Skylar's POVI woke up this morning with what felt like a bone lodged in my throat. The conversation from yesterday still lingered in my mind, like that stubborn coffee stain that everyone sees but no one can remove. Every moment of our conversation replayed in my head, amplifying my discomfort.I wished the ground would open up and swallow me, but I knew the moon goddess wouldn’t grant such a request. The morning sun felt too bright and too indifferent to my misery.Dragging myself out of bed, I hurried through my morning routine, feeling a knot of anxiety in my stomach. The bus ride to school was a blur of uncomfortable faces and unsettling stares. Wedged between an elderly lady who muttered to herself and a rebellious teen absorbed in her phone, I felt like an outsider in my own life.The relief I felt when the bus finally reached the school gate was almost overwhelming. As I stepped off, I was met with a few curious glances, which I carefully avoided. I was becoming adept at manag
Ash's POVI’ve never been the type to let anyone hold me down. I pride myself on being untouchable, impervious to anyone's influence. But this time was different. I was desperate, and I’d chosen Skylar as the perfect person to achieve what I needed.Standing in front of her, I could hear her heartbeat racing uncontrollably, like a piston in overdrive. The sound was almost rhythmic, syncing with my own anxiety. Her cheeks were flushed, and her hair was tousled, giving her a disheveled yet oddly captivating look. I couldn’t quite explain why her vulnerability appealed to me, but it did. It was raw and unfiltered, resonating with my own turmoil.The thoughts that began to sip into my mind were unspeakable.Normally, I’d let situations like this linger, allowing them to unfold naturally. But today, I felt like time wasn’t on my side. I needed her to agree to my demands—and fast.I leaned in close to her ear, my breath warm against her skin. “I need my answer, and I need it now.”Her eyes
Skylar POVChange had never been my ally. It’s something I’ve always preferred to keep at a distance, out of reach.But the last few months? They’ve shattered my routine, thrown me into a world I didn’t recognize.I woke up early, as usual, and went through my morning routine with practiced ease. After a quick breakfast, I stepped outside into the crisp morning air. The sun was barely over the horizon, casting a faint, golden light on the world.“He should be here any second now,” I murmured to myself, glancing at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time. I couldn’t help but wonder, with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity, how I could afford such a sleek phone if it wasn’t for my so-called relationship with Ash Gunner.The answer was glaringly obvious. Without Ash, there was no way I could have a phone like this, not with my parents’ modest jobs and my own lack of employment. My parents had raised eyebrows when they saw the new phone and the other perks that came with it. They
Skylar POV I took the bus to school today, telling Ash I didn't want to see him anymore. The fight yesterday had eventually ended in what I could call a draw, but I didn't think that's what mattered. I had to summon the courage to get in there and put an end to it myself before they both stopped fighting and went their separate ways.Lucas and the boys took Sage while I had to take Ash away from the cafeteria. I didn't like the fact that every eye in the room was fixated on me at that moment. It was like I had become the center of attention, and I hated it."Why would you be defending that blockhead anyway?" Ash had asked me when we were in the locker room. I had to treat some of his wounds and patch them up for them to heal faster. The damages that alphas inflicted on each other had a different way of healing.I ignored the question and focused on the cotton wool in my hand. I dipped it in methylated spirit and rubbed it on the surface of the wound. He grunted; it stung him as I tou
Cassie's POV“You literally had only one job to do, and you still couldn't do that right?”Giselle was on the ground with one knee bent and her face down, alongside her brainless twerps. My fury was reaching a boiling point. I should have known better than to rely on a group of hormone-driven, brainless Barbie dolls for something this critical.I bit hard on my finger and punched the wall in frustration. The hard churning in my stomach was a reminder of the battle I was losing—not just for the person I longed for, but against a League C nerd.“I’m sorry, Cassie…” Gina started with a pathetic squeal and a slight clearing of her throat. Her attempt to placate me only heightened my irritation.“You see… we…we did try to offset their relationship, but we faced issues with Sage and later with Ash himself.”I didn’t want to hear their excuses, but I had to admit there was some truth to their words. Why did Sage have to meddle? I hated his guts and the fact that he just wouldn’t stay in his
Skylar’s POVI couldn't quite grasp what Cassie was trying to achieve back there in the cafeteria. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was joking, but there was a look in her eyes, one I recognized from when I looked at Ash—desire and something darker.It was clear she was hung up on him, but there was something else that bothered me. The way she looked at me had a hidden hostility that made me uncomfortable, even though I tried to ignore it.I had to leave the cafeteria to give them space, but I couldn't stop wondering what they were discussing. I suspected Cassie was going to ask Ash to the Moon Ball, but I didn't know what his answer would be.Ash and Cassie had always been friends since the beginning. I had no idea if he harbored any feelings for her. I felt like this was a chess game with no pieces to play with. My fate was entirely dependent on Ash’s decision.As I walked down the hallway, I saw a familiar figure leaning against a row of lockers. It was Sage.“Well, hello, bu
Skylar POVPrincipal Douglas ended the meeting by punishing Ash and Sage.Then, ask them to call their parents the next day, We all went outside, and I said goodbye to Sage. Who was a bit reluctant to leave me with Ash.Ash then offers to drive me back home. I agreed.We were in his car and on the way to my home.“Do you like Sage?” He asked me. He was shocking me with his bluntness.I swallowed. Knowing my answers could either annoy him or appease him, and I knew I only had answers that I had that would annoy him.“You are taking too long to reply.”“I don’t know what to say. I’m just trying to get back home.”“So you do like him.” The hurt in his voice couldn’t go unnoticed. He fisted his hands tightly over the steering wheel of the car.“It doesn’t matter anyway. You are mine, my girlfriend.” He said. However, I felt it was intended for me to hear.“Fake girlfriend.““Not for long.”I cocked my head In confusion. But he didn’t seem to care about it.“You are coming with me to the
Sage POVI watched as she struggled to decide on my offer.“I just want to avoid any problems for my parents. And if this would bring problems-““It won’t.” I encouraged.I could tell that she didn’t believe me.“How about we tell him then that we are fated mates?”Her eyes widened in shock. “What?”“No guy would want to be over a girl that is fated to another. Ash is no exception.”She grew quiet in deliberation. “But that is lying?”“You were lying about your relationship with Ash. It’s not different.”She still seemed to be deliberating. “Come on, buttercup. You know this is a good plan.”She sighed. “Alright. But how do we convince him of that? I haven’t gotten my wolf. And Ash knows this.”“That doesn’t affect being mated.”“Oh.”“Don’t worry about it. Ash would buy it. Trust me.”She let out a little smile. “Thanks.”“Does this mean that you would become my girlfriend?”“I don’t want to be your girlfriend under these circumstances. But I can be your fake girlfriend.”“And why i
Cassie's P.O.V.The days were lovely now, as I went to school and went about my daily life, knowing that I had my friends to call upon if anything went wrong. Sage had made me his personal mission. I knew that he was in love with me, but really, what he was doing at that moment was too much. He just kept on checking up on me, picking me up from work and stuff like that. At first, I thought that Luke would say something about it or probably even fight him for that, but Luke seemed to have made his peace with the gloomy romance between us, and I couldn't be more happy. A couple of times he even took me over to his house where we had a wonderful time. How would the time I spent with the very alpha of the park not be wonderful? But then we left each other not too long after that, and I continued with my life.Although Luke had let me have some fun with him, he forbade me from ever spending the night at Sage's place, like that was going to be even possible. I stayed a couple of nights, bu
Ash's POVI wasn't exactly sure what to say, so I glanced at my friends, but from the looks in Luke's eyes, I knew that he was completely baffled by the situation. His eyes were hard, contrary to Sage, who looked soft and ready to give in at any moment."I can't believe we are even doing this," he said, his voice expressive as he stepped forward, his eyes flashing. "We shouldn't be bargaining with you; you are in no position to say anything at all.""Am I now?" he asked, his knife pressed a little more to her neck. I could tell that he was about to make a rash decision that would definitely cost him his life, but I was afraid of it costing Cassie's life also."Please," I said to Luke, putting my hand on him. I knew how much he loved his sister and didn't want her to die, so why was he actually acting like this? Luke glanced at Cassie, his eyes rigid as if trying to tell her something. His eyes were fixed on her, but he didn't see anything else, staying in his position with hardly any
Ash POVWe all stayed rooted to the spot, except maybe for Sage behind me, who had taken a subconscious step back. Maybe it was a good idea for us to back away after all—maybe back away out of the room entirely so that I could give Sage a good pep talk and make him gather himself and understand what was actually at stake here.Weakness was the one thing that would actually cost Cassie her life, nothing more. If we played this right, from the position of strength that we actually were in, then we could get her back, though it wasn't certain if we could get Richard and bring him to book along with that; that would actually be asking for too much. One small mistake and our victory had turned into a break-even, or maybe a possible loss if we didn't play our cards right and made another small mistake to add to the former one.I looked at our opponent, the one that we had nearly defeated, for a couple of seconds and finally decided to at least talk with him. If he killed Cassie, then the en
Luke's POVEverything was closing in on me, and I knew that it was too late for me to run away by now. My chance was gone. Looking at my opponent, who was now getting into the attack once more and covering all spaces for me to run into, I knew that he wouldn't let me go. He knew just what I could be thinking at this time, and he also knew that most likely I would try to run away. He was doing everything to prevent that, not wanting his prey to go.I knew that when he won this, he was going to put me along with Cassie and torment us for a very long period of time before killing us eventually. Yes, he had given me my chance to join him, not that I would ever do that, but I hadn't agreed to him, and now he was going to make me pay the price. I was pretty sure of it.I felt a certain feeling of discomfort, knowing how things were about to end, but still staying here anyway. I should be doing my best to run away and break free from his grasp, but I didn't do that for some reason. I just st
Luke's POVIt was honestly very troubling how I was still struggling with Richard after such a long time, and how someone would have thought that by now I would be done with defeating him, especially after I had come to the brink of beating him so many times now. But for some reason, he was always bouncing back and staying up above water, to the point that I was actually pressured by him at times, and even now, I was still pressured. Honestly, I was starting to wonder whether there was something wrong with me, or whether we were just evenly matched. Every time I came to the brink, ready to defeat him, there was one small mistake, or one small thing that happened to make him come back again. And then we started the sequence all over again.It dawned on me now that I would not be able to defeat him, not today, not now. I wasn't strong enough. In fact, I would even be considered lucky to not be defeated by him myself. Remembering clearly how easily he had taken me on previously, I knew
Sage's povThe first thought that came to my mind after he said that was that this was simply too good to be true. I couldn't believe it even now. However, that was a fact. But if he was actually the one keeping Sage from coming here, then he was a true hero. He was the one doing much more work than us and our soldiers who brought the army to the gate and the fight from the outside, because he is definitely the one that brings the fight from the inside, which is the real fight.I looked at Ash, wanting to see how convinced he was. And from the looks of it, he seemed completely convinced by it. When I thought about it, I didn't see any other reason why this could be happening. For one thing, I hadn't heard from Luke at all, indicating that there was a good chance that he was busy. And the fact that, at the same time, Richard was nowhere to be found, made it a little too much to be a coincidence. Most likely, the two of them couldn't be here because they were busy with each other, fight
Sage's POVI didn't really know whether I was safe when I started easily winning the entire fight. It was not much of a battle anymore. If anything, it was starting to become something of a slaughter. I didn't see any reason why I would have it so easy fighting against the man that I was up against—the man who had been rumored to be far stronger than a lot of people and would be a very formidable enemy.I had heard that he was planning some tricks for me, and I also knew that he was skewed and poisoned because that's what I heard from the assassin the time we asked him about Richard. That was enough information to be wary of him, knowing that he could actually be planning something else entirely while we were busy here. But as it happened, maybe he was just all talk after all, and there was nothing to actually be fearful of. He seemed pretty tame to me right now, not at all a threat, no matter how I looked at it.In my planning, I decided to draw back a little and let my men do some o
Ash's POV I join in and things get easy The progress was slow but steady. I knew that it wouldn't be long before we finally reached my territory. Then, I would have the opportunity to take back what was rightfully mine.I could almost see it happening already. As my soldiers marched forward, each with a certain determination in their eyes, I was sure we stood a huge chance of winning this. The moment I got to Richard, I would make sure to rip his eyes out and kill him for everything he had done, especially for killing my father. Until then, I had to make do with what I had and bide my time until everything was set.I had the patience to wait because I had been waiting for this moment all my life. So, even if it was just a couple more hours, I could wait again. It would end in my victory.Setting my eyes on the bigger prize, I kept moving, knowing it would be worth it. I was starting to get tired after marching for what seemed like forever. The soldiers, for their part, seemed much s
Sage's POVMy men started marching forward after I gave the order, each of them moving valiantly. These were pretty much all my forces because the ones I left to defend my home weren't too many anymore and wouldn't really account for much. In other words, if an attack actually started on my home while I was gone, then it would be pretty much defenseless against this attacker, and they would be able to do some large amount of damage to it.It was very precarious, but I knew that if I didn't take as many people as I could with me, then it was highly unlikely that we would win. I had no idea how many people Richard had with him, but I knew that he definitely had a lot of people with him, and that if I took only half of my army, it might not be enough, even when added to what Ash was bringing.I didn't want to take any chances on this because it was pretty much my only chance. If I was going to help, then I was going to help him completely and make sure that we won this. If we didn't win,