MaliaRonin’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.“What the hell is this?”I didn’t answer right away.Because I didn’t know what to say.There were five unconscious men laying around me. There was blood on my hands. And Ronin and Corey were staring at me like I had just walked out of a massacre.There was no way I could explain this away.I tried to think of something—anything—but my mind was blank.A long, agonizing silence stretched between us.Then—I felt a spark. Not in my mind. Not in my chest. But on my tooth.I felt it—a tiny shock against the gem Jude had put there.And suddenly, the words came out.I lied.“I—I saw someone coming down here,” I said, my voice steady in a way that startled even me. “I was curious. I wanted to see what they were doing.”Ronin's eyes narrowed. “And that led to five guards unconscious at your feet?”I nodded. “I went down, but before I could even figure out what was happening, the guards stopped me. They accused me of lett
Malia My life changed when I found out my mate was Avan Sinclair, the man I’d secretly loved for years. He was the Alpha heir of our pack, and he was everything a girl could dream of. He was handsome, had blond hair, striking blue eyes, and a kind, easygoing personality that made him adored by all. Unlike many cold Alpha heirs, Avan was different, and I thought I was lucky to be paired with him by the moon goddess. However, things weren’t as perfect as I’d hoped. Though Avan and I were fated mates, he hadn’t claimed me publicly. Instead, he asked me to keep our relationship a secret, saying he needed time to convince his parents I was right for him.Three months had passed, and my doubts were growing, but I convinced myself that everything would eventually work out. Now, with Avan’s birthday approaching, I planned to give him a special gift—myself. I was ready to sleep with him for the first time. But before going through with it, I wanted my best friend’s opinion. Savannah knew ab
Malia The world seemed to spin as I stood in front of Avan's room. I didn't know what to do, I was just frozen in place, my heart heavy with the sight of his betrayal. “Whoa! Savannah, giving Avan a BJ?! Who knew friends could roll like this?” Someone said behind me, startling me. I turned around to meet the shocked eyes of a few students watching while Avan and Savannah finally realized that they were being watched. “What the fuck Malia! Close the door!” Savannah said as she covered up herself. I hadn't even realized that she was naked! I closed the door, but just as I was about to leave, the door opened again, and it was Avan. “Everyone put your fucking phones down this instant!” He barked and they all obeyed. I stood there stunned because I had never heard him use this tone before. “What the hell, Malia! You led these people here for what?” He accused. “W-what? I didn't lead anyone anywhere. I came here to look for you after you and Savannah conveniently left me out
Malia I couldn’t sleep. After the chaos of last night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, trying to piece together how everything had gone so wrong. My plan was simple: make Avan jealous, get my revenge, and move on. But now… now my life was spiraling out of control, and I couldn’t stop it. The more I thought about what happened last night, the more I asked myself why Asher didn't tell me that he was a Lycan. He could've prevented this by just telling me who he was! I would've understood! Now it's over for me. I basically sealed my fate the moment I kissed Asher. My plan to hurt Avan had backfired spectacularly, and now I was the one who would pay the price. Lycans were practically royalty among our kind, and being entangled with one - especially while being a werewolf - was nothing short of scandalous. I couldn’t face it. I turned over in bed, pulling the covers over my head as if that would somehow block out the nightmare that awaited me soon. Maybe if I stayed here long enou
Malia Luna Brooke’s face flushed a dangerous red, her gaze narrowing in on me and Asher. She looked like she might lunge at me, and rip me apart with her fury alone. Her sharp eyes flicked from me to Asher, brimming with accusation. “Is this some kind of sick joke?” Her voice, usually cool and composed, now sliced through the air like a blade. “You’re telling me that this girl—this werewolf—is carrying your child?” I stood there, frozen, my thoughts a jumbled mess. I wasn’t pregnant. I wasn’t anything with Asher. How could he have said something so absurd, so reckless? “Yes,” he replied smoothly as if stating a simple fact. For a moment, I thought his mother might lunge at him. Luna Brooke’s expression twisted with fury. The other board members exchanged uneasy glances, but none dared to interrupt. Even my parents were stunned into silence, their expressions caught somewhere between disbelief and horror. Luna Brooke’s eyes bore into me with thinly veiled disgust, and I brac
Malia ”Shut up! All of you!” Nina barked, her eyes locking onto mine with disbelief. Her grip on my collar tightened for a moment before she hesitated, glancing at Asher standing like a barrier between us. Finally, she released me. My knees buckled, but Asher caught me before I hit the floor. His touch was steady, more comforting than expected. I didn't want to lean into him, but his firm arm held me up. His scent surrounded me, making it harder to stay angry. He set me upright, his grip lingering as our eyes briefly met, his hazel gaze softening. “Everyone get out!” Asher's voice cut through the room, and within seconds, it cleared, leaving just the three of us. Nina crossed her arms and glared at Asher. "You can’t be serious about her, Asher. A beta like her? You think this is funny, humiliating me like this when we were supposed to have a future together?!” I froze. What future was she talking about? “My parents mean well, but I can’t have you as my Luna. You’re a friend, not
Malia “Fine. Let's do it,” I said, locking eyes with Asher. His expression remained calm, almost cold, despite the urgency of his plan. For someone who supposedly wanted this badly, he didn’t seem particularly invested in the outcome. But deep down, I knew I wasn’t just doing this for him—I was doing it for me. For my chance at revenge. “Great, Malia. So… want me to drive you home?” he asked, sliding his hands into his pockets. I scoffed. “Oh, fantastic idea, Asher. Just drop me off at my parents’ house after getting their daughter ‘pregnant’—I’m sure they’ll love that.” He sighed, undeterred by my sarcasm. “I know how it looks. But think about the bigger picture. What does it say about me if I just let the ‘mother of my child’ walk home alone? And what if someone else tries to hurt you?” He had a point, much as I hated to admit it. “Fine. Just drop me a few blocks away, okay?” I said, avoiding his gaze. “Works for me,” he said with a shrug. We started walking out of the Academ
Asher I trusted the effectiveness of the seed. Jamie even had the ones that could cause fever symptoms and he used it a few times back in school. As the Lycan King’s son, I couldn’t afford to show any weakness, so it was never necessary for me. Convincing Malia to use it was surprisingly easy since I knew it was both effective and harmless. But the entire charade still felt surreal. If anyone had told me that I’d be plotting with a beta, faking pregnancies, and even kissing her so openly in front of everyone, I’d have laughed. But here I was, risking it all in this bizarre partnership with Malia. This was my rebellion. All my life, I’d done everything expected of me. My father, especially, had pushed me to the edge, demanding a strict, calculated path. He was ruthless, and he expected me to be the same, steering clear of people like Jamie and Corey - the Glenn twins. They were my best friends. But to him, they were merely Alpha heirs, not Lycans. The only person they allowed arou
MaliaRonin’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.“What the hell is this?”I didn’t answer right away.Because I didn’t know what to say.There were five unconscious men laying around me. There was blood on my hands. And Ronin and Corey were staring at me like I had just walked out of a massacre.There was no way I could explain this away.I tried to think of something—anything—but my mind was blank.A long, agonizing silence stretched between us.Then—I felt a spark. Not in my mind. Not in my chest. But on my tooth.I felt it—a tiny shock against the gem Jude had put there.And suddenly, the words came out.I lied.“I—I saw someone coming down here,” I said, my voice steady in a way that startled even me. “I was curious. I wanted to see what they were doing.”Ronin's eyes narrowed. “And that led to five guards unconscious at your feet?”I nodded. “I went down, but before I could even figure out what was happening, the guards stopped me. They accused me of lett
MaliaI didn’t wait for Nina to say anything else.She had already played enough games, and I wasn’t in the mood for another round of her mind tricks.I turned on my heel and walked away, fuming.Behind me, Nina hesitated for half a second before I heard her footsteps fade.She was smart enough to know that I didn't want to be followed.But just as I stepped into the dimly lit corridor leading out of the basement, I heard a sharp, authoritative voice.“Hey! Stop right there!”I cursed under my breath and spun around.Five men stood between me and freedom, their bodies tense, their hands already moving toward their weapons.Guards.Shit!One of them stepped forward, narrowing his eyes at me.“What are you doing down here?”I forced my expression into one of confusion, schooling my features into something innocent.“I—uh—I got lost?”His eyes darkened. “Lost?”“Yes,” I said quickly, nodding. “I was looking for the storeroom, and I must have taken a wrong turn. I didn’t mean to—”“Bullsh
MaliaI froze.Asher was awake. And he was looking right at me.His dull, golden eyes locked onto mine, flickering with something raw—hope, desperation, disbelief. For a moment, he simply stared, his chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. Then, as if afraid I would disappear if he didn’t move fast enough, he crawled toward me.His frail hands dragged against the cold, filthy floor, scraping against the stone. His once-mighty frame, now nothing but skin and bones, trembled with the effort. He barely spared a glance at the rotting food beside him as he reached for me.His fingers, dirty and trembling, brushed against my hand.I flinched.It was instinctual, but it was enough.Asher stilled, his expression crumbling. His hands dropped to his sides, and his shoulders sagged like the weight of the world had just crashed down on him.“I know,” he whispered, his voice raspy and broken. “I know I’m a monster.”I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple
MaliaI had been so lost in thought that I didn't realise that Nina was still talking to me. I listened to her last words and figured out something to say in response, so I exhaled, trying to steady myself before speaking. "Nina… I heard that the woman who accused Corey of assault wasn’t even real. She was a witch. She used Malia's image to frame him."Nina's breath hitched, and her expression hardened. She nodded slowly. "I know." Her voice was quiet but firm.I hesitated. "I also heard that while that was happening, the real Malia was captured."She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, I know that too."The silence stretched between us for a moment, filled only by Asher’s slow, shallow breathing from the other side of the bars.Then, Nina exhaled sharply, pressing her fingers against her temples. "Asher was wrong to have killed Corey," she admitted, shaking her head. "So wrong. I mean, I get it—he thought Malia was attacked, and he reacted. But…" She looked away, as if st
MaliaI shook my head. "I don’t think it’s safe."Nina’s brow furrowed, a delicate crease forming between her eyes. "You don’t think what’s safe?" Her voice held a hint of impatience, a flicker of the urgency that had driven us here."Me going in there," I clarified, the words rasping out. I crossed my arms, a defensive posture that mirrored the turmoil churning within me. "I’m not exactly great at sneaking in and out of places, and if I get caught, it could ruin everything. You should go alone." My gaze flickered towards the heavy, iron-bound door at the end of the corridor, a dark maw leading into the depths of the school's underbelly.For a moment, Nina looked like she wanted to argue, her lips tightening into a thin line. I could see the protest forming on her tongue, the logical counterpoints she was about to unleash. But then, she sighed, a long, drawn-out exhale that spoke of reluctant acceptance. She nodded, the motion sharp and decisive. "Fine. I’ll do it myself."That shoul
MaliaAs I stepped out of Ronin’s office, the air outside felt lighter, but my mind was anything but. My thoughts churned, replaying the conversation over and over.Why hadn’t I corrected Jude when he got my age wrong? It should’ve been an easy fix, something I could have said in the moment without any real consequence. And yet, I hadn’t. I guess I was just so overwhelmed and charged up after that kiss with Ronin that I also momentarily forgot that Lia isn't really seventeen. But in my case it's understandable that I would forget, after all, I'm not the mastermind behind the plan. What was Jude's excuse?But then, I came to the realization that Jude wasn’t the type to make mistakes. Not with something as important as that.He sat me down and drilled every possible detail about Lia into my head, making sure I was ready to live as her without suspicion. But despite all of that, he had conveniently made an error about my age?I scoffed under my breath.No. That wasn’t a mistake.Jude mu
MaliaI leaned back in my chair, watching Ronin through narrowed eyes. His hands were still pressed together on the desk, fingers interlocked, but I could see the tension in them—the slight twitch of his thumb, the way his knuckles had turned just a shade paler.He was angry.Fine. So was I.“Why are you acting so reckless?” he asked suddenly, his voice low but sharp.I raised an eyebrow. “Reckless?”“Yes.” He leaned forward slightly, his silver eyes locking onto mine. “I thought you were a gentle girl. That was what I liked most about you.”For a second, I just stared at him. Liked? Past tense?A small, bitter laugh escaped me. “I am gentle, Ronin.” I tilted my head. “But if that was all there was to me, I’d be a boring, one-dimensional person.” I let my lips curl into a smirk. “Which I’m not.”Ronin’s jaw tightened. He exhaled through his nose, as if trying to calm himself, but his fingers flexed against the desk like he was fighting the urge to snap it in half.“The real issue,” I
MaliaI took a deep breath, forcing myself to shake off the unease from my conversation with the so-called spy. There were more important things to focus on—like pretending to be Lia and surviving another school day without slipping up.Pushing the classroom door open, I barely took two steps inside before freezing.Ronin was standing at the front of the room.The entire class turned to look at me, eyes filled with barely concealed amusement. A few students snickered, others whispered behind their hands, and instantly, I knew something was wrong.Swallowing my irritation, I forced my expression into indifference. “Good morning, Alpha Ronin,” I said stiffly, before turning to the teacher. “Good morning, Miss Harper.”Miss Harper gave me a tight-lipped nod, her discomfort clear. But Ronin? He didn’t even glance my way. He stood there, focused on the rest of the class, like I didn’t exist.I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to keep walking. My footsteps felt too loud as I went
MaliaThe boy leaned back against the desk, a smirk playing on his lips. “Alright, let’s see how well you really know Asher and his friends.”I could hear it in his thoughts—he expected me to stumble. He thought I was bluffing, that I was another opportunist trying to use Asher’s downfall for my own gain.I smiled, crossing my arms. “I won’t just answer questions about Asher—I’ll answer anything you want about his friends, too. Amara, Nina, Corey, Jamie… take your pick.”His smirk widened. He thought he had me right where he wanted me. “Alright then,” he said, eyes gleaming. “What’s the relationship status of each of Asher’s friends?”I knew exactly what he was trying to do—trip me up with details only a true insider would know. But if he thought I’d hesitate, he was dead wrong.“Nina,” I started, “was Asher’s childhood friend. They grew up together, always close, though not in a romantic way.” I tilted my head. “She cared for him deeply, but Asher never saw her that way. Eventually,