I stood again under the moonlight, cold sweat trickling down my temple. Focus, Sienna Cole. You can’t give up. Liam’s words echoed in my head.I drew in a deep breath and closed my eyes. I tried to feel the moon’s energy pouring into me. At first it was warm, but it grew heavier and heavier. My chest pounded, my blood boiled. Something stirred inside me.I clenched my teeth. “Come on… shift… come on…”My body trembled violently. I opened my eyes and—“Huh?” I glanced behind me. Something felt off, and when I looked at the shadow on the ground, a long white tail was sticking out of my body!My eyes widened. “I… I have a tail!”Joy burst inside my chest. I spun around, nearly losing myself in the moment. “I did it! I actually did it!”Alyssa doubled over with laughter, covering her mouth as if she couldn’t breathe.“Oh my god! All you can grow is a tail? The great Luna Darkmane with just a tail? Hahaha! This is ridiculous!”My smile faded, and I lowered my head in shame. She was right—e
After lunch, I hurried out of the cafeteria. My head was still filled with Ethan’s gaze from earlier, haunting my thoughts. I walked down the hospital corridor, which was fairly quiet during the break hour.As I turned the corner, a tall figure leaned casually against the wall, waiting for me. Ethan. I froze for a moment, my heartbeat uneven.“So it’s true you’re now with Dr. Liam Darkmane?”“That’s none of your business, Ethan.”He gave a faint smile. “You’re right, it isn’t. I just thought you were different, but it turns out…” He shook his head slightly, leaving the sentence unfinished.Why did that look in his eyes make me feel guilty?Ethan turned away and walked off without another word. I exhaled heavily and was just about to step forward when someone came running toward me.“Sienna!”I looked up. One of my fellow clerks was hurrying over, holding a white envelope sealed with thick red wax at the top.“There’s a letter for you. It’s from Ashborne University,” she said, handing
The outpatient clinic remained bustling with patients. I quietly observed his every move—how Liam read lab results, how he examined wounds, how his hands were always deft and sure.Then, a nurse knocked and entered with a young woman carrying a small child. The boy was about seven years old, his face pale, his arm wrapped in a makeshift bandage with a bloodstain at the end."Doctor, please help my son. He fell while playing and got cut by broken glass."I reflexively stood from my chair and moved closer. Liam closed the previous patient's file and gestured. "Lay him on the examination table."The woman complied, carefully laying her son down. The boy winced, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. Usually, Liam was cold, his instructions firm and sparing. But this time, I saw something different. He crouched down, looking directly at the boy, his voice much softer."What's your name?" he asked.The boy sniffled. "Yohanes.""Yohanes, is it?" Liam offered a faint smile, one I rarely e
I kissed him with all the turbulent emotion inside me. Liam was startled at first, but quickly his hands found my waist, pulling me closer, responding with the same intensity. His firm lips claimed mine, his tongue demanding entry, and I let him, surrendering to the wave of sensation flooding every one of my senses. His large hands roamed my back, pressing me closer to him as if he were afraid I might vanish.When we finally broke apart to breathe, my forehead rested against his. His breath was just as ragged, and his usually cold eyes now burned with a deep fire."You can't do that, Cole," he growled, his voice hoarse, his fingers gripping my hips. "Not in public. Not when I'm trying so hard to maintain control.""Then take me inside," I said.Liam's eyes narrowed, and before I could say another word, he bent down and effortlessly threw me over his shoulder."Liam!" I yelped in surprise, but he was already walking toward the apartment elevators."You asked for it."He carried me thro
The ride back to the apartment felt different that night. Liam’s car glided smoothly along the city streets. One of the Darkmane Betas was behind the wheel in the front seat, while my mother and I sat in the back with Liam. I couldn’t stop glancing at her, still struggling to believe she was truly here beside me.When we arrived at the apartment, Liam opened the door for me, then gestured toward my mother.“Come in.”I held my mother’s hand and guided her into the spacious living room. The three of us sat down. I stayed close to my mother, while Liam took the seat across from us, his posture straight, his face unreadable.“Speak calmly. I’ll give you time to talk.”He stood and walked toward the kitchen, though I knew he could still hear every word from any distance.I turned to my mother. “Mom, there’s so much you need to tell me.”“You’ve lived too long in a fog of lies. Tonight, it’s time you learned who your father truly was.”“All my life, I’ve only known him as an outcast wolf.
When I opened my eyes again, the bright light of the room stung my vision. My head still felt heavy, but my body was lighter than before. The soft beeping of the monitor reminded me that I was still alive.I blinked a few times and slowly turned my head. Liam was sitting in the chair right beside my bed. His posture was upright, his white coat draped over the back of the chair. In his hand was a sheet of lab results. His face was expressionless, but his brows were slightly furrowed, as if something weighed on his mind.“You’re awake,” he said curtly, lowering the paper to his lap.I swallowed hard and tried to sit up, though my body was still weak. “What do the results say?”He stared at me for a long moment, then set the paper on the table beside the bed.“Nothing serious. Your body is extremely exhausted, but there’s something that makes me wonder.”“What is it?”“Your origins. Who exactly are your parents?”“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”“Because something doesn’t add u