CALANTHAFor the rest of the week, I did my best to avoid Kaiden. The only time we crossed paths was at dinner, where we both kept to ourselves, and he acted like I wasn’t even there. It hurt. I won’t lie. But I had no right to be upset.He was right. The only thing tying us together was the contract, and I would be a fool to let myself fall for him. So, I spent those days trying to numb whatever I felt, mentally scolding myself whenever I caught a glimpse of him around the packhouse and my heart stupidly fluttered.To make things easier, I made sure not to ride with him to the academy that week. He didn’t seem to care, as he went in a separate car without a second thought.This stupid crush I felt towards him had done nothing but break me, but maybe that was a good thing. I needed the wake up call.A slave, crushing on the Lycan King? I almost laughed out loud.I must have lost my mind.The weekend finally arrived, and it was the day of my visit to the refugee camp. Queen Adeline se
CALANTHA The woman led us to a small tent that looked worn out and messy. Inside, my chest tightened at the sight before me. A frail little boy lay on the bare ground, his tiny body unmoving. His leg was wrapped in a filthy rag, and his face was pale, almost lifeless.The woman quietly stepped outside again, giving me space. Eloise and Nyx stayed by my side. “Oh my god.” Nyx whispered, a small sob escaping her lips. Eloise immediately pulled her into a comforting hug.I swallowed hard, forcing back my own tears. Then, walking towards the boy, I knelt beside him and carefully lifted his head into my arms. His skin was cold and his breathing was weak.Slowly, I reached for his injured leg and started unwrapping the rag.“Calantha, what are you doing?” Eloise’s voice rang in alarm. “You could make it worse!”I didn’t reply to her. Instead, I kept going until the rag came loose, revealing the full extent of the injury. The wound was deep, infected, and rotting.Nyx let out another stran
KAIDEN “My King, Ryker is here.” Bradley announced, standing at the head of the dining table as I cut into my steak.“Let him in.” I replied without looking up, sliding the bite into my mouth and chewing slowly.I was the one who had invited Ryker over, but now, I regretted it. Ever since my last encounter with Calantha, my mood had been off and everything else felt unimportant.I didn’t know why. Maybe it was because I hurt her when she didn’t deserve it. Still, I wouldn’t take back my words if I could. It was for her own good.A minute later, Bradley returned with Ryker trailing behind him. I lifted my gaze briefly, meeting his mischievous eyes as he bowed.“My King.”I said nothing and focused back on my meal. Without waiting for permission, Ryker pulled out a chair and sat a few seats away from me. The servants quickly set a plate in front of him, arranging food on the table.Noticing his hesitation to eat, a smirk crossed my lips. Setting my knife and fork down, I leaned back s
RYKERTHE NEXT DAYSHADOW MOON PACK - ALPHA SLADE’S PACKHOUSEI stepped out of my car and took in the sight of my father’s packhouse, chewing the gum in my mouth as I leaned against the door. It had been over a year since I last came here.No matter how much my father nagged me to visit, I always found an excuse to stay away.Maybe it was because coming here reminded me of my future as the next Alpha of this pack. But I wanted more. I didn’t want to be just another Alpha. I wanted power. Real power over the entire realm.I wanted to be the Lycan King. And I had been so close to making that happen.But that bastard Kaiden kept crossing the line.I clenched my jaw at the memory of last night. The humiliation he had made me suffer. That was the only reason I was here now. Anything to make that son of a bitch pay for how much he had humiliated me last night. With a sigh, I shoved my hands into my pockets and walked into the packhouse. The guards and servants bowed the moment they saw me
CALANTHA“‘You think my distance is cruelty? No, my love. It is mercy. To love me is to walk willingly into the dark, and you... you were made for the light.’”“Pain bloomed in her eyes. Pain he put there. She didn’t believe him, not yet. But she would. He would make sure of it. Because loving her meant letting her go before she realized that monsters like him didn’t get happy endings.”With those final words, our literature professor closed the book in his hands and looked up at us."So, let’s talk about the protagonist of The Caged Heart," he said, setting the book aside. "Was he right to push the heroine away? Was he protecting her, or was he just being selfish?""He was absolutely being selfish." I blurted before I could stop myself.A few heads turned in my direction, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Kaiden glance my way too.I forced myself not to look at him, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves. Maybe I had answered too impulsively. But something about the book felt to
CALANTHA “… And do you know what she said after that?” Lysandra recounted her ordeal. Tate, Eloise, and Nyx leaned in, listening intently as we sat at our usual table in the cafeteria where Lysandra and Tate joined us. “She claimed I was too fragile and feminine to be a cheerleader. Can you believe that?”“Ugh, Isadora and her minions are just jealous.” Eloise scoffed, rolling her eyes.Lysandra was telling us how she made the cheer squad despite Isadora’s efforts to sabotage her during the auditions. But while my friends were fully engaged in the conversation, only half of my attention was on them.The other half was locked onto Kaiden.He was sitting with his teammates and their girlfriends at a table across the room, where everyone seemed lost in chatter. Everyone except him. Because his gaze was on me.I had caught him staring more than once, his eyes never straying. Every time I stole a glance in his direction, he was still watching. Unwavering. And sometimes, his stare was on T
CALANTHA7:00pmI sat cross-legged on my bed, staring at the wall clock.One hour until the time Kaiden said we would go on that dinner date.Even though I knew he was a man of his word, and that he always did exactly what he said he would, part of me still had doubts. Maybe because I never imagined he would want to take me out on a date.I wondered why. Was he starting to like me too?I shook my head, forcing the thought away. I couldn’t afford to get my hopes up. If I let myself believe in something that wasn’t real, I would only end up hurt. Again.Needing a distraction, I climbed off my bed and walked to my desk, grabbing a pen and opening my notebook. Maybe if I focused on my assignment, I could push him out of my mind.But it didn’t take long before I found myself glancing at the clock again.7:20pm.Was he serious about this, or was he just messing with me?But Kaiden never lied. He had hurt me, more times than I could count, but he never made empty promises. The only reason I
CALANTHA I took a shaky step back, my fingers slipping from the doorknob as a quiet, broken gasp left my lips. My chest tightened, like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs. Tears blurred my vision as I stared at the scene before me. A single tear slipped down my cheek, but neither Kaiden nor Lysandra noticed me. They were too caught up in their kiss, with Lysandra’s hand trailing lower on his body. Unable to watch anymore, I swallowed the lump in my throat and slowly shut the door. Wiping my tear away, I forced myself to keep it together despite the sharp, unbearable ache in my chest. I turned and walked away, my lips trembling and my eyes burning with unshed tears. A deep, seething rage boiled inside me. Kaiden. That bastard. He had stood me up, left me waiting for hours, just so he could be with her! I should have known better. I should’ve seen this coming from miles away. How could I be so stupid and blind? Grinding my teeth, I grabbed the necklace around my neck, y
CALANTHA “Apologize.”The men froze, not saying anything at first. Then their shocked faces contorted, and they burst out laughing, now looking at Kaiden like he had just said the most ridiculous thing ever. But while they laughed, Kaiden’s face stayed the same.Not angry. Just calm and straight. But out of everyone here, only I knew how dangerous he could be whenever he wore that look."He said to apologize!" One of the men — the one who had tossed me the napkin and seemed like their leader — laughed loudly with his group."He’s really got some balls, doesn’t he?" he added, making the others laugh even harder. But even with all the mocking, Kaiden didn’t move. His straight face stayed the same, and his leg stayed stretched out in front of them, keeping them from moving forward.Knowing where all this could end, I decided to step in and let it all go."That’s okay, Kaiden," I said quickly, forcing a small, fake smile as I tried to get up from my seat. "I’m fine. It’s just a little st
CALANTHA Kaiden and I were now at the quiet corner of a café, both of us dressed to go unnoticed. I was wearing baggy joggers and an oversized hoodie pulled low over my face. While Kaiden was in a leather jacket and a cap angled to shadow his features. Our disguise seemed to work as no one seemed to recognize us.As we sat waiting for our order to arrive, Kaiden kept tugging at his cap. At first, I tried to ignore it but later, I couldn’t help myself any longer.“You’re acting suspicious while trying not to look suspicious.” I muttered, shaking my head.He shot me a self‑satisfied grin. “I’m too handsome to hide completely. If someone looks close enough, they’ll spot me.”I rolled my eyes at his show off, just as our breakfast arrived. The server set steaming trays in front of us and hurried off. My stomach rumbled as I began to salivate.“Ooh, this looks amazing. I’m starving.”“You’re not starving. You’re just a glutton.” Kaiden said calmly, lifting a mug of coffee to his lips. W
THAT SAME DAYSHADOW MOON PACK: ALPHA SLADE’S PACKHOUSEThe guards bowed their heads as Hera entered the packhouse, flanked by her handmaidens. As they passed, every servant and maid halted work to lower their heads in respect. Hera, as chief priestess of the capital pack, was accustomed to this display of honor and the quiet fear it inspired.A guard led her through the grand hallway to the guest chamber, where Alpha Slade sat in earnest conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Grant. Her handmaidens waited outside and the moment the Grants spotted Hera, they rose and bowed their heads. Hera inclined her own in return, then offered a formal nod to Alpha Slade. His expression was too calm, and the faint curve of a sinister smile touched his lips.“Finally. The chief priestess shows up,” Alpha Slade said, motioning to the seat beside him at the table. Mr. and Mrs. Grant sat to his left. “Please, have a seat.”Hera walked to the table but instead of taking the seat he offered, she chose the fart
CALANTHAThat night, I couldn’t sleep. Even though Kaiden was in the living room and I was in my bedroom, knowing we shared the same roof left me restless. I tossed and turned, burying my face in my pillow with a frustrated groan.What the hell was wrong with me? I had vowed to move on, yet here I was, still feeling his presence so much, enough for it to even disrupt my sleep.Finally, I gave up on my bed and crept out for warm milk in the kitchen, hoping it would calm my nerves and finally put me to sleep. My feet hesitated in the hallway as I passed the living room where Kaiden was sleeping. I hated how anxious I felt just walking by his space.Once I stepped inside the living room, I froze at the sound of Kaiden’s harsh breathing and restrained whimpering. He was lying on the couch, shivering and murmuring names I didn’t recognize.“Raya… No… Please… No… Liam… No…”My heart thundered and I realized that he was in the grip of a nightmare. And a horrible one at that.I rushed to him
CALANTHAI sat stiffly on the couch, the TV series playing but my mind elsewhere. Although it was my favorite show, I couldn’t focus. Kaiden was seated so close beside me, and I felt his gaze on me every few seconds. The tension between us was overwhelmingly thick.After he had eaten the soup I made, he refused to go to bed and insisted on watching TV with me. I tried to convince him otherwise, but his stubbornness won. So here we were, side by side, barely any space between us. I doubted he was even watching, with the way his eyes kept drifting straight to me.Clearing my throat, I scooted over to create some distance but he slid right after, closing the gap again.“Are you kidding me?” I snapped, turning on him. Despite my frustration, he stayed unnervingly calm.“Everything okay?” He asked, pretending not to know what he was doing.“Cut the act.” I growled and backed up toward the couch’s edge. He followed.“Ugh, stop it!” I hissed, and this time his lips twisted into an amused sm
CALANTHA I had never seen Kaiden like this before and honestly, it scared me.He was looking at me like I was something priceless, like I meant the world to him. Like he was searching for something in me. That look in his eyes wasn’t the one I was used to. Kaiden’s eyes were always cold, sharp, and unpredictable. But now, they were soft and vulnerable. And that confused me.I didn’t expect him to show up at my doorstep. After everything. After all the silence. He didn’t stop me when I walked away, he never called, and never came after me. That made it clear that he didn’t want me. And I had forced myself to believe that. To believe that I was the fool for thinking we could have been something more.And now here he was, in my space, kissing me in the places he knew I liked to be kissed. Trying to wake up the same feelings he once buried deep inside me. Was this his plan? To make me feel everything all over again, just so he could walk away once more?That was why I gently pushed him
KAIDEN“Kaiden?”Calantha’s smile vanished as soon as she saw me. Her eyes widened, filled with shock and confusion.Even with the alcohol still fogging my head, I kept walking toward them. My eyes stayed locked on Cross, who looked annoyingly calm. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I snapped as I reached them.Calantha stood frozen beside us, completely thrown off by my sudden appearance here.“My King.” Cross greeted with a small bow, then stood straight again, a smug smile tugging at his lips.That smile. It made my blood boil.I clenched my fists hard at my sides, seconds away from breaking his face. But then a voice in my head reminded me…This isn’t why you came here. Don’t ruin it more with Calantha.“I ran into the Luna at the restaurant nearby,” Cross said, holding up a brown paper bag that smelled of food. Calantha held one too. “It felt wrong to let her walk back alone by this hour of the night. I was just being helpful.”His voice was calm, almost casual. But I
KAIDENThe anger I had been trying so hard to keep inside started bubbling again the moment I heard a knock at my door. My jaw clenched as the first thought crossed my mind. Ivy. That girl must have come back, even after I had humiliated her and kicked her out.The door opened before I could even respond, and my tension eased a little when I saw it was Bradley who walked in. He looked concerned, his brows furrowed as he stepped inside.“Did something happen between you and Councilman Leonard’s daughter?” he asked, glancing around the room before focusing on me.I was sitting on the edge of my bed, slowly sipping from a glass of wine. I didn’t answer him right away. I was still too angry, not just because of Ivy, but because of everything that had been building up inside me all day. Ivy had just added fuel to the fire.Bradley spoke again after a few seconds of silence.“I saw her crying in the hallway. From the way she looked and what she was wearing, I could tell she just came from
IVYA shaky breath slipped past my lips as I stepped into the chamber, relieved to find it empty. The Lycan King wasn’t here—at least, not yet. But I knew I couldn’t turn back. He could walk in at any moment.I used the little time I had to finally breathe, letting my eyes wander around the room. Everything was expensive and elegant. The antique paintings, the polished furniture, the rich color of the drapes. It all screamed power and wealth. He definitely had a taste for the finer things.Slowly, I began to pace, taking it all in with quiet awe.Then, out of nowhere, a deep voice shot through the silence making me almost jump out of my skin. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?”I spun around so fast, only to face the Lycan King who was now standing just a few feet away, his hair damp and with droplets of water still sliding down his bare chest. The only thing covering him was a towel loosely wrapped around his waist.It was now clear that all the while I thought he was ou