I stormed back into the club, my mind clouded with rage and jealousy. The lights and music blurred around me while I searched for Alex. I found him in the corner, draped over another man, his laugh soft but visible even from where I stood.
My blood boiled. My wolf growled within me, clawing at the surface, begging for control. I couldn’t stop myself, and I pushed through the crowd, my focus locked solely on Alex and the man he was with. Without thinking, I ripped Alex away from the guy’s grip, pulling him behind me protectively. My body tensed when I came face-to-face with the man. A familiar figure from my business world. Of course, it had to be him. Nathan Cross. A rival CEO whose shady tactics had always been at odds with mine. His smug expression only fueled the fire raging inside me. Tonight wasn't my night at all. Nathan’s dark chuckle broke the tense silence between usI left him just as he did me. Liam Kane and his mixed signals weren’t going to consume my thoughts anymore. I was done. The other trainers brought over more drinks, and I threw myself into the chaos of the night. The music was loud, the energy electric, and the alcohol flowed freely. It didn’t take long before I was dancing, flirting, and losing myself in the sea of bodies. I didn’t care who I was talking to, as long as they could distract me from the ache in my chest. Then he caught my attention—a tall, broad-shouldered man with piercing eyes and an air of dominance that made my pulse race. He had this confidence, this magnetism, that drew me in immediately. I smiled at him, and he returned it with a smirk that promised trouble. He leaned in, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine as he offered to buy me a drink. For a moment, I thought I’d found my one
Friends. That sounded perfect. It gave me time to deal with my mom’s expectations, Olivia’s meddling, and the chaos swirling around me. With Alex as just a friend, I could keep him close without complicating things any further. Or so I told myself. Now, sitting in a high-stakes conference room with Nathan Cross, the arrogance radiating from him was testing every ounce of patience I had left. We were negotiating a multi-billion-dollar contract—a deal that could solidify my position as one of the top players in this city. All I needed was for Nathan to sell me his land, and the numbers spoke for themselves. But his smug demeanor was driving me up the wall. “I’ll sign this contract,” Nathan said, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather, “if you let me have your boy toy.” The blood in my veins boiled. My wolf growled low, clawing at the edges of my control. Alex was my bottom line, the one person
Liam’s presence was always larger than life, even when he was just sitting across from me in a quiet diner. I wasn’t sure if I was grateful or annoyed that he’d waited for me after the gym, but a part of me was thrilled, and a part of me didn’t want to admit to it. When he asked why I moved here, it caught me off guard. It wasn’t that I hadn’t expected the question eventually, but I hadn’t planned on answering it tonight. Yet, something about Liam made me feel safe. Like I didn’t have to keep everything locked up inside. “I needed a fresh start,” I told him, my fingers fiddling with the edge of my napkin. It was vague, but it was the truth. He nodded, his expression thoughtful. “That makes sense. Sometimes, a change of scenery is the best thing you can do for yourself.” His understanding made it easier to continue, though I kept it surface-level. “The city I li
Nathan lingered at my side while I watched Liam and Olivia take their seats. My pulse was racing, and the sinking feeling in my gut deepened with every second Liam’s gaze stayed on me. It wasn’t just a glance. It was a deliberate, piercing look that demanded my attention. “You look rattled,” Nathan said, his tone light but laced with amusement. “Don’t tell me seeing him with her bothers you. I thought you said you were just friends.” I clenched my jaw, unwilling to let Nathan see how deeply the situation was affecting me. “I’m fine,” I muttered. “Let’s go.” But Nathan didn’t move. Instead, he leaned casually against the restaurant’s glass door, his smirk firmly in place. “You know, I’m starting to think Liam has more of a hold on you than you’re willing to admit.” I turned to him, my irritation bubbling to the surface. “You’re awfully interested in my relationship with Liam. Why?”
The moment Olivia walked into the restaurant, I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. Her arrival felt calculated, her smile too perfect, and then she glided over to our table. My wolf bristled at her presence, and the energy between Alex and me immediately shifting at her arrival disrupted whatever connection we’d been forming. I clenched my jaw, and she slid into the booth next to me, her hand casually resting on my arm. “Liam, darling, fancy running into you here,” she said sweetly, her tone dripping with fake innocence. Alex tensed across the table, his gaze darting between us. His body language screamed discomfort, and the conversation we were having just moments ago evaporated into the air. My patience was running thin. Alex left the cafe with a disappointed look on his face. I hated seeing him like this every time we talked. “Olivia,” I said curtly, turning my attention to her, “what do you really wa
The forest was eerily quiet as the evening stretched into night. The air was heavy, thick with the anticipation of the full moon's arrival. My house, nestled deep within the woods, felt more isolated than ever, its walls barely containing the storm brewing inside me. Tonight wasn’t just any night—it was a full moon, the one time of the month when my wolf demanded freedom, no matter how much I resisted. I’d called Olivia earlier and told her to meet me here. If she wanted to be part of my world, she needed to see it in its rawest, most dangerous form. It wasn’t a decision I’d made lightly, but her recent actions left me with little choice. If she wanted leverage over me, she’d have to understand exactly what she was dealing with. The sound of her car crunching over the gravel driveway broke the stillness. I stepped onto the porch, and she exited the car, her heels clicking against the stone path. She was dressed to impress, as always, though
The forest was peaceful, yet the energy from my earlier encounter with the massive black wolf lingered in my mind. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant had happened tonight. The wolf had been massive, powerful, yet completely non-threatening. It had approached me with a strange gentleness, as if it knew me or wanted me to know it. I chuckled softly to myself, shaking my head. “What the hell, Alex? Talking to a wolf like it’s a person. I need to get out more.” The thought of the wolf, though, lingered. The way it had allowed me to touch it, to stroke its fur without fear. I could still feel the coarse texture of its coat beneath my fingertips. It wasn’t just an animal; there was something more there. I couldn’t explain it, but I felt drawn to it. I made my way back toward the trail leading home, I thought about Liam. I hated how he constantly occupied my thoughts, even w
The ache in my muscles from the full moon shift was still fresh, but my mom’s gentle care had helped me recover faster than usual. She always knew exactly what to do to ease the strain on my body after the transformation, and her presence was a reminder that, no matter how much weight I carried, I wasn’t alone. But today, my mind wasn’t on recovery. It was on the red wolf. That unfamiliar scent from the night before still lingered in my memory, and I couldn’t shake the questions it raised. Who was it? Why was it here? And why did it step in to protect Alex? I set out into the forest surrounding my house, walking in my human form this time. The cool breeze whispered through the trees, carrying the scents of damp earth and the remnants of last night’s rain. I followed faint trails and claw marks, but the red wolf’s scent was faint, barely traceable. It was as if it had vanished into thin air. Just when I was about to give up and head toward Nathan Cross’s land, which was the mo
The morning sun poured through the bay windows, casting soft, golden light across the room. It painted everything in a hazy warmth, but nothing in this world was more radiant than the man lying next to me.Alex.Even in sleep, he looked unfairly good. His hair was a tousled mess, lashes fanned out over flushed cheeks, and lips slightly parted. My fingers moved of their own accord, tracing the familiar lines of his face. His cheekbones, the curve of his nose, the soft dip of his collarbone. I knew every inch of him now, and still, I couldn’t stop memorizing.My heart felt like it could split open from the sheer weight of contentment. Of love.Until my fingers ghosted over a rough patch of skin beneath his jawline.A scar.An old one, but jagged and ugly. It didn’t belong there. Didn’t fit on something so beautiful.I stilled, my jaw tightening.I knew that scar. I knew the shape of it—like a twisted smile—and I knew who the hell gave it to him. Ryan.My wolf stirred, low and violent,
Alex’s expression told me all I needed to know. Rejection. The very thing I had feared since the moment I found him again. Since the moment I let myself hope. I couldn’t take it. I bolted, running like my damn life depended on it. My pulse pounded in my ears, drowning out everything else. My chest ached, but I didn’t stop. I ran until the city lights disappeared behind me, until I reached the thick, dark forest surrounding my cabin. The shift came effortlessly. My wolf was already clawing to take control, too angry, too heartbroken to let me stay human any longer. He howled the moment I let him loose, a sound that echoed with pain. Not just mine, but his. He had loved Alex before I had even understood the depths of my own feelings. He had known, had waited, had longed for him just as much as I did. And now, rejection burned through both of us like fire. So I let him run. I let him sprint through the dense trees, his paws barely making a sound against the damp earth. Th
I would say I was shocked, but that would be an understatement.The other night, I thought I was seeing things—just a trick of the light, my imagination running wild—when I saw a werewolf shift back into a man. And then Liam had come to the car.For him to stand here now, looking me in the eyes and admitting it out loud, my mind struggled to process it.A werewolf.Not just a metaphor. Not just some joke about his sharp instincts or uncanny ability to anticipate things before they happened. A real, actual, mythical, doesn’t-exist-outside-of-movies-and-legends werewolf.I didn’t realize I had stopped breathing until my lungs burned.Now I knew what Nathan meant when he said Liam was a monster.Monster.The word didn’t sit right. It felt…wrong.Because when I looked at Liam, standing there with that guarded expression, his fists clenched at his sides like he was bracing himself for me to run, I didn’t see a monster.But I didn’t know what to say.And Liam must have taken my silence as r
The drive was peaceful, filled with stories of Alex and Emma’s childhood—tales of scraped knees, mischievous pranks, and late-night adventures that had me chuckling more than once. It was easy to listen, easy to imagine him as that carefree kid with wild ideas and an even wilder heart. But there were moments between the laughter when his voice softened—memories that weren’t so light. Times when they struggled, when they had no one but each other. I envied Emma, in a way. She had been there for him when I wasn’t. As the miles stretched behind us, Alex eventually dozed off, curled up in the passenger seat. His breathing evened out, his body finally relaxing. I kept my eyes on the road, driving in silence while the hum of the tires filled the space between us. But as the evening settled in, my body tensed. The full moon was rising. I clenched my jaw, gripping the wheel tighter. This was the part of myself I never wanted Alex to see. Not yet. I hadn’t told him what I was—what l
The fire between us had simmered down into something quieter, something softer. After the kiss, neither of us spoke much. Liam just pulled me back onto the couch, tucking me against him like he was afraid I’d disappear if he let go. I let him. His arms were warm around me, his heartbeat steady beneath my ear. Every so often, his fingers would trail over my back, absentmindedly tracing little circles, like he needed to reassure himself I was still there. I felt safe. And maybe that was dangerous. Because I could feel myself sinking into him, into this moment, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to claw my way back out. At some point, I must have dozed off again because the next thing I knew, I was waking up to the smell of coffee and something distinctly… burnt? Liam groaned behind me, his voice still thick with sleep. “Tell me that’s not your sister trying to kill us.” I blinked a few times, adjusting to the morning light streaming through the windows. “It’s possible.” A lo
I stripped off my bloodied shirt with a wince, the fabric sticking to my skin where the cut on my forehead had started to dry. My ribs screamed in protest as I moved, the deep ache making it clear that at least one of them was cracked—maybe worse. The bathroom mirror didn’t do me any favors. Bruises were already blooming across my skin, deep purple and angry red. My lip was busted, my cheek swollen. I sighed and turned on the shower, stepping under the spray and letting the hot water rinse away the grime and dried blood. My muscles protested, but I forced myself to stand under the heat, watching as the water swirled pink at my feet. The steam curled around me, thick and suffocating, but for the first time since Ryan showed up, I finally felt like I could breathe. Then the door opened. I stiffened. “Emma, I swear if you—” “It’s not Emma.” Liam’s voice was low, steady. I turned my head just enough to see his reflection in the fogged-up mirror. He stood in the doorway, arm
The next morning, I went back to the gym as usual, half-hoping—no, expecting—to find Alex there. I needed to talk to him. To explain. To fix the damage before it was too late. But when I walked in, Brandon was standing by the weights instead. Not Alex. Brandon gave me a polite nod. “Morning, Mr. Kane. Ready to get started?” I frowned, scanning the gym, my wolf restless beneath my skin. “Where’s Alex?” Brandon hesitated, adjusting the strap on his gloves before answering. “He… requested a leave of absence. Said there was a family emergency.” I stilled. A family emergency? Bullshit. It was too convenient. I clenched my jaw, inhaling deeply to steady myself. I knew Brandon wasn’t lying. He had no reason to; but Alex was. He was running. Again. And I had no intention of letting him slip away this time. I went through the motions of my workout, but my mind wasn’t in it. My body burned from the exertion, but it was nothing compared to the frustration clawing at my chest. As
Damn it. Why was it so hard to just tell Alex the truth? He had asked me point-blank, and all I had to do was say it. Nathan Cross is my brother. But the words never came out. Instead, I stood there like an idiot, choking on my own damn secrets, and watched him walk away. And when he walked away this time, he wasn’t just angry. He was done. The second the door slammed shut, I bolted. I ran down the hallway, through the lobby, and straight out onto the quiet, empty streets, searching for any sign of him. But Alex was gone. The night air was cold, thick with the scent of rain, and the eerie silence of the city at this hour only made the weight in my chest worse. He was just gone. I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down my face. His whole mood had shifted after tal
I could feel Emma’s heated stare burning into me, her fingers gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary while we drove in silence. Just say it already, Emma. “You’re not gonna talk?” she finally snapped, her voice sharp with frustration. “Fine, I’ll do it for you.” I swallowed hard, already bracing myself. “Is he the reason you dropped everything and moved three states away?” she demanded. “Where you didn’t know anyone? Where you didn’t even have a pot to piss in? Was it because of him?” Her voice trembled on the last word, anger barely concealing the pain beneath it. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Because everything she said was true. My silence was her answer. The car was too quiet, save for the occasional sound of the road beneath us. And then, like a dam breaking, tears bega