Cassie.The moment Mr. Pierson’s words left his lips, Violet and I exchanged confused looks, our eyes darting between each other and Mr. Pierson. My heart sank as his gaze settled firmly on me. A lump formed in my throat, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure if I’d heard him correctly.“Me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Mr. Pierson’s smile didn’t waver—it was polite, calm, but somehow intimidating. “Is there another Cassie standing here right now?” he replied, tilting his head slightly.I felt a few students slow their pace as they walked past us, curiosity etched on their faces. Though no one stopped, their glances lingered for far too long, making my skin prickle. I resisted the urge to shrink under the weight of their stares. My cheeks burned with embarrassment.I glanced at Violet, hoping for some reassurance. She shrugged and gave me a small smile. “I’ll wait for you at the cafeteria,” she said casually, though I could see a flicker of concern in her eyes. Her response
Axel.The moment Cassie returned home that day, something felt off. I couldn’t quite place it at first, but I knew something was wrong. She walked through the door, limping slightly, and I froze in place. I noticed her clothes were different from the ones she had worn earlier in the day. She was wearing something more casual, and her hair was down, completely covering her face.What bothered me the most, though, was the way she was avoiding me. She wasn’t meeting my gaze—she was just rushing to her room as if she couldn’t get away from me fast enough. My heart sank. I didn’t need to be a genius to figure out that something had happened. She was hiding something from me, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to know what it was.I stood there for a moment, just staring at the door she had disappeared behind. Then the worry set in. What happened to her?That night, I found myself replaying the day in my head over and over again. How did she go from being so excited to go to school in the mo
Cassie."Hey, isn’t that the Alpha’s slut?" a sharp, mocking voice shattered my thoughts.I pulled my shawl a little tighter around my body, willing myself not to look over my shoulder as I walked back toward the pack house. My breaths came in sharp, shallow pulls, and I picked up my pace."Has she finally gone deaf?" a second voice sneered, and my steps faltered. But I quickly brushed it off, forcing myself to keep moving forward. After all, I was used to people talking about me behind my back. I shook my head, telling myself to ignore them—until someone rammed into me from behind, sending me stumbling forward. I gasped as I hit the ground.Looking up, I found two she-wolves standing over me, their eyes glinting with malice. They exchanged a glance, struggling to stifle their laughter. One of them, a red-haired, snorted, unable to hold it in any longer, and within seconds they both burst out laughing, their mocking voices filling the air."Oops, didn’t see you there, Cassie," the oth
Cassie.For a moment, I stood frozen, my mind spinning, unable to make sense of what I was seeing.I wished desperately that it was all a dream—that I’d wake up, with Cam nestled in his crib beside my bed, and realize it was just another one of those nightmares that had haunted me since our marriage began. But no matter how many times I blinked, the scene before me remained painfully, horribly real.My breath caught as Cam whimpered in my arms, the small cry pulling me back to reality, cementing the terrible truth: this was no dream. This was my life. And standing before me, entwined with my husband, was his true mate. The one person I’d feared he’d find since the moment I became his wife.Selena took a step forward, her eyes softening as she looked at Cam. She stretched out a hand, reaching as though to coo at him, but I instinctively shifted back, holding my son closer. Selena paused, her head tilting to one side in confusion.A faint frown appeared between her brows, but she quickl
Cassie. By the next morning, the whispers had spread throughout the pack estate like wildfire. News that Axel had found his mate traveled fast, and the estate buzzed with excitement. The murmurings of pack members as they gathered in the pack house, exchanging glances and barely whispered conversations made my stomach churn. “We finally have a Luna!” a wolf exclaimed, eyes wide with intrigue. “I hear she’s beautiful. No wonder Alpha was drawn to her at first glance,” another replied with a snicker. Forced to welcome the pack members, I clenched my fists, trying my best to remain positive and composed, but as I made my way through the house, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of everyone’s stares and the sting of their words in my chest. In the main living area, Axel was practically glowing, his eyes filled with adoration as he held Selena close. She was everything I wasn’t—confident, radiant, and utterly captivating. Selena laughed at something Axel said, the sound light
Cassie. Days turned into weeks, and the bullying I endured escalated to new heights, far worse than I could’ve ever imagined. Every corner of the pack estate felt foreign, and each encounter with a pack member was a fresh reminder of my failure to keep Axel’s attention. Whispers trailed behind me like shadows, relentless and cold. The pack members looked at me with contempt, as if I were nothing more than a stain on their proud alpha’s life. “Look at her,” one she-wolf sneered as I passed by one day, “The discarded wife, all alone.” “She should be grateful Alpha hasn’t thrown her out yet,” another chimed in, laughing, “But we all know it’s just a matter of time until that happens.” In the midst of it all, Axel’s demand the night before made it difficult for me to sleep. “Make sure to let Selena get close to Cam; he needs to get used to her,” he’d said without so much as looking up from the document on the table before him. I had agreed, believing that perhaps Selena was genu
Cassie. I came to find out Selena really meant every word of her threat two days later. New rumors circulated the pack, where the pack members claimed I was so desperate, so jealous of Selena, that I stooped low enough to use my own son as bait to seduce Axel. They said I was nothing but shameless and if I really thought that if not for my seduction, Axel would ever look my way or pay me any of his precious attention. I forced myself to stay calm, to keep my head high as I heard the new rumors because I knew where they came from, and I was also used to lies being told about me to worry myself about them. If anything, I was only happy that Cam was not grown enough to understand what was being said about me. But no matter how much I ignored it, the rumors kept coming. The next day, as I took Cam out for a morning stroll, I noticed the whispers had only grown louder. This time, they hit harder, cutting deeper. “You know, seeing as Alpha doesn’t like her, I doubt that child is Hi
Cassie. "How dare you speak to me in that manner?" Axel rose from his desk, eyes full of hate as he approached me. His expression was so cold, so filled with disdain, that it almost made me falter. Almost. But I couldn't allow myself to back down now. "If you and your mate want me out of the pack so badly, then fine. I'll take my son and leave," I said, my voice shaking but firm, "perhaps you believe the rumors too, that Cam isn't your son." In an instant, Axel closed the distance between us with a speed that made my pulse race, his hand gripping my arm hard. “What the fuck do you mean by that?" he asked, his tone sharp. His face was so close to mine. It was the first time since that one night we'd shared that he'd allowed himself to be this close. For a little moment, I almost let myself remember it –the way he'd looked at me back then, the gentleness in his touch. But I forced myself to focus, shaking away the thought. "I mean exactly what I said," I replied, ba
Axel.The moment Cassie returned home that day, something felt off. I couldn’t quite place it at first, but I knew something was wrong. She walked through the door, limping slightly, and I froze in place. I noticed her clothes were different from the ones she had worn earlier in the day. She was wearing something more casual, and her hair was down, completely covering her face.What bothered me the most, though, was the way she was avoiding me. She wasn’t meeting my gaze—she was just rushing to her room as if she couldn’t get away from me fast enough. My heart sank. I didn’t need to be a genius to figure out that something had happened. She was hiding something from me, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to know what it was.I stood there for a moment, just staring at the door she had disappeared behind. Then the worry set in. What happened to her?That night, I found myself replaying the day in my head over and over again. How did she go from being so excited to go to school in the mo
Cassie.The moment Mr. Pierson’s words left his lips, Violet and I exchanged confused looks, our eyes darting between each other and Mr. Pierson. My heart sank as his gaze settled firmly on me. A lump formed in my throat, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure if I’d heard him correctly.“Me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Mr. Pierson’s smile didn’t waver—it was polite, calm, but somehow intimidating. “Is there another Cassie standing here right now?” he replied, tilting his head slightly.I felt a few students slow their pace as they walked past us, curiosity etched on their faces. Though no one stopped, their glances lingered for far too long, making my skin prickle. I resisted the urge to shrink under the weight of their stares. My cheeks burned with embarrassment.I glanced at Violet, hoping for some reassurance. She shrugged and gave me a small smile. “I’ll wait for you at the cafeteria,” she said casually, though I could see a flicker of concern in her eyes. Her response
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.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.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.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.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. 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. 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