Cameron's P.O.V "Cam…I forgot my notebook in class," Sarah looked up at me through her long dark lashed, her eyes shining innocently. "Can you please go back and get it for me?" I narrowed my eyes at her. "What are you trying to do?" We were at the almost empty school's parking lot and Alex and the rest of the group had already headed back home in Alex's jeep. Sarah usually went to and from school with me, in my car, but this was the first time that she had ever asked me to go back and 'get' something for her, especially since she had an amazing memory and never really forgot anything behind…unless it was purposeful. "Me? I'm trying to get my notebook." She blinked her eyes oh-so-innocently, like I didn't understand her strategy. "Please? I'm tired. I went out for a really long run last night and my heels are aching…" I raised my eyebrows at her, not moving an inch from my spot. Sarah sighed, dropping
Cameron's P.O.V For a second, the shock of it had me frozen…until my wolf came to roaring life. "You bastard!" A shout tore through me, sounding more like a growl than my human voice as I ran towards the two of them and ripped the leech off of Freya with my fingers around his neck. Mr. Agnes tried to pry my hand off of his neck, but I tossed him aside onto the floor. However, the leech didn't make the mistake of staying for a fight. The instant he hit the ground, he scrambled on to his hands and knees and crawled out of the classroom, before breaking into a run as soon as he was back on his feet. I grit my teeth, wanting to follow him, to bash in his skull…but then I remembered that Freya was still in the room, and from the frantic beat of her heart…she was scared. My wolf howled inside my head, urging me to go to Freya first. Its claws and fangs extended when I tried to go against my wolf's orders. I found that I couldn't leave her alone, not li
Cameron's P.O.V When I returned back to the school building, I headed straight for the girl's locker room, with the extra set of clothing that Sarah always kept inside the car in case of unexpected weather emergencies. 'How is she holding up?' I had asked Sarah via our mental link. 'Bring the change of clothes I keep in your car…' Sarah had spoken almost hesitantly. 'Freya's clothes…have ripped.' My blood boiled in my veins. My wolf was beyond aggravated. It made me mad that I hadn't put at least a scratch on the scumbag, a token to last him a lifetime, to remind him never to cross the line he had today. Knocking on the locker room door, I handed Sarah the bag of clothes and waited outside patiently while Freya got dressed. I tried not to eavesdrop, because that would've been the polite thing to do; but every now and then, a sob or a stutter escaped Freya's lips and my ears would inevitably pick it up through the quietness all around us. I fisted my hands
Freya's P.O.V I scrubbed myself clean in the bathroom, over and over again. But no matter how many times I cleaned that man's touch…it still felt like bugs were crawling all over my skin. How did I not see this coming? After the way he had caught my hand the first time? I may not have known the reason but his intensions had been clean even then. Why had I thought that ducking my head and just leaving it be would help me find a solution? It hadn't been a solution. If anything, Mr. Agnes had thought of it as an encouragement that he could go further. I had encouraged him…hadn't I? Had I brought this upon myself? As for my father…I had already lost all hope of his redemption a long time ago. But now, I resented him even more with each passing day. The only time he ever showed up was when he had to take my money. Money that I was earning with my own blood, sweat and tears after hours and hours of hard work. Getting out of the shower, to prevent myself from fre
Cameron's P.O.V Later that night, I stood in front of my father, who had been reported by the guards at my school about something happening at school today. I wasn't worried since I had planned on letting my father know anyway. He was also my Alpha and he should be aware of things going on in his region that had forced me to get involved. However, the reason I had been called into the Alpha's office wasn't because of whatever commotion happened at school…but because the guards had seen my eyes turn wolf in front of a human being, thus threatening to expose our existence. "Do you have an explanation for yourself?" Father asked, his eyes narrowed on my face. "No." I told him without emotions. "I did what I had to do to scare him." "And what had he done that required you to almost expose our existence?" He raised an eyebrow at me. "He tried to force himself on a classmate." I told him, watching his eyes
Freya's P.O.V The next day, when I arrived at school, everything seemed to be abuzz. Everyone seemed to be gossiping about something that I had no idea about, but whatever the topic, it must have been very interesting to keep the whole school on their feet even during lunch time. However, when I saw Mrs. Leyland, the Principal's Secretary walk into the cafeteria and head straight towards me…the only thought that came into my mind was that…everyone had found out. My heart thrashed against my ribcage, beating wildly as I felt my feet freeze in place at the lunch line. I turned towards the table where Cameron sat with all of his friends, only to find that he was the only one missing. "Ms. Walker." Mrs. Leyland came to stand in front of me, towering a foot taller than me thanks to her ridiculously high heels. "Please follow me to the Principal's office." My heart threatened to burst out of my chest. "W-why? Is s-something t-the m
Cameron's P.O.V "She didn't show up today either." Sarah reminded me for the hundredth time. "Do you want to check up on her?" I sighed before turning to face her. "Why are you being so persistent?" Hadn't Freya herself told me she didn't want unwanted charity? She had taken my kindness as bloody charity, for fuck's sake! Sarah raised her eyebrows at me, her bangs sliding across her forehead as she tilted her head to the side. "Isn't it obvious? You'll regret this decision the second you turn eighteen tomorrow and find out she's your mate. Trust me, you'll know then just how big of a fool you had been and since she's human, who wouldn't instantly fall head over heels in love with you after what you put her through; you'll be the one running around after her, begging for her forgiveness…which isn't going to be a possibility if you keep up your attitude." My frown deepened. "That's a very detailed description of w
Cameron's P.O.V I watched Freya approach the table while taking out her notepad. Her expression changed in a split second before she reached my table and her ever-present frown turned into a fake-bright smile as she greeted me. "Hi, I'm Freya, your server today. What can I get…" Her voice faded as she looked up from her notepad and into my eyes. The smile vanished from her face as her brows furrowed and she bit her lower lip, as if debating what to do next. I had to say, even though it had been fake, I liked it when she had a smile on her face. Her dark hair was cut too short for my liking, but even then, she looked pretty. Why hadn't I noticed before how pretty she looked? What I didn't like however, was just how skinny she was…almost like she was starving herself. "Two cups of coffee, please." I told her, with a polite smile. Her frown deepened at the mention of 'two', but she didn't comment on it. "And what kind of coffee
Lilac's P.O.V It's been a long ride and a very eventful one at that and anytime I think about what Krimson and I have been through, I'm just grateful we had the strength to go through everything we went through and we were able to come out of it even stronger than how we were before. As the sun cast its warm, golden rays across the university campus, I found myself sitting on a bench, the weight of decisions pressing against my chest. The soft whispers of the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze mirrored the conflicted thoughts swirling in my mind. Krimson, my mate, had offered a future tied to our pack, an enticing prospect for many, but not for me. I gazed at the sprawling grounds, feeling a tug in my heart that wasn't just about academic pursuits. The university held promises beyond the textbooks and lectures. It offered freedom—freedom to carve my own identity, to explore knowledge that extended far beyond the boundaries of our pack's traditions. I yearned to brea
Krimson's P.O.V I woke up to the pale light filtering through the hospital room, the faint beeping of monitors sounding in the background. My vision was hazy at first, the events leading up to this moment a jumbled mess in my mind. As I blinked and slowly tried to focus, the first thing that became clear was Lilac's form, peacefully asleep in a chair next to my bed. Relief washed over me as memories flooded back, fragments piecing together into a coherent narrative. "Lilac," I whispered softly, my voice hoarse from disuse. She stirred slightly, a faint flutter of eyelashes against her cheeks, but she remained deep in slumber. The sight of her there, unwavering by my side, despite everything that had transpired, filled me with an inexplicable warmth. I couldn't help but recall the chaos of that night—the confrontation, the whirlwind of emotions, and then the blankness as consciousness slipped away from me. But here I was, waking up to her steadfast presence. It m
Lilac's P.O.V I watched Silver hurl accusations at me, adding to my guilt. I wanted to explain, to make her understand that it wasn't intentional, that the circumstances had shifted beyond my control. But words seemed to desert me in that moment as I grappled with the weight of her accusation. However, Krimson's voice echoed in the room then, commanding even though weak. "Silver, it's not Lilac's fault," he said firmly, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "I made the decision. I took action to protect." Silver's gaze snapped toward Krimson, her eyes filled with disbelief. "What are you saying, Krimson? You hated her, didn't you? Then why would you risk your life to save her?" Krimson shook his head solemnly. "No, Silver. I never hated Lilac, it was our circumstances that I hated. It felt like the Goddess had played a cruel joke on me. But I couldn't run away from a bond fated by the goddess herself, Silver. I had caused Lilac enough pain as it is…I
Lilac's P.O.V I nodded, my mind racing with the urgency of the situation. I moved towards Silver, hoping against hope that all of this worked. "Silver…" I called out to her slowly, making her head snap in my direction. "Please…you need to stop all of this." But Silver's face twisted in a sinister smirk. "It's too late to stop any of this, Lilac. This ends with one of us." "It doesn't have to be that way, Silvia." I shook my head, pleading with her. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Del approaching her steadily from behind her, while I kept on engaging her in conversion. "It does, Lilac." Silver snapped at me, turning her body around so she was facing me completely. "You don't understand-" It was all Del needed, for her to turn away, so that our plan worked. Without wasting a second, he came up behind Silver and wrapped his arms around her body, holding her in place as he took her by surprise
Lilac's P.O.V For a moment, time seemed suspended, the tableau frozen in an eerie stillness. Silver hesitated, her gaze flickering between me and Krimson, the dagger held poised in the air, its lethal purpose momentarily forgotten in the face of Krimson's interruption. "Step away from her, Silver," Krimson's voice cut through the tension, unwavering and authoritative. His stance was firm, commanding obedience without question. The grip of Silver's magic lessened, the pressure easing just enough for me to draw a ragged breath. My muscles protested as I struggled against the binds anew, though I didn't dare to take my eyes off Silver, her expression a maelstrom of conflicting emotions - anger, desperation, and a hint of something I couldn't quite place. "Krimson, you shouldn't be here," Silver's voice wavered, a tremor betraying the turmoil within her. Her grip on the dagger faltered, uncertainty clouding her features. "You know I couldn't stand by and
Lilac's P.O.V The air was thick with tension, a palpable energy that crackled around us like a storm waiting to break. "Silver, you're fooling yourself if you think you can wield that kind of power," I said softly, my gaze fixed on the gleaming knife in her hands. "You're not a true Silver Alpha Breeder, you never will be. You can't ever access my full potential." Silver's laughter cut through the serene air, a sound that held a hint of something darker beneath its surface. "Oh, you have no idea, do you?" Her eyes glinted with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "You underestimate what a witch can do, what I can do. I'm part wolf, part witch. I'm a hybrid that is already stronger than both a wolf and a witch! There's nothing I cannot do, Lilac!" "You think I chose you to lead our pack because of some noble sentiment? No, Lilac." Her voice was cold, devoid of any warmth. "I chose you because I knew the stronger you became, the more that dormant p
Lilac's P.O.V My eyes brimmed with confusion and hurt as I confronted Silver in the dimly lit room I was being held captive in. "Did you…ever really consider me a friend, Silver?" my voice trembled with a mixture of fear and desperation, my heart aching with the weight of betrayal. Silver, her gaze heavy with sorrow and a haunted past, met my eyes. "I used to belong to a peaceful pack, a pack that had been my home since the day I was born," she began, her voice tinged with a raw emotion that spoke volumes of her pain. "We lived in harmony, in unity. It was everything to me." Tears welled up in Silver's eyes, reflecting the agony of memories etched deep within her soul. "Your father," she whispered, the words heavy with anguish. "He... he attacked our pack. In the dead of night, when darkness cloaked the land, he led a brutal assault." I felt my heart ache for the woman that I had once considered my biggest alley, but now, she had turned out to be my bigges
Krimson's P.O.V The night hung heavy around us as we tore through the city streets, the engine's roar mingling with the howling wind. Del and I were on a mission—racing against time to reach Silver's apartment. It was imperative that we find Lilac before anything sinister unfolded. "Alpha Krimson, step on it!" Del's voice cut through the adrenaline-charged air, urgency lacing every word. His grip tightened on the door handle as we swerved through the dimly lit alleys, the neon signs blurring into streaks of color. "I'm pushing it as hard as I can!" I shouted back, my eyes fixed on the road ahead. The weight of worry pressed on me like a leaden cloak. We had to reach Silver's place, and had to find Lilac safe and sound. Finally, screeching to a halt outside Silver's building, we leaped out of the car. Breathless and tense, we dashed up the stairs, each step echoing the pounding of our hearts. As we reached Silver's door, our hopes soared, but a hollow silence gre
Lilac's P.O.V As I slowly arose to consciousness, I found myself grappling with the weight of my heavy eyelids. My mind sluggishly pieced together the fragments of reality, pushing through a dense fog of disorientation. The air felt heavy, each inhale a laborious effort that failed to fill my lungs as it should. A peculiar lightheadedness swept over me, a disconcerting sensation akin to floating on the edge of a dream. My initial attempt to stretch my arms, to move, met an unexpected resistance. Panic flickered through my drowsy mind as the realization hit home—I was restrained. My fingertips brushed against something coarse and unyielding, confirming my fear. The sensation sent a jolt of adrenaline through my groggy state, clearing the haze momentarily. I tried to rise, only to discover the cruel truth of my predicament: bound, not just by ropes or chains, but tied firmly to what appeared to be a marble table. The cool surface pressed against my skin, a s