LOGINNIGEL'S POV
It was another glorious morning, and I woke up again with an erection. One would have been quick to blame it on my teenage hormones, but being a werewolf, I was expected to have a handle on these urges. Velma, the Beta's daughter, was supposed to stop by last night, but she mind-linked me, telling me something urgent came up. What could be more important than having sex with the Alpha's son? She better be ready for me tonight. Velma and I weren't boyfriend and girlfriend or anything like that, but we began hooking up a couple of years ago, and we decided to continue our meetings until one of us found our true mate. Meanwhile I had to figure out what to do about that pencil-neck virgin that was staying in our guest house. She just irked me the wrong way. I almost blew our secret last night when the clumsy bird fell out the window. I should have listened to my wolf and let her break her neck and die, but that feeling in my bones couldn't let that happen. I didn't understand why my father agreed to let humans reside on our lands. Yes, he told me the estate where the Whitmores were supposed to live was too close to the vampire outpost, so he opted for them to stay with us until he was sure the neck-biters would do them no harm. But why couldn't he let them live somewhere else? Why did it have to be our home? My mind slithered back to my encounter with that stupid girl last night. Why couldn't I get her out of my head? She was so — so weird, but she had the most beautiful emerald eyes I'd ever seen. Miranda. I licked my lips, imagining how sweet that special spot between her legs would taste. I was chuckling like a psycho at the fact that deep down I knew she had never even been kissed before. What a loser, but an interesting loser nonetheless. ‘Stop it now!’ My wolf, Taurus, boomed. His paws padded in the back of my skull while he exhaled fumes. ‘She's human and Father wouldn't appreciate us fornicating with her,’ he paused and then shuddered. ‘Plus, I would rather not catch fleas.’ I laughed. My wolf had a mouth on him. “Taurus you wuss, do you always do everything by the rules? What happened to living in the moment? What happened to being a ruthless rebel?” Taurus was known to be one of the strongest wolves in our pack, next to my father's wolf, Titan. ‘Look, Nigel. There are just some lines I won't cross, and sleeping with a human is one of them. I prefer wolf pussies, just like how the great Moon Goddess intended it to be.’ ‘OK, Taurus. You win. But just know I find her as disgusting as you do.’ The girl wore too much perfume, masking her natural scent of pineapple and ginger. Plus, she always had her hair in a bun. She was a total square, boring out of this fucking world. I bet she sat and counted ants in her free time. And the way how she always dressed so unteenagy, is that even a word? I wondered. But the girl dressed like a grandma, plus she was just so clean and always seemed so stiff. It made my eyelids twitch. ‘Yeah, she smells awful, and she has really skinny legs,’ Taurus mocked. ‘Yeah, skinny, long, smooth legs,’ I recited. My heart sped up picturing her legs slipping in her granny panties. I didn't mean to spy on her, but I have supernatural senses, and her bedroom window was right in front of mine. ‘Don't forget about her enormous head. Humans always have big heads,’ Taurus laughed. OK, Taurus, enough taunting. Let's get ready for breakfast. We are running late.’ I stepped into the shower with a painfully erect penis. I decided to rub one out in the name of Velma, but the images of Miss Prissy Pants' perky breasts flashed in my head. My wolf whined in disgust, and I immediately dropped my dick and finished my shower instead. My ears zeroed in on the distinctive noises all around me. The mansion was alive with teenage laughter and warriors rushing outside to start their exercise. I missed my training session this morning, so I knew I would have to face my father's wrath. He was eagerly awaiting my participation in the great Alpha Trials. The event was only three months away, and I was training hard. My father was expecting nothing less than winning. Unlike other packs where the alpha title was passed down from father to son, our pack lived by ancient rules where the position was earned and not given. So any young werewolf with high ranked blood stood a chance to become the next successor to the alpha throne by battling in wolf form. I hurriedly pulled a grey polo shirt over my head, slipped on some black jeans, and pushed my feet in my black All-Stars. I burst through my bedroom door and slid on the rails of the staircase until I reached the bottom floor. “Nigel, what took you so long?” The brown-haired she-wolf asked as soon as I landed on my feet. Her blue eyes stared at me lovingly while she looped her hand in mine. “Good morning, Mom,” I greeted her. “Sorry, I'm late.” “Don't worry about it, but your father is a little pissed that you constantly keep us waiting at the breakfast table. Plus, Beta Valor told him you missed training again.” My father was a great alpha. He kept our pack safe. He always lent a helping hand to the neighbouring packs, but he had a heart of stone. I had never seen him kiss or show my mother any affection, nor had he ever treated me like a son. I was his protégé, someone he wanted as his successor. But what my father didn't know was that I wished to be more than just an alpha. I wanted to be an artist. I loved to paint and draw, this was something Velma and I had in common, our love of Arts and Crafts. I could feel my father's eyes on me the moment I walked into the dining hall. He had his hands balled into fists, and he rested them on the table. His grey eyes got dark, showing us that his wolf was agitated. “Alpha,” I bowed. “I'm sorry I'm late.” I retained my position and kept my head bent until he said I could speak or look at him. “Nigel, you are the potential alpha of the Howling Cliffs Pack. You have to start taking this seriously, especially with the Alpha Trials coming up,” he roared. “What do you have to say for yourself?” “I'm sorry, Alpha, I just —” “There is no room for apologies and excuses. Do you know how important these Alpha Trials will be?” He asked, and I waited for him to tell me. “This year all who will participate will not only be fighting for the alpha position, but they will also fight for their lives.” The other werewolves paused and listened to the words of our Alpha now. He wanted them to hear us, like he was showing them their future rested on my shoulders. The pressure of their stares and worries were strenuous on my knees. “What do you mean, Nolan? Are you saying they will fight to the death?” My mother asked, astonished. “Yes, Peaches. I want only the best on this throne because after these Alpha Trials I am going to get rid of this tradition. It is about time we adjust to the new world. This will be the last battle for the alpha title. The next alpha will have the luxury of passing on the title to his son, just as how it's supposed to be. That is why I need Nigel to stay focus so he can win this thing.” “But, Nolan.” My mother's voice was shaky, and I knew she was worried about me. “Are you questioning my judgement, Peaches?” The Alpha flashed his golden eyes at my mother and she held her head down, showing submission. “It's OK mother. I will be fine,” I spoke feeling irritated about the way my father just spoke to my mother. He always insulted her this way. I knew they weren’t true mates, but at least he should treat her with respect. My mother was the sweetest, most gentlest soul I’d ever met. “I hope so,” my father added. “Now come, eat your food,” my father commanded. ********** I settled my shades on my face and jumped in the driver's seat of my Porsche. I wish I didn't have to go to school, but the American government began investigating our community a few months ago, wondering why our schools weren't teaching anything from the American syllabus. Knowing what X is equal to doesn't really win werewolf wars now do they? So the werewolf society had to hire human teachers and incorporate human students in our schools so we could blend in. Humans and their fucking stupid rules. I shook my head. “Hey bad boy.” The smell of pine cones greeted me. “Hey yourself, hot stuff. Want a ride?” I asked Velma. Her beautiful breasts were straining in that button front pink sweater of hers, and her short legs seemed longer in that pleated skirt she had on. She lifted her leg over the door, one after the other and settled in the passenger's seat. Her skirt was so low I could see the little hairs on her pussy. “No underwear, I see?” “Panties are for virgin girls,” she giggled, then bit on her bottom lip. ‘Now that's a nice pussy. It smells a little ripe, just like how I like them,’ Taurus hummed, baring his canines while he pictured being buried balls deep inside Velma. “I need to see you tonight. Don't let Taurus and I hunt you down,” I growled. “OK. But tell Taurus to relax. I can taste your arousal,” she giggled. As soon as I started the ignition, I smelt Valko and Duran heading towards us. “Can we get a ride, too?” Valko asked. “You can walk,” Velma snickered. “Good morning to you too, little sis,” Valko laughed as he hopped in the back with Duran. Valko and I were best friends, even though he was two years older than me. He was a little slow academically, so he had been held back twice. Duran, however, was a newbie in our pack. My father found him beaten and left for dead a few years ago. My father took him back to our packhouse and our doctor nursed him back to health. Duran explained to us that his pack was attacked by a rogue army and everyone was killed. He escaped because he was too scared to fight back so he ran. “It smells like fish sticks in here,” Valko announced. “I think that's your sister's arousal,” Duran laughed and Valko slapped him on the head. The sound of Snoop Dogg blasted through my speakers while I drove to the academy. We were singing along when we came up to the curb close to the school. I sensed her before I saw her. She smelt even cleaner than last night. She had her arms stretched out like plane wings while she spun around in circles. Her bubbly personality made me sick. “Look, it's the virgin freak,” Valko pointed. “Why is she so damn weird?” “What the fuck is she wearing?” Velma laughed. “Hey freak!” Velma shouted at her. “Nice outfit.” Prissy Pants paused when she saw us. She was standing near a puddle by the side walk. My wolf said he had an idea. I read his mind and I didn’t agree with his plan. ‘No! Taurus. Don't,’ I warned my wolf, but it was too late. He took over control of the car. The tires screeched when it drove into the puddle, and with a mighty splash, Miss Prissy Pants was drenched from head to toe. Duran, Valko and Velma were laughing hysterically. “Yo, did you see that?” Duran wailed. “I wish I could get a replay.” “For real," Velma squealed. “I think she got a bit of mud in her mouth." “At least she smells a lot better now,” Valko cackled. “Nice going, Nigel.” I zoned them out after that. My eyes stayed glued on Miranda through the rearview mirror, her reflection got smaller the further up the road I drove, but my ears were tuned in to her; the speed in which her heart was racing told me she was furious. My ears wiggled when she whispered, “Nigel, you A-Hole.”MIRANDA'S POVAlpha Nolan waited.And when Alpha Nolan waited, it felt like the entire room held its breath with him.His eyes never left my face, not even when his lip curled slightly and a low, animal growl rolled out of his chest. He didn't pace like a normal angry man would. He stood there, perfectly still, shoulders squared, jaw tight, like a beast deciding whether it was worth tearing something apart immediately or letting it suffer first.My throat still burned from where his hand had been, and I could feel my pulse in my ears as my eyes shot instinctively to Lazarus.I shouldn't have looked at him. It probably looked guilty as hell. But there were too many things tangled up in this mess, too many truths stacked on top of one another, and no way to separate them without everything collapsing.There was the obvious stuff. Mystic Mountain. Opal. Nigel Senior. Noah.And then there was the stuff nobody here could know yet.Velma being Lazarus's mate.The curse.And most of all, the
NIGEL'S POV"You think Shelly's okay?" Duran asked as we walked toward the guest house. He kept wringing his hands like he was trying to strangle an invisible towel. "She was crying really hard, and I don't think I've ever felt her cry like that. What if something bad happened to her or the baby?""I'm sure they're both fine," I said, even though I didn't actually know that for sure, but I needed him to stop spiraling before he tripped over his own feet again. "I'm more worried about the king of the neck-biters setting foot on our land. I won't be at ease until he leaves."Duran opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, the guest house door flew open so hard it smacked the wall, and suddenly Miranda's parents came charging out like they had been waiting behind it with binoculars and a stopwatch."CUPCAKE!" Mr. Whitmore screamed."HONEY!" Mrs. Whitmore screamed at the exact same time.I barely had time to brace myself before they slammed into me from both sides."You're a
MIRANDA'S POV After Nigel and Duran peeled off with heavy reluctance on both sides, the rest of us followed the guard inside, and the moment the heavy doors shut behind us, the mansion seemed to inhale. The halls were exactly how I remembered them—cold, wide, too polished, and too formal, with walls that had watched generations of wolves grow up and get crushed under expectation. The silence wasn't peaceful; it was loaded, coiled tight like something was crouched in the dark, waiting for the right second to strike. Velma stayed close to Lazarus, her shoulder brushing his arm every few steps. Lazarus walked calmly as always, his posture perfect, his expression unreadable, but I could feel the tension rolling off him in waves. His father was here. That alone was enough to sour the air. Valko, on the other hand, walked like a man preparing to propose to his girl and fight a dragon at the same time. He kept checking the Glowpearl hidden in his jacket, then sniffing his breath like
MIRANDA'S POVThe journey back was easier than the hellish trek to Mystic Mountain, and for once nobody was bleeding, limping, or carrying anybody on their back. The air felt lighter too, almost like it was relieved to be rid of us, and honestly I couldn't blame it. We were a chaotic little parade, and Valko was leading it with the grace of a drunk toddler."I still can't believe I kissed a damn fish-bitch," Valko groaned for what had to be the ninth or fourteenth time. He spat into the bushes again and wiped his tongue on his sleeve as if he expected scales to come off. "My tongue feels traumatized. I'm gonna need to shove my whole head in a washing machine and let it spin with my tongue hanging out.""You didn't have to kiss her," Lazarus reminded him, lifting a brow in that gentle, refined way he did everything. "Opal said the Glowpearl was hers to give. All you had to do was announce you were collecting her debt. You didn't need to—what did humans call it?—bring the French kiss in
MIRANDA'S POVI didn't sleep for even five minutes. My body felt heavy, my mind felt loud, and everything that Nigel Senior told us last night was still spinning around in my skull like a drunk ballerina. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard his voice saying "the curse is ending," or "the moment you two stop being stubborn," or even worse, "you might be stuck like this forever."I couldn't even fully process that last one before Nigel, lying next to me, would toss his arm over his eyes dramatically and sigh like he was auditioning for a tragic soap opera.By the time the sun finally crawled over the mountain, I was just relieved it was morning so we could leave. At least on the road I could pretend we were normal again. Well... as normal as two teenagers stuck in each other's bodies while dealing with ancient curses, homicidal fathers, and weird mountain witches could be.Everyone gathered outside of the cabin with bags. Duran had a backpack stuffed so full that the zipper kept slidin
NIGEL'S POV"No, you and I are not related," Lazarus quickly stated.I blew out a breath of relief so hard my shoulders sagged. For a split second, I genuinely thought I was about to find out I shared DNA with the neck biter who once threatened to rip my throat out for breathing too loudly.Grandpa snorted. "Thank the Goddess for that.""But you just said your father and LisaRay made a baby together," Miranda stated, knitting her brows in confusion."I know..." Lazarus said, rubbing the back of his neck. "But you see, the child never came to be. When LisaRay's father found out about the pregnancy, he dragged her to a white witch and demanded she perform a supernatural abortion. The witch refused because she said the child was destined to be mostly wolf, not vampire, which meant the baby would have been unique. Maybe even powerful. A bridge between our species. But Alpha Rampuss, her father, saw the child as an abomination. When the witch refused, he locked her in the dungeon and thre







