Novels by InkGoddess Nyla

Hailey.The press box feels colder and too quiet now. I heave a shaky breath and stare at the typewriter keys, but I can't force myself to type any word.My father's voice keeps echoing in my head.Some stories aren't meant to be dug up.What did he mean by that? And why did it sound like he meant me?The door opens slowly behind me. I freeze in my chair, every hair on my arm standing straight.“Dad?” I call out, my voice barely above a whisper.There's no response. Silence.I whirl around so fast, but the press box is empty. My pulse thrashes in my ears, and suddenly, I'm hyperaware of the glass windows overlooking the rink.Outside, the ice sparkles under the light from the arena, but the shadows around the arena feel wrong. Like something is moving.I shake my head frantically. “Get it together, Hailey,” I whisper to myself.Suddenly, I hear it. Footsteps. Heavy and deliberate, echoing below the press box.I rush to the window, pressing my palms against the cold glass. The rink loo

Hailey.Rhys's light brown eyes glint in the morning sun. Ordinary and human, but all I see is red.I swallow hard, my chest rising and falling as I take a few steps back.Why the hell is he here?Is he following me?“Good morning,” I say sharply, my eyes narrowing on him.He leans against the entrance to the hallway, his arms folded over his chest. His white shirt clings to his broad shoulders and his wavy brown hair falls all over his face as if he'd just stepped out of the shower.A cocky smirk tugs at his lips and the knot in my chest tightens.“Slept well?” he asks as though he knows I didn't close my eyes all through the night.As if last night never happened.But I remember the glow. The way his eyes feel unnatural. Every memory of last night is etched into my brain.“You're early,” I manage to say, a forced smile stretching on my lips.Hockey players don't come to school early. They don't even come anywhere close to the library.He tilts his head to the side slightly, a grin c

Hailey.I bolt down the corridor towards the exit, my legs moving faster than my brain.My heart pounds heavily in my chest. My breath comes out in ragged gasps, but I don't stop. I can't.Not when I've just seen something strange in Rhys's eyes. His light brown eyes practically glow red. Or am I beginning to see things now?The moment I get to my room, I push the door open with more force than necessary.Maya, my roommate, jumps out of bed. Her palms clutch her chest as if trying to stop her heart from pounding.“Jeez, Hailey,” she says, fear widening her eyes. “You almost got me killed,” she says, sighing in relief as she looks behind me and sees no one.“I'm not being chased,” I shrug, acting like I almost collapsed from fear a few minutes ago.“But you ran in like you were being chased by the grim reaper,” she yells, her face scrunching up.“I'm sorry,” I mutter, biting my lower lip as I stare at the walls of the room.My eyes land back on Maya and she rolls her eyes. She sighs ag

Rhys.I can feel someone's gaze on me as I skate across the ice. I pass the puck hard into the opponent’s net, my breath turning to vapor in the cold.Goal!The crowd roars and chants my name like a demigod. The sound barely reaches my ears, as my eyes are fixed on her—Hailey. She lowers her eyes when our gazes meet, and a dull ache tugs in my chest.What the hell is that?The coach barks out some orders to us after the game ends. My eyes remain on her for some damn reason I can't fathom.My wolf keeps growling in my head, demanding to break free. I can't let that happen. Not in the midst of humans who think that I am human too.To them, I am the golden boy, a wonder kid chasing an NHL dream. But behind closed doors, I am something else—a creature that would probably scare every human here off.As Hailey leaves the ice, I follow behind her. She doesn't notice what I am doing. And I don't mean to stalk her. I just want to confirm whatever that is that I felt earlier.“Hey, Hailey!” I c

Hailey.The rink is freezing, but I've gotten used to it. The soft tapping of my typewriter echoes through the noise from the hockey fans at the arena. It’s another night, another hockey game, another column I’ll rewrite three or more times before it passes my father’s inspection.A soft sigh slips from my lips as my fingers move fast on the typewriter. The hockey players from Southside College are playing against a team from a rival school. My job is simple: record the stats, edit the sports column for the school newspaper and try not to fall asleep when the puck is being slammed into the opponent’s net.I tilt my head up slowly and my eyes lock on someone with broad shoulders and wavy brown hair that stands out among the other players. My heart surprisingly skips a beat as I suddenly recognize who it is.“Hailey! Are you watching the plays, or are you dealing with something out of the box up there?” A familiar voice yells from the bench.I do not bother glancing down. I know that vo

Carson.I shoved the maid out of the chamber, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the walls. My claws itched to tear her throat out, but the only thing that kept me from it was Maeve’s trembling behind me.Her voice cracked through the silence. “Carson… what if she is not lying?”I turned fast, my heart tearing at the look in her eyes. Silver bright, wet with tears, filled with fear not of the maid, not of the prophecy, but of me.I crossed the room, dropping to my knees in front of her, grabbing her hands in mine. “Maeve, listen to me. She was sent to destroy us. Her words were poison. Do not let them root in you.”Her lips trembled. “But what if she is right? What if I do not carry your child?”The bond cracked inside me, hot and violent, but I forced my voice steady. “Then I will love you anyway. I will love this child anyway. I do not need proof of blood to claim you. You are mine, Maeve. Nothing changes that.”She broke then, sobbing into my chest, clutching me as if she woul

Maeve.The door shut behind her, and the silence left behind was louder than any fight we had faced. My body trembled, my claws still half out, my heart racing with anger and fear.Carson’s arms came around me at once, pulling me against his chest, his voice low and desperate. “Maeve, do not let this break us. Please.”I buried my face against him, my tears hot. “She carries what should have been mine alone. How do I forget that?”He tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes, golden and burning with pain. “You do not have to forget. You just have to believe me when I say it was never her. It was always you. Even when I was blind, even when I failed, it was you in my heart. Always you.”His words cracked something in me. My claws slid back, my hands gripping his shirt, clinging to him. “I want to believe you. I do. But when I look at her, I see what you touched. I see what she carries. And I feel less.”Carson’s face twisted, his forehead pressing to mine. “Then let me remind you.

Carson.When the power burst from her, I thought I had lost her. One moment Maeve’s body shook with silver light, her eyes burning like the moon itself, the next she stood in the center of shattered stone and broken wolves, her chest heaving, her hands trembling, her tears shining silver.And yet she was still mine.“Maeve,” I whispered, rushing to her, my arms catching her before she fell. Her body sagged against me, weak but warm, her breath shallow.“Carson,” she murmured, her voice hoarse. “Did I hurt you?”“No,” I said fiercely, pressing my forehead to hers. “You saved me. You saved all of us.”Her lips trembled, her tears spilling. “Then why do I feel like I am losing everything?”I carried her out of the wreckage, ignoring Kael’s wolves, ignoring Rivan’s laughter, ignoring Draven’s burning stare. Nothing mattered but her. I took her to our chambers, laying her gently on the bed, my hands shaking as I brushed the hair from her face.“You need rest,” I said softly. “You cannot bu

Maeve.When my eyes opened, all I saw was blood. My own across the floor, Carson’s across his arms, and Rivan’s pooling in thick dark rivers near the shattered wall. My body shook, weak and aching, the wound in my side throbbing, but I was alive.Carson was kneeling beside me, his claws still wet, his chest heaving, his face pale with horror.“Maeve,” he whispered, his hands trembling as he cupped my face. “I thought I lost you. Tell me you are still here.”I caught his wrist with weak fingers, forcing a small smile even through the pain. “Still here. Still breathing. You cannot get rid of me that easily.”He laughed once, but it broke into a sob, his forehead pressing to mine. “You should not have thrown yourself between us. I could have— I almost—”“You didn’t,” I whispered back. “That is what matters.”Behind us, a cough wet with blood echoed. Rivan dragged himself up against the wall, his eyes still burning pale even through the gashes across his chest. He was smiling, blood strea

Carson.Blood sprayed hot across my claws, the scent sharp, burning through the air. For one sick heartbeat I thought it was Maeve’s, that I had done the one thing I swore never to do.But when the haze cleared I saw Rivan stagger back, his throat torn but not destroyed, blood pouring down his chest. He laughed even as it spilled, his voice rough. “Good. Let her see what you are.”Maeve sobbed behind me, her hand reaching weakly, her body broken on the floor. The sound of her tears cut deeper than any claw.“I am not a monster,” I snarled, advancing, claws dripping.Rivan wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes burning pale. “Then prove it. Spare me. But you cannot, can you? The curse eats you alive. She will never love you when she sees what you really are.”I lunged, the curse tearing at my skin, veins burning black, my wolf howling in my chest. My claws slashed again and again, each strike tearing flesh, stone, air. Rivan blocked, countered, blood flying with every clash, but stil

Maeve.Pain was the first thing I felt. White hot, sharp, burning deep in my side. I gasped, my knees giving out, and the world tilted until Carson’s arms caught me, strong but trembling.“Maeve, no, stay with me,” his voice was broken, raw with fear. His hands pressed hard against the wound, blood rushing hot through his fingers.I clawed at his arm, my breath shallow. “I am here,” I whispered, even as my body weakened.His face was pale, his eyes wild. “You should not have taken that blow. It was meant for me. It should have been me.”I forced a weak smile through the pain. “Then who would save me from myself?”Tears filled his eyes as he pressed his forehead to mine. “I cannot lose you. Do you hear me? I will not lose you.”Behind us Rivan laughed, low and cruel. “So tragic. The mighty Alpha brought to his knees, holding his broken mate. You cannot protect her, Carson. She bleeds because of you.”Carson snarled, his claws flashing, but I caught his face with my trembling hand. “Loo