ARII watch as Zade is dragged out until the doors close.Mr. Parker exhales, the cool mask he had on slipping a little as he looks at Mom and leans down to whisper something I can't make out.He wanted to hurt her; Zade wanted to hurt Mom to teach his father a lesson.He is drunk, hurt, and lonely, a sight I never thought I could ever see from him. To see him acting like this, the cold, nonchalant prince, something must have set him off.“you, come with me.”I am so lost in my head I don’t see the girl snapping her fingers at me like I am a dog.“do you want me to drag you out too?” she leans in to whisper, and I feel like my head will explode.Too much of everything in one night has left me feeling drained. Olivia starts walking, and I follow her. There are things I want to make sure she didn’t see, and I also want to know why she was recording me. I am still shaking from earlier, the stress eating at me at the back of my mind.“what is it?” I sigh once the door to the balcony shuts
ZADEThe white patterned ceiling is my view.I wonder how long I can stay like this, stay in silence before the man seated on the couch in my hospital private wing starts speaking. I can feel his disappointment in me. I figured that he would have avoided me, banished me even, or locked me up before accepting to see me, but here we are.I wonder if he is waiting for me to break the since then, he will bring the hammer down, crushing me.I sigh, taking responsibility. It's going to happen anyway, so let me get it over with.“grandpa … I …” I what? I am sorry. I don’t feel apologetic towards that man called my father. I would do it again. “I am sorry I ruined your party.” That I am apologetic and ashamed of.“it would take more than a few drunk outbursts to ruin my party,” Grandpa sighs, snapping the papers he was reading shut.I sit up on the bed and look at him. The room is big; there is a bed area and a visitor's area, where there is a couch, coffee table, and a large window beside th
ZADEMy parents didn’t pretend to act like they got mated because of love. They are both from powerful families, and allegiance through mating and marriage is the best way to go. The fact that the goddess chose them as true mates was luck, too.I never saw them be in love or act like they adored each other. Mother loved being a Luna, and she was content in her side of the world. Father had expanded the pack and was stronger, a strong Luna too by his side, and he was content in his world.But through all that, they respected each other. They were cordial and loyal towards each other. It was a family that was good enough despite the lack of warmth that only love brings to a home.They never fought. Ever.I took that as a sign that they were both happy. But all in all, I knew that I would change, I would be mated to someone I love because I had seen how mates who loved each other acted and behaved. They weren’t detached, almost cold like it was in my home, no.They were lively, and I cou
ZADEDead leaves crunch under my boots as I walk the narrow, overgrown trail.It's so quiet here, even the birds are not singing. Only a gentle sway of the trees and the rustling of the leaves.I reach my destination and look at the trimmed and well-kept tombstone. The flowers I brought last time are still here but dead now, just like everything else in this cemetery. Crouching down, I pick them up and replace them with fresh ones I have brought.“hi, mom.” I sigh, looking at the stone, the name scribbled, and the short message. Right beside it, there is another smaller one, my baby brother.Coming here today, especially after the conversation I had with my grandfather, was tough. It has felt like I have been the only one fighting for my mom even long after she left. I feel like I have been alone all this time.Things are changing. Everything seems to be falling apart, shifting and reshaping itself, and I don’t know what to do with myself. I am the one person that changing will never
ZADEEveryone tells me that Grandpa is the scariest man to ever exist in this world. I do agree with them because I feel the same way. But I also have a different relationship with him, one that’s not known by anyone and who he is inside his home.Grandpa is a family man. He loves and cherishes his family and protects them, too. He is the only man I have ever seen love and protect unconditionally.People see him as the ruthless, cold, hearted alpha, a powerhouse, and he is. he is the spine of this family. But he is also my grandfather. He is warm caring, and he loves me. He treats me like his grandson and probably still sees me as the ten-year-old who broke the precious bowl that Grandma made for him on the first date they went to.Grandma died a long time ago. She was the nurturer and a very tong woman. Grandpa still holds on, but he misses her, it's evident when you come into this house. Everything remains as it was when she decorated it, how she did things around the house.Coming
ARII have been bleeding.I haven’t left my room ever since the party, afraid that the outside world is going to be unbearable. I have been having nightmares, too. From dreaming about Olivia circulating the video of Zade and I making out, but it's not just making out this time, it's more to me being beaten up because I am a slut.How did I end up getting here? From being uninterested in boys to having my first kiss stolen to now dreaming about being shamed about my sexual endeavors?It's not like there are any sexual endeavors, but it's there. It's implied, and it's all because of Zade. He is the root of all my problems.Classes are going to resume tomorrow; the long weekend is over, and I am terrified.My phone has been off for a reason.Groaning, I curl up in a ball and pull the duvet over my head, sinking deeper into bed. If I don’t have to deal with it today, then maybe sleeping until I have to is the remedy. I just wish I could disappear or be told I don’t have to go here anymore
ARI“let's bond. But I will have one wish that I will ask of you in the future. Se it like a business deal. You get what you want, and I will collect my wish whenever. You must do it, though.”He looks at me, probably trying to see if I am tricking him or if I am telling the truth. Whatever he sees makes him nod once. “deal.”“if you break it-““it’s a promise formed under the completion of the bond, sort of like a blood covenant. I can't break it. Have a little faith in me.”“That’s something I will not do, but sure. Let's do it then,” I clap, sit on the couch, and pat the space on my left.He looks confused. “what?”Rolling my eyes, “I don’t need eyes on me as you sink your teeth into my neck, so let's do it now.”He walks over in quick steps, eyebrows raised, looking at me incredulously. “we need to have a ceremony for this. You do know I am the next king alpha, don’t you?”“And I know you don’t want your sweet girlfriend seeing you claiming and marking another woman in front of ev
ARII am going to burst into flames, and yet, I can't move.I am weak, my body, not my own, as I feel myself falling, but strong arms catch me before I slump on the floor.Zade finally retracts his fangs and looks at me, his eyes like the snow of my Alps… my home. I feel like I am in a fever dream the longer I stare into those pale eyes, no longer silver.There is blood trickling down his chin, mouth slightly open.“Ari.”My eyes shut close as the feeling finally starts coming back to my body, but the fire in my blood isn't ceasing.Zade doesn’t utter another word but tilts his head to the side, baring his neck open for me. It feels like I am moving in slow motion as I kneel and lean forward, getting closer and closer to his neck.I can't call in my wolf; I can't extend my sharp fangs out, either. My feverish brain is registering all of this, but I still clamp down on his neck. His soft grunt is the only indication I get that, yes, I have bitten him.Not enough to sink deeper, but I d
ARI“nothing.”I huff out a chuckle. “you went through all of this just to tell me that you know my secrets?”“I know what makes you tick. Your volatile temper, your unstable wolf, all in the palm of my hands. What do you think I am going to do with you?”“I am not your toy to play with.”“Who said anything about playing with?”“Is this another prank? Is your girlfriend going to pop out of the shadows recording us?”Zade’s sardonic laugh is enough to tell me no. “livie’s games are cute. If I started my games with you, you wouldn't survive.”“why? Why are you doing this?”“Because I want to get to know you better,” his smile sends warning signals to my brain. “see, I got mated to you, the universe’s way of a dirty joke. I mean you are mine to do whatever I want to. You are a girl that I want to see shine. Burn and burst into billions of sparkles, light up the whole sky.”He stands up, walking towards where I am stuck in place by his will. “I want to know every little thing that is goin
ARIThere are too many stairs.My foot slips, almost making me fall down the endless stairs, but strong hands catch me. That makes me giggle, my head bowing.“I am so drunk.”“my shoes can attest to that.”“I will send you money for dry cleaning.”“you're yet to pay for the clothes but whatever.”That makes me pout, looking at the back of the boy holding my hand and leading me upstairs. “do you think I won't do it?”“do what?”“pay you back.”“I don’t care.”“Why don’t you like me?”“you puke all over, get drunk with strangers, and make a mess whenever you go. Should I continue? The list is long.”“you are hard to like too you know?”“I don’t care.”“even if you smell nice, even if you are the most attractive person I have ever seen, you are the coldest, most heartless person I have equally ever seen. Your dark soul cancels out the physical appearance.” I shiver.“I am sure Seb would love to hear that.”“Charming is the best!” I hiccup. He is gentle and sweet, he listens, and he told
ARICharming does not take long.The bottle doesn’t have the burning effect like it did in those first gulps. Now it's going down smoothly as I tiptoe around the huge room, looking at the empty and bare room save for the clothes and the bed.Whose room is this?The one I was in didn’t have anything either, just a bed and nothing else. Is this his style? Minimalism?How typical.I walk over to the large window and push it open. I sit by the sil and look at the view. A garden. The moon is on a crescent tonight, the breeze is so soothing and cool over my hot skin.The world is slightly tilting though. I get off, the curtains fluttering as the breeze flows in the room. I think I should stop drinking. I am starting to feel like the room is moving even when I am not.Someone walks into the room. When did the door open?“Miss me?”“Charming? What took you so long?”I start walki
ARIIt’s not hard to find Charming.Sebastian, that’s what the jerk called him. He is leaning on the kitchen wall, drink in hand as he watches people dance. He is very attractive; tall, blond, blue eyes, an athletic body that’s showing under his snug white tee, and low-riding jeans.With such a face and a body, I know he must have a girlfriend or a mate. Some girls are dancing in front of him, trying to catch his attention but he doesn’t seem interested. Doesn’t even look at them.He looks like he is about to leave too. That’s my cue.“You aren't planning on leaving me alone at this party are you?”He turns around, surprised followed by a smile echoing on his face as he looks at me. ”I thought you were under lock and key for the rest of the night.”I ignore that and choose another direction. “Leaving already?”“Not anymore,” his gr
ZADESomething has been wrong for days now.The girl I hate seems to have invaded my mind, body, and soul. I wake up thinking about her, I walk around the campus, looking for her, hoping to get a glimpse of her. I wonder how she is, think of her, and want to feel her around me.She is a disease, a virus that has crept up on me and invaded my senses. Nothing seems good enough for me anymore unless I feel her, I feel her presence and I am comforted by that.I have turned to this desperate person I don't recognize anymore. The only time I get to feel her is when she is asleep, then I can slip through the wall that she has put up. She doesn’t know how to keep me blocked all the time, which is working for me.I creep into her space, through the bond, watch her, feel her, and slip out as quietly right before she wakes up. That’s how my days are these days.This girl, this girl I am meant to hate and crush under my heel has turned me into a desperate, weak being.There is nothing I want more
ARII have imagined how it feels like to die.So many scenarios have gone through my mind including drowning. It's one thing to imagine and it's another to experience it.I am sinking, my limbs are usually flapping but I am still going down. The first instinct is to scream, but my mouth fills up my mouth eyes sting and the more I inhale, the more I feel like my lungs are giving up on me.No one is going to save me.At some point, I can only watch the lights above getting further and further, the heaviness growing inside me and pulling me under. The water ripples above me, but it seems like miles away. A figure is coming towards me, almost in slow motion.I start closing my eyes, beginning to feel light, starting to give up on the force that’s urging me to kick and try to save myself. The urgency to live is slowly fading away.Hands grab my hand, jerking me and I try to open my eyes, I do but it's just too much. It feels so hard to stay awake.Someone is pressing on my chest, and a muf
ARIEver since I stepped into this school, I have been seen.Eyes have watched me get stripped off, thrown to the ground, stomped on, and left there to lie in my own misery. They have seen too much. They have seen the emptiness, the desire to be seen by another that plagues me, the cracks in my soul.I didn't have anywhere to hide; still don’t.So whenever someone looks at me, they look at me like they know everything about me.Charming isn't looking like he knows me or knows of me. he is looking at me as someone who wants to know about me, from me.“are you going to take a drink?”I am still holding the cup. It smells horrible. I think I make a face because he starts chuckling. “it's supposed to smell like that but it makes you feel good.”“does it taste as it smells?”“worse.” he purses his lips and nods. “it tastes way worse.”I raise my eyebrows at him in curiosity. “I thought you would have encouraged me or even lied about it.”“I don’t want you to hate me when I have just met yo
ARICrowds are always jarring me.Loud noises and so much activity makes me feel like I am in the middle of a tornado and I can't escape it.Immediately I get near the massive black gate, the noises become more prominent. There is aloud heavy music playing somewhere in there, a stark difference from the dark, quiet path that leads to the residence.I look behind me, shoes scrapping on the pavement, and exhale. What do I need to do in there? I can be like Mimi, get in bed, finish my series, and sleep. Nothing will happen to me in the comfort of my bed. I didn't have to deal with this uncomfortable feeling or even the thought of how unpredictable things can get tonight.But I have been doing that all my life- laying low. In my comfort zone. I don’t want to hide anymore. I am itching to have some fun in my life and live a little and that means walking past the black gates and into that party.I dig in my blazer’s pocket and thumb the invitation card. Am I supposed to show it to someone,
ARIThe first thing I sense when I wake up is that I am not alone.Someone is flipping pages beside me. I open my eyes and turn to see who it is.“You're awake!”Mimi.I sit up touching the back of my head. I can't believe he hit me.“how long was I asleep for?”“mmh, about two hours. The classes are all done.”“Great,” I get off the bed and stretch. “why is everyone such a bitch in this school? We respect for you of course.”“you will get used to it.”“I don’t like how you say that,” I glance at her. “do you just sweep things under the rug because you don’t want to face them?”“Well yes. That’s me. I don’t like confrontation, I would rather die than put myself in that position willingly. But I do see how harsh they are to you. It's one thing to jump you but to hold a party and invite you to? Do they plan on killing you there?”That perks my interest. “what party?”Mimi looks like she has let something slip out. “oh, uh, no party. I never said anything about a party, what?”“you said