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
Malia As I slipped out of the house, my steps quiet but my heart pounding, I couldn't help feeling a tug of doubt. I’d left them without much of a warning, and now here I was, sneaking out in the middle of the night, retracing my steps back to them. But if they were really planning to go through with this insane mission, I couldn't just stay out of it. Not if Asher’s life might depend on what we did tonight. The school loomed up ahead, dark and silent, except for the faint outline of its main gate. That’s when I realized I had one tiny, critical flaw in my plan: the gates were locked. I grimaced, looking up at the metal bars like they were some twisted joke. Should I try to climb over? Go back? I glanced at my phone, debating whether to message Amara or one of the others to let them know I’d changed my mind. But as I tried pulling up Amara’s number, I heard something—a rustling sound, low and eerie—coming from the woods just past the school fence. My thumb froze over the screen. Ok
Malia My lungs burned, my legs ached, and my mind raced with only one thought: *Run.*The growls behind me were growing louder, and I could feel the ground practically vibrating beneath my feet as the hybrid wolves gained on me. Seven of them. They were faster, stronger, and far more ruthless than anything I’d ever faced. I knew that any moment now, they’d be on me, and I’d have no chance of escape. But I pushed myself to keep going, even as a small voice in my head whispered that I was just prolonging the inevitable.I didn’t dare glance over my shoulder; I could already picture the hybrids—slender and dark-furred, their bodies shifting seamlessly between wolf and human shapes as they pursued me. They moved like shadows in the night, and I was the only thing standing between them and the kill they wanted. My heart pounded, my pulse racing as I pushed myself to run faster, darting between trees, skidding over patches of damp ground, trying to gain even a few extra seconds of life.Bu
Malia The car was quiet, the gravity of what had just happened settling in. Jamie hadn’t said a word since we’d left the school grounds. Amara was in the backseat, checking her phone, probably making sure she hadn’t missed any messages.The whole drive felt strained, like we were each wrapped up in our own thoughts and fears, none of us quite able to process what had happened back there. When we reached Amara’s place, she gave me a quick hug and a reassuring squeeze of my shoulder. “Text me if you need anything,” she said softly, and I nodded, managing a weak smile in return. After she left, Corey mentioned he was stopping to grab food at the restaurant nearby, and a few minutes later, he got out and left me alone with Jamie. For a while, neither of us said anything. I just stared out the window, my mind replaying the night’s events. The chase. The wolves. Asher standing there with that strange, cold look in his eyes. The memory was burned into my brain, refusing to let go. I could
Malia Around the third period, Amara and Jamie flanked me as we walked down the hall. The school buzzed with its usual chaos—students pouring out of classrooms, shuffling to their next class, filling the hallways with laughter, chatter, and the clang of lockers slamming shut. As we reached the row of lockers near mine, my attention snagged on a familiar voice. Across the hall, Asher was leaning against the wall with Aaliyah. He was dressed in a navy blue suit, like he had some official work at the school. It was odd seeing him being the Lycan King yet coming to the academia for classes. He was whispering to Aaliyah, his voice low and almost... affectionate. She was laughing—the soft, tinkling kind of laugh that filled me with anger. She looked at him with shining eyes, like he was the most brilliant, charming man in the world. And the worst part? He looked right back, his face completely open and fond. I scoffed, gripping the handle of my locker hard before slamming it shut. Thi
MaliaI couldn’t take it anymore—his voice, his accusations, the constant weight of his blame pressing down on me. Every word Jamie spoke was like a knife slicing through what little strength I had left. My body ached, the ropes biting into my wrists and ankles, the gag dry and scratchy against my lips. My throat burned for water, but no one cared. No one would listen. Maybe this was it—maybe I was meant to die here, tied to a post in the woods like some kind of monster. A witch. I let my head fall back against the rough bark behind me, my hair falling wild and tangled over my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the sound of Jamie’s voice as he muttered under his breath. He was pacing now, but his anger hadn’t lessened. If anything, it had grown darker, heavier. It didn’t matter what I did. Nothing I said would ever convince him—or anyone—that I wasn’t the person who accused Corey. That I wasn’t the reason his brother was dead. They had already made up their minds.
Malia As the hours dragged on, the mob slowly began to thin out. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows through the trees, but some wolves remained—hovering on the edges, eager to witness my punishment if Asher didn’t come. Their eyes burned with hatred and bloodlust, and no matter how much I tried to avoid their stares, I could still feel their judgment pressing down on me like a crushing weight. My throat burned with thirst. The gag chafed against the corners of my mouth, and every breath felt shallow and strained. My limbs were aching from being tied in the same position for so long, and the rough ropes dug into my wrists with every twitch. I tried to swallow against the dryness in my throat, but it only made the ache worse. I tried to make a sound—something, anything—to get someone’s attention. My voice was weak and muffled beneath the gag, but I hoped someone—anyone—would notice that I needed water. My tongue felt thick and heavy, and I was starting to feel di
MaliaThe ropes cut into my wrists, burning my skin with every slight movement. My arms were stretched above my head, bound tightly to the thick wooden post behind me. I could barely breathe around the filthy cloth stuffed into my mouth. My legs trembled beneath me, but I forced myself to stay upright. If I fell, I didn’t know if I’d have the strength to get back up. The air was thick with the smell of earth and pine, but it did nothing to mask the scent of anger—raw and violent—hanging over the crowd. Dozens of wolves surrounded me, their eyes burning with hatred. Their snarls filled the clearing, echoing through the woods. “Witch!” one of them growled. “Burn her!” another voice shouted from the crowd. A low, rhythmic chant began to rise. “Witch. Witch. Witch.”Tears blurred my vision, sliding down my face as I shook my head. I wanted to scream—to tell them they were wrong—but the gag muffled every sound. My heart pounded so loudly it drowned out their voices, but I couldn’t
Asher I didn’t know how long I’d been unconscious. Time seemed to have slipped away, leaving me adrift in a sea of confusion and dread. The lingering scent of smoke, acrid and sharp, was the only tangible evidence of the terrifying encounter with Rayna. I pushed myself up, my body protesting with a groan. My head pounded, a dull ache that mirrored the turmoil in my mind. Rayna’s words echoed in the silence of the room, each syllable a dagger twisting in my heart. “You will have the whole world against you, Asher.”I stumbled to my feet, my legs shaky, my thoughts a whirlwind of fear and regret. Rayna was gone. Vanished, like a phantom in the night. But the consequences of her presence, of her revelations, were all too real. I looked around the living room, the familiar space now tainted with the memory of her chilling laughter, her fiery display of power. It felt like a different place, a place where my illusions had shattered, leaving behind only the cold, hard reality of
Asher The flames danced in her palms, a mocking display of power that sent a chill deeper than any winter wind through my bones. My mind reeled, trying to reconcile the gentle woman I thought I knew with this…person before me. “Who are you?” I demanded, my voice rough, barely a whisper. “What have you done with Malia?”The laughter that spilled from her lips was like ice on fire, a sound that scraped against my soul. It wasn’t Malia’s laugh. It was sharper, colder, laced with an amusement that bordered on cruelty. “Malia?” she echoed, tilting her head. The fire in her hands crackled, throwing flickering shadows across the room. “Such a quaint notion.”A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I stumbled back, my hand grasping for the edge of the table. “You’re not her,” I breathed, the realization hitting me with the force of a physical blow. “You’re not Malia.”Her smile widened, revealing teeth that seemed just a little too sharp, a little too predatory. “That's right,” she
AsherThe room felt like it was shrinking. The walls pressed in, the air thick and suffocating. I gripped the edge of my desk, fingers digging into the wood as I struggled to steady my breathing. My vision blurred at the edges, the faint flicker of candlelight casting long, trembling shadows across the walls. My heart was racing—pounding against my ribs with a force so violent that it hurt. I couldn’t stop the tremors in my hands. The weight in my chest was unbearable, and for the first time in a long time, I felt something I had convinced myself I was immune to. Panic. Not the kind I felt in battle—not the sharp, fleeting rush of adrenaline that kept me moving, kept me fighting. No, this was different. It was cold and heavy, sinking into my bones and coiling around my throat like a vice. Because for two weeks, I had believed—no, I had known—that I was right. I had done what needed to be done. Corey had to die. His death wasn’t just necessary; it was justice.He had hu
MaliaEverything was slipping away.Black spots flickered in my vision, and my limbs felt heavy, useless. Jamie's grip was unrelenting, his hand a vice around my throat, cutting off my air, my thoughts—everything.I thrashed, kicking weakly, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t letting go. Everything around me was a confusing blur. I saw flames and angry faces, but nothing made sense. I clawed at his hand, my nails scraping against his skin, but his hold remained unshakeable. Panic clawed at my throat, a cold fist squeezing the last vestiges of air from my lungs. I thought this was it.Just as darkness threatened to swallow me whole, his grip loosened, and I collapsed like a ragdoll. My knees hit the hard ground, pain shooting up my legs, but I barely felt it. I sucked in a desperate, ragged breath, my throat burning, my lungs aching. Air flooded into my lungs, feeling painful and intense. I coughed violently, gasping, my hands shaking as I reached for my bruised neck. Jamie had let
Malia*Present day*The air was thick with smoke and the raw scent of sweat and fury. I stood off to the side, partially hidden by the jagged remains of a collapsed wall, watching as Jamie faced down the Lycan guards. His hair, once a shade lighter, had darkened in the past two weeks, as if grief had stripped the warmth from him. But it was his eyes that unsettled me the most. Behind the familiar glasses, his irises glowed an unnatural green—a sign of a vengeful Alpha. A warning to all who dared to stand in his way. "Give me my brother’s body." His voice rang through the tense silence like a blade being unsheathed. The crowd of wolves behind him—Storm Pack, rogue allies, and furious onlookers—rumbled in agreement, their anger a living, breathing thing. The Lycan guards, their silver-plated armor catching the flickering firelight, held their ground. Shields locked, weapons drawn, their stances unyielding. "You are not permitted entry into Lycone," one of the guards stated, hi
Jamie The woods were quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. I sat on a fallen log near the lake, staring at the water’s calm surface. It was an eerie contrast to the chaos inside me. The world around me was serene, but my thoughts were a raging storm I couldn't silence. Two days. Two days since I received that damned video from Amara. Two days since the truth shattered everything I thought I knew. Corey was gone—killed by Asher’s hand. And now I knew it was for nothing. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms until pain cut through the numbness. The image of Malia's face as she told her story played on a loop in my mind, but now it was warped by Amara’s proof. Proof that Malia had lied. Corey hadn’t forced himself on her. He hadn’t done any of the things she claimed. And Asher? He hadn’t even bothered to investigate. A sharp, bitter laugh escaped me, sounding foreign in the stillness of the woods. Asher, the mighty Lycan King, the lea