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
Malia That night, the four of us sat around the fire, its warm glow illuminating our faces against the darkened backdrop of Jude’s village. The soft hum of activity from the hybrids winding down their day surrounded us, blending seamlessly with the crackle of flames. Jamie broke the silence first, his voice laced with something like admiration. “You’ve got to admit,” he said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, “Jude pulled off something incredible here. I mean, look at this place. It’s hidden so well, and the people… they seem happy, safe.” He paused, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I don’t think anyone could harm them here, even if they tried.” Corey, who had been the most vocal in his doubts about Jude, was seated across from Jamie, and he was unusually quiet. He stared into the fire, the flames reflecting in his eyes, his usual smirk nowhere to be found. When he finally spoke, his tone was softer than I’d ever heard it. “I never thought…” He h
Asher The wind tore past me as I ran, each stride fueled by the chaos clawing at my mind. Branches snapped underfoot, and the forest blurred into streaks of green and gray. I didn’t have a destination—just an overwhelming need to escape. My body ached from the transformation, my muscles still trembling with leftover energy, but the pain was nothing compared to the disgust curdling in my stomach. When I finally stumbled to a halt, the world seemed to tilt around me. My lungs burned, and the bitter taste of bile rose in my throat. I was at the edge of a stream, its waters shimmering faintly under the moonlight. Kneeling, I cupped the icy water in my hands and splashed it onto my face, hoping to wash away the memories of what I’d almost done. The water was calm, the surface reflecting a version of me I hardly recognized. My jaw was sharper, my cheekbones more pronounced. But it wasn’t just the physical changes that bothered me—it was my eyes. They glowed faintly, an eerie gold that
Asher I couldn't believe it. Aaliyah bit Malia even before I started to fight her—how she managed that speed is beyond me. How I missed it was beyond me. It was then I realized what Aaliyah’s special trait was. She was super fast. It's the same way with how she nearly bit Amara, and no one noticed. Only this time, with Malia, she didn't miss. Malia was unresponsive. All attempts to get her to respond—to give me some kind of hope that she was alive were futile. Aaliyah—that monster, she took Malia from me. All that I felt afterwards was a torrent of rage. “You—” The words caught in my throat, swallowed by the tidal wave of rage that crashed over me. My vision blurred, everything around me fading into a haze of red. The hybrid instincts I’d fought so hard to suppress surged to the surface, and I felt my body shift. Claws extended. Fangs bared. My breathing grew ragged, each exhale a guttural growl. Aaliyah, my mother—no, Brooke, and all her allies, they’d taken everythin
Asher I never imagined that a day would come when I could feel this complete again. With Malia in my arms, her warmth grounding me, I felt like I had been living in a fog for too long—a fog that only lifted when she was near. The kiss I pressed to her lips was born from desperation, from relief, from the overwhelming need to make up for every second we’d lost. The world around us disappeared as I poured everything I felt for her into that moment. I broke the kiss, my forehead resting against hers as I whispered, “I swear to you, Malia, I will never leave your side again. No matter what happens, I won’t walk away.” She nodded, her fingers threading through my hair as she held me close. “I know, Asher. I know.” The sound of footsteps broke the stillness, and we both turned to see Jude and the others entering the room. Their presence reminded me of what we were about to do—what we had to do. “We’ve got work to do,” Jude said, his voice calm but serious. I gave a quick
Malia The moment I woke, a sharp gasp escaped my lips, as though my lungs were desperate to remind me they still worked. My vision blurred momentarily, but the first thing I saw when it cleared was Asher’s face, his expression torn between relief and disbelief. His arms were around me before I could make sense of anything, holding me so tightly I could feel the tremor in his body. “You’re here,” he whispered hoarsely, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re here, and that’s all that matters.” I blinked, dazed. My neck throbbed with a dull ache, and fragments of what had happened flashed in my mind—the pinch on my neck, the searing pain, the blood… the overwhelming feeling that I was slipping away. “I thought I—” I began, but Asher cut me off. “No,” he said firmly, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye. His gaze was intense, desperate, as though he needed to make me believe the truth. “You’re here, Malia. That’s all that matters now.” I nodded, though my mind still felt
Malia Sitting on the bed in Jude’s lair, I stared at the faint cracks in the wooden ceiling, my mind reeling from what Corey had just told me. I’d died. Not metaphorically or as a dramatic exaggeration—actually died. And Asher had brought me back with magic. The words were too surreal to grasp. Jamie cleared his throat, leaning back against the wall. “You’re probably wondering how Asher even managed to do it, right?” “Wondering?” I snapped my gaze to him. “That doesn’t even begin to cover it.” Jamie shrugged, his nonchalant demeanor contrasting the gravity of the conversation. “Look, I don’t know for sure, but if I had to guess, it’s because of his bloodline. Hybrids are a mix of werewolves and witches, right? That kind of power doesn’t just vanish into thin air, even if both of Asher’s parents were hybrids. He probably inherited some magical aptitude from a grandparent. Or maybe even further back in his lineage.” “That doesn’t explain why magic isn’t common among us,” I said,
MaliaThe door closed softly behind the others, leaving me alone with Asher. I could hear his footsteps before I saw him, the sound deliberate yet hesitant, like he was deciding how to approach. When he entered, his eyes scanned the room briefly before landing on me. He looked... different. Not just tired, though I could tell he hadn’t slept much, but weighed down by something far heavier than exhaustion. I smiled at him, trying to offer a piece of comfort, but his expression didn’t change. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice softer than usual. I nodded quickly, the corners of my lips curling up a little higher as I tried to reassure him. “I’m fine.” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t entirely the truth either. Jamie’s words from earlier lingered in my mind like a stubborn echo: 'Asher used magic to bring you back.' I wasn’t sure what to believe, but one thing I knew for certain was this—I couldn’t hate Asher, no matter what. Magic or no magic, he’d saved my life. And I loved him
AsherThe journal was old—older than I expected. Bound in cracked leather, the pages yellowed at the edges and laced with a scent of musk and ink. I stared at it for a long time before opening it, the weight of the thing pressing against my palms like it knew its contents would knock the air from my lungs.I didn’t know what I was looking for. Maybe a name. A signature. But the first line stopped my breath.‘This is the truth of Ian Vale.’My father's handwriting. Sharp. Purposeful. Controlled—just like the man himself.Ian had never been warm, never soft. Every memory I had of him came with cold eyes and clipped words. Praise was rare; affection, non-existent. I grew up thinking he saw me as an obligation. A duty. Nothing more.And yet… the diary was written in grief. In longing. In heartbreak. Every page screamed of things he could never say aloud.I turned to the next page.‘The priest told me it was a curse. That no Lycan should ever be mated to another man. He said it must’ve bee
AsherI returned to the only place I could still call mine. Tucked away from the world, surrounded by trees that asked for nothing and wind that didn’t whisper judgments—just solitude. The house hadn’t changed. I hadn’t either. Not really. I moved like a ghost through the front door, letting it shut quietly behind me.Silence greeted me, the kind that didn’t bring peace but didn’t argue either.I didn’t unpack. There was no point. The clothes I left on the couch a week ago were still there. The parcel Katherine handed me before she left sat on the windowsill, untouched. I glanced at it but moved past it like I had every day.I ended up at the bar that night.It wasn’t one of those classy places. It was dingy. Loud. Sticky floors and cheap liquor that burned going down. Perfect for disappearing. I sat in the corner booth, nursing something strong and bitter. My hair had grown out a bit, face scruffy, and I didn’t care. I didn’t want to be seen, yet eyes found me anyway.Women came firs
AsherSix months. That’s how long I’ve been in Reece—six slow, punishing months.At first, I didn’t even know what was real anymore. My memories felt like scattered fragments—some vivid, others hazy and distorted. The truth—the real truth—was a war I fought in my own mind. There were days I screamed until my voice gave out, days I curled into myself wishing I had never been born, and days I tried to hate the people I once loved.But this place… this tribe… they didn’t give up on me.The mages here, all marked by the strange glowing ink of their coven, didn’t treat me like a monster. Not even when I was one. They stripped me down—mentally, emotionally, spiritually—and forced me to sit in silence with my truth until it stopped feeling like poison.Now I can say it.I was enchanted.Jude, my own father, twisted my soul and turned me into something I never wanted to be. And the worst part? For the longest time, I didn’t even know.I’m better now. Or at least, that’s what the Head Mage kee
MaliaI nodded slowly, trying to piece together the strange sadness that had crept into Ronin’s eyes.“When did she die?” I asked quietly, my voice barely holding itself together. “The real Lia… when did she die?”Ronin’s eyes met mine, and his expression twisted with grief, something heavy and old—like it had been rotting in him for a long time.“She died the day I found out she was my mate,” he said. “But I'm not talking about Lia. She isn't my mate. My mate wasn’t from here. She was from my own Lycan pack.”I stared at him, my breath stuck in my chest. I didn’t know what to say to that, especially when his next words came so quickly and so desperately.“Malia,” he stepped closer, “please… just accept to be my Luna. I know you’re not my true mate. I’m not pretending. But since she’s gone, you’re the next best thing.”I flinched at the phrase. The next best thing. Like I was some kind of replacement. Some echo of a dream he’d lost.He kept going, determined. “It wasn’t Lia’s beauty t
MaliaCorey’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “That being said. Why won’t Rhedd help her grandson?”I glanced up, studying Rhedd’s unreadable expression. She stood by the window, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on something far beyond what any of us could see. She didn’t flinch at the question, didn’t turn to face him. She just answered, coldly.“Asher shouldn’t even exist,” she said. “He was never meant to. That’s why he’s not important to me.”Her words dropped like a stone in my chest. I blinked, unsure I’d heard her right. Beside me, Jamie stiffened, his jaw clenching. Corey looked stunned, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Amara’s brows knit together, confusion clouding her features.“You’re going to have to explain what you mean by that,” Jamie said.But Rhedd didn’t respond. She turned away from the window and faced us, her expression still unreadable. “Don’t do anything against Ronin,” she warned, voice sharp with authority. “He is the rightful ruler of L
Malia“What?” I whispered, backing away from Ronin like he’d just slapped me.He had to be joking. He had to be.“I don’t love you, Ronin,” I said, my voice shaking. “I never said I did. I... I felt something, I won’t lie about that, but it was a moment. Confusion. Desperation. That’s not love.”His jaw clenched.“I only love Asher,” I continued. “And I can only be with Asher.”I turned toward Rhedd, desperate now. “Please. Say something. You know this isn’t right.”But she just stood there, her face unreadable. She didn’t say a word.I turned back to Ronin, fury rising like bile in my throat. “You can’t force this. You can’t just—decide you want me and then take me!”“I’m not forcing anything,” he said, but his voice had a hard edge to it. “I’m doing what’s best. For you. For everyone.”“You think locking me away in your house is best?”“I’m keeping you safe.”“You’re keeping me caged!”He ran a hand through his hair, trying to stay calm. “Asher isn’t stable, Malia.”My heart twisted
MaliaRhedd walked in like she owned the moment—no rush, no panic, just that same smirk, like everything was happening exactly how she planned.She looked Jude straight in the eye. “Your problem,” she said, “has always been your temper.”Jude scoffed. “You think this is funny?”“I think it’s sad,” Rhedd replied calmly. “You were close, Jude. So close to getting what you wanted. But like always, your rage got in the way. It always does.”He faltered. I saw it in the slight twitch of his brow, the way his jaw clenched. He didn’t understand who she was—but he knew she knew too much.“You have magic,” he muttered. “You’re part of the original circle, that's why you could seize my magic. The only thing is… the original witches in the circle are dead. I made sure of it.”Rhedd didn’t deny it. She just stood there, hands loosely clasped in front of her, like she had all the time in the world.Jude seemed to be irritated by her calmness. So irritated that he raised his hand, trying to summon
MaliaRonin’s grip on my hand was warm and steady, but my insides were in complete chaos.He didn’t say a word as he led me through the hallway, his pace brisk, his jaw clenched. I could tell he was furious, but not at me—at everything. At Banes. At the silence. At the confusion. At whatever was wrong and twisted in this place.When we got to his office, he opened the door and let me in first, then shut it quietly behind us.He turned to face me, those amber eyes of his searching my face like they were trying to pry the truth out of me before I even spoke.“Tell me,” he said, his voice low. “Tell me the truth.”I froze.I wanted to. Goddess, I wanted to tell someone. But I didn’t know if it was the right thing. What if Rhedd was playing me? What if telling Ronin only made everything worse? What if it put him in danger?I remembered the way she looked at me just before Ronin took my hand. Not a word spoken, just a nod. Subtle. Reassuring. She didn’t need to say anything. Her eyes told
Malia“Like I said before, all you have to do,” he said again, voice deceptively soft, “is tell them Nina deceived you. That she tricked you into helping her break Asher out.”I scoffed, shaking my head. “And you really think they’ll believe that?”“Oh, Banes will,” he said too quickly. Too confidently. It made me pause.“Why?” I asked. “Why are you so sure, Jude?”He smiled, but it wasn’t the charming kind. It was the smile of a man who knew something no one else did—a weapon he hadn’t revealed yet. “Don’t worry about that,” he said.I stared at him, my chest tightening with unease. “What are you going to do to my parents?” I asked quietly. “Since I’ve apparently… ‘messed up.’”He tilted his head slowly. That same smile faltered just a little, and then he studied me with a new sharpness. “That’s a very specific concern.”My heart thudded, but I forced myself to look bored. “What else is there to care about?”Jude crossed his arms. “Funny. For someone who knows the fate that befalls h