Novels by Sandra Morgan

DERICK'S POVEvery time I closed my eyes, I saw that silhouette on the rooftop, phone raised, watching Ciel like prey. The blackmailer wasn't hiding behind screens anymore. They were here. On campus. Close enough to touch.At six in the morning, I pounded on Leo's door. He opened it looking like he hadn't slept either."Ciel's on his way," I said, pushing past him. "Tell me you found something."Leo rubbed his eyes and gestured to his laptop, which was surrounded by empty coffee cups. "I've been working all night. The metadata on the video is clean. Whoever recorded it knew what they were doing.""So we have nothing?""I didn't say that." He sat down and pulled up a window filled with code. "The messages were sent through a burner phone, but that phone connected to the campus Wi-Fi. Specifically, the east wing router.""The hockey dorms.""Exactly. And here's where it gets interesting." He clicked on a log file. "The phone pinged the network at 2:47 AM last night. At the exact same ti

DERICK'S POVCiel stood in my doorway, his face white as the ice we skated on. His phone trembled in his hand. I didn't need to ask what he'd seen. I already knew."They sent you the video," I said.He nodded, stepping inside. The door clicked shut behind him. His eyes swept across my room, the shattered phone on the floor, the glass from the wine glass still glittering near the wall. He looked at me like he wasn't sure if I was a victim or the cause of all this."They said twenty-four hours." His voice was hoarse. "Then they send it to my mother. My sponsors. Everyone.""I got the same message." I picked up my broken phone, its screen a spiderweb of cracks. "Tick-tock, lovers."He flinched at the word. Lovers. We weren't lovers. We were something much more complicated."This is your fault." He didn't yell. He said it quietly, which was worse. "If you hadn't staged that ridiculous confession at the party, if you hadn't screamed that word at me, nobody would have started watching us."

DERICK'S POV I didn't sleep.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face. That flicker of pain before the ice returned. The way his hands trembled when he walked away. The sound of my own voice screaming that word into the crowd.Disease.I'd called him a disease.And the worst part? I still wasn't sure if I was lying.The sun crept through my window like a guilty witness. Pale. Accusing. I'd spent the night on the bathroom floor, surrounded by shattered glass from my phone, replaying every second of the party on a loop.My heart hadn't stopped pounding since I touched his wrist.I was still on the floor when my door slammed open."Get up."Leo. My best friend. The only person on this campus who actually gave a damn about me."Go away.""Get. Up." He grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet. His eyes went wide when he saw my face. "Jesus, Derick. You look like death. What the hell happened last night?"I told him. Everything. The roses. The confession. The way Ciel saw through it all. T

DERICK'S POVThe party was suffocating.Gold balloons bobbed against the ceiling. Music thumped through my chest like a second heartbeat. Bodies pressed together on the makeshift dance floor, drunk and careless and absolutely oblivious to the war I was about to start.I hated every single one of them.But I needed them. All of them. Their phones. Their whispers. Their hungry eyes that would devour the scene I was about to create.Tonight was the night.I'd spent seventy-two hours laying the groundwork. Casual touches during practice. Lingering stares. That moment when I'd "accidentally" brushed my fingers against his when handing him a water bottle. I'd watched his walls crumble, brick by brick. I'd seen the confusion flicker behind those gray eyes.He was starting to believe me.And tonight? Tonight I'd make him fall.Then I'd break him.I spotted him in the corner. Alone. Pressed against the wall like he was trying to disappear into it. His silver hair caught the strobe lights, shim

DERICK’S POVI arrived at Blackwood Academy like I owned the place.Because technically? My father's money had built half of it. The east wing. The new dormitories. The state-of-the-art ice maintenance system that kept the rink frozen year-round. Every brick, every beam, every goddamn lightbulb had Blackwood stamped on it somewhere.So when my Porsche slid into the reserved parking spot, the one with my name already on it, I didn't feel like a new student.I felt like a king returning to his throne."Mr. Blackwood." The director met me at the entrance, sweating through his cheap suit. "Welcome. Welcome. We're so honored to have you—""Save it." I tossed him my keys. "Park it. Don't scratch it. And point me to the rink."He pointed. I walked.The main arena was cavernous. Cold. Smelled like frozen water and desperation. A few skaters dotted the ice, practicing their spins and jumps. Amateurs. None of them mattered.I scanned the crowd.There. Center ice. Silver-blonde hair catching the

CIEL'S POVFLASHBACK I was ten years old when my father left.I remembered the cold more than his face. The way the winter wind bit through my thin jacket. The way my fingers went numb around the skate lace I'd been trying to tie for fifteen minutes."Like this, mon petit." His voice was soft. Tired. He knelt beside me on the frozen pond and looped the lace with practiced ease. "You pull. Then you loop. Then you pull again. See?"I nodded, sniffling. "Papa, when will Mama come watch?"He paused. His hands stilled on my skate. For a long moment, he just stared at the ice beneath us."She won't, Ciel." His voice cracked. "She's... she's busy. But that's okay. You don't need her. You have me."I smiled up at him. He smiled back, but his eyes were wet.Then he stood up. He brushed the snow off his jeans. He looked at me like he was memorizing my face."I have to go now.""Go where?" I grabbed his sleeve. "Papa, we haven't even skated yet. You promised. You promised we'd practice the spin

NoahDie Welt drehte sich.Ich versuchte aufzustehen, einen Schritt auf Adrian zuzugehen, doch meine Beine versagten. Die Erschöpfung, die sich stundenlang aufgestaut hatte, überwältigte mich schließlich, und ich spürte, wie ich fiel. Der kalte Steinboden raste auf mich zu, doch bevor ich aufprallen konnte, fingen mich starke Arme auf.Adrian war da, sein Körper an meinen gepresst, seine Arme um mich geschlungen. Er ließ uns beide zu Boden gleiten und wiegte mich an seine Brust, als wäre ich etwas Kostbares, etwas, das es zu beschützen galt. Sein Herz hämmerte schnell und verzweifelt gegen meinen Rücken.„Noah.“ Seine Stimme war rau und gebrochen. „Noah, bleib bei mir. Bitte, bleib bei mir.“Ich versuchte zu sprechen, aber es kam kein Wort heraus. Mein Hals war rau, meine Stimme versagte. Ich streckte die Hand nach ihm aus, meine Hand zitterte, und berührte sein Gesicht. Seine Haut war von Tränen benetzt.„Ich bin hier“, brachte ich mit kaum hörbarer Stimme hervor. „Ich gehe nirgendwo

NoahEs herrschte Stille im Raum.Ich lag auf dem kalten Steinboden, mein Körper zitterte, mein Atem ging flach. Das silberne Licht war vollständig erloschen und hatte mich in Dunkelheit zurückgelassen. Die Kraft, die mich durchströmt hatte, war verschwunden, völlig erschöpft. Ich fühlte mich hohl, leer, wie ein Gefäß, das ausgegossen worden war.Doch der Fluch war gebrochen.Ich konnte es in der Luft spüren, im Stein unter mir, in meinen eigenen Knochen. Die Dunkelheit, die diesen Ort seit Generationen heimgesucht hatte, war verschwunden. Die Ketten, die Adrians Blutlinie gefesselt hatten, waren zerbrochen.Ich versuchte, mich aufzusetzen, aber mein Körper gehorchte mir nicht. Meine Glieder waren schwer und kraftlos. Jeder Muskel schrie vor Erschöpfung. Die Wärme in mir verblasste und flackerte wie eine erlöschende Glut.„Noah!“ Adrian stand neben mir, sein Gesicht vor Angst kreidebleich. „Noah, bleib bei mir!“Ich versuchte zu sprechen, aber es kamen keine Worte heraus. Mein Hals wa

NoahDie Dunkelheit war allgegenwärtig.Ich schwebte darin, schwerelos und kalt, unfähig mich zu bewegen, unfähig zu sprechen. Die Wärme in mir verblasste, flackerte wie eine Kerze im Wind. Ich spürte die Anwesenheit meines Kindes, schwach, aber stetig, einen winzigen Funken Leben in der endlosen Leere.Doch der Fluch war immer noch da.Ich spürte, wie es sich um mich wand, dunkel und hungrig, und auf den richtigen Moment zum Zuschlagen wartete. Es war verwundet, geschwächt, aber nicht vernichtet. Es wartete ab und sammelte seine Kräfte.Sie warten darauf, dass ich unachtsam werde."Nicht heute", flüsterte ich. "Niemals."Ich suchte tief in mir nach der Kraft, die ich zuvor gespürt hatte. Nach dem silbernen Licht, das mich während des Rituals durchströmt hatte. Nach der Stärke, die die Ketten zerschmettert und den Altar zerstört hatte.Es war noch da. Schwach, aber vorhanden. Wartend.Ich packte es und zog.Die Macht entlud sich in mir, hell und blendend. Silbernes Licht erfüllte die

NoahDas silberne Licht verblasste, und es wurde still im Raum.Ich lag auf dem kalten Steinboden, rang nach Luft, mein Körper zitterte vor Erschöpfung. Die Kraft, die mich durchströmt hatte, war verschwunden, völlig ausgelaugt. Ich fühlte mich hohl, leer, wie ein Gefäß, das ausgegossen worden war. Jeder Muskel in meinem Körper schrie vor Schmerz. Mein Kopf dröhnte, meine Sicht verschwamm. Die Wärme, die mir mein Kind geschenkt hatte, war noch da, aber sie war schwach, wie eine erlöschende Glut.Aber ich lebte.Und der Fluch war gebrochen.Ich spürte Adrians Arme um mich, die mich vom Boden hochhoben. Sein Gesicht war blass, seine Augen voller Tränen. Er sprach, aber ich konnte ihn nicht verstehen. Das Klingeln in meinen Ohren war zu laut und übertönte alles andere. Ich versuchte, mich auf seine Lippen zu konzentrieren, aber sie bewegten sich zu schnell."Noah! Noah, kannst du mich hören?"Ich blinzelte, um meine Sicht zu klären. „Ich … ich glaube schon.“Adrians Gesichtsausdruck verz

NoahDie Wärme in mir war nun gleichmäßig, pulsierte sanft mit jedem Herzschlag. Die Kraft meines Kindes hatte mich beschützt, die Dunkelheit zurückgedrängt und mir eine weitere Chance geschenkt. Doch tief in meinem Inneren wusste ich, dass dies noch nicht vorbei war.Der Fluch war verwundet, geschwächt, aber nicht vernichtet.Ich richtete mich langsam auf, mein Körper schmerzte. Adrian und Elias standen neben mir, ihre Gesichter vor Sorge blass. Die Pferde waren zurückgekehrt und warteten geduldig in der Nähe. Die Nachtluft war kalt auf meiner Haut, aber ich spürte es kaum.„Noah.“ Adrians Stimme war rau. „Wir müssen dich hier rausholen. Zurück nach Silvercrest. Elena kann –“„Nein.“ Ich schüttelte den Kopf. „Ich muss es noch fertigstellen.“Adrians Augen weiteten sich. „Was?“„Das Ritual. Ich muss den Fluch endgültig brechen.“ Ich rappelte mich auf und schwankte leicht. „Er ist immer noch da. Ich kann ihn spüren. Verwundet, aber lebendig. Wenn ich das jetzt nicht beende, kommt er zu

NoahDie Wärme in mir schwand.Ich spürte es zuerst als kalten Schauer, der mir den Rücken hinaufkroch und sich wie Eiswasser in meiner Brust ausbreitete. Mein Pferd stolperte unter mir, und ich packte die Zügel und kämpfte darum, nicht umzufallen.„Noah?“, fragte Adrian mit besorgter Stimme. „Was ist los?“Ich öffnete den Mund, um zu antworten, doch kein Wort kam heraus. Die Kälte breitete sich nun schneller aus und erfasste meine Arme, meine Beine, mein Herz. Ich spürte, wie das silberne Licht in mir flackerte, schwächer wurde, erlosch.Der Fluch.Es war nicht verschwunden. Es wehrte sich.Ich rutschte vom Pferd und stürzte zu Boden. Die Kälte war nun allgegenwärtig, erdrückend, alles verschlingend. Ich hörte Adrian meinen Namen rufen, spürte seine Hände auf meinen Schultern, aber ich konnte nicht antworten. Die Dunkelheit zog mich wieder hinab."Noah! Bleib bei mir!"Ich spürte, wie der Fluch mich durchströmte, dunkel und gierig. Er versuchte, mich zu verschlingen, mich zurück in d

NoahThe morning sun was warm on my face as we rode through the forest.I sat in front of Adrian on his horse, his arms wrapped around me, holding me steady. The rhythm of the horse's gait was soothing, a gentle sway that made me want to close my eyes and drift off. The leather of the saddle was warm beneath me, and the sound of the horse's hooves against the earth was like a lullaby.But I didn't sleep. I wanted to see everything. The trees, the sky, the flowers blooming along the path. Everything looked different now. Brighter. Clearer. More alive. The colors were more vivid, the sounds more distinct. I could hear the birds singing in the trees, the wind rustling through the leaves, the distant rush of a stream somewhere ahead.The curse was broken. The darkness was gone. And for the first time in my life, I felt truly free.Adrian pressed a kiss to my hair. "Are you comfortable?"I nodded, leaning back against him. "I'm perfect."He tightened his arms around me. "Good. We have a lo

NoahThe garden was quiet after Elias left.I stood there, frozen, my hand still raised from where he had squeezed it. The warmth of his touch lingered on my skin, a reminder of everything he had just said. His words echoed in my mind, each one carrying the weight of years of longing and regret.I love you.I'm letting you go.I'm stepping back.I had known, on some level, that Elias loved me. He had shown it in a thousand small ways, even when he was hurting me. The way he looked at me, the way he protected me, the way he fought for me even when he knew he had already lost. But hearing him say it out loud, hearing him admit that he was stepping back, it hit me harder than I had expected.I sank onto the stone bench, my legs suddenly weak. The flowers swayed gently in the breeze, their colors bright and cheerful. But inside me, a storm was raging.I had spent so long being fought over. Being claimed. Being possessed. And now, finally, someone was letting me go. It should have felt lik

EliasI found him in the garden.He was sitting on a stone bench, his hand pressed against his stomach, staring at the flowers. The morning light was soft on his face, making him look almost ethereal. The silver glow that had appeared after the ritual was still there, faint but present, humming beneath his skin.He looked peaceful. Content.And it broke my heart.I had been watching him from a distance for days. Watching him heal. Watching him grow stronger. Watching him smile at Adrian in a way he had never smiled at me.I had told myself I was okay with it. I had told myself I could let him go. I had told myself that his happiness was more important than my own.But standing there, watching him, I realized how much it hurt.I took a deep breath and walked toward him. He looked up when he heard my footsteps, his eyes widening with surprise."Elias." His voice was soft, hesitant. "I didn't expect to see you here.""I know." I sat down beside him, keeping a careful distance. "I needed

NoahThe morning light filtered through the curtains, soft and golden.I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands folded in my lap, staring at the floor. The warmth of Adrian's body was still imprinted on my skin, the memory of his arms around me still fresh. But my mind was far away, lost in a sea of confusion and uncertainty.Adrian sat beside me, his hand resting on my knee. He was watching me, waiting, his eyes filled with hope and fear. I could feel the tension radiating off him, the desperate need to know what I was thinking, what I was feeling."Noah," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I need to ask you something."I looked up at him, my heart pounding. "What is it?"He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for the answer. "What do you want?"The question hung in the air between us, heavy and loaded with meaning. It was such a simple question, but it carried the weight of everything we had been through. Every moment of pain, every moment of fear, every moment

NoahI woke to warmth.It surrounded me, enveloped me, pressed against every part of my body. It took me a moment to realize what it was. Arms. Strong arms wrapped around me, holding me close. A chest pressed against my back. A heartbeat, slow and steady, beneath my ear.Adrian.I opened my eyes slowly, blinking against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The room was unfamiliar, but it was warm and comfortable. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows across the walls. The bed was soft beneath me, the blankets thick and warm.I was safe.I shifted slightly, and Adrian's arms tightened around me instinctively."Don't move," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep. "You need to rest."I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through my chest that had nothing to do with the fire. "I've been resting for hours.""Not long enough." He pressed a kiss to my hair. "You nearly died. You need to recover."I turned in his arms, facing him. His eyes were still closed, hi

LucasThe forest was dark and cold.I had been running for hours, my lungs burning, my legs aching. The branches tore at my clothes, the roots threatened to trip me. But I couldn't stop. I couldn't slow down. Every second I paused was a second closer to capture.They were coming for me.I had heard the shouts in the distance, the baying of the hounds. Adrian's wolves were hunting me, tracking me through the forest like the animal I had become. Their howls echoed through the trees, growing closer with each passing moment.I had been so careful. I had planned everything so perfectly. I had helped Clara, manipulated the Alphas, positioned myself for power. And then it had all crumbled like sand through my fingers.The curse was broken. Clara was captured. Noah had survived. And I was alone.I stumbled over a root, crashing to the ground. The impact knocked the breath from my lungs, and I lay there, gasping, feeling the cold earth beneath my face. The smell of damp soil and rotting leaves