Corey The Harp twins were driving me insane. Leo and Leon had only been with us for less than an hour, and I already wanted to throw them both off a cliff. Their constant bickering, inability to make decisive calls, and overall lack of experience grated on my nerves. They were enthusiastic, sure—but enthusiasm didn’t win battles. Experience did. And that’s where they fell short. I couldn't help but compare them to Jamie and me. Asher was desperate for replacements, and it was painfully obvious that he was trying to mold these two into us. But they weren’t us, and no matter how much potential Asher thought they had, I wasn't convinced. “You sure this is the right way?” Leon asked, his tone doubtful as he scanned the darkened woods. “Yes,” I bit out, keeping my eyes sharp for any sign of Malia. “Doesn’t feel right,” Leo muttered under his breath. “We’ve been circling the same area for—” “Then maybe stop talking and start actually looking,” I snapped, cutting him off. Bo
Corey The hospital waiting room smelled like antiseptic and regret. The walls were a bland beige that probably worked overtime to suppress panic attacks. I was slouched in one of those uncomfortable plastic chairs, tapping my foot on the floor, trying to keep from losing my mind while we waited for the doctor to return with Malia’s scan results. Malia was inside the examination room, still oblivious to the fact that she was supposed to know the grumpy Lycan pacing like a caged wolf a few feet away from me—Asher. He hadn’t sat down once since we got here. Instead, he stalked back and forth, fists clenched, jaw tighter than my aunt’s purse strings. I tried to lighten the tension. “You know, if you wear a hole in the floor, they’ll probably charge you for it.” He shot me a glare so fierce I almost flinched. Almost. “Not now, Corey.” Typical. No sense of humor when things went south. I sighed and leaned back, folding my arms. “Look, I get that you're freaking out, but pacing is
Corey Jamie broke the silence with a pointed cough. “So, uh… anyone care to explain what the hell is going on?” I shot him a look, wincing as I shifted my weight to my unbruised side. “I already told you. Malia doesn’t remember Asher.” Jamie crossed his arms, skeptical. “Yeah, I thought you were messing with me.” “Then why are you here if you thought it was a joke?” I countered, raising an eyebrow. Jamie shrugged, ever the picture of casual arrogance. “You’re not known for great punchlines, so I figured I better check it out just in case.” Before I could hit him with a comeback, Jamie turned his attention to Malia, who was still standing by me, her posture guarded. “Hey, Malia. Do you remember me?” She tilted her head, studying him with a frown. Her eyes narrowed like she was trying to solve a particularly annoying puzzle. “You’re the not-so-nice twin, right?” Jamie blinked, clearly not expecting that response. “Not-so-nice? Seriously? I’m delightful.” She shook her h
Corey "Alright, Malia," Jamie began, his voice gentle but probing, "if you don’t think Asher is the right fit for you, then who do you think is?" There was a pause before Malia looked at both of us, her expression a mix of certainty and something softer that I couldn’t quite read. "I had feelings for Corey at one point," she said, her voice steady. "And it's him I want." Jamie and I both stared at Malia, stunned into silence by her unexpected declaration. The air in the room shifted, heavy with tension and disbelief. Even the doctor, who had been calmly scribbling notes on her clipboard, paused mid-sentence. Jamie was the first to break the awkward silence. "Wait—hold on. What?" Malia lifted her chin defiantly, her voice steady. "You heard me. I had feelings for Corey at one point. And right now, I think... he's the right fit for me." I nearly choked on my own breath. "Me?" I blurted, pointing at my chest as if there was another Corey in the room. "You’re talking about me
Corey When the doctor returned with Malia, she seemed more composed than before, though there was still an air of confusion surrounding her. She didn’t say anything immediately, just stood quietly by the door as the doctor started explaining the results.“Everything seems fine,” the doctor said, glancing at her clipboard. “Physically, there’s nothing wrong with Malia. Her brain scans came back clear, and I don’t see any signs of trauma that would account for her memory issues.” I felt a brief wave of relief, but it was short-lived. The doctor’s gaze flicked to Jamie and me, then back to Malia. Her voice dropped lower, though she didn’t look directly at Malia. “But… I suspect there might be something magical at work here. I can’t make any definite conclusions, but something feels off.”Magic? My stomach twisted at the thought. That would complicate everything even more.Jamie gave a quick nod, taking in what the doctor had said, but his attention was already drifting elsewhere. “I’v
Corey I stood there, towel slung low around my waist, my heart pounding harder than it had any right to. Malia’s gaze was locked on me, her eyes wide and determined, and I knew, without a doubt, that she wasn’t going to back down. I should’ve stopped this, right? I should’ve stepped away. I had to. After everything that had happened with Asher—after everything she and I had been through—this shouldn’t be happening. But when she took a step closer, her lips brushing mine, I forgot everything.Her kiss was soft at first, tentative, but the way her fingers slid up to my chest, the heat radiating off of her, made it impossible to pull away. Every rational thought in my head screamed for me to stop, to remind myself of my loyalty to Asher, but the way she kissed me, the way she tasted, was intoxicating. My hands moved almost of their own accord, sliding around her waist, pulling her closer. 'This is wrong,' I told myself. 'This is wrong.' But God, it felt so good.I pulled away, trying
The real Malia *Before the attack*I woke up with a start, my heart hammering in my chest. The air around me was thick with the remnants of the nightmare, a haunting fog that refused to lift. I could still see their faces—twisted, contorted in agony, their blood staining the earth beneath them. I swallowed hard, trying to shake off the feeling of their eyes still watching me, still haunting me, even though I was awake. Nightmares had become a regular part of my life lately. Horrible visions of myself, but not the version of me I knew. No, these dreams were darker, crueler. I saw myself standing over bodies, lifeless and broken, drenched in blood that wasn’t mine. I could feel the weight of the knife—or was it a sword?—in my hand, the cold metal gleaming as it was raised again and again. My breath hitched in my throat. The faces of those men from that fateful day... men who had surrounded me, demanding to know where Asher was. I couldn’t even remember all their names, but the memo
Malia I growled low in my throat, the sound primal and filled with warning. But Jude didn’t flinch. His companion, whose face remained obscured, stood eerily still beside him. I wanted to lunge, to tear him apart for everything he’d done—for the nightmares, the blood, the chaos he’d unleashed in my life. But even as rage pulsed through me, a chilling realization settled over my thoughts. Why was he here? And how had he found me so quickly? Jude's lips curled into a cold smile as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. He took another step forward, his gaze cutting through the fading light to lock onto mine. "You've been hiding, Malia," he said softly, his voice smooth but laced with menace. "But not well enough." The other figure remained silent, their presence somehow even more unsettling. I bared my teeth, the growl rumbling deeper in my chest. My wolf was on the brink of losing it completely, and I fought to maintain what little control I had left. Jude tilted his he
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,