Malia After the hybrid attack, my parents were unexpectedly invited to an emergency meeting at school. I suspected it was because I was the only student the hybrid targeted - and failed to kill. Fear still crawled over my skin within the school walls, so I decided to skip the meeting. Instead, I tried to piece together who the hybrid could be and why they’d chosen me. I didn’t have stellar detective skills, but the urge to uncover the truth gnawed at me. Maybe if I walked the empty hallways, something would stand out - some clue everyone else had missed. After a while, exhaustion weighed me down, and I slumped against a locker in defeat. I had no way of knowing who’d attacked me or why, but as I sat there alone, Avan’s voice broke the silence. He was walking toward me, his steps light but his gaze intense. “Hey,” he greeted, leaning beside me. I said nothing, too wrapped up in my own thoughts. “Look, I heard what happened. I’m glad you survived.” “I only survived beca
Malia I watched Asher as he sat on my bed, his gaze drifting over my room with a quiet curiosity. His eyes lingered on the pale blue walls, softened by the amber glow of the bedside lamp, and he gave a slight nod. “I like the color,” he murmured. “Thanks,” I replied, sitting down beside him, aware of the closeness that made the air between us feel charged. For a moment, I was lost, studying him in the warm light. He looked tired with faint bruises tracing shadows on his skin. But it didn’t make him any less striking. If anything, the exhaustion gave him a realness I rarely saw, as if all the guarded layers he kept around him had finally slipped away. When his eyes found mine, he tilted his mouth in a small, lopsided smile. “Nice view, huh?” he teased, his voice soft but teasing. “Jerk.” I looked away, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. Clearing my throat, I steadied my breathing. “I, um… I heard about your father’s attack. Is he… okay?” The teasing glint in Asher’s eyes fad
Asher I sprinted toward the house, my heart pounding heavily. The air felt thick as I burst through the door and into my father’s office, where I found my mother crouched behind him, sobbing as she held him close. Every vein seemed to stand out against her skin, grief pouring through her as she clung to him. I couldn’t believe it. The scene before me was impossible to process. How could this have happened? He was supposed to be highly protected. My mind raced with a jumble of unanswered questions. Why weren’t there enough guards with him? How could anyone even get close enough to bite him? Even now, I noticed that the house felt empty. It was barely staffed with the Lycans meant to protect my mother. The thought struck me cold—what if another hybrid attacked her? I knelt beside my mother, staring at my father’s face. His eyes were open, but he was completely still, his skin cold. My chest felt tight, but no tears came. I’d been raised never to show weakness, and crying was the
Malia The past two weeks drifted by in a haze. It felt surreal, as though I were floating in someone else’s life. Asher had been away, hunting the hybrid that had taken his father’s life, throwing himself into the pursuit with relentless ferocity. I knew this because I had been talking with Amara a lot. In a short period, we became pretty close, so I told her the truth about Asher and me. She was surprisingly very mature about it and gave me a lot of helpful advice. Amara also told me bits and pieces of Asher’s absence—how he barely slept, barely ate, how his entire focus had been on the hunt. She knew this because her mother was close to one of Brooke's personal aids. Thankfully, just a few days ago, I heard that Asher and his men finally killed the hybrid, putting an end to the terror that had lingered over us all. In a way, life had returned to normal, but nothing really felt the same. Asher was different. I hadn’t seen him yet, but from what Amara told me, it was as thoug
Malia I stirred my spoon absently, letting the broth swirl in slow circles as I sat across from Amara in the cafeteria. The noise around us felt muffled, like I was hearing it through water.No matter how hard I tried, Asher’s cold words kept playing over in my mind, relentless and sharp. He hadn’t just dismissed me—he’d looked at me as if I were a stranger, like the months we’d spent together hadn’t meant anything. The ache in my chest tightened, and I realized I’d stopped eating entirely. I forced myself to look up, only to see Amara watching me, concern softening her gaze. Her usual mysterious vibes always came off whenever she was around me. “Hey, cheer up. At least Banes backed off,” she said, her voice low and comforting. She kept her tone casual, but her eyes betrayed a deeper concern. “I could tell he was going to give you a hard time, but it's a good thing I got him to ease up.” A small smile tugged at my lips despite everything. “Thank you. Honestly, I don’t know what I
Malia I sat in her office, too stunned to speak, my mind swirling with confusion and dread. Part of me was numb and detached, while another part was filled with the relentless pounding of my heartbeat. Maybe it would be easier if she did expel me. At least that would mean freedom from this constant, never-ending drama. “Are you deaf?” she barked, snapping me out of my thoughts. The cold edge to her voice made me tremble. “Um… I shouldn’t be expelled because the public eye is on Asher now more than ever,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. I’d practiced this line in my head, but it didn’t come out as confidently as I’d hoped. The Luna’s eyes narrowed, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. “So? What makes you think the public will care about what happens to you?” She was baiting me, but I took a breath and kept going. “Well… because if I’m expelled, people will think Asher is being protected while I’m being punished. Besides, I just lost a baby.” I fiddled with my fingers, try
Malia I turned my head, unwilling to watch as Asher wrapped his arm around Aaliyah, leaning in to whisper something that made her laugh. My heart twisted painfully, threatening to collapse in the hallway. The warm feeling I had just moments ago shattered into fragments, leaving behind a chilling void. I walked away from Asher and Aaliyah, the chatter of students around me blurring into a dull hum. Betrayal simmered in my chest, mixing with anger and a raw emptiness that refused to fade.Aaliyah. Until now, I hadn’t even known her name, and yet, here she was, taking everything I’d thought I had with Asher and crushing it in front of me. It didn’t feel real—how quickly everything had shifted. “Did you see that? Malia got dumped,” a voice interrupted my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. It was Avan, leaning against a vending machine, an insufferable smirk plastered across his face. Savannah stood beside him, her expression equally smug. “And the girl looks absolutely stunning. Gue
Malia “Revenge? That's insane. It was she who hurt him,” I muttered, trying to process what was happening. “Yeah, but being banished is pretty brutal. I guess that's what she wants revenge for,” Amara said with a shrug, and I scoffed at the irony. Aaliyah, seeking revenge? For facing the consequences of cheating on Asher? "So," I started, struggling to steady my voice. "We have to get the necklace off him somehow. But how?" The silence that followed was heavy. We were all standing around, hoping for an idea, anything. “I can’t come up with anything,” Jamie finally admitted, his brow furrowed. “That’s a first,” Amara scoffed. Jamie shot her a dark look. “Maybe we just grab her and interrogate her,” Corey suggested with a shrug. “She’s the one who enchanted him, so let’s just make her talk.” Jamie gave him a hard glare. “And you think Asher won’t notice if we kidnap his fiancée? Plans like this are why I usually make the plans.” “Oh yeah?” Amara challenged, crossing her
AsherThe sun began to rise.The golden light washed over the field like a mercy none of us deserved. It touched the broken, the bloodied, and the dead. Too many. Faces I’d known. Names I’d grown up with.The Reece mages dropped one by one, barely able to stand. Their magic was gone—sacrificed to stop one man.Rhedd clutched her stomach, pale and shaking, her magic burned out like a candle in wind.The wolves—those still standing—shifted back. Naked, bruised, and dazed. They looked at me like they didn’t know what to feel.And then I turned and saw him.Ronin.He was bloodied, bruised, still limping from what Jude had done to him. But his eyes were sharp. Watchful.He walked toward me, the others parting in his path.He stopped a few feet away, lifting his chin.“So,” he said, voice raw. “Now what?”I didn’t answer right away.“I know what you think of me,” he continued. “And I don’t blame you. But I pledged because it was the only way to win. That doesn’t mean I—” He hesitated, jaw c
AsherJude was just a man. Twisted, obsessed, and broken. A shell of the force that had terrified every wolf and Lycan under the moon. And I wasn’t sure killing him would be victory… or vengeance.Should I kill him? Is that the answer?Behind me, I heard Rhedd cry out, pulling me out of my thoughts.“Keep him still!” one of the Reece mages shouted.They circled Malia where she lay floating in the air and then slowly brought her to the ground. They were unraveling the last of the threads Jude had embedded inside her. Magic that pulsed and bucked like it didn’t want to let go.“He used her like a damn conduit,” Rhedd muttered. “If we don’t cut it clean—”“He’ll pull her soul out with it,” another finished.I didn’t take my eyes off Jude. His breath hitched. His gaze was unfocused, but when it landed on me, I saw something strange flicker behind his eyes.Fear.Not because he was about to die.But because he wasn’t in control anymore.“You think this fixes anything?” he rasped, coughing
AsherWhile everyone else was unable to move. Ronin had it worse. His bones cracked—loud enough that even the stunned silence couldn’t hide the sound. I watched him fall to his knees, coughing up blood. His spine jerked one way, then the other, like it was trying to twist him into something unrecognizable. Something wrong.“Damn you,” Ronin hissed through clenched teeth. “I’ll kill you… I swear, I’ll—”But Jude just smiled and raised two fingers. Another wave of agony surged through Ronin, folding his body like a puppet whose strings had snapped.No one moved.Corey. Jamie. Rhedd. Everyone stood frozen in place, either physically or emotionally. Shock. Despair. Fear.Except me. I didn’t flinch and unlike everyone else, I wasn't unable to move. I just stood still because… well… I was stunned by all that had happened. But for some reason, Jude's magic wasn't working on me.Jude turned to me slowly, his eyes glowing like coals.“You’re quiet,” he said. “But you always were a little slowe
AsherI felt it before I saw it.A deep hum tore through the battlefield like a pulse from the earth’s core. The ground cracked beneath us, vibrating with something ancient and wrong. My body stilled, instincts taking over. Every wolf on our side growled low, confused. Even Ronin, standing opposite me with blood on his hands and a twisted glare in his eyes, paused mid-strike.And then it happened.The earth opened up and Jude rose from it, Malia by his side.He wasn’t walking.He was floating—levitating above the dirt like he belonged to another realm. Malia hovered next to him, limp but breathing, her hair weightless in the still air. Streams of energy—magic—flowed from her into his hands like threads being woven. Her face looked drained, pale, as though the life was being siphoned out of her bit by bit.I froze.This couldn’t be real. I heard he was confined and starving in the same cell that I had been locked in. But he was here.And he wasn’t just alive—he was drawing magic from
AsherThe moon was full and heavy in the sky, throwing pale light over the open field ahead. My boots pressed into the soft earth as I looked over the line of soldiers behind me—my father’s secret elite, all in wolf form, silent and still. Every one of them had trained for this night, and still, we were outnumbered.Four packs stood against us—Sky, Storm, Range, and Lycone. Wolves I had once thought would always be loyal to me. Jamie and Corey - Brothers I had fought with. Now they stood across from me with their teeth bared and claws ready, all of them backing the one who took what was mine.Ronin.He stood on the ridge ahead of us, arms folded, his wolf just beneath the surface because he wouldn't turn. He didn't need to. He was a Lycan. Day or night didn't matter for Lycans to shift. He didn’t look tense. He looked smug, like he already believed this battle was over. I mean, with me being outnumbered, he was probably right.I exhaled through my nose. My heartbeat was steady. I did
MaliaI didn’t breathe.Not for a full minute after Ronin said those words.Asher Mendoza is alive.I stood there, frozen beneath the branches of the old silverwood tree. Just moments ago, I’d been smiling faintly at the way Ronin had grumbled about paperwork. Just hours ago, I’d kissed him without shame in front of his guards.And now, my world has split in half.He was alive.My Asher.The one I had mourned in silence. The one I had cursed the stars for taking too soon. The one whose name I had stopped speaking, not because I forgot—but because remembering hurt too much.I had let him go.And now he was back.Ronin didn’t look at me. His entire body was taut, rage pouring off of him in waves as he crumpled the letter in his fist.“He dares to ask me to step down,” he growled, pacing. “After everything I’ve done—after the unity I’ve forged? The peace I’ve built? He wants to come back from the dead and reclaim what he abandoned?”His eyes flicked toward me at last. And the moment he s
MaliaIt had been almost a year.A full cycle of moons since I stood before the altar in a dress that felt like a cage and pledged myself to a man I did not love. A year of silent dinners, of shared quarters and unshared sheets. A year of waking up beside someone who looked at me like I was a world he couldn’t touch.Ronin had not once tried.He had kissed my cheek in public, taken my hand at royal events, and always ensured I had a personal guard at my side. He gave me space. Respect. But not once had he laid a single finger on me—not without my permission.And that restraint… it had become unbearable.Tonight, the weight of it collapsed on me.I sat on the edge of our bed, staring at the hearth’s dying flames. My nightgown clung to my skin in the low firelight, and my chest ached with something I hadn’t let myself name in months.“Just accept it, Malia,” Rhedd had told me only hours ago, his voice quiet but final. “He’s not coming back. If Asher was alive, he would’ve come by now.”
AsherThe moon was high the night I met with Nina’s parents. I had to meet them since I now knew the truth. They were the only ones I could trust. We gathered in the ruins of the old Northern chapel, a place sacred enough to keep secrets buried but strong enough to host rebellion. I didn’t ask how they got in contact with me—they always had a way to do things discreetly. Nina’s father, Nathan, regarded me with the tired eyes of a man who had carried the truth for too long.“He told us this day would come,” he said. “Ian prepared. We kept his will safe. And we kept his soldiers even safer.”From the shadows, they stepped forward—silent, deadly, focused. Wolves in human skin. Elite. Trained in secret under Ian’s orders for the day I would reclaim the crown.I couldn't believe my eyes. How did Ian think of this? How was he able to predict that I may not get any support unless he provides one for me?I was relieved that I had been given a head start, but it wasn’t enough. Not for a war.
AsherMy thumb hovered over the next page for longer than I cared to admit. The leather binding creaked softly beneath my grip, like it too feared what lay ahead. But I couldn’t stop now. I needed to know it all—no matter how much it hurt and no matter how much I wanted to stop, I turned the page.‘Brooke and Renah began their affair not out of love, not truly—not at first. Brooke wanted affection. She wanted to be wanted. Renah… he was a convenient escape. They were discreet. Not for my sake. For hers. Always for hers. She didn't want to ruin her reputation.’I leaned back, jaw tightening.So it was true.I watched them once. They didn’t see me. Her smile was real. His was reverent. That was the moment I knew—Renah loved her more. Brooke? She simply needed to be adored.It painted such a different picture of my mother than the one I’d held growing up. She had always seemed powerful, poised, in control of every room she walked into. I never imagined her desperate. Or fragile. But with