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
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
MaliaAfter giving it further thought, I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face and said, "Look, I'll do whatever you want Jude, just leave my parents out of this."He smiled, but there was nothing kind about it. "No promises."Of course. I should’ve known better than to ask.Jude stepped closer, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. "Now, listen carefully. If you want to play your part right, you need to know exactly what to do when we get to Lycone."I clenched my fists but stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.He circled me like a predator assessing prey. "Like I said before, you'll go by the name Lia, my adoptive daughter. I will be Derrick—a Lycan who was banished and later granted pardon after saving Ronin’s father from an assassination attempt."I frowned. "You already mentioned this before."Jude let out a short laugh. "Malia, I'm taking things slow because you're not that smart. I don't want to leave out details like me needing you to seduce Ronin so we find Favor with him and
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
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,”
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
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
MaliaAfter giving it further thought, I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face and said, "Look, I'll do whatever you want Jude, just leave my parents out of this."He smiled, but there was nothing kind about it. "No promises."Of course. I should’ve known better than to ask.Jude stepped closer, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. "Now, listen carefully. If you want to play your part right, you need to know exactly what to do when we get to Lycone."I clenched my fists but stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.He circled me like a predator assessing prey. "Like I said before, you'll go by the name Lia, my adoptive daughter. I will be Derrick—a Lycan who was banished and later granted pardon after saving Ronin’s father from an assassination attempt."I frowned. "You already mentioned this before."Jude let out a short laugh. "Malia, I'm taking things slow because you're not that smart. I don't want to leave out details like me needing you to seduce Ronin so we find Favor with him and
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,