I was beyond frustrated today, and I knew being at school wasn’t going to help my situation in any way. All I could think about were the answers I desperately needed. There were only two explanations for what was happening to me: either I was going insane, or I was turning into some cliché version of an alien.
I dragged myself into my fourth class of the day, which was Literature. The moment I stepped into the room, I nearly choked when I spotted one of the seniors Bryan and I had seen last Saturday at the restaurant.It was Jake ....I groaned remembering ur last encounter. 'What is he doing in my class?' I thought, wide-eyed, as I made my way to my desk in the middle of the room. Damn, the guy was hot—seriously, why did he have to be so attractive? I could literally feel his gaze burning holes into the back of my skull, and it made my entire body feel warm, almost uncomfortably so. Thank God, Mr. Huggins, our teacher, walked in before I could embarrass myself further. “Good morning, students,” Mr. Huggins began, his voice steady as he adjusted his glasses. “Today, we’ll be conducting a critical analysis of the poem RedWolf. Our very own senior poetry expert, Mr. Jake Adams, will be assisting us today.” As soon as Mr. Huggins finished speaking, the entire class erupted into applause, and I couldn’t help but notice how every girl seemed to light up as if they’d just won backstage passes to see Justin Bieber or something. High school life was so cliché—there was always that one guy every girl drooled over. I glanced around and saw that some of them were practically drooling—literally. And for some reason, that irritated me. Something deep within me twisted with a strange possessiveness, a sudden urge to claw their eyes out for ogling him. Yup, I was definitely starting to question my sanity. This had to be the first step toward madness. After Literature ended, I hurried out of the classroom, determined to avoid Jake at all costs. There was something about him that made me feel... unsettled. Nervous, shy, heated, and excited all at once. It was as if my body couldn’t decide how to react around him, and I didn’t want to find out what would happen if he tried to talk to me. Honestly, if he ever said ‘hi’ to me, I’d probably faint right on the spot. What sort of sorcery was this? As I speed-walked toward the locker room, hoping to disappear from Jake’s radar, I heard a voice again—the same mysterious voice that had haunted me for days now. It sent shivers down my spine. ‘What now?’ I muttered to myself, rolling my eyes. After an internal debate that lasted all of thirty seconds, I decided to follow the voice, hoping that maybe it would lead me to the answers I was so desperately seeking. Besides, it wasn’t like I had anything better to do, and maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t losing my mind. Hopefully, this wouldn't lead to my untimely death, like in those cliché horror movies where the clueless girl follows the creepy noises. The voice led me straight to the school basement. 'Of course, the creepy basement,' I thought with a sigh. I was really starting to hate this place; it felt like something straight out of a bad teen horror flick. There was obviously something "off" about it, and every fiber of my being screamed at me to turn around and leave. But curiosity, and maybe a bit of stubbornness, kept me going. “Is anyone here?... I guess it’s just me then,” I called out, my voice echoing in the emptiness. I looked around, taking in the dimly lit space, and nearly jumped out of my skin when the door behind a rickety old chair creaked open on its own. 'That definitely didn’t happen last time,' I thought, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. Hesitantly, I approached the door and entered slowly, waiting by the entrance just in case it slammed shut like in every horror movie ever. Beyond the door was a long, dark corridor that stretched on forever. The whole place felt like a dungeon, and the air was heavy, almost suffocating. I shivered, rubbing my arms for warmth as I cautiously made my way down the passage. After what felt like an eternity, I began to wonder if this corridor had any end at all. This was a bad idea. I was sure of it. Then, finally, I heard real voices—male voices—and decided to follow them, even though every rational part of my brain screamed that this was beyond stupid. But I had to know. I needed proof that I wasn’t losing my mind. I reached the end of the corridor and pressed myself against the wall, eavesdropping on their conversation. “The Alpha is her protector, and he’s a hybrid! We need to warn Master Jasper about the Alpha’s return!” the first voice hissed urgently. I gasped softly, my heart racing. 'Alpha? Hybrids?' What on earth were they talking about? Was this some sort of code language, or had I stumbled into a secret werewolf society meeting? None of this made any sense. I dared to peek through the slightly open door, hoping to catch a glimpse of who was speaking, and I almost screamed when I saw what was inside. Shadows danced around the room, and I could make out strange symbols glowing faintly on the walls. My heart threatened to burst out of my chest, but before I could react, a strong hand clamped over my mouth, stifling my scream. Sparks shot up my skin from the contact, and, oddly enough, it felt good—comforting even. But panic surged through me as I was dragged to a hidden corner. I began kicking and thrashing, desperate to break free, until the person spun me around to face him. “Jake?” “Don’t make a sound,” he warned, his stormy grey eyes boring into mine. I nodded, taking in a shaky breath, my heart pounding against my ribs. Why was he here, and how much did he know? “What the hell?” I managed to whisper, my face flushed from how close he was to me. Every nerve in my body was on high alert, and I couldn’t tell if it was from fear or something else entirely. “Follow me and stay close, okay?” he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. There was something about the way he spoke that felt so... dominating. And what was worse, I felt compelled to obey him. I told myself it was just my survival instinct kicking in, but deep down, I knew there was more to it. “First, tell me what’s going on! What are you doing here?” I demanded, keeping my voice low, but he only shook his head. “If you want to live, you’ll stop talking and follow my orders,” he snapped. He began walking, and despite my irritation, I trailed behind him, unwilling to risk my life over a petty argument. Who did he think he was, giving me orders without so much as an explanation? I promised myself that once we were out of this mess, I would demand answers—and I wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer."Jake, tell me what the hell is going on here!" I demanded as soon as we stepped out of the dark corridor, but he still didn’t answer. My anger flared. "Jake!" I repeated, louder this time.Without a word, he grabbed my arm, pulling me into the school basement before closing the door behind us with a sharp click.“Just shut up for a second… okay?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous as he jammed a chair under the doorknob. I blinked at him in disbelief. Did he just… growl? Who does that?"Did you just growl at me?" I asked, incredulous.He sighed, his expression hard. "You need to stop asking questions!"That only fueled my frustration. "You need to stop telling me what to do and start answering those questions!" I whisper-yelled, trying to keep my voice low but failing as my temper rose. Seriously, I could be the next Nancy Drew with how many questions I had lined up, and I wasn’t about to stop now.What he did next nearly caused me to jump out of my skin. Without warning, Jake t
JAKE'S POVI was beyond frustrated with everything happening in my life. It seemed like nothing was going the way I wanted. To top it off, I had been assigned to protect a witch. A freaking witch. Of all the people in the world, it had to be one of them.Werewolves and witches never got along. That had been the case for as long as I could remember, and I had no intention of changing that anytime soon. But now, as if fate was playing some twisted joke on me, the witch I was supposed to protect turned out to be my mate. Just great. Fate’s cruel sense of humor.I didn’t want a mate. Not now, not ever, really. Especially not a witch. Mates were nothing but a weakness, and in my position, weakness wasn’t something I could afford. I had met her twice already, and each time my wolf had nearly broken free. That was dangerous. I couldn’t afford to lose control, not with the weight of my pack on my shoulders.As the Alpha of the strongest pack in New Orleans, one of the best packs in the entire
PRISCA'S POVI was in the garden, picking flowers for the dining room table. Daniel really needed to brighten up the house, and these red roses would definitely do the trick! I gathered them in my arms and placed them in a glass vase, then headed inside to see how they’d look on the table.I entered the dining room with a wide smile, only to find my dad sitting there, lost in his thoughts.“Morning, Dad. What’s wrong?” I asked, placing the vase in the center of the dining table.He looked at me, and for a moment, I saw something that resembled fear in his eyes. “We need to talk, Prisca. Please, sit down.”Oh no. My heart dropped as I sat next to him, suddenly feeling nervous. “What do we need to talk about that’s got you looking so scared?”He sighed deeply. “Please, try not to freak out about what I’m about to tell you.”The only way I’d freak out is if he said he was dying of cancer. I nodded, waiting for him to continue.“Prisca, you’re special. You are… well, we are both different
PRISCA (POV)HOURS LATERNEW ORLEANSHours later, I found myself sitting in my father’s car, already in New Orleans, driving to I-don’t-know-where! I was so sad, but I couldn’t cry anymore because my eyes felt like a desert after crying for hours at home, locked up in my bedroom.I mean, I couldn’t even say goodbye to my newest best friend, Bryan, because he was in Australia for the winter holiday. But I did manage to send him a text message, lying that I was going back to Canada to live with my mom because some problems came up. I honestly felt so bad!"Where are we going?" I asked my dad, who was trying to concentrate on driving since it was apparently too dark and we were surrounded by a lot of trees. There weren’t even streetlights! Honestly, I was beginning to hate this place—not only because of the lack of lights, but because I had a really bad feeling about it."We’re going to the Silverstone pack. One of your protectors is there, and he is the strongest... I don’t like him ver
"So the girl will be staying with me, especially considering the fact that she is my mate, unfortunately," Jake said bluntly, taking a seat opposite me and my dad. 'What does he mean, unfortunately?' I felt really hurt somehow, though I didn't know why. It's not like I wanted to be his mate either... right?My dad balled his hands into fists. "She will stay here for a while, but that won't be long. She is my daughter, and she belongs with me... Alpha," he said, emphasizing the last word with a hint of disgust.The atmosphere grew tense, and I could feel it. Nina was whimpering, wanting to disagree with my dad. I was guessing she really liked Jake, which was bad news for me."What's wrong, Nina?""We belong with our mate. Your dad is making him angry, and I don't like it," she said. I rolled my eyes."Nina, our mate—so you say—doesn't want us, okay? Calm down. Besides, he was making out with that blonde, remember?"She didn't reply.There was a loud, angry growl from Jake. He stood up
"So, you are my brother's lucky mate. I totally knew it," she stated with a glint of excitement.I looked at her, trying to study her. What’s lucky about having that arrogant jerk as a mate? I would have asked if I wasn't so nice. "Yes, I guess so, and you are his sister." I mentally face-palmed—of course, she’s his sister, but I thought her name was Mila.I felt my wolf roll her eyes as she sat on her paws. "Remind me again, why the hell are we stating the obvious?"I sighed. "I have no idea.""Well, I'm basically his cousin, but we grew up like siblings. My name is Stephanie, but you can call me Sophie—most people do. Anyway, I'm so glad you're his mate!" Sophie said excitedly. "From the moment I met you, I knew you were special. We need to celebrate!"'Wait, what?'Sophie stood up and grabbed my hand. "Where are we going?" I asked her, confused. What were we even celebrating? I just wanted to crawl into my blankets and dread the day my father walked into my life with all this garba
Fear, constant, blood-draining fear. That’s what I was feeling—the kind of fear that makes your heart sink, your stomach twist, and your body shake violently. Right now, I was wishing for death itself, and trust me, anyone would too in this situation. Maybe defying the Alpha wasn’t such a good idea after all. I was incredibly ashamed.After last night’s episode, the Alpha practically threw me onto the bed in my new room and stormed out, slamming the door so hard on his way out that it almost broke off its hinges. It was all a blur, but also very clear to me that he had looked scary as hell.Thankfully, I managed to fall asleep despite everything, but unfortunately, today was another day. I woke up feeling like shit, and sadly, I remembered everything that happened, including the fact that I had gotten myself into deep trouble. I regretted waking up at all. Why did he even save me if he was going to kill me anyway? I brushed my hair off my face with my hand. I still remember the look o
It has been three long days since that dreadful day when Jake put me under house arrest. I haven't seen anyone—not even Cathy or Sophie. I kind of missed them, and it's crazy that I also missed Jake, really badly. Maybe it's the mate pull. I’ve been stuck in my room, Googling about wolves, werewolves, and witches. I learned quite a lot, actually. I learned about mates, the bond, and that the Alpha is the leader of a pack. He has a Beta, who is second in command, and a Gamma, who is third in command. The pack also has higher-ranked wolves like the Delta, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Epsilon, and the Luna, who is the Alpha’s mate. Unfortunately, I also learned that packs have lower-ranked werewolves known as omegas. Throughout history, omegas have been mistreated and abused because of their inability to shift into a werewolf or because their wolf is premature, too small, or weak.Right now, I looked like a caveman with my hair in a messy, huge onion bun—no makeup—wearing only a large baseball T-sh
The house loomed ahead, a grand, crumbling mansion shrouded in mist and magic. Its pointed roofs seemed to pierce the low-hanging clouds, and its many windows glinted like eyes in the faint light. The walls were made of dark, weathered stone, ivy creeping up its surface as though nature was trying to reclaim it. As we entered the men we had come with ,Jake's men were stuck outside ."The coven only wants ...us" Althea said Jake signaled for his men to stay put and I didn't like this . That we were going in without back up.“This place feels...wrong,” I said, gripping Jake’s hand tighter. “Wrong? It looks like the Addams family forgot to clean up,” Fatima quipped, her voice cutting through the oppressive silence. “I mean, it’s giving haunted chic.” Despite myself, I chuckled. Leave it to Fatima to find humor in the creepiest of situations. Althea stepped forward, her expression serious as her eyes roamed the house. “This isn’t just a building—it’s enchanted. I can feel it.” J
The forest felt heavier as we moved deeper into its heart. Every step we took seemed to draw us further into a place where time and reality bent under the weight of ancient magic. The air itself felt charged, humming faintly against my skin like a static field waiting to ignite. "Are you sure this is the right way?" Jake’s voice, low and tense, broke through the silence. I glanced back at him, his usual confidence dampened by concern. “It’s here,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I can feel it.” Althea, walking just ahead, nodded in agreement. “The energy is stronger here. There’s no doubt about it.” Fatima trailed slightly behind us, clutching a silver dagger we had given her for protection. "If it’s so close, why can’t we see it?" she asked, her voice tinged with both curiosity and fear. I didn’t have an answer. The coven was cloaked by layers of enchantments, a veil so powerful it was nearly impenetrable. But I could sense the edges of it now, faint threads of mag
The forest seemed endless. Each tree loomed tall and ancient, their gnarled roots jutting out of the earth like claws trying to pull us down. My legs ached from the constant marching, my boots heavy with mud. Althea walked beside me, her jaw set, while Fatima trailed slightly behind, clutching a makeshift weapon—a sturdy branch she had found earlier. She didn’t complain, but the fatigue in her steps was clear.“We’ve been at this for hours,” Fatima said, her voice tinged with frustration. “Are we even going in the right direction?”I glanced at her, my own doubts gnawing at me. “The energy here is different. Althea says we’re close, and I trust her instincts.”Althea, who had been scanning the area with narrowed eyes, muttered, “There’s something off about this place. It’s like the forest itself is shifting to confuse us.”Great. A shifting forest. Just what we needed.“Do you think Jake’s group is nearby?” Fatima asked, her tone softer this time. My chest tightened at the mention o
Priscilla’s PovThe forest seemed darker than before, the weight of the shadows pressing against me. Each step was careful and measured, the air too still, the silence too loud. Fatima walked just behind me, her breathing steady but strained. Althea moved to my left, her face set with determination. We were all on edge, every rustle of leaves or snap of a branch sending jolts of anxiety through us.“This place doesn’t want us here,” Fatima said softly, clutching her flashlight like a lifeline. She was the only human among us, and her instincts were sharp, even if she lacked magical senses.“I know,” I murmured, gripping the hilt of my dagger. The air was thick with an unnatural energy, every particle alive with menace. “We need to stay together, no matter what.”Althea nodded but didn’t speak. Her focus was on the forest ahead, her hands glowing faintly with the residual magic she’d been using to keep small enchantments active—a protective barrier, a minor light spell. Even with these
JAKE'S POVThe world felt colder without her by my side. Every step I took away from that chasm was like ripping apart a piece of my soul, leaving me raw and exposed. The pack bond that connected Prisca and me hummed faintly, reassuring me that she was still alive, but it wasn’t enough. I needed to see her, to hold her, to know she was safe. "Jake," Sophie said, snapping me out of my thoughts. She stood a few feet ahead, her bow drawn, her sharp gaze scanning the twisted forest around us. "You’ve got to focus. This place isn’t going to give us the luxury of distractions." “I’m fine,” I lied, gripping the hilt of my sword tighter. "Sure you are," she muttered, but she didn’t press further. The forest on our side of the chasm was just as suffocating, maybe worse. The trees were skeletal and clawed at the sky, their bark blackened as if burned. The air smelled of decay, and an eerie mist curled around our feet. Even the shadows here felt alive, shifting unnaturally when we moved.
The forest canopy above us was dense, blocking out the sun entirely, and the world around us seemed cloaked in endless twilight. Each step I took felt wrong, as if the earth itself was trying to push us back. Jake’s hand brushed against mine as we walked, his touch a fleeting anchor in this madness. I knew he could sense my unease, just as I could feel the tension radiating off him. "We’re close," Althea whispered, her voice trembling. She was studying a map that glowed faintly with magical runes, the only light in the oppressive darkness. "I can feel the coven’s magic. But it’s fractured, like they’re hiding their presence in pieces." "That doesn’t make sense," Jake growled. "Why would they split their magic?" "They’re probably setting traps," Sophie said, her bow at the ready. "They know we’re coming, and they’re ready to pick us off one by one." I glanced at Sophie. Her usual confidence was marred by a shadow of fear, and it unnerved me to see her so shaken. “Stay sharp
The forest seemed darker today, as though the sun itself refused to touch this cursed land. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and something sharper—something metallic, like blood. Each step we took felt more oppressive than the last, as if the weight of the forest itself was pressing down on us. Jake walked ahead, his shoulders tense, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow. Althea stayed close to me, her spellbook clutched tightly in her hands, its pages marked with hastily scrawled notes. Sophie and Fatima flanked us, weapons at the ready. “We’re close,” Jake muttered, his voice low. “I can feel it.” “Close to what?” Sophie asked, her tone wary. “Another trap?” “Maybe,” Althea said, her voice strained. “But if we don’t keep going, we’ll never find them.” I nodded, though my stomach churned with unease. We’d been traveling for hours, every step bringing us deeper into the heart of this cursed forest. The creatures we’d faced so far had been relentless—shadow wolve
The morning air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth as we stepped into the dense forest. The towering trees cast long shadows over our group, their branches intertwined like a living canopy. I tightened the straps of my pack, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anticipation. We were finally on the hunt. Jake led the way, his posture tense, every step deliberate. Althea walked beside me, her fingers brushing over the spellbook she clutched like a lifeline. Fatima and Sophie trailed behind, their senses sharp, scanning the woods for any signs of danger. “Everyone ready?” Jake’s deep voice broke the silence, his gaze sweeping over us. “As ready as we’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to inject some confidence into my tone. “Good,” he said, his jaw set. “Stay close. This forest has a reputation.” “A reputation for what?” Fatima asked, her voice wary. “Being alive,” Jake answered grimly. We exchanged uneasy glances but said nothing. The first hour of our
The days felt longer without Jake around. The house was quieter, save for the usual buzz of activity from the workers and the occasional giggles of Lily and Logan. I hadn’t realized how much I’d grown used to Jake’s brooding presence until it wasn’t there anymore.But something else had shifted in the packhouse—Tammy.After her unexpected show of competence and kindness during the pack’s little health scare, she seemed... different. Or maybe it was just that I was seeing a different side of her, one that wasn’t cloaked in sarcasm and thinly veiled malice.That morning, I found her in the kitchen, of all places. She was chopping vegetables, her movements precise and efficient.“Good morning,” I said cautiously, half-expecting a snarky reply.To my surprise, she glanced up and nodded. “Morning.”I hovered near the counter, unsure of what to do. “What are you making?”“Soup,” she said simply. “For the kids. Some of them are still recovering.”“Oh.” I wasn’t sure what else to say.“You’re