Trigger warning: Talk of past sexual abuse and suicideAidenI knew what to expect when she had nightmares, but nothing could prepare me for this. She had tried to kill my sister. But it was like she was in some kind of trance, trapped in a dream while she was awake.Why the hell had they been in bed together?If we hadn’t made it back when we did, Halle would likely be dead.Leighton glares at me as I try to reassure Bella. Bella keeps asking me what is wrong with her. It was obvious what it was, it was past trauma, but she wasn’t ready to hear that. Or ready to accept it.“Take Halle downstairs, make sure she is alright.” I snap as Halle rubs her throat and Leighton continues to glare at me.Bella starts pacing as I let go of her. She takes the same steps, back and forth along the carpet. Not quite making eye contact with me as she frowns.“Bella, you need to talk to me!” I demand as I grab her shoulders.She looks into my eyes. “I didn’t know.”“Nightmares?”She slowly bobs her he

Bella“What did you say?” I mutter in disbeliefShe stares with wide grey eyes, “Shit, you didn’t know!”“How am I supposed to know that? I’m seventeen. I don’t even have my Wolf. How do you know that? I’m not even supposed to have a mate.”“Leighton told me.”“Leighton?”“I thought you knew. You spend the whole day and night in his room. It made sense after Leighton told me the news. I thought you guys would be doing stuff.”“You are wrong! I’m a Creedance. We don’t have mates.”She shrugs her shoulders at me and mumbles something about how it was obvious.“Obvious? Is Aiden going around telling everyone that we are mates?”“Noooo. Just Leighton and then Leighton told me because I kept asking questions.”“Why didn’t Aiden say anything to me?”“Because you keep spouting the stuff about being cursed. That you won’t have a mate and all that. How do you think he feels?”“You’re screwing with me, aren’t you? Some kind of game, to try and prevent me from running.”She shakes her head.“Thi

BellaTurning eighteen sucks. It was just a reminder of what I did to my own mother and how another shitty year had gone by.Every second that passed, his scent grew stronger. It was rich and warm like chocolate. The kind humans make at christmas. He had told me that mates had their own personal scent, but this was not what I was expecting.I stare at him as his grey eyes go to the clock on his desk. He couldn’t deny it. He could reject me, but he couldn’t deny it.His grey eyes come back to me as it hits him. Today was my birthday. The day I finally turned eighteen.“Why didn’t you tell me?” He mutters through clenched teeth. “Why didn’t you tell me your eighteenth was so close?”“Does it really matter?”“Yes.”“Why? You’re the one who has been pretending a bond between us doesn’t exist. Everything that comes out of your mouth is some sort of lie.”“It’s just….”I start laughing. My laugh grows until I’m almost hysterical. Tears run down my face as my stomach cramps from the insanit

BellaSmacking him in the chest, I scowl. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”His grey eyes roam my face. A flash of disappointment and a little annoyance.“Isn’t it what you wanted? Isn’t that why you are so mad with me, because I kissed another?”“No. The only thing I want is to kill my father.” I snapMy stomach twisted itself as I stared at him. The longer I looked, the more it felt like I couldn’t breathe, but not in a bad way. His warm chocolate scent was rich and enticing, swirling around me. Somehow, it was dragging me in. Making me think things that I shouldn’t.“I promised you that you could. That’s not going to change.”“When?” I mutter, tearing my eyes from his. I wasn’t used to this feeling. I had been trained to never let something get the better of my senses. But his scent was warm, intoxicating. It was clouding my brain.I had to get away from him so I could think.“I need the bathroom.” I mumble, refusing to look at him.Rising to my feet, he tells me that he

BellaIt was pitch black when I wake. I could make out Aiden in the darkness. His large frame slowly became clearer. We were on the sofa and I was laid on top of him. His arms looped around me, holding me tightly against him. I don’t even remember falling asleep.Slipping out from under his arms. I make my way to the door, forgetting that it’s locked.In the darkness I search everywhere for the key. Spotting it as it sticks out from under Aiden’s laptop.Carefully turning the key in the lock. It makes a tiny sound as the barrel turns. I pause, waiting for Aiden to stir but he remains still and silent.Making my way downstairs into the communal bathroom, I’m grateful to see there was no mark on my neck. Every inch of me was relieved there was nothing. He hadn’t marked me while I was asleep.I hear the creaking of the floorboards and stand perfectly still. The door creeps open and Halle is standing there with a toothbrush.“What are you doing, creeping around at this time?” She whispers