JamieThe door creaked as we stepped into Asher’s office. The first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. Too quiet. The faint scent of cologne mixed with the musty air of old books, making the whole room feel stifling, like it was holding its breath. Asher didn’t look surprised to see us—he probably sensed us the second we walked down the hall—but his eyes narrowed the moment Corey kicked the door open. He was sitting behind that giant desk of his, still dressed in his suit, like he was ready for some big meeting he didn’t want to attend.“Jamie. Corey,” Asher’s voice was cool, but the way he said it made it sound like he was already preparing for a fight. “What’s this about?”Corey didn’t wait for me to take the lead. “We need to talk,” he said, voice clipped, and marched right in, acting like this was his office. Meanwhile, I stayed back for a second, trying to shake off the tension in my shoulders before stepping inside. I could already feel the weight of everything hanging in th
AsherThe hallway stretched out before me, a silent, dimly lit path leading toward my mother's office. It felt oddly quiet, almost too quiet, like something was hanging in the air, waiting for me to take the first step. I tried to focus, but the heaviness in my chest kept pulling me down, weighing me like I was walking underwater. Then I saw them.Bodies.Littered across the floor. Blood pooling. The unmistakable stench of death curling in my nose. I froze, every muscle locking in place. The bodies were familiar—the same twisted figures I had seen earlier this year when I was with Malia. But this time, there was something different. Aaliyah.She stood beside one of the bodies, her hands covered in blood, her face twisted into that same indifferent expression. My heart slammed against my ribs, my breath shallow, trying to make sense of what I was seeing.How? Why?A sharp pain cut through my temple, a wave of nausea rolling in, but before I could react, memories came crashing through
AsherThe air outside Miss Banks’ house smelled damp, with a faint trace of decay as if the rot of secrets lingered in every corner. Her porch light flickered weakly, casting long shadows across the warped wood steps. My stomach churned, not just from the memories clawing their way to the surface, but from the thought of what I might learn inside.I knocked twice, my knuckles grazing the peeling paint of the door. For a moment, there was no sound, and then I heard the shuffle of feet. The door cracked open, and Miss Banks’ face appeared, pale and gaunt, her eyes bloodshot. Her hair hung in limp, disheveled strands, and the scent of alcohol wafted through the gap.When she saw me, her eyes widened in panic. “I didn’t tell anyone!” she blurted out, her words tumbling over each other in desperation. She clutched the edge of the doorframe like it was the only thing keeping her upright. “I swear, I didn’t say anything. Please, I—”“Relax,” I said, raising my hands to show I wasn’t a threat
MaliaA week after I woke up at the school hospital, I was discharged but I had one last appointment with the doctor, Dr. Lukeman. The stark white walls of his office felt suffocating, sterile. I sat stiffly on the exam table, my neck brace chafing slightly against my skin and the bandages around my head itching like hell. I hated every second of this. Not just the discomfort, but the silence hanging between us. He was methodical, too slow, as he moved his scanner over my head one final time, humming to himself like he didn’t have anything better to do. Finally, he turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “You’ll heal fully,” he said, setting the scanner down. “You haven't lost any memory because your head injury isn’t as severe as it looked, and the brace is just a precaution. You’ll be fine soon.” I nodded, waiting for him to finish so I could leave. But then he stepped closer, his voice dropping into something colder. “But, Malia,” he said, fixing me with a sharp gaze, “
MaliaI stood frozen, my heart pounding as Asher’s monstrous form stalked toward us. His golden eyes burned with an unfocused, animalistic rage, their intensity making my throat tighten. His body was hunched, muscles taut, claws digging into the dirt like he was ready to pounce. The sound of his growl rumbled through the clearing, low and dangerous, raising the hair on the back of my neck.Corey and Jamie immediately moved to shield me, their bodies braced in a futile attempt to protect me from something far beyond their power. Jamie’s hand flexed at his side, his jaw tight, while Corey clenched his fists so hard I could hear his knuckles crack.“Get back, Malia,” Jamie warned, his voice low but trembling. But I couldn’t move. My legs felt like lead, my mind screaming at me to run even as my heart refused to obey. This wasn’t just some wild beast—it was Asher.The guttural snarl that escaped his throat reverberated through the air like a storm. Then, with a terrifying burst of speed
MaliaThe clearing went dead silent again after what Jude just revealed.Asher... his son... How? I mean, he did have the same dark hair and hazel eyes as Asher, but that was it; they didn't exactly look alike. If anything, Asher looked oddly very similar to both his mother and Alpha Ian. There was no way this man was his father. “You’re lying,” Corey said, his voice sharp and accusatory. “I wish I were,” Jude said, his tone grim as he sank to the floor and remained there. “But it’s the truth. Brooke took me as her lover after Ian threatened to replace her with a new mate because she couldn't give him a child. When she became pregnant, we did all we could to keep Asher’s hybrid traits hidden so that Ian would not suspect a thing.”“You're being serious right now?” Nina asked in disbelief while Jude nodded.“Still, why has there been no trace of you EVER?” Corey asked this time, facing Jude.Jude’s hazel eyes darkened as he took a steadying breath, the weight of his next words hang
Malia“What?” Jamie’s voice cracked as he stared at Jude like he’d lost his mind. Jude held his hands up, his expression steady but serious. “She’s alive. Brooke’s holding her somewhere, locked up because she discovered something Brooke didn’t want getting out.” “That’s impossible,” Corey said, though his voice lacked its usual edge. “We saw her body. We—” “You saw what Brooke wanted you to see,” Jude interrupted. “Amara escaped being bitten by Aaliyah, but she saw Aaliyah's hybrid fangs. Aaliyah couldn't allow that to happen, so she brutally wounded Amara so she'd be treated and held hostage from there.” Corey still wasn’t convinced. He crossed his arms, his suspicious nature coming out in full force. “How do you know all of this? You seem to have answers for everything. Doesn’t that strike anyone else as... convenient?” Jude sighed. “Even now, you still don't believe me? All I've said makes perfect sense. Besides, when you've learned how to hide your hybrid side, you also
MaliaThe path to Jude’s lair wound deep through the woods, the air growing cooler and stiller with every step. It wasn’t the suffocating kind of silence, though—it was peaceful, the kind of quiet that felt deliberate, as though this place had been carefully hidden from the chaos of the world. When we finally arrived, I was struck by how different it was from what I expected. The lair wasn’t some foreboding underground fortress or a sinister, shadowy encampment. Instead, it was a small, makeshift village tucked into a sun-dappled clearing. The houses were simple, crafted from salvaged wood and stone, with patches of moss creeping up their sides. The men and women moved about, some working on repairing a roof, others tending to small, scraggly vegetable patches. Children ran barefoot across the clearing, their laughter ringing out like bells as they played tag and tumbled in the grass. No one had that cold, calculating look I’d always associated with hybrids. There were no malici
MaliaAfter two weeks staying at Jude's, I sat across from Jude, my stomach twisting into knots as he laid out his plan. His voice was calm, almost casual, as if he wasn’t talking about completely upending my life—again.“You’ll go to Lycone and live there as my adoptive daughter.”I stared at him, unsure if I’d heard correctly. “Excuse me?”He smiled faintly. “I won’t be Jude when we get there. I’ll be Derrick, a banished Lycan who earned a pardon after saving Ronin’s father from an assassination attempt.”My pulse quickened. “You saved him?”Jude chuckled, shaking his head. “No, but Derrick did.”It took me a second to process what he meant. My mouth went dry. “You’re going to capture him.”He nodded like it was the simplest thing in the world.I swallowed hard, trying to keep my breathing steady. “And what happens to Derrick after you take his place?”Jude’s lips curled into something that might have been a smirk if it wasn’t so devoid of warmth. “That’s not important.”Of course n
JamieMy stomach twisted, the knot of dread tightening. “Left?” I echoed, my voice sharper than I intended, the word laced with a growing sense of panic. “What are you talking about?”Aieran’s expression shifted from surprise to confusion, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You came to see me earlier,” he said slowly, his voice laced with a hint of bewilderment. “Dressed in a suit and glasses. You told me you needed the special Storm combat crew to accompany you to Lycone in case the meeting with Ronin was a trap.”The air in my lungs turned to ice, a sudden, chilling realization washing over me.It wasn’t me.It was Corey.He impersonated me and took the special combat crew with him!I clenched my fists, the knuckles turning white, as realization hit me like a freight train. Corey had betrayed me. The implications of his actions were staggering, a devastating blow.And if he was taking warriors to Lycone without me…Then this wasn’t just about proving a point. This wasn’t some childish ac
JamieThe room had already been tense, but after Aieran’s words, it turned downright suffocating. A heavy, thick silence settled, punctuated only by the shallow breaths of the council members. I crossed my arms, the leather of my jacket creaking softly, and took a deliberate step forward, exhaling through my nose. “Then do it,” I said flatly, the words sharp and clipped. “Proceed with finding the woman.”Corey’s head snapped toward me, a predator’s swift, violent movement. His entire body stiffened, a taut wire of contained fury, his golden eyes narrowing in disbelief, the irises flickering with a dangerous light. “We will do no such thing,” he growled, the words low and guttural, a warning rumble.The other council members shifted uncomfortably, exchanging glances that spoke of unease and unspoken fears. The air crackled with unspoken tension, the weight of their unspoken opinions pressing down on us like a physical burden. But it was Aieran who spoke first, his voice cutting through
JamieI stood there, staring at the empty space where Amara had just been, my mind still reeling.That wasn’t how I wanted things to go.I didn’t want to hurt her. I didn’t want to push her away.I just wanted her to understand.But instead, I’d finally destroyed everything.I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a frustrated sigh—only for my mood to plummet even further when I heard a door open behind me.Malia’s door.I turned just in time to see him stepping out, his arm slung around Malia’s waist, his hand resting low on her back. Malia leaned into him, laughing at something he’d said, her fingers brushing against his chest.My jaw tightened.Are you kidding me?Corey had just come back to life—literally—and the first thing he did was latch onto Malia? The same woman who was the reason he died in the first place? And he had the nerve to do this now, right after I’d just had the worst conversation of my life?I felt something snap inside me.“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mut
JamieI took Amara’s hands in mine, my fingers curling around hers as if I could physically keep her from slipping away once I said what needed to be said.“I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while,” I started, voice low, uncertain. “But I never gave you a real reason for our breakup. Other than… the council, my dad—” I hesitated before correcting myself. “My late father—and the others refusing to accept our relationship.”Amara’s eyes searched mine, waiting, listening. “Yeah,” she said softly. “And it never made sense to me.”I nodded, heart hammering in my chest.She squeezed my hands reassuringly. “But I want to know. I’m glad you’re finally telling me.”I swallowed hard and took a deep breath, willing my voice to work—to just say it.But the words wouldn’t come.The truth was a boulder sitting on my tongue, impossible to move.Amara tilted her head. “Jamie, you can speak freely. We’re back together now, so whatever it is, we’ll get through it.”My body betrayed me before my voice
JamieI wasn’t sure why I was heading to Malia’s room.I told myself it was just to check on her—to see if she was settling in, if she needed anything, if she was okay after everything—but deep down, I knew that wasn’t the only reason.After everything that had happened, after she nearly died, after I nearly had to kill her myself, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I'd apologize to her for what I'd done.It was annoying.I didn’t know how to apologise. I suck at it — yet I owed her an apology.But here I was, standing outside her door, debating whether to knock or just walk in.I sighed, running a hand through my hair.This was dumb. I should just ask Amara for help or—And then I heard it.A sound.A moan.I froze.My brain short-circuited for a second, trying to process what I had just heard.Another moan followed… A breathy, pleased moan.I blinked.Was Malia… satisfying herself?My face immediately heated.Shit.Shit.This was not what I expected to walk into.I took a step back,
Malia“Malia, have you eaten?” My mom asked, giving me a concerned look. I was about to scoff and say yes out of habit—but then I paused.Have I eaten?I frowned, trying to recall the last time I put something in my mouth.And then it hit me.I hadn’t eaten anything since I first left Jude’s prison.Everything had been such a whirlwind—escaping, being hunted, waiting for Jamie’s decision, preparing for my own death, being thrown back into Jude’s hands—that I never even noticed the hunger gnawing at my stomach.No wonder I felt lightheaded. My mother sighed as if she already knew my answer."Malia," she said, shaking her head. "You have to take care of yourself."She turned to my father. "Take her to her room. I’ll make something for her to eat."My father nodded, then gently guided me toward the exit of the cell.I didn’t resist.Even if I had wanted to, my body was exhausted. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving me drained in ways I had never felt before.I expected him to take me th
MaliaMy father groaned as he struggled to get to his feet, and my mother and I immediately rushed to help him. His weight was heavy against us, but we refused to let him fall.His face was pale, his breathing uneven, but he was alive. That was all that mattered.As we steadied him, I caught the look in both my parents’ eyes—the quiet, aching sadness that mirrored my own.We were all thinking the same thing.I didn’t ask for this life. None of us did. And yet, no matter how much we fought against it, no matter how much we tried to escape… we kept getting pulled back in.My father’s hand reached for mine, and I was startled by the warmth of it, the way his calloused fingers curled over mine with an unfamiliar gentleness."Malia," he said, his voice softer than I had ever heard it.I turned to him, and for the first time in my life, he wasn’t looking at me with reserved distance or quiet observation—he was looking at me with sorrow. With regret."I know," he began, hesitating for a seco
MaliaMy body felt heavy.I could feel something thick and warm against my skin, soaking into my clothes, clinging to my arms, my hands.It smelled metallic.Blood.My eyes shot open.The room swayed for a moment as my vision adjusted, my head pounding like someone had taken a hammer to my skull. I was lying on the cold stone floor, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I tried to push myself up, but my limbs felt weak—like they weren’t entirely mine anymore.Something was wrong.I blinked, looking down at myself.Blood.It was everywhere.Splattered across my arms, my chest, my hands—seeping into the fabric of my clothes. The sight of it made my stomach lurch. I had no idea how long I had been out, but the blood was still warm. Fresh.Panic clawed at my throat as I tried to move, forcing my body to sit up. My hands trembled as I looked around. The dim light in the cell cast eerie shadows, but there was no mistaking the scene before me.Jude was still standing.Not dead. Not even injured