PatriciaAs soon as Dior has left me, I hurry after him. I have to swim through a herd of drunk teenagers. A talkative guy shoves an elbow into my shoulder, and I respond by pushing him out of the way. He mumbles a swear word, but I don't stop to hear him out.I'm moving fast, eyeing the clock on the wall while music is blasting all around me. Dior will turn eighteen in ten minutes, and I speed up my pace, desperate to find the man himself.It's easier said than done. My old pack members appear to have made it their sole purpose to shout out to another. They high-five and block my way, forcing me to groan inaudibly. Somehow, I slip past them while laughter bounces off the walls.A few girls from my schools are eyeing me as I pass them, looking at me as if I don't belong here. I hear them whisper to one another, questioning who the hell invited me here. It takes a lot of strength to push their menacing voices out through my ears and instead focus on Dior's

Older Dior The colors of the flowers growing outside always seem brighter after the rain has fallen. My garden is the only place that gives me a sanctuary. Here I can breathe without being judged for existing, but unfortunately, an uninvited guest has arrived. "You weren't supposed to save her, Dior! Patricia shouldn't exist! You've created a new timeline, one we don't know the future of, and it could prove disastrous!" With the left side of my lip quirked up, I turn around in my rocking chair to face Alice, the fiery one from my dimension. Her breaths are heavy, eyes so intense and angry I imagine her playing out the scenario of killing me herself. Of course, she isn't powerful enough to do so. No one is. I'm a monster. "Please, our world isn't one worth fighting for, love, not in my opinion," I tell her calmly, lifting my coffee cup to my lips. My eyes then travel to the flowers surrounding us. They are beautiful enough to re

Alice I stare at the floor with tears gathering in the corner of my eyes. My heart is an open wound, bleeding as I walk past groups of people at Dior's birthday party. I meet eyes with no one, too caught in my inner pain to see further than my nose. A zombie snake, one of those shadow creatures, came in through the window minutes ago. I should have helped the Winterbite pack take it down, but I didn't because my mind was elsewhere. Even now, I can't focus. William rejected me, and the loss I'm experiencing right now is truly unbearable. I have to make it outside. My steps are shaky, forcing me to lean against the wall with my palm pressing against it as I try to breathe. I'm so dizzy, but some fresh air would help. I keep walking with a headache ringing in my ears. The world is suddenly spinning so fast, and while I can see faces and recognize people at this party, their voices are quiet, as if they are too far away. With sheer force,

Patricia Coffee fills my mouth, and I smile at the strong taste—caffeine is a girl's best friend. Who cares about dogs and diamonds when the sense of being wired hits your brain?  Without the black, addictive liquid, I would die. Tiffany lifts her eyes into mine. "So, tell me about everything that has happened in town while we were gone." I inhale the scent of coffee. "Nothing much has happened." "Nonsense!" Tiffany laughs. "Tell me about your school—do you like it there? Have you made any new friends? Is Dior still a pain in the ass, or has he laid off your back?" I look around while thinking of what to answer first.  I'm sitting inside a café together with Tiffany and her twin brother Rohan. Both of them have barely even touched their drinks, and honestly, they are acting weird.  Tiffany is oddly bubbly and overly excited while her brother inspects the place as if he believes something to jump out from

WilliamBlood trickles down from my chin when I roll my head to the side, glancing down at June. The giggling vampire hybrid reaches out her hand, taking some of the red liquid on her fingertip to put it into her mouth as she sucks it clean."You taste delicious."I don't reply."Too bad you're a traitor, William." June circles the room and picks up a whip. Her lips art to reveal sharp teeth in a deranged smile. "Not only do I have to get stronger to kill Patricia—I also have to deal with that witch from your dreams."I'm still silent, barely even breathing as I hang on the wall. We are down in the basement, and my entire body is burning. June has been hurting me since morning. She entered my dreams and found out about Alice's existence, and now she is making sure I will remember my master's name and that I can't have a happy ending.Honestly, I'm glad I'm the one taking this punishment instead of Alice. Her eyes, so bright and lively,