Novels by Alex Steel

I'd seen a lot of things at Dominion Academy that I'd had to file away and not react to in public.This was different.The gap in the stone was narrow, but it was enough. Below us, the red-rune corridor stretched in both directions, wider than it had any right to be for a building that wasn't supposed to have this much basement. The doors were heavy and reinforced, each one sealed with the same carved symbol I didn't recognize from any bloodline text I'd studied.And between the doors, moving slow and deliberate along the corridor, were robed figures.Three of them. Hoods up. Pushing gurneys with the careful, unhurried efficiency of people who had done this many times before.The wolves on the gurneys were alive.I could tell from the movement small, involuntary, the kind a body makes when it's fighting restraints it doesn't have the strength to break. They were in human form, most of them. One was caught mid-shift, limbs wrong, joints at angles that should have been agony, wolf par

I threw the note at his chest the moment we got back to our room.He caught it. Looked at me."We have to do something," I said. "That's Lyra's blood on that paper. She knew something about Cain and now she's gone and Soren is standing at a podium calling it a voluntary withdrawal and nobody is doing anything—""We can't go to Soren," Cassian said."I know we can't go to Soren—""Then lower your voice." He set the note on the desk carefully, like it was something that could break. "Cain has been at this academy for six years. He teaches two mandatory electives. He sits on the academic review board." He looked at me. "He and Soren have worked together since before we were students here. If we walk into that office with a blood-smeared note and no proof of anything, Soren buries it in a day and Cain knows we're looking.""Then what do we do?" My voice came out thinner than I wanted it to. "We just — what? Attend classes? Keep our heads down while Lyra is somewhere in that building—""W

Roll call moved alphabetically.I wasn't paying particular attention until the pause."Dune, Lyra."Nothing.Soren's aide checked the list. Called again. "Dune, Lyra."The silence that followed had a specific quality to it. Not the ordinary quiet of someone distracted or late. Something heavier. The kind of quiet that the students around the gap could feel without being told why.I looked sideways down the Solas row to where Val stood.She had gone the color of the stone wall behind her.Her eyes were fixed on Soren's aide. Her mouth was slightly open, like she'd started to say something and forgotten how.I watched her hand come up and press flat against her sternum. Small, controlled movement. Like she was checking that her chest was still working.Soren stepped forward."Lyra Dune has withdrawn for personal pack reasons, effective last night. Her records have been transferred." He moved on to the next name without pause. "Fell, Jace—"Val stepped out of line.Not dramatically. Not

Lyra put her tray down across from us and said, "Good morning. Has anyone told you two that you look like you've been awake since the moon was invented?"Cassian looked up from his coffee."That's not a compliment," I said."It wasn't meant to be." She sat down and stole a piece of bread off my plate without asking. "You both need to eat something that isn't stress. Ronan, back me up."Ronan, arriving two seconds behind her with a full tray, said, "I'm staying out of this. I value my continued existence.""Smart man," Cassian said."I have my moments."Lyra pointed her stolen bread at Cassian. "You smiled. At Ronan. With your actual face.""I didn't smile.""The left side of your mouth moved upward. That's a smile. Val, back me up."I had been staring at him. I looked away. "I didn't see anything.""You were absolutely staring.""I was looking in his general direction.""She was staring," Lyra told Ronan."Noted," Ronan said, and started eating.Cassian's expression had gone back to n

"Her name is Sera Voss," Lyra said. "Alpha. She failed the second phase of the Iron Circle last week. Dropped eight points."We were moving inside, off the field, into the east wing corridor where the lights were low. Lyra kept her voice tight and quiet."I know Sera," I said. "She was planning a rematch challenge. She told three people in Solas.""Her roommate said the same thing." Lyra pulled her jacket close. "She was angry about the ranking drop. She said she wasn't done." She paused. "This morning her bed was made. Her study notes were stacked on her desk. Her shoes were lined up by the door."Val hadn't said anything yet. She was walking slightly behind us, arms crossed, listening."Administration?" I asked."Academic transfer. Immediate. Regional school closer to her pack." Lyra's jaw tightened. "Mid-semester. No goodbye. No message to her roommate. No request to forward her things."I ran the pattern again in my head. Failed trial. Ranking drop. Gone within forty-eight hours.

I shoved my bag down so hard it knocked the chair beside my desk sideways.Cassian looked up from his book. Took one look at my face."What happened?" he asked."Nothing." I picked the chair up. Set it back. "I'm fine.""You knocked over furniture.""It was in my way.""Val.""I said I'm fine."He closed the book. Slowly. Set it down on the desk with the particular patience of someone who had already decided they were going to win this conversation and wasn't in a rush about it."Your jaw does that thing," he said.I touched my jaw before I could stop myself.He didn't say anything. He didn't need to.I sat on the edge of my bed and pressed my palms flat on my knees. Raven's voice was still moving through my head, smooth and precise, finding the exact shape of the thing I'd been afraid of since the forest.Ask yourself what he wants. And what he'll do when he's done wanting it."Raven cornered me in the side corridor," I said. "After Bloodline History.""What did she say?""That boys

I stood at the edge of the park the next night, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. The full moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over everything. Lucas's words from yesterday echoed in my head—I’m not joking, Emma. You’ll see the truth soon enough. Part of me wanted to run home and forget it all, but the pull inside me, that weird tug toward him, kept my feet planted.He appeared from the shadows, his tall frame cutting through the dim light. His gray eyes locked on mine, intense as always. "You came," he said, his voice low and rough.I crossed my arms, trying to hide how nervous I felt. "Yeah. But don't think I'm buying your crazy story yet. Werewolves? Bonds? It's ridiculous."He smirked, just a little, but it didn't reach his eyes. "We'll see." He nodded toward the trees beyond the park. "Come on. The forest is better for this."I hesitated, biting my lip. Curiosity burned in me, mixed with fear. But I followed him anyway, our footsteps crunching on the leaves

I hid in the shadows of the trees, watching Emma stroll through the park near her house. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows over the grass. She looked lost in thought, her brown hair catching the light. That pull hit me hard—the bond tugging at my chest like a rope yanking me forward. I should stay away. After losing my first mate in that attack, and then Julian betraying me for power, getting close to anyone felt like a death sentence. But Emma... she was different. Fated. My wolf growled inside, urging me on.My phone buzzed. Olivia. I answered, keeping my voice low. "What?""Lucas, don't do this," she said, her tone sharp. "I saw you head toward her place after school. You're playing with fire. Remember what happened last time? You can't drag her into our world."I ran a hand through my hair, frustration building. Olivia was my best friend, my packmate, always looking out. But she didn't feel this bond. "I have to, Liv. She's part of it. I can't ignore the pull or stay away

I rushed down the sidewalk toward school, my backpack slapping against my side with every step. Tears stung my eyes from the fight with Marcus, but I blinked them away. His words echoed in my head—selfish, burden, helpless. The house felt like a cage, and school was my only escape today. I just wanted a normal day, no drama, no pressure.Just before I reached the building, I stopped to catch my breath. That's when I saw him. The new transfer student, leaning against the fence. Lucas. Tall, with dark brown hair falling over his forehead and those piercing gray eyes. He looked strong, like he could handle anything, but something about him felt off, too intense, too watchful. My heart skipped. Why was he staring at me?Our eyes locked. Heat crept up my neck. I felt intrigued, pulled toward him, but self-conscious too. I wasn't used to attention. I liked blending in, staying quiet. But he held my gaze, like he saw right through me."Emma!" Rachel's voice cut in from behind. I jumped, s

I sat at the kitchen table, my fingers nervously picking at the edges of a half-eaten sandwich. The bread was dry, the meal thrown together in a hurry before school. My mind raced back to last night. Dad's breakdown, the eviction notice looming like a dark cloud. The house already felt stifling. I glanced at the clock. I was supposed to be ready for the day, get my stuff together for school, but how could I focus? How could I go about anything like everything wasn’t falling apart?I needed to leave soon, but my legs felt heavy, stuck in place by the fear twisting in my gut.The front door banged open. Marcus stormed in, his boots thudding against the floor. His eyes locked on me, blazing with anger. "Emma! What the hell? You didn't even clean up after dinner last night.” He snapped, turning on me before I even had a chance to respond. “Do you even care about anything anymore? The house is falling apart, and you’re just sitting here like it doesn’t matter!”I froze. The words felt l

"Emma, honey. We need to talk.” Dad said as the door to the kitchen swung open. He walked in, his face drawn tight with worry. He looked older than his age, lines deep around his eyes. He rubbed his hands together, like he always did when bad news brewed.My stomach dropped.I was sitting on the creaky couch in our small living room, flipping through an old photo album as dust floated in the air, and the pages stuck a bit from years of neglect. My shift at the café ended late last night, and exhaustion pulled at me. But I couldn't stop looking. These photos were my escape, a reminder that life wasn't always this hard. But with Dad’s news, I didn't know anymore.I closed the album quick, setting it aside. "What's wrong, Dad? Is it the bills again?"He sighed and sat beside me. The couch groaned under his weight. Mom followed from the kitchen, her eyes downcast. She didn't say a word, just stood there twisting a dish towel in her hands.Dad cleared his throat. "Things are worse than I