As I gazed upon the peculiar fruit presented before me, Troy, the gentleman responsible for its arrival, settled beside me. I couldn’t help but question the nature of the fruit before me. “What sort of fruit is this?” I inquired skeptically.“Have you never seen it before?” Troy queried.“Of course not. It looks like a mango, but there can’t possibly be a mango tree by the river,” I retorted.With a heavy sigh, Troy proceeded to open the fruit and offer me a slice. “You know, this fruit is rather delicious, but it has a tendency to spoil quite easily.”“It looks like a melon. Pass it over here,” I demanded, seizing a slice for myself.“Damn, you’re so aggravating,” Troy groaned. Despite his protestations, I could see a hint of amusement in his eyes.With trepidation, I took a bite and found myself frowning at the strange sensation in my mouth. “This is peculiar,” I remarked, setting the fruit down.“You won’t be able to survive on Jake’s fishing alone. The day is growing dark,” Troy m

Julie mumbled something about how we weren’t on the same team during the test, but I didn’t care. Soon, Mom and Jamien walked in with awkward expressions. “Is everything okay?” Mom asked, looking concerned. “Of course not,” I flopped onto the bed. “It seems Lauryn isn’t comfortable with my visit. I’ll leave then,” Julie said, attempting to walk out but was stopped by Mom. She acted like a perfect little angel, but I knew she had ulterior motives. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Anderson. I shouldn’t have come to see Lauryn after our misunderstanding. I should have known she still thinks of me as a criminal,” Julie lied. I rolled my eyes in disgust while Jamien noticed but didn’t say anything, handing me a cup of hot chocolate instead. “At least try the snack I made, Julie Duke,” Mom persuaded her. Julie smiled

My phone buzzed, and I answered without checking the caller ID.“Hello?”A deep, unfamiliar voice greeted me, sending a chill down my spine. “You may have survived today, but I assure you, you won’t be so lucky next time.”I held the phone tightly to my ear, trying to keep my voice steady. “Who are you? How did you get my number?”“It doesn’t matter who I am. Your only task is to be careful because I’ll always be coming for you,” he growled.My heart raced as I realized this wasn’t a prank call. This was a real threat.“Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?” I demanded.But she had already hung up. I was left alone, shaking, and unsure of what to do next.As I tried to compose myself, one of my guards approached me, sensing my distress.“Pardon me, madam. Is there anything amiss?” he inquired with utmost courtesy.I smiled at the guard reassuringly. “Thank you for your concern, but everything is fine. We just need to head back home now.”I walked gracefully towards the wai

My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself in a neatly organized room. The throbbing pain in my hand was unbearable, and I winced as I looked down to see a red liquid being injected into it. I tried to move, but my body felt heavy, and my mind was still groggy from whatever sedative they had given me. Panic began to set in as I tried to recall what had happened.“Easy there, Lauryn. You’re safe now,” a familiar voice spoke softly, and I turned my head to see Alpha Matthew sitting beside me. Relief washed over me as I remembered his presence, but confusion replaced it.“What happened?” I asked, my voice hoarse and weak.“The monster attacked us, but we managed to drive it away. You were injured, and we had to bring you here for medical attention,” he explained, his eyes never leaving mine.I tried to sit up, but the pain in my hand shot through my entire body. Tears stung my eyes as I struggled to keep myself from crying out. Alpha Matthew reached out and gently placed his hand on my s

I kicked a rock by the edge of the lake in frustration, still dressed in clothes stained with blood.“You’re still reeling from Alpha Hughes’ departure?” Mark’s voice came from behind me.I clasped my hands tightly together. “I’m reeling from seeing an innocent life wasted before my very eyes.”“Randy inherited Alpha Hughes’ selfishness,” Mark whispered in his distinct voice.I turned to face him. “This is an odd emotion, Mark.”“You’re a woman, perhaps that’s why you’re so emotional when Randy killed an innocent child. He’s really like Alpha Hughes, willing to do anything to get what he wants,” Mark murmured.“Well, he’s a scoundrel who Grandpa never taught anything good,” I nodded resignedly. I took a deep breath and looked at Mark.“Alpha Matthew is waiting for you, it seems like he wants to talk about something important,” Mark said.“I know,” I nodded.As I walked towards the gazebo where Alpha Matthew was waiting for me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was about