Dominic sat hunched at the bar, nursing a half-empty glass of beer cradled in his hand. The amber liquid shimmered in the dim light, but his eyes were distant, lost in thought, unfocused.Freya stepped behind the counter, her apron slung over one shoulder, ready to start her shift. She spotted him immediately—alone, shoulders heavy, haunted—and quietly made her way over."Hey..." she said softly.Dominic glanced up, his voice flat. "Starting your shift?""Yeah," she replied with a small smile. "Thanks for asking."As she leaned on the bar across from him, a weight settled in her chest. His silence was loud, thick with pain. The kind you didn't need to name to feel. She could feel the weight of his sadness like a fog pressing down around him."Dominic," she said gently.He looked at her, eyes tired. "Do you need something, Freya?" His voice was rough, like he hadn't spoken to anyone all day.She shook her head. "No. I just... wanted to say something."He raised an eyebrow, waiting.She
Two men dragged a bound, struggling woman down a cold, dimly lit stone hallway. Her face was concealed beneath a coarse black sack, and her wrists were shackled in silver-laced chains that clinked with every step. When they reached the centre of the chamber, they shoved her forward. She hit the ground hard, falling to her knees, breath ragged beneath the cloth.“Well, well…” a man drawled, dressed too neatly for someone so casual, his voice smooth and mocking—like velvet laced with venom. “Look what we have here. My future mistress.” He gestured lazily. “Take that ridiculous thing off her.”One of the guards yanked the sack away. Elena blinked rapidly against the sudden light, her face pale—her mouth was gone, just smooth skin where her lips should have been. Slowly and painfully, it began to reform, the skin shifting unnaturally. Her golden eyes flared with fury.“Ah, there she is,” the man purred, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. “Our little guest of honour. Still got some fight in
Dominic stepped into the clearing, the soft rustle of leaves beneath his boots the only sound. The air smelled of memory—earth, pine, and the faintest trace of something old. He stood at the edge of the forest clearing, the place he and Regina—Sasha—had once called their secret spot, where they used to meet long before everything changed. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying memories that felt both distant and close.He turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Regina stood there, her expression unreadable.“You’re angry because I couldn’t love you the way you wanted,” Dominic said, his voice low but steady. “And I can’t change that, no matter how much I wish I could. But what we had—what we were—was real. I wasn’t blind to how you felt back then. I just thought… I hoped time would heal it. I never imagined it would twist into this.”Regina didn’t speak. She only stared at him, her eyes flickering with emotions dancing just behind the coldness.Dominic walked toward her,
Dominic entered the apartment, each step echoing in the silence. It was too quiet, too still. There was no sound of her voice calling from the kitchen, or laughter, just a heavy, suffocating silence.He moved to the dining room, where her presence lingered like perfume, clinging to every surface. He sat down, eyes fixed on nothing until he saw her.She walked toward him, radiant and smiling, a plate in her hands. "I just created a recipe," she said, that familiar light in her eyes. "Can you taste it for me?"He reached for her, but his fingers met only air.His heart dropped as he stood quickly, breath tight in his chest, and moved to the living room. And he saw them.They were wrapped in each other in the glow of the fireplace. Firelight danced across their bare skin, her laughter ringing like music through the room. Their love burned as fiercely as the flames. He moved within her as she arched beneath him, completely lost in each other.He smiled softly, painfully, until it faded a
Freya sat in the car with her mother, heading back to Blackwood Town. They had left right after her father's death, but now, after the tragic loss of her roommate and the relentless nightmares that followed, her mother had decided to bring her back.She would be staying with her grandfather to continue her studies at Blackwood University. Now, in her sophomore year, all she wanted was for the nightmares to end and to find her way back to some sense of normalcy.As they pulled up to her grandfather's quaint apartment, Freya reached for the door handle, but her mother gently took her other hand."Listen, everything will be fine," Catherine assured her.Freya pressed her lips together and nodded. "I know, Mum."Catherine offered her a weak smile.Just then, the front door opened, and Jeffery, her grandfather, stepped outside."Gramps...," Freya exclaimed, stepping out of the car. She rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug."My beautiful Fae," Jeffery said warmly."Hey, Pops
Freya walked into the hall with Raven by her side. They had met on her first day of lectures and instantly connected. It wasn't just chance-they had gone to the same middle school before everything changed: before her father died, before her mother married Billy, before she had to leave Blackwood behind.As they moved forward, Freya's eyes landed on a familiar figure. Dominic. He walked down the corridor with his usual crowd, confident as always.Dominic was a senior, and though they had barely interacted, Freya couldn't deny the pull she felt toward him. In the weeks she had been here, all that had passed between them was a single stare. Yet, when he looked up at her, she couldn't help but be drawn to his striking crimson eyes.Their eyes met briefly once again. His crimson eyes-so intense, so unnatural-held her still. Her heart skipped a beat.Red. How could she be drawn to red eyes? She had always loved blue, the color of her own-the shade she once thought was the most beautiful.A
The Blackwood Bar was alive with music, its heavy bass thrumming through the floor as bodies moved in rhythm under dim, flickering lights. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol, perfume, and the electric energy of the night.Dominic stepped inside with Cameron, Elena, and her friends close behind. The moment they entered, Elena tugged on his arm."Let's dance," she whined, pressing herself against him."Drinks first," Dominic said, his voice firm as he led her toward the bar counter.Behind the counter, Freya was busy mixing drinks, her hands moving instinctively as she poured and stirred. She didn't expect to look up and find Dominic leaning in, suddenly so close."Can I get a Wilderness Whiskey and a Moonlight Brew?" he asked, his voice smooth yet commanding.Freya froze, her fingers tightening around the bottle in her hands. His crimson eyes locked onto hers, burning, searching. For a second, she forgot to breathe.Dominic flicked his fingers impatiently, breaking the moment.
Freya moved through the building, her footsteps echoing down the hallway as the murmur of female voices filled the halls. She entered a small dorm room with two beds, spotting a blonde lady sitting cross-legged on one of the beds."Hey, roomie," Freya called out casually, setting her bag down on her bed. The blonde, Emily, barely glanced up, her fingers tightening around the edge of her pillow. "I saw you with Logan," she said coldly. "What the hell were you doing with my boyfriend?"Freya sighed and frowned, recalling her conversation with him as she turned to face her. "Emily, we were just talking. Nothing else."Emily got up from the bed and took a step closer. "Then why did he break up with me right after your little chat?" A tense silence stretched between them."What?" Freya's eyes widened in shock, her brows knitting together. "I never told him anything. I swear. I even made it clear I would never be with him. You have to believe me."But Emily wasn't listening.Her hand slip
Dominic entered the apartment, each step echoing in the silence. It was too quiet, too still. There was no sound of her voice calling from the kitchen, or laughter, just a heavy, suffocating silence.He moved to the dining room, where her presence lingered like perfume, clinging to every surface. He sat down, eyes fixed on nothing until he saw her.She walked toward him, radiant and smiling, a plate in her hands. "I just created a recipe," she said, that familiar light in her eyes. "Can you taste it for me?"He reached for her, but his fingers met only air.His heart dropped as he stood quickly, breath tight in his chest, and moved to the living room. And he saw them.They were wrapped in each other in the glow of the fireplace. Firelight danced across their bare skin, her laughter ringing like music through the room. Their love burned as fiercely as the flames. He moved within her as she arched beneath him, completely lost in each other.He smiled softly, painfully, until it faded a
Dominic stepped into the clearing, the soft rustle of leaves beneath his boots the only sound. The air smelled of memory—earth, pine, and the faintest trace of something old. He stood at the edge of the forest clearing, the place he and Regina—Sasha—had once called their secret spot, where they used to meet long before everything changed. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying memories that felt both distant and close.He turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Regina stood there, her expression unreadable.“You’re angry because I couldn’t love you the way you wanted,” Dominic said, his voice low but steady. “And I can’t change that, no matter how much I wish I could. But what we had—what we were—was real. I wasn’t blind to how you felt back then. I just thought… I hoped time would heal it. I never imagined it would twist into this.”Regina didn’t speak. She only stared at him, her eyes flickering with emotions dancing just behind the coldness.Dominic walked toward her,
Two men dragged a bound, struggling woman down a cold, dimly lit stone hallway. Her face was concealed beneath a coarse black sack, and her wrists were shackled in silver-laced chains that clinked with every step. When they reached the centre of the chamber, they shoved her forward. She hit the ground hard, falling to her knees, breath ragged beneath the cloth.“Well, well…” a man drawled, dressed too neatly for someone so casual, his voice smooth and mocking—like velvet laced with venom. “Look what we have here. My future mistress.” He gestured lazily. “Take that ridiculous thing off her.”One of the guards yanked the sack away. Elena blinked rapidly against the sudden light, her face pale—her mouth was gone, just smooth skin where her lips should have been. Slowly and painfully, it began to reform, the skin shifting unnaturally. Her golden eyes flared with fury.“Ah, there she is,” the man purred, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. “Our little guest of honour. Still got some fight in
Dominic sat hunched at the bar, nursing a half-empty glass of beer cradled in his hand. The amber liquid shimmered in the dim light, but his eyes were distant, lost in thought, unfocused.Freya stepped behind the counter, her apron slung over one shoulder, ready to start her shift. She spotted him immediately—alone, shoulders heavy, haunted—and quietly made her way over."Hey..." she said softly.Dominic glanced up, his voice flat. "Starting your shift?""Yeah," she replied with a small smile. "Thanks for asking."As she leaned on the bar across from him, a weight settled in her chest. His silence was loud, thick with pain. The kind you didn't need to name to feel. She could feel the weight of his sadness like a fog pressing down around him."Dominic," she said gently.He looked at her, eyes tired. "Do you need something, Freya?" His voice was rough, like he hadn't spoken to anyone all day.She shook her head. "No. I just... wanted to say something."He raised an eyebrow, waiting.She
Dominic picked up the bracelet, letting the frayed threads run between his fingers. He turned it over in his hand, brows furrowing, eyes narrowing as a memory tugged at him.“This was mine,” he murmured. “But I gave it to…” His voice trailed off, his mind sifting through the haze of distant days. “Sasha. I gave it to a friend—Sasha. She’s dead. How did you get this?”Regina’s voice trembled as she wiped away the tears threatening to fall. “Because you gave it to me. I am Sasha, Nico.”He took a step back. “That’s impossible. You want me to believe that? Sasha is dead.”“The poems and stories we read in the forest,” Regina said softly. “The stories we made up beneath the pine trees. The restaurant you took me to, the raw meat you snuck to my people. The playground where you taught me how to swing, remember?”He said nothing, the silence swelling between them.“If you need more proof…” She took a breath. “The song. The one I taught you. The one my mother sang to me every night... Close
"Elena, if it were just a kiss with my dad, maybe I could find a way to let it go—he’s always been a shameless flirt, I know that," Jasmine said, folding her arms. "But we’re talking about Dominic’s father. You know how complicated their relationship was—love and hate all tangled together.""I know," Elena said. "It happened so long ago, and I’ve regretted it ever since. I don’t even know what came over me. I used to get anxious just thinking about it. I’ve wished a thousand times I could erase that moment."Margaret wrapped her arms around her. "It’s going to be alright. Dominic just needs time. When he’s ready to talk, I believe he’ll listen. And maybe… forgive.""But who would do this to you, Elena? Who would dig up that memory now and make sure Dominic saw it?" Jasmine asked. "Was it Athena?""No," Elena said firmly, shaking her head. "It’s not Athena. For all her flaws, she loved Cerdrick. She’d be just as heartbroken as Dominic if she knew. She wouldn’t use this against me. No…
Freya slipped into the university library and made her way to the myths section, heading straight for the shelves on werewolves. Her fingers brushed over the spines of old books until a few caught her attention. Cradling them in her arms, she headed toward her newfound usual hiding spot—tucked behind the farthest shelf, past dusty encyclopedias no one ever touched.A small smile played on her lips as she turned the corner.The familiar carpet was still there, along with the worn pillows she’d stashed weeks ago. Untouched. Undisturbed. This hidden nook had become her private sanctuary.She dropped her bag quietly and sat cross-legged on the carpet, exhaling slowly. Here, she could breathe. Learn. Be herself—even if no one else knew who she truly was. It was a place to explore her identity in peace. She had learned a lot, and her Gramps had taught her even more.Lately, she’d been reading about a ritual—something her father had done to hide her real identity. She wondered why. Was she m
The memory plate trembled violently in Elena’s hands, pulsing with a force that felt almost alive. She gritted her teeth, clutching it tighter, trying to keep it hidden behind her back. It vibrated with a strange energy, tugging at her fingers like it had a will of its own—no, not a will. A purpose.It was meant for Dominic. And deep down, she knew it. Knew it with every ounce of dread pooling in her stomach.Still, she could stall. She had to.“Nothing,” Elena said a little too brightly, forcing a grin as she stepped toward him. “Dominic, I love you. More than anyone in this world. You know you’re the only man I’ve ever truly been with… right?”“What’s going on?” He asked.The memory plate gave a final, violent pull and tore free from Elena’s grasp, glowing silver as it zipped through the air and landed in Dominic’s waiting hand."Elena…” he said slowly, eyes narrowing. “What’s this doing here?”She opened her mouth, but he didn’t need to wait for an answer.The memory unfurled in gl
Jasmine and Margaret were nestled under the soft blankets of the guest room bed, wearing the cozy cotton pajamas Elena had lent them—matching, oversized, and undeniably comfortable. “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” Margaret said with a small laugh, staring up at the ceiling. “I know, right?” Jasmine laughed, fluffing a pillow behind her head. “But seriously, have you ever wondered why Elena and Dominic live in this modest apartment when they grew up in literal mansions? I mean, Elena has Athena’s legacy, and Dominic basically inherited generations of wealth from his ancestors." Margaret chuckled softly. “I think that’s the point. Dominic’s always been about the simple life. That’s why, after Cedrick died, he left the castle behind like it meant nothing and came here. Honestly, I think it’s kind of admirable.” The bedroom door eased open, and Elena slipped inside, her bunny pajamas swaying as she climbed onto the bed with a wide grin. “So… what exactly are we doing tonig