ARTEMIS’ POVWe sprint through the forest for what feels like an eternity, the sheer force of pent-up energy disappearing with every step until we come to a slow, panting halt. We find ourselves beside a secluded pond, its surface reflecting the moon's glow. I kneel down, allowing Sera to dismount."That was amazing!" she bursts out, her feet barely touching the ground before she's marveling at the world around her. The wind has turned her hair into a wild, frizzy masterpiece, and she finds a large rock to sit on.I lean in, my wolf's tongue giving her a parting lick on the cheek before stepping into the water."Where are you going?" she asks, curiosity dancing in her eyes. But I offer no answer.Submerging fully, I let the transformation take hold. As I re-emerge, it's my human eyes that meet Sera's, my lips that curve into a devilish grin. "Don't want you to see my tiny bits unless you're interested," My tone carries a wicked humor.Her cheeks flame up, so red they could rival a
SERAPHINA’S POVMaybe it's because I stayed awake for roughly two days without proper sleep, or the fact that I stayed up most of the night expending energy, but I'm finally able to fall asleep peacefully the second my head crashes into the pillow. The sleep is light and without any of the nightmares, and by the time my alarm rings at its usual time, I feel more refreshed than ever. The dull and sour mood I've been in for days ceases to plague me. Olivia says that there's something different about me when she wakes up minutes later and I'm already fully dressed. I brush it off, telling myself that I've simply decided to let all the feelings of hurt and anger go away. And the fact that today I'm a bit excited for school.The early hours of school run their usual course, and I find myself staring at the clock in intervals, waiting for the bell for the cafeteria to ring. For the first time, I'm looking forward to it for reasons besides food.I'll admit it, a part of me missed Artemis
(TRIGGER WARNING)Of all the crazy shit I’ve let Artemis convince me into doing, this takes the cake, and all just to satisfy that final day wish of his. He's a sick, that's what he is. I rethink all of this while I stare back at myself in the mirror of the girls' bathroom, right after getting changed into this outfit he so desperately wanted to see me in. In my own opinion, I might as well not be wearing any clothes at all. It's the shortest, skin-tight black dress I've ever worn, with spaghetti straps that hold the fabric up. The cowl neckline, on the other hand, dips a little lower than my insecurities allow. Every asset I have is on display, like a hooker on the side of the road waiting to be picked up. No fucking way I'm wearing this outside of here. On cue, my phone begins to ring, and his name comes across my screen."What?""Have you stepped out yet?" Artemis asks through the phone, his tone revealing a grin I'd love to wipe off his face at this very moment."The deal's
SERAPHINA’S POV“YOU FUCKING BASTARD!” Artemis' voice cracks the room, sending chills down my spine. Before Ace can even regain his footing, Artemis lunges at him with ferocious speed.I watch, frozen still and horrified, as Artemis' fists hammer down onto Ace with relentless, blinded fury. Each blow lands with a savage precision, as if his life depended on crushing his friend's skull into unfixable pieces. Ace is down, sprawled on the floor, defenseless—yet that does nothing to stop Artemis' assault.I hear the sickening squelch of battered flesh under Artemis' bloodstained knuckles. Each impact splatters crimson droplets, creating a chilling canvas on the walls around us. And even then, Artemis doesn't stop. No, he doesn't even blink. “Artemis...” My voice is strained and mangled from the choking I endured earlier, still trembling as I watch in horror. Artemis doesn't hear me; he's deaf, too engrossed in dealing blows to Ace, giving in to a bloodthirsty rage that's pulling his
SERAPHINA’S POVI blink three times: the first two to make sure I'm not imagining things, and the third out of sheer shock at the audacity staring me in the face. “Excuse me?” I pull my hands away from hers. I had ignored her first two offensive comments out of a desperate attempt at respect, but there's no way I'm going to sit here and entertain the idea of whoring myself out to get her boyfriend back.“Relax, I can literally see the gears in your head turning,” she says.“This better be some joke, Kamila,” I retort, my voice laced with sternness.Her smile doesn't waver; instead, she chuckles as if I've said something remotely funny, further fueling my irritation. “This is why I like you. You know when to heel and when to bare your fangs. You're not the kind of person who'd just sit still and take bullshit to win my favor - even knowing what I'm capable of with just the snap of my fingers.”Her words are unnerving—part threat, part admiration. I'm unsure how to take it, especiall
SERAPHINA’S POV"Hey.”"Hey," I respond nervously, finding it hard to look into his eyes. When I finally do manage, I can't hold his gaze for long before looking away again.I curse Kamila over and over for having this conversation on school premises. Now I have to face him with so many inappropriate thoughts dancing around in my head. At this point, I’m scared that he might hear them."How are you feeling?" The tone of his voice comes out nervously, and I can immediately hear the weight of guilt hanging on it.His question quickly reminds me of what transpired earlier and why I'm in here in the first place. Suddenly, the discussion with Kamila becomes a distant memory compared to my most recent trauma.Flashes of my encounter with Ace flood my mind. The way he roughly held me down, forced his lips on mine, and stole my first kiss in the worst way possible. It's not something I can easily forget by simply sleeping it off or focusing my attention elsewhere. I can still feel the impr
ARTEMIS’ POV"You can't possibly do this to me!" she screams, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes, each droplet an arrow to my already-fractured heart.I watch the vibrant spark in her eyes flicker and dim, extinguishing right before me. The sight is a dagger to my soul, a pain I never thought I'd have to endure. Yet I take it, absorbing all the bitterness, the venomous resentment filling her gaze, every conceivable negative emotion she can conjure. I soak it all in, because for whatever it’s worth, I would do everything within my power to keep Sera right by my side – I’d extend our time for an eternity if I could.I'm fully aware that holding her back, tying her down to me, is the exact opposite of what I should do. She's made her desire for distance abundantly clear, her absence during those agonizing days of my recovery tells me that much. The logical part of me knows I should let her go, let this be the ending she clearly seeks. But another part of me rebels at the though
SERAPHINA’S POV"Here you go," Olivia says, handing me a mug filled with what appears to be hot chocolate. This comes just minutes after she's enveloped me in the thickest duvet she could find. She arrived unexpectedly an hour before school ended, her face etched with concern after getting wind of what happened.Initially, I thought Artemis wanted to keep the incident under wraps. But Olivia informs me that it's Jasper who filled her in. Since that revelation, she's been thoroughly focused on making me feel better. Her efforts are not just welcomed, but deeply needed.This feeling of being cared for is a sharp contrast to any conversation I could have with Artemis right now. He undermined my trust by continuing the contract behind my back. So much for his façade of friendship and his supposed sweetness.Genuine friends don’t do that to each other – they don’t play the power card and keep a ‘master and slave’ contract.Yet, the heat from his lips lingers on mine. The sensation impr