Malia As I slipped out of the house, my steps quiet but my heart pounding, I couldn't help feeling a tug of doubt. I’d left them without much of a warning, and now here I was, sneaking out in the middle of the night, retracing my steps back to them. But if they were really planning to go through with this insane mission, I couldn't just stay out of it. Not if Asher’s life might depend on what we did tonight. The school loomed up ahead, dark and silent, except for the faint outline of its main gate. That’s when I realized I had one tiny, critical flaw in my plan: the gates were locked. I grimaced, looking up at the metal bars like they were some twisted joke. Should I try to climb over? Go back? I glanced at my phone, debating whether to message Amara or one of the others to let them know I’d changed my mind. But as I tried pulling up Amara’s number, I heard something—a rustling sound, low and eerie—coming from the woods just past the school fence. My thumb froze over the screen. Ok
Malia My lungs burned, my legs ached, and my mind raced with only one thought: *Run.*The growls behind me were growing louder, and I could feel the ground practically vibrating beneath my feet as the hybrid wolves gained on me. Seven of them. They were faster, stronger, and far more ruthless than anything I’d ever faced. I knew that any moment now, they’d be on me, and I’d have no chance of escape. But I pushed myself to keep going, even as a small voice in my head whispered that I was just prolonging the inevitable.I didn’t dare glance over my shoulder; I could already picture the hybrids—slender and dark-furred, their bodies shifting seamlessly between wolf and human shapes as they pursued me. They moved like shadows in the night, and I was the only thing standing between them and the kill they wanted. My heart pounded, my pulse racing as I pushed myself to run faster, darting between trees, skidding over patches of damp ground, trying to gain even a few extra seconds of life.Bu
Malia The car was quiet, the gravity of what had just happened settling in. Jamie hadn’t said a word since we’d left the school grounds. Amara was in the backseat, checking her phone, probably making sure she hadn’t missed any messages.The whole drive felt strained, like we were each wrapped up in our own thoughts and fears, none of us quite able to process what had happened back there. When we reached Amara’s place, she gave me a quick hug and a reassuring squeeze of my shoulder. “Text me if you need anything,” she said softly, and I nodded, managing a weak smile in return. After she left, Corey mentioned he was stopping to grab food at the restaurant nearby, and a few minutes later, he got out and left me alone with Jamie. For a while, neither of us said anything. I just stared out the window, my mind replaying the night’s events. The chase. The wolves. Asher standing there with that strange, cold look in his eyes. The memory was burned into my brain, refusing to let go. I could
Malia Around the third period, Amara and Jamie flanked me as we walked down the hall. The school buzzed with its usual chaos—students pouring out of classrooms, shuffling to their next class, filling the hallways with laughter, chatter, and the clang of lockers slamming shut. As we reached the row of lockers near mine, my attention snagged on a familiar voice. Across the hall, Asher was leaning against the wall with Aaliyah. He was dressed in a navy blue suit, like he had some official work at the school. It was odd seeing him being the Lycan King yet coming to the academia for classes. He was whispering to Aaliyah, his voice low and almost... affectionate. She was laughing—the soft, tinkling kind of laugh that filled me with anger. She looked at him with shining eyes, like he was the most brilliant, charming man in the world. And the worst part? He looked right back, his face completely open and fond. I scoffed, gripping the handle of my locker hard before slamming it shut. Thi
MaliaCorey and I had combed through every corner of the school, every hallway, to tell Jamie what Aaliyah was plotting, but he was nowhere to be found. I tried calling him, my phone pressed to my ear as it rang and rang, but all I got was voicemail. The static on the other end felt colder every time.Corey’s brow was furrowed with worry, his jaw clenched tightly as he pulled out his own phone. “Jamie’s not the type to just vanish,” he muttered, a hint of irritation in his voice. “Not unless he’s avoiding something.”“Well, do you have any idea where he might be?” I asked, already feeling the frustration gnawing at me.He let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, he’s probably sulking in one of his usual spots. Let’s check a few places where he might be hiding out.”The first place we tried was a diner a few blocks away. It was bustling with students, the scent of fries and burgers heavy in the air. Corey scanned the booths and tables, but Jamie was nowhere in sight. With each empty seat we passed
Malia"How could you do this, Amara?" I demanded, disbelief and hurt thickening my voice. "To Corey? To both of them? I thought you cared about them."Amara’s face flushed, her gaze darting to the floor. "It’s… not that simple, Malia. You don’t understand the whole story.""Really?" I cut her off, a bitter edge in my tone as my anger hardened into resolve. "Because it looks exactly like what happened with Avan and Savannah. The only difference here, Amara, is that you’re messing with twin brothers. Do you know how messed up that is?"She flinched, her lips parting as if to argue, but I didn’t let her. Not this time. "You of all people should know why I can’t be friends with you anymore, Amara. You’ve triggered memories I was trying to move on from. And I can't pretend like it’s okay."For a moment, Amara’s expression softened, but then a flicker of resentment flashed in her eyes. "You’re being judgmental, Malia. You don’t even know the truth behind this. It’s unfair."The way she sai
Malia The early morning light filtered into my room as I stirred, groggily realizing Corey’s side of the bed was empty. I sat up, noticing a note on my bedside table with his distinct handwriting: Thank you for last night. I sighed, relieved that nothing had happened between us. We were going to kiss, but we stopped ourselves at the same time and instead just slept together on my bed. It was only in that quiet moment, alone, that I realized my feelings for Corey had been because I was emotionally exhausted and vulnerable. My heart still belonged to Asher—messy, complicated as it was. Corey's visit had been comforting, but the resemblance to Asher’s own late-night visit was what got me in my feelings. After gathering myself, I headed to school, navigating the day on autopilot. I signed up for extra combat training as I was told to —anything to strengthen myself against the fight that is STILL happening between me, Nina and Jamie. I wasn't yet so sure how the fight would go,
Malia “Fine. But just so you know, it’s probably going to be just you and me in on this plan,” I finally said, settling on my decision. “What? Why?” Nina asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Well, for starters, Jamie, Corey, and Amara just got into a massive fight. None of them are speaking to each other, so there’s no chance they’ll work together.” Nina scoffed. “She’s still messing around with both of them without either knowing?” I blinked. “W-what? Who told you that?” “They were my friends too, you know. Except they started acting weird after I told them Amara was using them,” she said, crossing her arms. I hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. "Oh, well, that’s—whatever. The point is, we can’t involve them. Their emotions would ruin everything.” “Right.” She sighed, looking unimpressed. “So what was the plan before the whole ‘love triangle’ fiasco?” “We were going to raid the library’s restricted section, find something on enchantments,” I replied, bracing for h
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,