“You should come out with us tonight!” Kayla yells over the loud laughs from the pups in our class.“No. You know how I feel about all that.”“Come on! You’ve been here for a year. Let yourself live a little. You don’t have to sleep with someone to have fun!”I know she’s right. It’s silly to keep myself isolated out of fear of falling into someone’s bed. I should trust myself and my growth. I’m just not sure that’s a risk I’m willing to take. But I heard Alpha Stephen called my old pack for help and I’m not sure who will show up. It might be better to make myself scarce while they’re here.“Please,” Kayla whines. “It’s my birthday!”“Are we even allowed to leave the territory? That girl is still missing.” “We’re only going to the bar that Alpha owns on the edge of the territory. We’ll be safe!”“Ugh, fine. I’ll go but only because it’s your birthday,” I agree, hoping I won’t regret it later.“YAY! Pick you up at 8.”I roll my eyes in response and continue to get the pups ready to go
“Lyle.” “How are you, babe? I haven’t seen you since your sixteenth birthday.” He squats down to meet my eyes. An icy hand reaches out and tucks a stray hair behind my ear. His touch sends a frightened chill glide down my spine. “I’m good. I have to go. My friends are waiting for me.” I push against the wall to stand, my legs still wobbly from the panic. “Where are you staying? I’m in town for tonight. We could spend it together.” “Um, no thanks.” I shrug his hand from wrist and start to walk away. A second passes before his rigid body slams into me, keeping me away from the door. “Why not, pretty wolf? Did you not have fun the last time we were together?” I bristle at his words. “No. I didn’t.” “You shouldn’t tell lies.” “I’m not lying.” He steps closer to me. “I’ll let you walk away tonight, but only because I want you to beg to come with me. But I promise you, I will finish what I started.” His eyes narrow into slits, making his threat feel even more real. I want to scre
I sit on the blue carpet, reading a story to the pups in my class. Their curious eyes stare at the light book in my hands, eager to know what’s going to happen next. They know that it’ll have a happy ending, but that doesn’t stop them from getting nervous at scary parts or crying at sad parts. That’s one thing I’ve learned in my time here; pups show their emotions all the time. They never hide themselves from the world. They are braver than me in that aspect. I ran from the world the second I could. I didn’t want to see the pain and the hurt that I caused. The story ends and parents arrive to take their little wolves home. Each of them runs to me first, encasing me in our daily group hug before bouncing off to their parents. Sometimes, I find myself jealous of the pups. They are free. Free to live and love whomever they want. Free to be anyone they want to be. I wish I could be that innocent and hopeful.“Where’s Kayla?” Alpha Stephen asks, pulling his son into his arms.“I’m not sure
Yeah. You could love me, but I guess we’re past that now. I don’t respond to him. I’m too emotionally charged. The clacking of heels pulls my attention up to a waitress. “What will it be, Hun?” “A burger and coke will be fine. Thanks.” She returns to her spot behind the counter, leaving me to over-analyze the message again. How does he have my number? Why is he even bothering to reach out? Maybe he misses you. Like you miss him. He rejected us, remember? Maybe we should not hold on to unrealistic hopes. Vera’s whining gets louder before I shut her out. The waitress brings my food, and I
Vera, why does he still smell like he’s our mate? I ask her.Silence is the only answer I get. Something weird is going on. I look around the room until I find those deep emerald eyes staring back at me. My breath hitches, and my eyes drink in the sight of him. He’s still so beautiful. His brown hair is messy, like he just rolled out of bed. His gray shirt hides the solid planes of his body, but I still remember how they felt beneath my fingertips. It feels like I’m seeing him for the first time again, only stronger. A pang of needs hits my core, making me jolt. That’s something I haven’t felt in a long time. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I move my gaze back to his eyes. The hate I know I’ll see there should be enough to calm my body down. Only I don’t see hate swimming in those green pools. I see relief. The way he’s looking at me has my heart ready to dive right back into his warmth.
Fury takes control with each step that Amber takes from me. I look at the small girl next to me, and I feel nothing but disgust. How could I not see that Grace is related to Amber?I wish I could kill you right now, Zeke growls.Me too, buddy. Me too. “What the hell, Grace?”“Oh, come on. You don’t even want her, so don’t pretend that you give two shits about how she feels.”“I care about her.”“Then why did you reject her? Why’d you run her off?”“She’s your cousin. Why are you so hellbent on hurting her? Why’d you lie about us being in a relationship?”“Because she left me. She was my best friend. But I came back one day, and she
“I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this, Amber. I’m here if you need me.”“Why?”“What?”“Why would you be here for me?”“Honestly? Because I don’t care what happened in the past. What good would it do either of us for me to continue to be upset over Cory, or what happened in high school? Of course, it hurt at the time, but I have Colin now. I have a completely different life. I don’t want to waste it by being upset over the past.” “Oh.” “There is something I’m curious about. Why did you sleep with Cory?”“That’s a loaded question.” I let out a forced sigh. “One that I’m not sure I have a good answer to. Honestly, it wasn’t about who I was hurting. It was just about making people as miserable as this pack made me. I’m sorry that I hurt you. You didn’t deserve it. What was going on with me was not your fault.”Tears run do
I watched that little cottage all night. Amber never came home. I’m kicking myself for not having someone keep tabs on her. Trees shake beneath me as I jump across them, hoping to beat the sunrise. I make it back to the dirty motel just seconds before light spills into the sky. It’s quiet. Kimi and the other young vampires went ahead to scope out the next pack. I’ll join them all tonight after they find a safe place to stay. Whatever pack they went to better be good. We only got one she-wolf to add to the dungeons from Moonbeam Hills. Might’ve had two if I hadn’t drained the other one.We need more she-wolves on tap so we can stop hunting for a while. Or at least the others can stop hunting. I’ll keep hunting until I find Amber. My pet. She’ll be my main meal until she’s completely dry. Hell, maybe I’ll break open her bones and suck out the marrow too. Maybe I won’t kill her. Maybe I’ll just keep her around forever, sneaking a taste here and there of her