Yes, here we go again with more drama. Let's see who is one the receiving end.
MILAA shout broke my thoughts as I saw Amber snatching milk out of Jenna’s hand. “Do I look like someone who would enjoy milk? I’m not a cow.”Jenna looked absolutely horrified. I wanted to say something, but my butt was glued to this chair. Just like everyone else, I watched from afar.“I…I’m sorry,” Jenna whispered, looking down at her feet. “I thought you said–”“That’s the problem, Jenna. You’re thinking,” Amber said. “Go get me something else. Lunch is almost over, and I’m still thirsty.” Jenna turned to leave, only for Amber to grab her wrist. “Don’t forget to take this back.”Amber proceeded to pour the milk over Jenna’s head as the other girls laughed. Even her precious, stupid Leo laughed with the others. I honestly think that was the worst. This time, I looked away. I wasn’t the type of girl to say ‘I told you so,’ but I did tell her this would happen when they invited her to their table last year. Jenna ran from the cafeteria, drenched in milk.“Ari, why do we still keep he
TYLER“Go after her,” my inner beast, Declan, urged as I watched Mila disappear around the corner with Jenna.Four fucking months of training to learn how to control my werewolf, and one encounter with her completely dissolved it. She didn’t even have a wolf. Hell, she might not even get one, but here I was, ready to claim her and take her as my own. How could I be pinning after a weak, orphan she-wolf? I punched the locker in front of me, creating a huge dent.“Damn, man. I said I was sorry,” Leo whined, stepping away from me.“Just go to class, you idiot!”Leo grumbled as he walked away, and I leaned against the lockers, trying to control Declan. He was waging a war inside my head, nagging and growling about his stupid mate. I knew Mila was my mate two months ago when she came to clean my room. Her voice was the first thing that caught me. Goddamn music to my fucking ears, but her scent did it. Wild berries and lilacs. It fucking drove me mad and I…couldn’t get enough. The only thing
MILAMy mind kept screaming at me to stop and forget about it. Just because Arianna slapped Amber hard enough to make her crystal hairpin fly across the floor and right into my foot doesn’t mean I had to return it. Just my luck. Maybe I should wait for Gabe to come back? I stared at the crystal hair clip, thinking it wasn’t my problem. She might notice it and pick it up herself. Besides, why should I care? I hated bullies, especially the rich ones. Seriously, why did they always have to mess with the people who didn’t have much? They had everything in the whole and still crapped on others. Granted, Amber was probably the worst of the worst, but still, that was uncalled for.The lunchroom slowly returned to its normal chatter, and Amber sat down at her table. I looked at the hairpin. It was pretty. The light from outside hit it, casting green shadows on the floor. I picked it up and noticed how light it was. Amber always bragged about all her crystals being Swarovski crystals, but this
GABENever in a million years did I think I would be brave enough to step up to my brother and his friends, not once but twice in a day. When they started to come after Mila, I knew I had to do something. Luckily, I grew about a foot, and my weight was almost evened out in some places. When I brought up my reason for wanting to stop the bullying, my Uncle Aaron gave me great advice.“Well,” Uncle Aaron began, “you need to stand your ground and show no fear. They feed off it. Show them you’re not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Once they see the strength you have within, they’ll realize they can’t win.”“And that’s it?” I asked, trying to absorb his words.“That’s a start,” Uncle Aaron smiled. “Just remember, Gabe, true leadership isn’t just about commanding others. It’s about inspiring them and showing them what it means to be strong. Soon, others will see and respect that, even for Mila.”The memory of the conversation made me smile as I quickly ran up the stairs of the or
MILAThe rest of the school year passed by in a blur, and before I knew it, summer was here. Gabe was the best thing in my life, and though we continued to act as friends at school, I was still too nervous to display our relationship openly. What truly mattered was the time we spent at the orphanage, having picnics on the rooftop or playing games in the packhouse game room, places where we were never disturbed.Gabe had always made my life brighter, but now it seemed even brighter. Every time he looked at me with that soft, affectionate smile, warmth bloomed in my chest, a feeling I couldn’t quite describe. And when he kissed me, I felt like I was in another world where my parents were still alive, no one bullied me, Gabe and I could date in the open, and most importantly, I was happy.“Well, would you look at that? Two pigs in a sty,” Amber sneered, her voice dragging me out of my daydream. I was cleaning out my locker for the summer, and while it was open, pictures of Gabe and me wer
GABEI couldn’t stop smiling at the dinner table, thinking about Mila’s lips. Or the way her body pressed into mine while her hands slid up my back. My father, Alpha Troy, sat at the head of the table, his presence commanding and calm. My mom, Luna Emily, with her graceful demeanor, was on the other end, casting a critical eye over the cutlery’s placement. Tyler lounged lazily next to me, scrolling through his phone.The smell of roasted veggies and grilled meats filled the air as the door to the kitchen opened. I watched as Mila and the other servants moved around the table, setting down the dishes with ease. I’ve had a crush on Mila since the first time I saw her. She thought it was the day she started working here but actually the first day she came to the orphanage a year after she had lost her parents. Some boys were making fun of her one day and I guess she had enough. She picked up one of the boys and body slammed him into the ground. It was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. So
MILAI always felt a bit out of place working the dinner shift at the packhouse. Not only did being near Gabe make me smile uncontrollably, but the weird way Tyler had been acting made me uncomfortable. Aside from the constant bullying at school, he watched me like a hawk at the packhouse, always finding ways to subtly touch my hand when I’m placing down plates or pouring his drink. Tonight was no different. As I walked into the dining room, I froze at the sound of my name, and the pitcher I was carrying slipped from my grasp, crashing to the floor. I had been trying not to listen from the kitchen, but these walls apparently aren’t wolf proof. Even the kitchen staff had thrown sympathetic glances my way before I came out. “I…I’m…sorry,” I stammered, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’ll clean it right away.”“Mila…” I heard Gabe’s concerned voice as he moved to help me, but Luna Emily stopped him.“No,” Luna Emily said coldly. “Let her do it alone. It’s her job, Gabriel.”Gabe
TYLERWhat the hell was I doing? I had just spent over an hour swimming, trying to drown out the thoughts of this girl, and here I was, touching her. Time wasted. I thought, but there was nothing I could do now–or at least nothing I wanted to do. Declan was happy for the closeness. In the back of my mind, I saw him pacing, eager for more, even as my mom’s warning echoed in my thoughts. Mila wasn’t worthy.“Like this?” Mila asked, pulling her wrists out of my grasp and creating distance between us. Declan didn’t like her repositioning, but I silently thanked her for it. It was hard to think when she was this close. I watched as she lightly closed her fists and brought it up to her face. I laughed at her weak form, but mostly at the fact she looked so determined and so…cute.“Not unless you’re trying to hit a weak child,” I said, closing the distance and enclosing my hand over hers. “Tighten it like this. Pretend like you’re trying to crush something hard.”“O…okay.” Her voice was shaky,
LAURAI pressed my back against the cold stone wall of the packhouse, clutching the hacking device in my hand like it was the holy grail.Fuck. Why is this so scary?I took a moment to calm myself.No turning back, Laurie. You can do this.I wasn’t just a hacker. No, I was a field agent. A spy. A legend in the making. And… caught if I don’t stop talking to myself and get a move on. Just think like Mila.Crouching low, I scurried toward the back door, the one I personally disabled the security cameras for. Did it count as cheating if I was the one who helped Gabe set up most of these security measures in the first place? No. Absolutely not. It was called working smarter, not harder.I carefully turned the knob and slipped inside, holding my breath as I closed the door behind me. Step one: complete.Step two: don’t get caught.I tiptoed down the dimly lit hallway, dodging the occasional patrol or house worker. The packhouse wasn’t exactly Fort Knox, but Emily was paranoid enough to make
MILAMy hand was still pressed to Gabe’s chest. The fireworks still crackled overhead, but Gabe’s steady grip on my arms anchored me, his voice a distant hum cutting through the overwhelming noise.“You’re okay,” he murmured. “Focus on me.”I forced myself to nod, clinging to his presence. I hated this–feeling weak, feeling vulnerable–but the night had unraveled far beyond what I had prepared for. Francesca was probably dead. Amber was definitely dead. And Arianna…My gaze snapped to where I had seen Arianna last.“She’s gone,” Gabe said, following my gaze.Of course, she was. Just like with Randall, she always knew when to slip away before the damage fully settled. My stomach turned at everything that had happened. The system breach. Emily’s and Arianna’s coordinated attack leading to two deaths. What else could’ve gone wrong?Then I remembered what Amber said. They threatened my father if Gabe…I pushed off Gabe’s support, standing even as my knees wobbled. “I need to go. You can’t
GABEThe control room was of course locked. I had tried warning the others that Arianna and my mother were up to no good. I just wished I’d figured out what they were planning before it was too late. The moment Brian failed to hack the system and shut everything down, I didn’t hesitate. I ran straight here.With a swift, brutal kick, the door burst open.The room was empty.Whoever had played that video had already fled.Grinding my teeth, I rushed to the controls, shutting down the feed as fast as I could. Every screen. Every angle. But it was too late. The screams from the other room were evident. The damage was done. Fuck!“Alpha Gabe?”Camila ran into the room just as I wiped the last screen. My jaw was tight, my hands clenched around the console.“Is that all of them?” she asked.I did one final sweep before giving her a sharp nod.“Why didn’t you warn us earlier?” The anger rolling off her was palpable, and I didn’t blame her.“I knew something was going to happen–I just didn’t
MILAEverything started out great. Until it wasn’t. It all happened so fast. First, the speech. I stepped onto the stage, ignoring the confident look on Arianna’s face. “This collection isn’t just about fashion," I announced. "It’s about the celebration of freedom. The freedom to take up space, to embrace every curve, every edge, every part of yourself without apology. For too long, we’ve been told to hide–to shrink, to fit into boxes that were never meant for us. But not anymore.”I gestured toward the models as they stepped forward, their confidence radiating with every stride. "Summer is about feeling light, unburdened, alive. Not weighed down by expectations or secrets we’ve been too afraid to let go of. This collection is about owning your truth–wearing it boldly, beautifully, without fear."Second, the show. The crowd erupted in applause as the models strutted forward, showcasing designs tailored to flatter and empower. Camila queued up the video of men and women wearing my cl
TYLERA text from some hacker had me following Amira and Lena down the hall into one of the rooms. I knew something was weird about that photographer. This text just proved it. They spent some time inside before leaving, the door was slightly ajar. Sloppy. Either they were careless, or they didn’t think anyone would question them being here.I stepped inside, eyes scanning the monitors that displayed the cameras covering the event. Nothing immediately stood out–until I saw a folder labeled Emilia.My stomach clenched as I reached for it. Flipping it open, I expected to see outtakes from the shoot. Instead, I found something worse—secrets. Photos that had nothing to do with modeling and everything to do with blackmail.The first image stopped me cold. Francesca, wrapped around an infamous therapist to the elites. His name alone was scandalous, tied to more than a few high-profile breakdowns. And beneath the photos, a mention of a video. My pulse hammered.Before I could flip through th
MILAFinally something else I could focus on besides the files we found in Alpha Gregory’s office. I didn’t have a beach to work with for this event, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t create one. Every inch of this event had been designed to perfection, down to the placement of the lighting and the subtle gold detailing on the tables, and the diamonds on display. I’d walked through this space too many times to count, checking for any weak points Arianna could exploit. Then, to be extra cautious, I made sure not to invite her.Of course, Camila had questioned that decision. “Maybe you should invite her,” she had suggested with a knowing smirk. “Better to have your enemies where you can see them.”She was right. Because as much as I tried to enjoy tonight, something felt off. No amount of polite praise from the guests or the slight smile on Mister Deveaux’s face could shake the unease prickling at the back of my neck.“Lovely event.”The voice was smooth, deliberate. I turned, already bra
MILAI walked up the steps to the orphanage, the scent of fresh paint and sawdust clinging in the air. Despite the faint ache simmering in my chest I allowed myself to feel satisfied at how the improvements were coming along. New windows, the creaking porch reinforced, and the overgrown lawn trimmed down to something almost respectable. The fact that Jenna was dedicated to turning this back into the orphanage it once was was admirable. Also, the only reason I was funding it. Nanna Gertie would’ve wanted this, and she deserved this and more after everything she has done for me. The front door creaked open, and there he was.Alex.He froze the moment he saw me, his body tensing like I’d slapped him. His shirt was damp with sweat, his hair a disheveled mess like he’d been working non-stop. For a long second, neither of us moved. The air between us felt thick enough to choke on. So I did what I did best–ignored it.I walked right past him without so much as a glance.“We have nothing to
GABEIt didn’t take long to access the hidden chamber. Alpha Gregory’s ring fit seamlessly into a panel behind a bookcase, triggering a quiet mechanical shift. The entire shelf groaned before sliding aside, revealing a narrow passageway leading to a secret room.“Cliché,” I muttered.Mila moved like a shadow, her slim frame clad entirely in black. I couldn’t help but watch her–so focused, so damn cute in her element..“Someone’s been watching way too many spy movies,” I smirked.“What? I like wearing black,” she said, her tone defensive but playful.“You know you don’t have to dress up to sneak around, right?” I said, eyeing her massive afro that completely betrayed any attempt at subtlety.She rolled her eyes. “Habit I guess. Besides, I still don’t want your wife to know I’m here.”Wife. That word was a sharp reminder that Arianna still hasn't signed the divorce papers. Rumors were already circulating, thanks to a well-placed article online, but she was holding on–for what, I wasn’t
TYLERI didn't bother knocking as Mila’s door slammed opened, hitting the wall with a loud thud, but I didn’t care. Not after what I’d heard from Camila about the party. Not after almost a week of silence from Mila. I needed to see her.She looked up from the tablet in her hand, her soft music playing in the background. And just like that, the breath in my lungs stilled. She sat curled up on the couch, her bare legs tucked beneath her, a loose blouse slipping off one shoulder, exposing smooth, brown skin. Her afro pulled into a high bun, a few unruly strands escaping to frame her face. Even in the dim glow of the lamp, I could see exhaustion in her eyes—deep brown, flecked with hints of amber, like a sunset right before night took over. She was beautiful. “Tyler, what are you–woah!”Before she could finish, I was across the room in a flash, closing the distance between us and pulling her into my arms. The tablet nearly slipped from her hand as I held her tighter than I should’ve, bu