"You can run. You have run for so long, but you are still coming back to me. I am preying on you, and I am going to ensure you like it. You can run, but you are coming right back to me." I woke up with a start, my eyes wide, my chest heaving hard as I tried to breathe. It was the same dream I have had ever since I turned eighteen, with the veiled man and the full moon. I turned to the mirror, my chest heaving. I was soaked in my own sweat, my hair clinging to my forehead, my hands still lightly shaking. Even though I have had the same dream for close to two years since I first shifted at eighteen, the images never got clearer, and I never got answers. Who was the man with a cloak and a scar across his eye? The scar was the only thing about him that I had been able to see, and despite being an omega who had served at almost all of the houses in the pack, I haven't seen one man with the same scar. It was very peculiar, and I could see locks of dark red hair falling close to his e
I remember how I felt when my parents had died in that terrible fire. I remember feeling pain, and even more pain seeing Valerian so hurt. I thought that was the worst pain I could have ever experienced, and I knew I could handle it with my brother by my side. How exactly was I supposed to handle this one?This pain felt nothing like what I had felt back then. It was so much worse. I didn't even realize I had collapsed on the floor, I only vaguely felt my knees hit the ground below, my eyes wide, the tears filling them steadily.Dead? Suicide?My brother was the happiest person I knew. He was optimistic and beautiful, and even when things didn't go his way, he never slipped. Never became sad. Never ever let his smile falter.Besides, he had just told me he wanted to come back in a few months during Thanksgiving. He had been excited to tell me about all the cute Alphas there, and he had even teased me about setting me up with one of them so I could give him a cute niece.I turned to
"Is there a problem?" I looked up, then immediately shook my head and sat up. "I... I thought I heard a sound." He didn't say anything else, and I slowly pushed the chain into my shorts pocket. It was definitely not my brother's chain, so whoever owned it could be the key to knowing more about why my brother had to die so suddenly. Why it couldn't be anyone else. I swallowed hard, then turned to Valerian. His hand was still resting on mine, and I brought it to my lips, tears filling my eyes again. If someone really did something to my brother, either to drive him to take his life or take his life themselves, I would find them, and I would make them pay. I am not much, but I would do anything for my brother, even if I take my last breath doing it. I was already looking at my brother's remains. What else is there for me to Iive for? Not much. There was nothing, actually. I sighed and closed my eyes, my forehead resting on his palm. It was cold, and I found myself breaking down aga
I stood in front of the imposing gates of Rosendale High, my heart beating wildly in my chest, my body slightly trembling. My chest was heaving with fear of the things that could be lurking in there. But I have made it this far. It has been two months since my brother died, and I have spent every single moment of that time trying to find a way to gain entry into this school. After doing everything, leaving the pack for a month to make it seem like Skylar North had gone rogue so I could safely take this identity, masking my scent and cloning an alpha scent, and applying again and again every week when their admission opened up till I finally received the letter, I knew I had to go through. I remember the first time I had come with Valerian. The way he had been so excited about this place. And then the last time I came with him. He had been dead, and he was discarded in that nameless grave. That necklace. That man. That rose. I was none the wiser despite the time that had passed,
Something about the way he had said it, the grim urgency in his voice, the seriousness in his eyes, it made something in my brain tick off. The part of my brain that was desperate to know what happened to my brother went off, and I couldn't help but ask. "Who... who are these princes?" He gave a small smile, but his eyes held pain, and I could see that he hated them. Maybe not hate, but... "You do know their families. I think they were called the powerful four on the outside." My eyes widened. Everyone knew the powerful four. The families that held the reigns of the packs and made the rules for everyone else. They also produced some of the strongest, most capable wolves, and it made it even harder to overthrow them or even attempt to rebel. "A descendant from each of those families lives in these walls, and soon enough, you will see them. Just make sure to steer clear. One or two of them might be friendly, and they might not even mean any harm, but their wolves are powerful l
I stood there frozen to the spot as Knox walked away, saying something about how I should come with him to lunch so I could at least be well fed while I look for a room.My mind, however, was somewhere else, and my vision was blurred. I could barely even think clearly. Eros Dionte. Everything seems to point right to him. He was Valerian's roommate, and it is a no-brainer to assume that he was the only one in that room with Valerian. Not just that, the necklace. The rose. My... if he was the one with the rose, what... was the connection to my dreams? Why have I been seeing him in my dreams ever since I turned eighteen?I slowly leaned to the floor, my hands covering my face, my eyes closed. This was getting a little more entangled. What if the person with the rose was just... someone else? Not Eros?It would simply make Eros my brother's killer, but then I would have to find the person with the rose. The man in my dreams."Who are you?"I looked up, then immediately straightened. A tal
"There you are," Knox said, walking up to me. I could see his nercous glance towards the Princes's corner, as he grabbed me by the shoulder. "Are you okay?"I nodded slowly, biting down on my bottom lip. "I... just mistakenly used the other door and...""Did they do anything to you?"I shook my head, then slowly turned towards them. Eros was leaning back, ome hand resting on his thigh, the other leisurely holding a glass of wine. His eyes were watching me through the glass, and for yet another second, I could feel it all over again.The pull. The weakness in my knees. My inability to walk away or break free. It was like he had his hand around my throat, and he was holding me hostage. Like I couldn't escape. He turned away, his eyes slowly closing as he drank from the cup, then gently dropped it on the table."Stop doing that," Knox said, turning me to meet him. "Stop, Kian."I nodded. I needed to stop. I needed to. "I am sorry."Knox gave a small smile. "Come here. There might not be
I went around all of the rooms, but none of them were willing to take me in. Kmox was beginning to get frustrated by the entire thing, and I was feeling sorry for him. He was, after all, working overtime just to make sure I didn't have to sleep in the hallways tonight, and I didn't even have anything to repay him with."No," the person Knox had been talking to for the last fifteen minutes suddenly said, then slammed the door on Knox's face.Knox gave a small growl, and I gently held his arm. "I will be fine, Knox. I promise. I used to do this all the time outside."He looked genuinely sorry before he gave a small sigh, then nodded. "How about.. I grab you a few beddings, then? Where do you intend to sleep?"I shrugged. "Would the library be open?""Yes, definitely. Do you know how to find it?"I shook my head. "No, I...""Wait here. I will go grab your beddings and then take you to the library. It will be time for lights out soon.""Thank you very much," I said, and he smiled, then si
Tears quickly filled my eyes, and I felt my heart knot into a giant cluster of emotions. How dare he stand here and act like he cared for my brother when he very possibly killed him? How dare he act like he cared about anything but his image, his power? His authority?"Does he?"Alpha Eros slowly backed away, then pushed his fingers through his hair. "If you are going to live here, you are going to have to keep your mouth shut."I swallowed hard, and he turned away, starting to make his way towards the other room."It is baffling that someone was important to you. You just don't seem like that type of person, Alpha Eros."He stopped, his head slightly tilting. "I do not need to. Especially not to you.""Why not me? If this important person looked like me so much for you to let me tackle you like that outside without any repercussions, why are you staying away from me? What does he have that I do not?""Common sense," he replied, meeting my eyes. "The discretion to know when to shut th
"Fuck, bro," Knox said, laughing. He looked both worried, excited and proud. I wondered if Valerian had liked him back then. What sort of relationship they had."I have never been so fucking scared in my life, I think I almost peed myself."I broke into a laugh, but winced as I grabbed my forehead."That has to hurt," he said, laughing. "Let me help you with your stuff."I shook my head, then grabbed his hand in the manliest way that I could."Thank you so much, Knox. I think I would be dead if it wasn't for you."He laughed, then tapped my shoulder roughly. "We are still having dinner in an hour. Let me hrab a first aid, and I will help with your bag, okay? You ain't tricking that bag like you tricked Eros."I broke into a laugh, and he turned away, then ran out of the library. I took a deep breath, then finished packing up my bags and locking it all.A knock suddenly came on the door, and I smiled, expecting Knox."Knox, I..." my voice died in my throat as Eugene slowly walked in, a
Silence fell on the entire hall, and for another minute, he just watched me, his eyes cold. Suddenly, he took a step towards me, and it took every bit of courage I had to not move away. I looked up to him, my chest heaving hard, my heart pounding so hard I felt faint."Why do you want to be my roommate?" His voice was low, his eyes holding mine."I need a place to sleep.""The library befits you. You think I let just anyone in my room?""It's a condition. You are obligated to fulfil it."He laughed, then nodded and moved back as he wrapped his hands in front of him. "Done. Beat me in this duel, and you can have a room in my space."I nodded, then moved away. Someone walked up to me and handed me gloves. I wore them quickly, then walked into the open space. I knew I was going to get beaten up to a pulp, but I was determined to at least fight back. To at least stand up for myself.Alpha Eros looked a little bored, his hands behind him. Once I was done, a bell went off. My eyes fell on K
"You have ten seconds! Ten seconds to make it down to the duelling hall, or you will face the Calypso!"I stood up, my eyes wide. I had barely slept all night, and now that I was starting to doze off, this rather cryptic announcement started.I could hear the sound of people running, and before I got to the door, it suddenly swung open. Knox was on the other side, breathing hard."We need to get down," he said, his voice breathless. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door. I ran with him down the spiral stairs, along with a hoost of other students who were all going to the exact same place. It was as unnerving as it was exciting, and I broke into a small laugh as we ran down the last flight of stairs towards the duelling hall.My smile, however, broke as my eyes fell on the open hall. Alpha Eros was right in the middle of the hall, his hair slicked back in a rough bun, with a few strands of hair falling in front of his face.My breath stopped in my throat, and I froze in place,
I went around all of the rooms, but none of them were willing to take me in. Kmox was beginning to get frustrated by the entire thing, and I was feeling sorry for him. He was, after all, working overtime just to make sure I didn't have to sleep in the hallways tonight, and I didn't even have anything to repay him with."No," the person Knox had been talking to for the last fifteen minutes suddenly said, then slammed the door on Knox's face.Knox gave a small growl, and I gently held his arm. "I will be fine, Knox. I promise. I used to do this all the time outside."He looked genuinely sorry before he gave a small sigh, then nodded. "How about.. I grab you a few beddings, then? Where do you intend to sleep?"I shrugged. "Would the library be open?""Yes, definitely. Do you know how to find it?"I shook my head. "No, I...""Wait here. I will go grab your beddings and then take you to the library. It will be time for lights out soon.""Thank you very much," I said, and he smiled, then si
"There you are," Knox said, walking up to me. I could see his nercous glance towards the Princes's corner, as he grabbed me by the shoulder. "Are you okay?"I nodded slowly, biting down on my bottom lip. "I... just mistakenly used the other door and...""Did they do anything to you?"I shook my head, then slowly turned towards them. Eros was leaning back, ome hand resting on his thigh, the other leisurely holding a glass of wine. His eyes were watching me through the glass, and for yet another second, I could feel it all over again.The pull. The weakness in my knees. My inability to walk away or break free. It was like he had his hand around my throat, and he was holding me hostage. Like I couldn't escape. He turned away, his eyes slowly closing as he drank from the cup, then gently dropped it on the table."Stop doing that," Knox said, turning me to meet him. "Stop, Kian."I nodded. I needed to stop. I needed to. "I am sorry."Knox gave a small smile. "Come here. There might not be
I stood there frozen to the spot as Knox walked away, saying something about how I should come with him to lunch so I could at least be well fed while I look for a room.My mind, however, was somewhere else, and my vision was blurred. I could barely even think clearly. Eros Dionte. Everything seems to point right to him. He was Valerian's roommate, and it is a no-brainer to assume that he was the only one in that room with Valerian. Not just that, the necklace. The rose. My... if he was the one with the rose, what... was the connection to my dreams? Why have I been seeing him in my dreams ever since I turned eighteen?I slowly leaned to the floor, my hands covering my face, my eyes closed. This was getting a little more entangled. What if the person with the rose was just... someone else? Not Eros?It would simply make Eros my brother's killer, but then I would have to find the person with the rose. The man in my dreams."Who are you?"I looked up, then immediately straightened. A tal
Something about the way he had said it, the grim urgency in his voice, the seriousness in his eyes, it made something in my brain tick off. The part of my brain that was desperate to know what happened to my brother went off, and I couldn't help but ask. "Who... who are these princes?" He gave a small smile, but his eyes held pain, and I could see that he hated them. Maybe not hate, but... "You do know their families. I think they were called the powerful four on the outside." My eyes widened. Everyone knew the powerful four. The families that held the reigns of the packs and made the rules for everyone else. They also produced some of the strongest, most capable wolves, and it made it even harder to overthrow them or even attempt to rebel. "A descendant from each of those families lives in these walls, and soon enough, you will see them. Just make sure to steer clear. One or two of them might be friendly, and they might not even mean any harm, but their wolves are powerful l
I stood in front of the imposing gates of Rosendale High, my heart beating wildly in my chest, my body slightly trembling. My chest was heaving with fear of the things that could be lurking in there. But I have made it this far. It has been two months since my brother died, and I have spent every single moment of that time trying to find a way to gain entry into this school. After doing everything, leaving the pack for a month to make it seem like Skylar North had gone rogue so I could safely take this identity, masking my scent and cloning an alpha scent, and applying again and again every week when their admission opened up till I finally received the letter, I knew I had to go through. I remember the first time I had come with Valerian. The way he had been so excited about this place. And then the last time I came with him. He had been dead, and he was discarded in that nameless grave. That necklace. That man. That rose. I was none the wiser despite the time that had passed,