AthenaI bit the inside of my cheek, feeling trapped and unsure of my options to return to school. It was easy to second-guess myself because teenagers and young adults my age were mean, and no matter how I pretended that words didn’t get to me, I knew that wasn’t true. Stepping off the plane, I hoped I had made the right decision. I flagged a taxi from the airport parking lot, wondered why they were so expensive and hiked their prices compared to regular taxis, but I had no choice because Mom had gotten me a truckload of edibles and even more for Caleb. The driver dropped me off at the school gates, and I didn’t know if it was the hopeful expectation that there was going to be a strange twist between Cameron and me or the fear that things could get worse and that I was shooting myself in the foot. My heart pounded as I dragged my suitcase behind me. I stopped when I spotted Cameron standing and smiling at me at the gate; my heart melted.Our love brought us back to each other in wa
AthenaA crease appeared on Cameron's forehead, and he looked pinched and unhappy from my rejection. I moved my hand frequently, trying to distract myself, and thought he would understand as usual, but he seemed too defensive."It's just a dance, Athena. Even strangers dance. Things aren't that bad; please don't push it," I said, remaining calm. Cameron grinned at me, and I didn't understand why he was so stubborn."Fine then, I'm not going to ruin the fun. I hope you wouldn't mind if I danced with another girl.""Break a leg."He looked like I had just slapped him in the face, surprised by my response, but I needed to protect him from myself, even if it hurt. He turned around and left, and soon, he was dancing with a popular girl from school. Watching them felt too painful. I skipped to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of juice to distract myself.I noticed someone at the door and thought it was Cameron, but it was my cousin Alex. He smiled a little too broadly, and there was an
Cameron's POVI'd never been on the verge of tears in years. It was taboo for boys to show emotion. Lately, life has been unfair to me, and realizing that nothing could ever be okay again has made me feel like a failure. I had always thought my life was great and better than most. Now, it was clear that that was just a delusion. The fact that my parents were on the brink of divorce because my mom fucked that bastard, Thor, made my blood boil.This roller coaster left my body drained. I didn't care how stupid I looked in tears; the feelings overwhelmed me. When the first wave of grief subsided, I finally looked at Athena, who was also in tears. She cupped my chin and kissed my forehead. “Why? Athena. Why does it have to be me? First, it's our bond and the pain of knowing you and I can never be together. Now, this?”“I'm sorry,” her mouth trembled as tears streamed down her face. “It isn't right. I wish I could fix it.”She wrapped her arms around me tightly, and I held her back whil
AthenaMidnight was my favorite time of the clock. The darkness empowered me. Unlike me, my brother Caleb was pure Lycan, yet he enjoyed watching me spin magic. My dad was alpha and was expected to banish me for having witch blood, yet he kept this secret within our home."They're here," I whispered to Caleb, wrapping myself in a purple cloak. "Hold my hand and run like your life depends on it. Don't shift into your wolf. They'll recognize us."Our pursuers closed in, but we didn't stop. Caleb wasn't afraid. He trusted in my powers to keep us safe. Just as they were about to grab us, we levitated onto a rooftop and began hopping from building to building. Caleb found this amusing and whistled with glee as we landed on our roof and slipped down the secret staircase into the house.Just as we entered, we heard the buzzer. I hated that these nosy hunters wouldn't leave. The sound woke my dad. Caleb and I rushed to our rooms, pretending to be asleep. Upon confirming it was the witch hunte
AthenaWhat. The. Fuck???My legs trembled like soggy noodles, and I couldn't believe my eyes—my mate was standing right across me. Every other person faded into the background, and I was frozen in place, unable to speak or move. I'd always been told that, as a chosen wolf and an eclectic witch, having a mate was forbidden. The moon goddess wasn't even supposed to grant me one.All my life, Mom had trained me to believe that being single wasn't a death sentence and she always said I could be single and fulfilled. So why was I feeling a strong, undeniable connection which was anything I had ever experienced?While asking myself questions about what this meant, I took in my mate's appearance. He was over six foot tall, no surprise there as most Lycans were, had olive skin, tethering towards brown, and dark curly hair. He looked super rich judging from his outfit and happened to be president of the student body."Athena, do you have all your documents in your folder?" Dad's question b
CameronMy mate's confession sent my pulse racing, and I stood there tormented by confusing emotions. One emotion was deep fear, and the other was my wounded pride. No one had ever spoken to me like that in my life; everyone had always wanted to associate with me, even people I didn't want. Ever since I knew what was at stake and that the success of my pack and the continuity of my alpha bloodline depended on finding my fated mate, I had desperately longed for one and prayed that I would find her. Every joy I felt had dissolved into this growing fear. As she left, she turned around and stared at me. Her eyes were the color of ice gray, and although her face looked calm and aloof, she seemed like the kind of person who was comfortable with both good and evil. Beneath her innocent persona, she was a bundle of contradictions. She rocked an ash-blonde bob with bangs so thick that her eyes would have been invisible if not for their striking color. I had never felt so infuriated and yet
AthenaAfter a very erratic sleep that was clouded with dreams of a certain eye-catching, curly-headed boy with amber eyes and a dignified face, I woke up to the harsh sound of the morning bell. I got up with a sigh and thought of confiding in my mom, but it was hard. I hadn't even told Mia yet, and I feared that the longer I kept this to myself, the more complicated everything would become.Minutes later, the cobblestone path had students pouring out of their dorms wearing color-coded running wear. I ditched my school sneakers for my old ones because I felt more comfortable running in them. The boys, as usual, tried to outrun the girls, and it was always amusing to watch them try to assert their dominance.We jogged at first, then increased our pace to a run. The tulips, hibiscus, and roses, plus the early morning dew, gave the earth a beautiful scent. My stomach dropped with fear as I realized that Caleb wasn't in our midst, and I figured he must have excused himself from the run
Athena I jumped straight into action, rushing towards Caleb and wondering what he'd done to deserve such bullying. We were just new students for fucks sake. Caleb wasn't as strong as his attackers, even though one of them looked thin. He was the first one I faced. "What did he do to you?" I yelled at the top of my lungs, hoping my magic wouldn't flare up. As much as I wanted to use it to show them what I was made of, I couldn't - I'd only get in trouble. I didn't want to become the school clown or an exhibit everyone, especially Cameron would gawk at. The thin boy mocked me, and my anger hit the boiling point. I underestimated him, thinking I could take him down just because he was skinny. His grip was surprisingly strong, and I had to wriggle my hand free. "Why does your brother look like a girl? Didn't your dad train him? Didn't he go through the induction process? And he's supposed to be alpha, right?"How did they know so much about us? "Mind your fucking business and leave h