Two years later*Dante's POV "Daddy! Daddy!" Aiden squealed as I lifted him into the air. He had my hazel eyes, brown-curly hair, and the cutest button nose. An urgent knock on my office door interrupted our play. "Dante, there has been news of another attack," Akira announced. From the worry lines on his forehead, I could tell this was a big one. "Alpha Brock's entire pack is dead.""Great," I muttered. "Again, Daddy!" the little boy in my lap demanded, pouting his full lips. "Daddy will play with you in a little while. Why don't you go find Mommy and Norah?"I set him down, and watched his cute, little legs carried him out of the room. I waited patiently for a few minutes before mind-linking my queen. You got him? Yep. We're heading to the garden with your mom. So don't get too paranoid with me being gone, okay? There was playfulness in her tone. Okay, be safe. Come inside immediately if you see anything. I love you. I love you too, forever and always. I knew I had been a bit
Through the dark, eerie woods, I walked. The scent of pine and earth enveloped my senses, almost overwhelming, yet strangely comforting and familiar. Despite my unfamiliarity with this place, I pressed on with a confidence that felt innate, as though these woods were my home. "Mommy?" I cried out. Mommy? Why were we once again looking for my deadbeat egg donor? Entering the clearing, a wolf with red fur appeared, as if anticipating my return. Its piercing, yellow eyes locked onto mine. "There you are, Mommy!" I exclaimed. In a futile attempt to resist, I found myself wrapping my arms around the wolf's neck, burying my face in its soft fur. However, a sudden, menacing growl disrupted the moment. I turned to witness an even larger wolf emerging from the dark shadows of the trees, its yellow eyes fixated on us with a predator's unwavering attention. "Mommy, we have to run!" I screamed, desperately urging the wolf to its feet. We bolted into the woods, the ominous wolf in pursuit. M
I wolfed down the remaining eggs, more to avoid the taste than out of enjoyment. Grabbing my bag, I rose and headed to my little, beat-up burgundy car parked in the driveway. Dad hurriedly stood up as I passed him. "Wait, I can take you to school if you want," he suggested, retrieving his keys from the silver hook on the wall. I shook my head. "Oh no, that's really okay Dad. I need to learn how to get there myself anyway." He narrowed his eyes. "C'mon, you can do that tomorrow. Let your old man drop you off on your first day." His insistence cut through the air, making it clear this wasn't just a suggestion anymore. I rolled my eyes. "Ughhh, Dad, haven't you done enough? You've already dragged us to this hellhole, and now you can't even trust me to get to school by myself? I'm not a little kid anymore, Dad. I just need some space—five minutes where it doesn't feel like you're breathing down my fucking neck!" I exclaimed in frustration. A shade of disappointment clouded his face.
As I approached the entrance of WinterCrest High, a dark, suffocating wave of fear washed over me. A multitude of students streamed in the same direction, and more were arriving, offering a glimmer of hope—I could seamlessly merge into the crowd, fading into the sea of faces and escaping notice. Pushing open the doors, an eerie hush fell over the crowd, and it may have been my imagination, but it felt as though everyone stopped and stared at me. Some exchanged low whispers with one another. My heart pounded; blood rushed to my cheeks as I hurried past them towards the administrator's office. The door stood ajar, and a post-it note on the handle read, 'Be back in 10 minutes – Greene.' Uncertain how long it had been there, I entered the office. A faint scent of sage and vanilla filled the air, adding a welcoming touch. Glancing around, I confirmed the room was indeed empty, seizing the opportunity to calm my nerves before a potential panic attack ensued. Deep breath in, breathe out. De
"Good morning, Mom. Do you need any help before class starts?" The interruption came in a high, bubbly voice, full of enthusiasm. I whipped around to see the girl I recognized from the family photo. In person, Jasmine was even more stunning! Principal Greene put a comforting hand on my shoulder as she focused her attention on her daughter. "Jasmine, I have just the task for you this morning. This is the new student, Angelique. Can you show her around and help her find her classes?" Jasmine's hazel eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. She grinned, revealing a set of perfectly aligned teeth. "Of course! Do you have her schedule?" "Yes, it's right here!" Principal Greene handed Jasmine my schedule, a crisp paper that held the roadmap to my academic journey at WinterCrest High. Her eyes darted across the paper, her lips moving slightly as she memorized the details. Jasmine's excitement bubbled over as she exclaimed, "Great! Let's get started!" Her infectious energy seemed to emanate from he
Majority of the seats were occupied, leaving me to settle into the nearest empty one. Almost immediately, I sensed eyes on me, accompanied by hushed whispers circulating throughout the room. "Is she crazy? Why is she sitting in his seat?" a girl muttered. "Someone hurry, get the new girl before she pisses him off," another person whispered. It seemed everyone was doing a poor job at keeping their voices down. I couldn't help but wonder about the mysterious "he" they were referring to. Unaware of any assigned seats, I decided to relocate to the unoccupied seat next to me, especially since everyone appeared strangely concerned. In a scene reminiscent of a teen drama, the atmosphere shifted as I rose from my seat. The door swung open, revealing a face both familiar and unfamiliar—the same guy from the picture in Principal Greene's office. Dressed in a snug grey T-shirt and dark denim jeans, he moved with a confidence that demanded attention. His arrival echoed like a silent p
"I've literally been here for like five minutes, so no, I haven't heard about how popular you are, Mr. Dante," I replied, trying to be irritated by his cockiness, but really, it was doing strange, wonderful things to my body. The coy smile remains on his face. "Damn, what a pity. I usually don't have to talk myself up." "Yeah, I'm sure I probably would've heard about how girls just start tearing their clothes off when you walk into a room, huh?" I teased, raising an eyebrow. I wonder if I'd be one of those girls. No. Stop. I'm not thirsty like that! He chuckled lightly. "You know, that really doesn't happen as often as you think it would." I feign a pout. "Aww, I'm sorry to hear that." By now, I'd completely ditched the classwork and my full attention was on him. It was a first for me, actually having a guy pay attention. I'm usually the quiet, nerdy girl who sits at the front of the class and doesn't make friends. So, his genuine interest piqued my curiosity. I coul
We walked all the way across campus to get to my study hall. I insisted that Jasmine head to her own class to avoid being late, yet deep down, I genuinely appreciated her walking alongside me. She marked the beginning of genuine friendship in this new environment, where it felt like everyone else kept their distance as if I had a contagious disease or something.After thanking her, I entered the classroom and chose a seat towards the back. With no homework to occupy my time, I found myself overthinking about various aspects of my life. I planned to interrogate my father when he picked me up from school; evidently, we had a lot to discuss. I was also terrified that I couldn't shake Dante from my thoughts. The emotions that lingered after he walked away left me with a sense of cold emptiness, a feeling that seemed irrational considering he was just a stranger I had one conversation with. I couldn't stop thinking about how soft his lips would be against mine. How it would feel to run my