All Chapters of Fated In Darkness: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

NatalieI sat through Professor Isaac’s lecture, but my mind was nowhere near the gazebo.I couldn’t focus—couldn’t pretend everything was fine. The image of that wolf, those eyes, the sheer size of it—it replayed over and over like a loop I couldn’t escape. Every sound around me was muffled under the weight of what I’d seen.Was it even real?Yes. It had to be. I wasn’t imagining things. Someone else had been there. He had been there.And that was the other part I couldn’t shake. The stranger.His voice still echoed in my head—calm, steady, like it had reached into the panic and pressed pause. And those eyes. Not just green—alive, like something ancient was staring out from behind them.Who was he?A student? A professor? Someone passing through? I hadn’t seen him around before, and the campus wasn’t that big.He hadn’t stayed long enough for me to find my words, let alone ask questions. Just appeared, said enough to haunt me, and vanished.Part of me wanted to believe I’d dreamed th

NatalieUncle Michael looked at me, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. It wasn’t warmth—it was control dressed as calm.“It would be wise for you to act responsibly,” he said, his voice smooth but heavy. “Like your mother. A lot depends on this family’s money. Even your father couldn’t cut himself off completely. He might’ve lived outside the family estate, but he was still a Pierce.”He leaned back slightly, as if laying out facts in a courtroom.“Every business he started? Funded by the inheritance he got from our father. Your grandfather. Most of those ventures were just extensions of what we already owned. You see, our business moves in circles. And we’re smart enough to stay within them.”Then he looked straight at me, voice colder now.“If you refuse to follow the rules, then you and your mother can say goodbye to my support—and to your father's estate.”I stared at him, stunned.“You’re blackmailing us,” I whispered. “I won’t marry a stranger just to please you. A

NatalieThe moment the door clicked shut behind Uncle Michael, I felt like I could finally breathe. But the pressure in my chest didn’t lift. It sat there—heavy, unmovable—like something had cracked inside me and hadn’t quite healed right.I spent the rest of the day packing in silence. Folding clothes, stacking books, zipping up my life with mechanical precision. I didn’t cry. I didn’t speak. I just moved.It wasn’t until dusk draped the room in amber and shadow that my phone buzzed from the nightstand.Lisa.Relief bloomed in my chest at the sight of her name.“Come out with me,” she said as soon as I picked up. Her voice was light, teasing—but with an undertow of concern. “There’s a club in town. You need a night out, and I need my favorite partner-in-crime.”I hesitated. My heart was still raw. The last thing I wanted was a blur of flashing lights and fake smiles. But another part of me—tired, reckless, aching for escape—was already reaching for my closet.“I’ll be there,” I said,

Natalie“I’d ask you to dance, stranger,” Adrian murmured, his lips curving into a smirk that walked the fine line between charm and danger, “but I’m guessing that’s not your thing.”I stiffened.Not because of the question—but because of what came before it.Stranger.I hadn’t told him my name.He saw the flicker in my eyes and smiled like he already knew what I was thinking.“Natalie,” I said, more breath than voice.His smile deepened, pleased.Lisa chimed in with her name, light and casual, but Adrian only gave her a polite nod before his focus returned to me—sharp and unwavering. Like she was part of the background, a flicker on the edge of a frame he had no interest in.“Do you dance, Natalie?” he asked, his voice low and coaxing. Like the question itself was a dare.I almost said no.I should’ve said no.But then Lisa leaned in under the table, nudging my thigh with her knee.“Oh, come on, Nat,” she whispered, teasing. “We came here to have fun. And what’s more fun than dancing

Natalie My uncle hadn’t exaggerated about my accommodations on campus—it was exactly as he’d described.The moment I stepped into the room, I realized just how much thought had gone into it. There was no roommate, just me.The space, though within an old building, had been upgraded with modern touches that hinted at significant expense. Everything was polished, intentional, and surprisingly inviting.The room was fully equipped, more like a compact apartment than a dorm. The kitchen area caught my eye first—a stove, fridge, microwave, oven, dishwasher, and cabinets that gleamed under the soft overhead lights.It wasn’t just functional; it was designed to feel like home. A cozy couch sat against one wall, facing a mounted television, giving the illusion of a tiny living room.My bed, a full-size one, sat against the far wall, surrounded by shelves and discreet storage spaces that didn’t just serve a purpose—they elevated the space. It was the kind of room you’d expect to see in a life