Cassie.I walked into school with my head held high, determined to carve out a life of my own. It was the first day of college which was supposed to be the start of something new—a fresh beginning, far from the life I lived in the past, away from Axel's dominating presence, the events of this morning long forgotten.The smell of humans hit me before I even stepped inside the large lecture room.Their scents were layered-sweet, earthy, musky-but underneath it all, there was something familiar. A faint trace of wolf lingered in the air, subtle but undeniable.It didn't surprise me because Truman Spell College had a mix of humans and werewolves, though most humans were blissfully unaware of the supernatural world they lived alongside.I found an empty seat toward the middle of the class and settled in. No one paid me any attention. Students chatted in small clusters, laughing and exchanging stories as if they'd known each other forever, while I sat alone, invisible.It stung more than I
Cassie. I cried harder as the punches landed on my ribs, my back, my shoulders—every part of me that could be reached. Even though they were human, their blows hurt. Maybe it was the sheer number of them or the fact that I hadn’t seen it coming, but I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face as I lay there. The floor beneath me felt cold, but the burning pain coursing through my ribs, arms, and face distracted me from everything else. My vision blurred with tears as I curled into myself, trying to shield my head from their attacks. Why me? What had I done to deserve this? Cy was quiet in the back of my mind, an unusual stillness from her, because usually when something like this happened, she’d try to comfort me with soft words, but there was nothing. I knew, deep down, that her reason for remaining quiet had to do with the fact that we were dealing with humans, but it still hurt nonetheless. Just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, a loud, heavy bang echoe
Cassie. The man carried me up several flights of stairs, his strong arms steady and unyielding as I sagged against him. Each step sent jolts of pain through my battered body, but I bit my lip and stayed silent. When we stopped in front of a polished wooden door, he shifted me slightly in his arms and pushed it open. The office was spacious, with bookshelves lining one wall, a sleek desk on the other, and a plush, three-seater couch near the window. He strode over to the couch and gently laid me down. My whole body felt heavy, the weight of the attack sinking in now that I wasn’t in immediate danger. He took a step back, adjusting his sleeves before placing a hand on his chest in a formal gesture. “I’m Jon Pierson, but you can call me Jon. I’m a lecturer in the Psychology department,” he said, his tone professional but tinged with concern. “I’m sorry about what happened to you. It’s unacceptable.” I blinked at him, still trying to process everything. My throat felt dry, so
Cassie.Lectures ended earlier than I expected, though not by my choice or normal situation. I was halfway to my next class when I heard my name being called, loud enough to stop me in my tracks. I turned around to see Mr. Pierson jogging toward me, holding a small white rectangular card in his hand.“What’s this?” I asked, staring at the card as if it might bite me, not looking down at it.“It’s a sick pass,” he replied, somewhat out of breath. “You’ve been excused for the rest of the day.”I stared at him, unsure of how to feel about it. “I’m fine,” I said. “I can still make it through the rest of the day.”He tilted his head, his gaze dropping briefly to the faint bruise forming on my wrist. His voice softened, though the sternness remained. “You’ve been through enough today. Don’t push yourself.”Slowly, I reached out and took the card, even though I hated the thought of leaving early. This wasn’t the way I’d imagined my first day of college going. I wanted to stay and prove to
Cassie.I woke up earlier than I had the day before, my body fueled by a restless energy that wouldn’t let me sleep in.The sun was just beginning to settle when I dressed hurriedly, slipping into a red long-sleeved shirt and jeans. My goal was simple: leave before Axel woke up. The idea of running into him again, with his sharp gaze that always seemed to pry secrets from me, made my chest tighten.I needed quiet, enough quiet to make decisions for myself without his intrusion.“No, what you need is to tell him about what happened to you, and have them catch those perpetrators. Those girls deserve hell!” Cy countered, but I couldn’t do that, so I shut her out because I knew it would only be a series of the same talk.By the time I arrived on campus, the morning air carried a strange buzz. Whispers floated around, pulling everyone’s attention toward some unseen source. Students clustered in groups, talking in hushed voices, but their expressions weren’t subtle. There was excitement,
Cassie.By lunch, the rumors had spiraled into full-blown scandal material. More detailed information about the affair surfaced. It sounded absurd but that didn’t stop anyone from entertaining the idea. It was scandalous, and scandals were irresistible. Even though no one had mentioned any names yet, I couldn’t shake the gnawing unease settling in my chest. Every look in my direction felt like it lingered too long, every laugh like it was aimed at me.I sat alone at a corner table in the cafeteria, poking at the pasta on my tray, as snippets of conversation floated toward me.“Do you really think it’s true?” one girl whispered to her friend at the table next to mine.“It has to be,” the other replied, her voice brimming with excitement. “Why else would a lecturer pay that much attention to a freshman?”My stomach churned. I knew better than to listen, but their words clung to me, each one sinking deeper than the last. It was just talk, I told myself. Nothing more than mindless goss
Cassie.Dinner was quieter than I had expected, though the sound of Mirabel cleaning the counters filled the space. She had prepared something simple—grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and sautéed vegetables—and as I sat there eating, I could feel her eyes flicker toward me every now and then, though she said nothing at first.As she continued wiping down the counters, her voice broke the silence. “It seems like no one ever sees you around anymore,” she said, her tone polite but formal, as it always. “You’ve been coming in late and leaving early, so much that when you’re here it feels like you really aren’t.”I glanced up, startled by the observation but masking my reaction quickly. It wasn’t like Mirabel to comment on my comings and goings.“I didn’t realize anyone cared,” I said lightly, trying to keep the conversation from veering into anything too personal.Mirabel shrugged, her expression neutral. “I only mention it because it’s noticeable. Makes things feel different around he
Cassie.When I woke up the next morning, something felt… off. It wasn’t like the typical tiredness from a restless night, though that was part of it. It was as if I’d forgotten something important that should have been impossible to overlook.Was it someone’s birthday? An anniversary? I wracked my brain, but nothing came to mind. Still, the unease lingered.Closing my eyes, I saw a hazy vision of Axel sitting on my bed, his hands reaching out to touch me. My heart quickened at the image, but I shook my head. No. That was impossible, I’d barely slept, and when I finally did, I was all alone in my room. It must’ve been a figment of my imagination, surely. The product of exhaustion, or maybe a bizarre dream. I pushed the thought away, forcing myself to focus on the day ahead.I dressed in the pair of jeans that nearly cost me my legs, that day at the mall and a plain black top to match. I rolled my hair into a bun, grabbed a banana on my way out of the kitchen, and headed out the doo
Cassie.“We need to leave here right now!” Violet said, her voice hushed but frantic.I nodded, not even bothering to look back. There was no point in staying—there wouldn’t be any lectures today, not with the ambience around school. Without wasting another second, we turned and walked briskly toward the school gate, our minds clouded with uncertainty.When we reached the gate, I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. “I’m too scared to go home alone,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.Violet let out a breath, nodding. “Me too. I’m even more scared to be alone at home.”A silence stretched between us, thick with fear etched on both our faces. Then, an idea formed in my head. “What if we return to Red Hollow together?” I suggested. “I’m pretty sure we’ll be safer there. There are guards all around and everything,” I told her.I was so scared that as I spoke, my body shook. I had a feeling whoever killed Jared was the rogue from before, and a rogue killing around me set me off in
Cassie.I finished dressing while Violet was still in the shower and pulled out a few outfit options from my closet for her. Since she had come in only her leather pants and jacket, she didn’t have clean clothes to wear to school, so it only made sense that I gave her something out of my closet. By the time she stepped out, rubbing a towel over her damp curls, I was already sitting on the bed, slipping my feet into my shoes.She glanced at the outfits laid out on the bed and raised a brow. “You do know I have my own clothes, right?”I smirked. “You’re welcome.”Violet rolled her eyes, but I noticed the small smile tugging at her lips as she picked a pair of jeans, the same one we once fought for, and a fitted top. While she got dressed, I stood up, grabbed my phone and book bag, and together, we left the apartment, heading downstairs.The moment we stepped outside, we saw Jake leaning against his car, arms crossed as he waited. His gaze flickered to Violet first, then to me.“Good m
Cassie.I could still feel Axel’s warmth on my skin, his steady arms around me, but I forced myself to shake the feeling off. It didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t mean anything. I couldn’t let it mean anything.“If you cry anymore, you’ll fall sick,” Axel murmured, his voice gentle yet firm as he cupped my face, wiping away the tears that wouldn’t stop falling.I swallowed hard, hating the way his touch felt comforting. I shouldn’t be accepting his comfort, not after everything. But my body had other ideas—it melted into him like it was second nature.His dark eyes looked a bit clear, and it felt like I could read his mind, but I couldn’t.His fingers brushed against my cheek, lingering for a second longer than necessary. “Do you want me to get Violet?” he asked.I shook my head, suddenly remembering that Violet was in my apartment waiting for me, I stepped back quickly, needing space away from him. “I’m fine,” I said, my voice raw from crying. I wiped my face with the back of my ha
Cassie.“I’m afraid that can’t happen. I cannot ignore you, you’re my mate,” Axel said, a frown settling on his face. My breath hitched at his words.“So you agree that the only reason you tolerate me now is because we’re mates?” I countered, crossing my arms over my chest, pain evident in every word.Axel let out a slow exhale, dragging his fingers through his hair as if he were holding back frustration. “You know that’s it true,” “Then tell me what is!” He went silent, and a scoff fell out of me.“I went in search of you even before I knew you were my mate, Cassie. But I’m guessing that’s not enough for you,” he said, his voice dipping into something almost sad. I wanted to ask why… why he had searched for me after I left, because I knew it wasn’t because he suddenly fell in love with me. Hell, he was right, because whatever his reason for doing that was, it would never make any sense to me, because of how he’d treated me prior to that time.Axel cleared his throat, adjusting hi
Axel.Cassie felt so small in my hands. Too light. Too fragile.The moment she collapsed, I caught her without thinking, my grip firm as I steadied her trembling frame. Her breathing was uneven, and she blinked multiple times, as though trying to steady herself. I adjusted my grip, letting her stand on her own, but I didn’t let go entirely. Not yet.“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice rough.Cassie swallowed, her lips parting as though she wanted to say something, but then she hesitated. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here. I—I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to be here,” she said quickly, her words rushing out in a way that felt forced, unnatural.That wasn’t what I meant.I opened my mouth to clarify, but she shook her head, cutting me off before I could get a word in. “You don’t have to explain. I’ll just leave. You said you wanted to talk, but this is probably not the best time. Let’s talk later.”“Cassie.” My voice came out like a thunderclap, sharp and commanding. My ha
Cassie.“I’m sorry about what happened to you. I never would’ve thought you went through so much,” I said, my voice softer than I’d ever heard it.It was probably because I knew what being the outcast felt like, and how sometimes all I wanted was for someone to speak to me in a soft voice. Violet shook her head. “You don’t have to apologize, Cass. It wasn’t your fault.”“But they decided to look into you 'cause I brought you around,” I said. She shook her head again.“I’m pretty sure that’s not the reason. They most likely started digging into me since the second time we met with Jake outside school’s gate,” she said with a light chuckle. It made sense.“I still don’t know how they could do such a thing,” I sighed.“You know how your mate it. He is who he is, and he’s not short of enemies, anyone can be an enemy.”“Stop taking their side!” I said with a firm voice. Viola laughed and pulled me to sit beside her on my bed.“I’m not taking sides. I’m just thinking about it logically.”
Cassie.Axel remained silent, his lips pressed into a firm line, his gaze unwavering. I was still waiting for an explanation—anything to justify what Violet had just revealed. But neither he nor Warren said a word.A heavy silence settled in the room until Jake suddenly stepped forward, shoving past Warren with a determined look on his face.“I was the one who suggested it,” he announced.My breath hitched. my eyes darted to Jake, my mind struggling to process his words. Beside me, Violet tensed.“I was also the one who planted it in your home,” he added.Violet’s face hardened. “Why?”Jake let out a sigh, as if he had been preparing for this confrontation for a long time. “Because I wanted to know what you were up to. I couldn’t just sit around and wait for you to make your move.”“Against who?” Violet asked, her voice eerily calm.“Axel? Cassie? The entire pack? Take your pick.”I felt her stomach twist. I turned to Jake, searching his face for any hesitation, any sign that he regre
Cassie.I slowly pushed the door open, my heart hammering against my ribs as my gaze landed on Axel. His brows were drawn together, his chest rising and falling in deep, measured breaths. He was angry—no, furious. Warren stood beside him, his face mirroring Axel’s rage, his hands balled into fists. And then there was Jake, lingering near the door like he didn’t want to come inside, his expression caught somewhere between anger and disbelief.But none of them were looking at me.Their eyes were locked on the person standing by the door, and when I followed their gaze, I froze.Violet. She was really there.She stood there, dressed entirely in black—leather pants and a matching jacket, a hat pulled low over her face, casting shadows over her features. A part of me wanted to rush to her and demand to know what was going on, but another part—the part gripped by fear—kept me rooted in place.“Violet?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding in my ears.She didn’t move, didn
Cassie.Over the next few days, a few things had changed.Violet stopped coming to school. Not once had I seen her since the last time we spoke, and no matter how many times I called, she didn’t answer. When I texted, her replies were vague, short, and always delayed. Busy, she’d say. Can’t talk right now. At first, I gave her space, but by the third day, it started to gnaw at me. Violet wasn’t the type to shut me out. Something was wrong.Axel had been keeping his distance, too. I hadn’t seen him at the apartment, hadn’t even felt his presence nearby. He was living in the packhouse now, like he should’ve since my arrival. I told myself it was a good thing, that I wanted him gone after everything that had happened between us, but some traitorous part of me kept questioning it. Why now? After that kiss? It was easier when he was cruel and distant because then I knew where we stood. Now, I didn’t.Jake and Warren had also been avoiding me, though maybe ignoring was a better word. I ba