Asher The hybrid’s blood-red eyes locked onto Malia, its twisted lips pulling back in a snarl that exposed rows of jagged, yellowed teeth. A vicious growl rumbled from its chest as it crouched, ready to lunge. I barely had time to think - just enough to grab Malia by the arm and yank her out of the way. We stumbled back, her eyes wide with terror, and the creature’s massive claws sliced through the air inches from where her neck had been. “Stay back, Malia!” I shouted, positioning myself between her and the beast. My heart was pounding in my chest, but it wasn’t fear. It was rage. Rage that this monster had targeted her, that it looked at her like prey. That it thought it could just storm in here and tear her apart. The hybrid whipped its head toward me, a sickening grin spreading across its face as if it recognized the challenge. It was massive —easily twice my size—with muscles that rippled beneath a thick coat of matted, pitch-black fur. And those eyes, still locked onto me, were
Asher Two weeks had passed since the four students who had been bitten died. The school had shut down in mourning, and a somber funeral was held for the lost students. It was a dark time. Grief and fear hung thick in the air as parents were worried for their children’s safety at the academy. This evening, an emergency meeting at the school was called to address these growing concerns. Every seat was occupied, with representatives from each pack present. All eyes were fixed on Beta Banes, who had been sent to speak on behalf of my father. A handful of us Lycans had been invited, so I sat among them, watching as Banes took the stage with his usual stern demeanor, which somehow sharpened to an even more intense edge. “First and foremost,” Banes began, his voice cutting through the silence, “our priority is the safety of everyone within these walls. The recent hybrid attack demands that we tighten security, enforce stricter rules, and take every possible measure to prevent further b
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
MaliaI closed the window as silently as possible, careful not to make a sound. My hands were still trembling from my encounter with Ronin, my pulse thrumming in my ears. I had to get back inside before Jude noticed I was gone.With slow, deliberate movements, I turned toward the bed, hoping to slide under the covers and pretend none of this had happened.But the moment I took a step forward, I froze.Jude was already inside my room.Sitting in the chair by the window, his arms were crossed, and his gaze was sharp and unforgiving.I inhaled sharply, my stomach twisting into knots. How long had he been sitting there?"Did you have a good chat?" His voice was calm, almost too calm.I stayed rooted to the spot, trying to school my expression."What are you talking about?" I asked, forcing my tone to be casual.Jude let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. A slow, disappointed shake."Malia," he sighed, rubbing his temple as if I had given him a headache. "You think I wouldn’t notice? Y
Malia’s PerspectiveThe moment I stepped into Lycone, I knew I had made a mistake.The air smelled different. Heavier. Almost suffocating.It wasn’t the bustling streets, the grand buildings, or the constant eyes trailing my every move. It was him.Jude—no, Derrick now—walked beside me, the perfect image of a man who belonged here. He had taken everything from the real Derrick—his face, his voice, his identity.And his home.I swallowed hard as I realized exactly where that home was.A quarter inside Asher’s house.Of all the places in Lycone, it had to be here.I wanted to scream. To grab Jude and demand that we go somewhere else, anywhere else. But I knew better. He wasn’t the kind of man to be reasoned with, and I had already lost too much control over my own life.So I kept quiet. I followed him inside, pretending that everything was fine as servants led us to our new residence.But everything was not fine.That evening, as I sat on the bed of my unfamiliar room, I could still hea
Jamie The morning light did little to chase away the unease curling in my gut. My nightmare clung to me like a second skin, leaving behind a ghostly chill that refused to fade. Even as I sat at the edge of my bed, rubbing my face with my hands, I could still hear Corey’s voice in my head—cold, filled with something off.I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to shake it off. It was just a dream. Nothing more.A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts. One of the pack’s healers, a woman named Elena, peeked inside.“You should go see Corey,” she said, her voice softer than usual.I looked up at her, hesitating. “Why?”She sighed, stepping fully into the room. “He’s awake. And… well, you should see for yourself.”Something about the way she said it made my chest tighten.I pushed myself up, my body still sore from everything that had happened. Without another word, I left my room and made my way down the quiet halls of the healer’s ward.Each step felt heavier than the last.I wasn’t
JamieI couldn’t see.Darkness swallowed me whole, thick and suffocating. My heart pounded in my ears as I struggled to find my footing. The air smelled of blood and damp earth, and the ground beneath me felt uneven, like I was standing in the aftermath of a brutal fight.Then, I heard it.The slow, deliberate crunch of boots against gravel.“Jamie.”My breath hitched.I knew that voice.“Corey?” I called, my voice hoarse.A chuckle echoed around me—low, cold, filled with something wrong.“You don’t look so tough now,” he murmured.I tried to turn toward the sound, but I was met with nothing. I blinked, but the darkness didn’t change.Panic swelled in my chest.I wasn’t just in the dark.I was blind.“Corey,” I rasped, my voice trembling now. “What’s going on? Where are we?”A sharp pain suddenly shot through my skull. I stumbled back, clutching my face.Then, the memory hit me like a sledgehammer.The fight.Corey and I, screaming, throwing punches, fueled by rage neither of us could
JamieCorey lunged.I barely had time to brace myself before his fist connected with my jaw, knocking my head sideways. A sharp sting spread through my cheek, but I’d taken worse.I reacted instantly, shoving him back before swinging at him, landing a solid hit to his ribs. He grunted but didn’t step away—if anything, it only made him angrier. He came at me again, fists flying, and I met him with the same force.The council chamber erupted into chaos.“Enough!” Aieran barked, but neither of us listened.I grabbed Corey by the front of his shirt, pushing him back as his fists collided with my sides. We hit one of the wooden council tables, sending documents scattering to the floor.“Dammit, stop this!“ one of the council members yelled, but their voices were background noise now.I shoved Corey off me, sending him staggering back, but he recovered fast. He wiped his mouth, breathing hard, and his glare was pure hatred.“You always do this,” Corey spat. “You always think you’re the only
JamieI stared at Aieran, my patience hanging by a thread. “Explain to me again why you told me that Corey left for the meeting dressed as me?”Aieran shifted uncomfortably, his silver-streaked hair catching the light as he rubbed the back of his neck. “It was… a mistake.”“A mistake?” I repeated coldly.“Yes.” He nodded, looking between Corey and me as if trying to gauge how much trouble he was in. “I mistook Alpha Corey for you because… he wore glasses.”Silence.I blinked, processing the absolute nonsense I’d just heard.Corey, standing across from me with his arms folded, scoffed. “Seriously?” He turned to Aieran, shaking his head. “That’s your excuse?”Aieran hesitated. “You both look similar—”“We don’t,” Corey and I said at the same time. Then I turned to Corey, “Why did you wear glasses? Seems to me like you did that to confuse him on purpose!” Corey exhaled sharply and turned to me, his expression unreadable. “Look, I just wanted to look serious. I couldn't go before Ronin,
JamieCorey sat there, as smug as ever, but the second he opened his mouth, I knew he was up to something.“I can’t believe you actually went to have a meeting without me, Jamie,” he said, shaking his head in mock disappointment.For a moment, my mind blanked.Then, before I could even think, I lunged.My vision went red, my hands reaching for his throat, but before I could land a hit, a dozen hands yanked me back. Council members, guards—hell, even Aieran—were on me in seconds, dragging me away from my brother.Corey didn’t even flinch.He just sat there, looking at me like I was some wild animal throwing a tantrum.Like he had no idea why I was pissed.“Relax,” Aieran’s voice cut through the chaos. “Jamie, for the love of the Goddess, relax.”“Relax?” I snarled, struggling against the men holding me back. “Are you seriously telling me to relax? Are you even hearing the bullshit coming out of his mouth?”Aieran exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m saying listen before you j
JamieThe rest of the drive home was quiet, but I wasn’t about to complain. My body was screaming at me, exhaustion weighing down my limbs like a damn anchor, but I kept my mouth shut and let her take charge. She hadn’t said a word about ignoring my request to be dropped off at a safe house. She simply made the decision herself and did what she wanted.And, oddly enough, I found that… intriguing.It wasn’t often that someone disregarded my orders and got away with it. People listened to me. Obeyed me. But this woman? She wasn’t interested in following my lead. She moved at her own pace, made her own calls. And maybe it was the exhaustion messing with me, but I didn’t hate it.When we pulled up in front of my residence, the guards stationed outside immediately straightened, their eyes locking onto my state. One of them, Leon, was the first to rush forward, his expression darkening as he took in the torn fabric of my bloodied shirt and the fading bruises on my face.“Alpha—”“I’m fine,”
JamieThe silence in the car was thick, but my mind was louder. The wheels in my head turned restlessly, replaying everything I had seen, everything I had just survived. The bodies of the men who had ambushed me, their soulless black eyes, the inscription burned into their flesh—the unmistakable mark of the Storm Pack’s special combat crew. It made no damn sense.I clenched my fists, staring out the window as the unfamiliar woman drove through the darkened roads. She hadn’t said much since saving my ass, and I wasn’t exactly in the mood for small talk, but the moment I saw that mark, my gut twisted with something worse than suspicion.Spelled. That’s what she’d said.And if that was true, then this wasn’t just a case of Corey getting ambitious and deciding to cut me out of the meeting with Ronin. If Corey had turned against me, he wouldn’t have needed magic to control our men. They were trained to follow BOTH of us. To obey BOTH of us. But these men? They were puppets, their strings p