"What about your mom?" I ask, half-smiling, locking my arms around the alpha's neck. He leans into me, his nose nuzzling the crook of my neck. "What about her, Ness?" He says, breathily. When he exhales softly, it sends tiny tickles all over my neck and face. "You smell so good." I giggle. "What if she… comes in? If she hears us, you know… ?" I bite my bottom lip, feigning concern. He chuckles and draws away to cup my face and pull me closer. "I'm sure she's already left for a flower event or something like that and won't return for hours. No one will disturb us," He says, the last bit trailing off in a whisper. When he strokes my bottom lip with his thumb, I feel the air leaving my lungs all of a sudden. The intensity of his blue eyes on me is too much to bear, but I meet it with a smirk. "Hmm," I coo, pretending to consider his words, then nod slowly, reaching up to hold his chin. "Good, then." I stand on the tip of my toes and gently brush my lips on his—a small, teasing kiss. I
I tap my feet on the sand beneath me as my eyes gaze around, squinting in the bright sunlight. With every passing moment, my feet tap more vigorously against the sandy floor, the print of my sole becoming more prominent. Patience trickles out of me swiftly, and my two friends are nowhere to be seen. I pull out my cell phone and check whether Niall has responded yet, but there's nothing. I grow restless, until I decide there's no other way to go. I have to attend the class. At the classroom door, I clear my throat, grabbing my teacher's attention as she turns sharply towards me, startled. "May I come in?" I ask, as politely as I can under my current situation. For a moment, Mrs. Robinson stands frozen, her eyes wide with confusion. Then her lips curl into the most taunting of smiles, one reserved especially for me. "How kind of you to finally join us, Miss Martin. Please, do come in." I'm staggered when I see Riley isn't present in the class. She never misses any class. She's probab
The sun blazes above us, looking down through crooked tree branches as we venture deeper into the woods. Streams of sweat trickle down the sides of my forehead. "Who were you looking for in the class?" Jordan asks, and I sigh, remembering how I'd been betrayed. "Niall… and Riley. We planned to skip Biology and meet at the West-side beach. But those dummies ended up waiting at the East-side. I thought they'd been caught trying to escape or something, so I came back to the class. But—" "—they weren't there." "Yeah," I say, my voice taught with irritation. "I mean, we never meet at that beach. Goddess! I thought winter had begun. It's awfully hot today," I complain to Jordan, who is trekking behind me. Dead leaves crumple beneath my steps. "I like the heat. Winters are boring. Cold." He's glad he picked up that I don't want to talk about them anymore. For a moment, an image of me snuggled up in a blanket with him in the cold flashes through my mind. I shake it away, shocked at my ow
Cole's brown eyes stare back at me, equally widened in shock. When I realize he isn't breathing, I get to my feet in an instant, relieving him of the weight on his chest. Cole huffs and struggles to lift himself up for a moment, but when I offer my hand in support, he shakes his head. With wobbly knees, he stands up and gives out a weary sigh. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry. I thought you were—" "Nessa!" A voice calls from behind, cutting me off. Jordan jogs up to me, his lips tilted into a half-smile. "Nothing to worry about. Only a bunch of tourists..." Jordan's voice trails off when his eyes find Cole. I purse my lips, feeling guilty for my action, and settle my eyes on Cole again. "As I was saying, I'm sorry. I thought you were going to attack me." Cole sighs again and runs his hand through his light hair, brushing off any dry leaves and twigs that had stuck in it. He places his hands on his hips and smiles, still breathing loudly. "No one should dare attack you, I think. After be
The next few days pass in a haze. I see less of Niall but frequently meet and talk to Jordan. He always approaches me burdened and worried but leaves less miserable and more confident in himself. The matter of missing werewolves is still kept a secret from the packs. The only person who knows about the situation other than the families of the two alphas is me. I try all I can to help, but there is nothing much I can do. If I had shifted, I would have been able to search the woods for their scents. My seventeenth birthday is approaching fast, and the lack of communication between Niall and me makes me feel uneasy. I am beginning to doubt my future. What if Niall isn't my mate? What would happen next? Being closer than ever to Jordan does not help my frantic heart either. To take my mind off those things, I go surfing, but the fear of confronting Cole brings me back soon enough. I constantly wish he'd left with his friends. Showing him the temple was a stupid move. But I do not blame
Although at first, it seemed like a bad idea to me—and it probably was—I end up inviting Jordan out of curiosity. I want to know how he will react. The Silver Crescent pack gathers once every month at Luna's temple to celebrate Crescent night, for a blissful period filled with music, laughter, delightful food, and chaos of all kinds. My mother would be there along with my grandma, the only time the old lady ever chooses to leave her bed. Usually, I would be at the center, organizing the monthly event along with my packmates. But this time, my attention has been carried away by other concerning things. As far as I know, no one from the Blood Moon pack has attended a Crescent celebration over the last few decades. I can guess the general reaction, however, I care little about that. If the packs knew what was going on in Bellpond, they would choose to stick together. At least that is what I believe. Also, I want to spend some more time with Jordan. Being around him feels nice. I have g
I hope to find a quiet spot to spend my time sulking until I can be beside Jordan again. I drag myself away from the pair, each footstep weighing heavy. Not long after, I find myself facing my mother. I greet her with a smile but do not receive one back. Her lips are pressed together in a thin line. My eyes flicker to the old lady standing beside her. My grandmother. Judith Martin has a face that is completely wrinkled, the arch of her backbone revealing her years. The skin of her body hangs lazily over the bones, but her eyes blaze with pure anger. They seem to glow orangish-red, although that is only the reflection of a nearby fire. She seems ready to pounce at any moment now, and I am prepared. "What have you done?" She questions the beta werewolf, her voice sounding similar to thunder. "I don't know what you mean," I answer, but I think my voice sounds too small. Almost fearful. "Don't you, girl? Tell me," she demands, moving closer. One of her bony hands grabs my arm and ho
Jordan shakes his head and lowers his eyes to his feet. “I swear it's just the dress you’re wearing,” he claims. “I’ve been told that.” I want to know what he is really thinking. If I had shifted, I would sense his mood. I would have some idea if he is really being truthful. What if I am feeling all of this and none of it is genuine? And that thought has done it. It has managed to ruin the rest of my night. I move away from him, not too much for I do not want to make him feel any worse. But being too close without knowing clearly what he wants is not an option. I look at the night sky, how dark and beautiful it still is. My grandma always says she believes a Crescent night to be brighter than a full moon. It makes no sense but I know why she would say that. My thoughts linger and the words from my mouth are, “I’m not all good, Jordan. I do stupid things sometimes.” “Who doesn’t?” His tone is easy. Maybe I had expected something else. Maybe he is not looking at me to know I am
*Five weeks later* Nessa woke up to a start, gasping for air. Her fists clenched the bedsheets in a poor attempt to calm herself. A moment ago, she was falling from an enormous cliff into an abyss, but that was just another nightmare. She had woken up to a reality that was far more miserable. Perspiration lined her body and her arm was bleeding again, the blood soaking into her white bed sheets. She ripped the useless bandage apart and gave the bullet wound a brief look before getting up. Outside, the world was still enveloped in darkness. Bellpond was quieter now than it had been before and one could smell the despair with every breath. Nessa found remnants of the herbs in one of the chest drawers. Hastily, she rubbed it over the wound. A hiss left her lips as the wound sealed itself, burning as if in contact with acid. There was no more left. That meant she'd need to see that wretched hybrid once more. Pulling a hoodie over her head, Nessa jumped out of the window and lande
“Thought you weren’t ready to kill her. Like ever,” Carol confesses in a mocking tone. Cole regards her for a moment. “You want me to be honest? I’m not. Look at that face,” he says, pointing at Nessa with the sharp end of the stake. “If she’d sided with us, we could’ve made a great team. Too bad I never asked her.” Carol rolls her eyes and looks behind her, a frown starting to form on her face. “Where are Megan and Dan?” “Guarding the cave entrance.” “They don’t need to guard it,” she hisses. “My spell will keep it sealed.” He gives her a wide smile that is in all ways fake. “They might be screwing each other for all I care.” Carol crosses her arms, taking a step forward. “They should be here for the big end.” “Darling, this is only a small start,” he claims, and I understand they have forgotten me for the moment. The siblings like to ramble on and on. If anything, I want to be done with this so I won’t have to hear their voices again. “What do you think Dad will say when we fi
A rancid stench in the cave forces me to open my eyes. It’s not the first time I’ve done that, but based on how my body feels, it could very well be the last. The notion of death scares me. And that, in turn, makes me angry. I’m yet to avenge the death of those I’ve lost. Dying is not an option. Nor is being scared. My eyes always have the same view—a hunter looming over me, holding a silver stake in hand; spitting mocking words if it's either Megan or Dan. If it’s Cole, then the words are more threatening; he never fails to call me darling. Carol, however, needs no stake. All she does whenever I regain consciousness is twirl her fingers in the air. I know I hate nothing else more than what follows that action. But this time when I open my eyes, I see something else. Someone else. Riley. The human holds no silver stake in her hands. In that state, Riley is as harmless as an infant, lying too still across me on the wet floor. With a sniff, I raise my head—something I haven't manag
Long after, Jordan and I are still lying on the bed, wrapped in each other’s arms. It’s still dark outside and cold, I think to myself, glancing out of the window, but the warmth of the fireplace and my mate are comforting. “How much has changed in so little time,” he comments, his fingers lightly brushing up and down my arms. “I’ve lost so much and gained too.” I watch the side of his face intently, but my mind wanders. A frown forms on my face, despite not wanting to let myself get hurt at the moment. “I’m not going to let them take anything more from me,” Jordan continues. A sigh leaves his lips as his head turns to look directly at me. “I should’ve told you earlier. My dad didn’t die in an accident. Hunters murdered him.” That shakes all the senses out of me. I gape at him. “What?” “I know it sounds crazy. I didn’t know before. My mom told me the truth the evening we found the man at the beach. They found my father staked in the heart with silver. But I still have no idea why
Several minutes later, I stand outside the Blood Moon packhouse, gaping at its enormity. I'm already out of breath from running in the night as I wanted to get there as soon as possible. Whatever Melony had done to me—causing the nose bleed and the burning ear pain—had left me weakened. But as I take every step closer to Jordan, my body is slowly gaining strength. What am I going to say to him? I had called Jordan on my way to get the location of the packhouse. It was protected by the same magic that kept humans from finding the Luna’s temple. Only werewolves could locate the place. I had been eager to be there but now as the three-story concrete and glass house stands boldly in front of me, I feel hesitation rise in my chest. My thoughts are interrupted by the sudden opening of the double door entrance, guarded by two betas of the Blood Moon pack. The duo moves aside, giving way for Jordan to come out. The moment our eyes meet, I hear him sigh, and his tense shoulders immediately
For a moment while in the air, I wonder how many bones I’ll be breaking from the fall. But I land firmly on my feet, spraying sand in all directions; I feel only slightly affected by the impact. The sand here is darker and feels sinister as I take steady steps towards the trees. The silhouette stands still as though alerted by my presence. I don't take my eyes away from it, feigning confidence, but my heart hammers louder with each step that brings me closer to the spirit of the rogue werewolf I’m about to confront. Or so I believe. When I'm close enough to see her face clearly, I feel the urge to stop but I don't. The woman in front of me stands with her hands clasped together, wearing a plain dirty gown. She bears a solemn look on her face that's scarred—a long healed gash running from her left eye to her right cheek across her nose. Her matted hair reaches beneath her knees and she smells terrible. But I had expected her to be old and a spirit. The one I see appears only to be a
All my attempts at tracking Cole are futile. I manage to find out the room the group has occupied, but there's nothing that makes me feel suspicious. The list of people currently staying at the hotel is short, and they haven't been there long enough to raise any red flags. As I make my way inside the hotel, my ears pick up many things. Some of my people believe the Blood Moon pack is responsible for the deaths, since both of the murders are of werewolves belonging to our pack—Silver Crescent. I find that infuriating. I neither have the patience nor the time to deal with such nonsense. They can waste their time blaming each other, but I'm not going to do the same. Stepping outside, I see young members of our pack already lined up in groups to begin training. At least something is going right, I think, allowing myself to sigh in relief. But what am I going to do? Where can I go? Niall and his betas are scouring the forest. Jordan would be doing his part too. I close my eyes, asking my
"Why are we going to the hotel?" I question, stopping in my tracks as I realize I've been blindly following Niall and Riley. I find several members of our pack standing outside, young and old, many of them carrying bags. Niall answers my question, "We decided it was best to be together. Our pack does not have a packhouse, so your mother suggested moving all those that lived in isolated parts of the island here. In the hotel." I nod, understanding the motive behind this. "What about the Blood Moon pack?" "They still have a packhouse. I don't know what condition it is in, but Jordan assured me they'd be safe there." Riley looks out of place. She's looking around with a creased forehead, her feet shifting repeatedly. She's scared too, I realize. Hunters have not graced our land before. Any misery and death has been brought upon us only due to internal conflicts. Territorial breaches or by rogue wolves. I heave in a deep breath, feeling a little suffocated. There are few tourists, i
“No!” he blurts, stepping back. “Why would you think that?” I remain silent, not knowing what to say. He regards my face for a moment, his eyes gazing intensely, and then within a moment seals the distance between us, embracing me in a hug. I freeze, startled by his action. “Jordan, I really like you,” I whisper after easing into the hug. I hear him chuckle. “It’s obvious. Good for me.” He hugs me tighter. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while, Ness. And I swear nothing has felt more amazing.” “Y-You’re amazing too,” I say and bite my lip, realizing I could’ve said anything else and it would’ve sounded less stupid. That’s the effect he has on me. I’m always at a loss of words around him, my mind befuddled by his eyes. Jordan lets go of me briefly only to pull me in for a kiss. I smile against his lips. “I’ll walk you home?” he asks, tucking a strand of my dark hair behind my ears. I nod and smile meekly. — I step inside my house and close the door behind me, leaning against it