, her voice barely audible over the hushed whispers. Ariana and Claire had somehow found their way back to where I was standing."Now this is how to make an entrance," Claire exclaimed in awe.A fanfare erupte
The memory of the kiss lingered on my lips, even after the sweetness had faded. It wasn't just the kiss, but the way Nico had held me, the warmth of his hand on my cheek, the way his eyes had met mine, filled with something I couldn't quite define.Sleep was impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nico's face, heard the echo of his laughter, and felt the phantom press of his lips against mine. I tossed and turned, the sheets tangled around my legs like a restless sea.I had tried to stay away from him, convinced that distance was the best cure for the growing attachment I felt towards him. But distance, I realized with a bitter smile, had only made the heart grow fonder.The night replayed in my mind like a film on fast-forward. The elegant ballroom, the swirling music, the laughter and chatter of the guests. And then, Nico appeared out of the crowd, his eyes seeking mine alone.There had been a spark, undeniable and electric, from the moment our eyes met. We danced, our bodies
I stared blankly at him, trying to put the missing pieces together. How could I have forgotten? Both Dad and Nico had made mention of werewolves having their full transformation on a full moon. Does that mean that…."Your full transformation happens on a full moon?" I looked up at him, scared for the next obvious answer.Nico nodded, his eyes holding no detail, except pain. He needed comfort, I could tell, he needed to be assured that he would be fine, for a brief moment I almost reached out to hug him, but the stark reality of the crowded lecture hall slapped me back, abruptly halting my movement."It's not your first transformation, right? It shouldn't be that bad," I had no idea what I was saying, all I wanted my words to do was console him, but I knew they were working, considering how dryly Nico stared at me."What do you think a werewolf transformation entails?" he asked a question I never expected him to."I don't know," my voice barely above a whisper, as I bowed my head in sh
34."He did what?" Ariana sat star-struck almost dropping her raspberry smoothie.After our class ended, Ariana, Claire, and I decided to hang out after I had written an emergency text on a group chat Ariana created for purely gossip and boys…not a single thing about books."Wait he said he liked you ... then asked you out?" Claire did a run down of what I had made mention of before.I nodded, covering my face in my palms. What was I supposed to do now?"But why are you girls surprised though?" Claire had this sly smile on her face. "I thought we all saw this coming."Claire was right. A blind person could see through Michael's feelings for me. I just chose to ignore it because I never wanted to be over myself or wrong, so I ignored every green light I saw, hoping it would come to nothing. Besides, I didn't want to get involved with any guy yet.'Any guy except Nico……'"So…?" Ariana sipped from her drink, very loud. A very evident sign that she was curious about my next action."So wh
"Leave!!!! Now!!!!" Nico growled at me."No…I am not leaving you Nico…I won't go." I stood watching him chain himself to the ground.His pants increased and his body greased ten times more than before."I won't forgive you if you don't leave here and I hurt you," Nico grunted."You won't hurt me Nico….I know it." I assured not just Nico but also myself.It was hard watching him go through the pain alone. He growled and grunted a great number of times, shifting and turning. I watched in horror, the first werewolf transformation I had ever seen. I moved forward to Nico, hoping to ease his pain."Stop!!" he continued to growl "Do not come close to me Ella."His claws sprouted out and so did his fangs. The silver chains were no use as Nico tried to pull and push out of them."Run Ella…..Now!!!!" Nico growled. This time, very loud.I hesitated for a minute but took Nico up on his offer to run. I ran out of the cave into the woods, scared for my life, scared for Nico. My feet didn't give wa
The body lay on the ground completely motionless. I moved to have a closer look."Step away from him," Thomas growled.They came in their numbers. I had never seen so many of them. I could only recognise Richard and Lola, the rest were unknown.I moved back in fear of being hurt by ferocious humans who may have just had another human for dinner. They all glared at me, wanting to pounce on me I could tell. My steps withdrew with caution as I watched Richard cover Nico with a jacket.Somehow their clothes were all ripped and they managed to wear it that way, except for Nico who they brought an extra jacket for."This will not go unspoken about," Thomas warned with dead eyes "I would let this go for tonight because we don't have that luxury of time and because for some reason alpha Nico fancies you…..but the next time I see you….be sure to explain what you were doing here," he carried Nico and paused to eye me for one last second before he ran off with the other.I tried to avoid Lola's
A moment passed, and the sounds of the chirping birds became more audible to my ears. My heart continued to race as I waited for a response to every doorbell I rang."Yes, who is it?" The sound of Thomas's voice through the answering machine brought my heart to a jolt.I was unsure if he was the right person to receive me, but I didn't come all this way for nothing."Hey, Thomas… it's Ella.." There was a long silence. "I didn't mean to bother….but I really need to speak with Nico….please."The answering machine went off and I waited to see the gate open but it didn't. Another agonizing silence. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a hammer blow against my ribs. Just as despair threatened to consume me, the intercom buzzed. The gate was open.With trembling fingers, I pushed the gate open and walked towards the house. My steps were hesitant, unsure. The fear of facing Nico, of seeing the disappointment in his eyes, was almost unbearable.The air hung thick with tension as I stepped