SO, THERE I WAS, CHILLIN' at the field in my slick tracksuit, just taking in the scene. The whole place was alive with energy—you could practically taste the adrenaline in the air. And, whoa, the smell of sweat! But that's just part of the deal when you're surrounded by a bunch of classmates pushing themselves to the limit.Sneakers were squeakin' and squawkin' with every step, and the sound just echoed through the entire place. All of a sudden, kids were zooming by me in this crazy blur of colours and motion. The coach's whistle shrieked through the air, telling us the race had began. And man, you should've seen the looks on those runners' faces! It was like they were pushing through hell and back.But then, outta nowhere, this one guy broke free from the pack like a cheetah on the hunt. It was Kylian—you know, that jerk who had the nerve to mess with Scarlett and even threatened Winter. He bolted across the finish line, shouting like he'd just conquered the world, his fist held hi

SO, I STROLLED INTO MY PLACE and let my backpack just flop onto the living room couch. You know that feeling when you've got a lot on your mind? Yep, that was me. I made a beeline for the kitchen, popped open the fridge, and grabbed myself some of that sweet, tangy animal juice. I can't help but think about what went down with Chloe, man. Just couldn't shake it.Now, after Vivaldi shared his werewolf story in the cave, the dude actually offered to keep himself indoors ‘til the next full moon when he’d go full-on wolf mode for my viewing pleasure. He figured it'd be best to steer clear of humans to avoid any slip-ups that might mess with his chance to seal that blood contract deal. He was afraid of losing control and giving in to the ol' bloodlust, ya know? So, I let out a sigh, unscrewed the cap from the bottle, and slugged back the crimson goodness. But here's the thing – my brain was goin' into overdrive with these thoughts. Was it possible that it was Vivaldi who attacked Chloe? B

Gabriel's chillin' in his small flat, minding his own business, when suddenly his phone goes off like a fire alarm. It buzzed and vibrated so hard that it made the whole countertop hum like a bee. Gabriel snapped out of his daydream, and his hand shot out quicker than a cat, grabbing the phone with a smooth touch.His thumb swiped across the screen, and his heart went THUD, like it just fell down a flight of stairs. The voice note made his chest feel heavy, as if someone had poured concrete in it. It was from Winter, one of his sister Chloe's besties.Winter's words hit Gabriel like a slap in the face: “Gabriel,” she said, her voice full of sadness, “I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Chloe's in the hospital, hurt pretty badly. She's got a nasty wound on her neck, but she's a tough cookie, and she made it. Still, it's pretty rough. The docs say she's lucky, but you know how it is. She needs you, man. I know you've been away, but she's been asking for her big brother.”Gabrie

“EVERYTHING WENT TO HELL THE MOMENT you showed up,” I hissed, my voice dripping with rage. “I've seen the monster you are with my own eyes. I watched you sink your fangs into Chloe's neck, draining the life from her like she was nothing. I saw you drain the lives out of those girls that day you lured me into that godforsaken cave where you fed me nothing but lies. And don't forget how you took pleasure in seeing me rip into that poor driver when we first met”. My chest rose and fell with the fury of my words. “You tried to lure me in, to convince me to join you in your twisted games. What could be more monstrous than that?” His voice was barely a whisper. “That was before I met you. Now, I have a purpose, a duty to fulfill, and a master to serve for all eternity. I've changed, and I won't risk my chance at freedom for anything.” “To hell with it,” I growled, my gaze burning into his. “Will me to speak the truth.” I felt the air leave my lungs in a rush. “Will me,” he repeated,

SO, I’M STANDING THERE, swaying like a palm tree in a hurricane, and I can't help but wonder, “What in the world is going on these days?” I mean, I thought I had mind-controlled this guy to mind his own business, but apparently not. Is it because I've been chugging animal blood instead of the human stuff? My mind-control mojo seems to be going down the drain. First, it was Chloe—although maybe Casper really did break the mind compulsion on her—and now it's this kid. So, now any random teenager can resist my compulsion? It's getting ridiculous!Suddenly, one of the customers pipes up, “Hey, what gives you the balls to bother our man?” The boy let go of my collar, and the angry customer hops down from his stool, standing between us like some kind of bouncer. The kid who'd grabbed me is now face to face with a burly dude, whose unbuttoned grey shirt reveals a chest covered in a tangled mix of grey and white hair. He's all up in the kid's face, his nostrils flaring like a bull ready to c