MasukCalebThe energy in the underground ring shifts the second June’s name is written onto the board.Or Phoenix.The shabby guy at the table raises his voice loudly enough for the nearby crowd to hear.“Phoenix versus Carter!”A mixture of reactions immediately spreads through the room.Some people recognize the name.Others don’t.A few men near the ring look June over before laughing openly.“No way that’s Phoenix.”“That girl?”“She’s gonna get flattened.”June does not react to any of it.She simply hands me her bag.Her expression stays completely blank, cold enough that it almost feels detached from everything around her.But through the bond, I feel her.Focused.Sharp.Anticipating the fight already.I take the bag from her while watching her move toward the ring.And unlike every protective instinct I probably should be having right now, my wolf is practically excited.Because we know she can fight.We want to see it.June climbs into the ring without fanfare while the crowd con
CalebWe leave the apartment building behind after a while, but the image of it stays stuck in my head.Even as I drive through town with June beside me pointing out random streets and shortcuts she used to take, part of me still keeps circling back to those cracked walls and rusted railings.To the realization that she survived there alone.June shifts slightly in her seat and points toward an intersection ahead.“You can turn right here,” she says. “It’ll take us back toward the main street.”I nod once and follow the road.For a few minutes neither of us says much.The silence is comfortable though.With June, silence rarely feels empty.Then an idea occurs to me.I glance toward her briefly before speaking.“Show me your favorite place to eat.”Her brows lift slightly.“To eat?”“Yeah.” I shrug one shoulder. “Your favorite restaurant. Café. Kiosk. Food Cart."She looks out the window again for a second before shaking her head lightly.“I don’t really have one.”I glance toward her
CalebThe drive into town is quieter than I expected.Not uncomfortable.Just calm.June sits beside me with one arm resting near the open window while warm air slips through the car. Every now and then she points something out casually, usually with a short explanation before falling quiet again.She looks more relaxed today.Not completely. June never fully lets her guard down that easily.But lighter.I can feel it through the bond between us every time she glances out the window instead of sitting trapped inside her own thoughts about training.I rest one hand loosely against the steering wheel while looking toward her briefly.“You’re thinking too hard again,” I tell her.Her eyes shift toward me immediately.“You can feel that?”“Yes.”“That bond thing is invasive.”I smirk slightly.“You like me being obsessed with you.”“I tolerate it.”I huff out a quiet laugh as the town finally comes into view ahead of us.The faded welcome sign passes by first, worn from years of weather a
Caleb Jake’s place smells like coffee and chicken pasta that Anastasia might have cooked earlier before leaving. I lean back against the couch with a beer in my hand while Jake sits across from me at the small kitchen counter, wiping it clean before cleaning his hands. “So,” he says, looking at me properly now. “How’s June doing with the wolf training?” I exhale slowly through my nose. Not great. Jake reads the answer on my face immediately. “That bad?” I shake my head and stare down at the bottle in my hand for a second before answering. “She’s trying hard. Really hard.” A faint frown pulls at my mouth. “That’s the problem.” Jake stays quiet while I continue. “I can see how much effort she’s putting into it, but every failed attempt keeps getting into her head.” I rub a hand across my jaw tiredly. “She thinks because everyone else here can call their wolf easily, there’s something wrong with her.” I clench my jaw, hating seeing how disappointed she looks. “Which is bulls
JuneSilence.Nothing but silence.I squeeze my eyes shut harder, frustration twisting tighter inside my chest while sweat slides down the back of my neck. My breathing comes heavier now, not from physical exhaustion but from pure irritation.“Come on,” I whisper internally. “Please.”Nothing answers me.Not even a flicker.The training field feels strangely too quiet despite the distant sounds of protectors sparring farther away. Dust clings to my skin from where I have been sitting cross-legged in the grass for nearly an hour trying to do the one thing Caleb keeps telling me should become easier with time.Calling my wolf.Except apparently my wolf enjoys humiliating me.Because ever since she started speaking inside my head nonstop, she suddenly disappears the moment I actually need her.I try again.I reach inward the way Caleb taught me. Toward the bond. Toward the warmth I know exists inside me. Toward the place where I felt her so strongly the night he marked me.Still nothing.
JuneThe mark on my neck still feels warm.Every time I touch it, heat spreads through me all over again, followed immediately by the bond wrapping around my chest like something protective and impossibly comforting. Even now, hours later, I can still feel Caleb through it. His emotions brush against mine in quiet waves. Possessiveness. Relief. Affection.Mine.My wolf practically purrs every time that thought crosses Caleb's mind.The problem is that I still have not marked him back.And the longer that fact hangs between us, the more anxious I become.Not because I do not want to.God, I want to.That is the problem.My fingers brush lightly over the mark on my neck again, while my stomach twists itself into knots.Caleb trusts me completely.He keeps acting like there is nothing to worry about, like I am incapable of hurting him, but he does not understand what my wolf is capable of when she loses control. I do. I have seen the damage she can do.And I cannot risk that with him.No
AlexeiMorning light slips through the window and making me realize I didn't draw the curtains last night, it bathes the entire room in soft light. I blink my eyes open, not really wanting to, because for once… I feel rested.Irene is still in my arms.She’s tucked against me like she belongs there
AlexeiI take a step toward the door, ready to head out, but something holds me back. I glance over my shoulder and find her still standing there. She hasn’t moved.I turn around fully, eyes falling on her hands. They’re clasped tightly in front of her, fingers wound together like she’s holding her
IreneThe more he kisses me, the more I feel this strange mix of freedom and power wrapping around me, tying me to him in ways I can’t explain. Every nerve in my body feels like it’s catching fire. His lips stay on mine even when he twists me around, pulling me flush against him by my hips. Then his
IreneI slip into a sleeveless cotton one-piece dress that hits just at my knees, the soft fabric moving lightly against my skin. It’s pale cream with tiny blue flowers scattered across it, the kind of dress that feels easy but still makes me feel put together. Sitting at my vanity, I work a brush t







