William didn’t show up again that day, nor did he have dinner with us. The Alpha ended up ordering one of his guards to take me home after the meal. I didn’t waste time thinking about what the idiot heir was up to—I was way too satisfied with how I’d managed to hold my own with the Alpha.As for Caroline’s lessons, we agreed they’d take place twice a week, on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons. I gathered the exercise notebooks, workbooks, and beginner music books with sheet music before heading over to the Alpha’s house the next day. Caroline wasn’t exactly quick with theory, but she had an incredible knack for the practical side, and that quickly became clear as the weeks went by.It was Saturday night. I’d just left the Alpha’s house when a black car pulled up next to me on the street. The window rolled down, and a man’s voice called out from inside.“Miss me?” William asked shamelessly.I ignored him completely and kept walking, pretending he wasn’t even there. He quickly got out of
I walked home slowly after school, still drowsy and lost in the sweet memories. Out of nowhere, my phone started ringing, and I grabbed it eagerly. The name “Stupid Heir” flashing on the screen made my heart skip a beat.“Stupid Heir?” An irritated voice came from right behind me.“Oh, I didn’t see you there!” I gave him an innocent look, but he wasn’t fooled. “Well… it’s just funny, that’s all.”I let a mischievous smile slip. I couldn’t exactly change his contact name to boyfriend unless he was ready to own that title publicly.“Let’s go before someone sees us,” he said firmly.I followed him discreetly to his car, which was parked across the street. I’d been so out of it I hadn’t even noticed it. He drove in silence for a while before pulling over on a deserted road.“Did something happen?” I asked as soon as he cut the engine.“I have to head to the border base tomorrow. I’ll be there for intensive training, so we won’t be seeing each other for a while.”“How long?” I asked, worri
Exactly three days had passed since I last saw him. Lisa’s heart was finally starting to calm down again. It was a Sunday morning, and all I wanted was to finish a song I’d been working on for the past few weeks. I strummed Preciosa, a persistent melody stuck in my head, but the words just wouldn’t come.I decided it was time to be alone for a few hours, to try and reconnect with myself. Leaving Preciosa behind, I walked into the forest and started running in my human form, completely shutting out all thoughts and feelings—including Lisa’s voice. I trained with her every night at dawn, but her constant longing for our mate had been draining my energy and killing my appetite.“I can’t believe this thing’s still here—and untouched,” I said, circling the tent I’d set up near the waterfall. There was no sign it had been used since. I was drenched in sweat after the long run. My eyes locked onto the waterfall, completely mesmerized by the view. It was the first time I’d come here during th
The week started off pretty much like any other—same old routine—but with one big difference that came from inside me. My feelings weren’t all over the place anymore. With my head clear, I started sketching out notes in one of my sheet music books during my free time. Even with exams going on, I managed to juggle studying and composing.I’ve always had a great memory, so one focused read-through was usually all I needed to do well on tests. A lot of the time, while answering questions, I could clearly picture the teacher explaining the material, word for word. Same with the textbooks—I could even recall the chapter and page the info was on.Thursday’s test was in the morning. I took my time turning it in so I could leave with Annie. Morgan quickly caught up to us and walked with us down the hallway. She and Annie were going back and forth about the questions. I could tell Morgan was straight-up complaining, while Annie was kinda defending the test, saying it wasn’t that bad. I stayed
It hadn’t been easy to focus on studying, and I couldn’t concentrate on the classes I had to teach last week either. I’d spent three days in a row talking to the mysterious ghost, and I already missed being there. It was wildly irrational, but being at the waterfall had somehow become the best part of my day—the moment I looked forward to the most.“Aunt Lisa, is this right?” It was Tuesday’s class. Caroline tugged gently at the hem of my shirt, trying to get my attention.“You’re off on the timing, sweetheart,” I replied patiently.“You seem different. You were like this last class too.”“Like what?” I asked, puzzled.“Smiley! You’re smiling a lot.” I paused for a few seconds and realized she was right—I was smiling. I wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t pointed it out.“It’s like the music’s just flowing through my head, like a waterfall,” I said. Since the first time I interacted with Mr. Ghost, I’d written two brand-new songs from scratch and finished four others I’d left incomple
John’s request totally caught me off guard. Kate ended up dropping her silverware in surprise, while Arthur was left speechless, totally confused. I looked down and thought about it for a bit. He didn’t pressure me, but I was worried it’d make things awkward if I just said no.“Why did you agree to that?” Nicolas asked once we were alone. He’d taken me to the practice room so we could talk. I sat on the floor, crossed my legs, and looked down.“I just wanted to show you some songs, but your dad answered the door—and he recognized me as the white wolf.” I shrugged, feeling a little discouraged. “So we ended up talking, and I kinda said more than I should’ve. I’m sorry.”Nicolas sat down in front of me on the floor. He didn’t look upset at all.“I’m surprised you opened up like that, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Actually, I’m kinda excited. My dad’s good at keeping secrets, so don’t worry. Plus, the training’s on private property outside of town, so no one’s gonna see us.”“I’m n
What felt like a long run for the wolves following me—clearly exhausted—had already become routine for me. I hardly noticed time passing anymore when I came here. I stopped in front of the waterfall and let out a howl. This was our final stop. Catching Annie’s attention, I motioned for her to follow me, and we stepped into the tent to change."You okay?" I asked. Her breathing was way too fast."Just a little tired. Try to go easier next time," she said with a gentle smile."Sure!" I was already finishing getting dressed while she was still sprawled out on the ground, catching her breath. "Don’t forget to put your swimsuit on underneath."She nodded slightly, and I stepped out of the tent, zipping it closed behind me. I didn’t see the boys, but I could smell they were nearby. I walked up to the waterfall and stood there for a while, staring at the water."Your wolf is beautiful," Nicolas said, coming up beside me."Thanks," I replied with a smile, then turned my gaze back to the water
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t gone back to talk to the Phantom Guy. Weeks had passed, and my routine of visiting the waterfall had become solid. Senior graduation was right around the corner—in fact, it was happening next week. Because of that, Beta John decided to run an intensive training program with his sons to get Nicolas ready for the alpha oath.“Phantom Guy, school’s officially over, and I passed with flying colors. I got the highest scores in the whole school, so I’m top of the class. Smart, huh? I even gave myself a little break from the piano lessons I teach Caroline. Some people aren’t on vacation yet, so they’re still going to school for tutoring or makeup classes. Anyone who doesn’t pass the retakes is gonna fail the year—but thankfully, that’s not my problem.” I laughed softly, swinging my feet in the water.“Anyway, I’ve got some news you might not like. Next Thursday is senior graduation, when students take the alpha oath. Then Saturday is the end-of-year dance. I’m
I took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears, and walked over to the drink table. Even though I was underage, I felt an urgent need to keep myself from crying, and since people say alcohol is good for drowning your sorrows, I figured it might do the trick. I filled my cup with punch, and just as I was about to down it, someone grabbed it out of my hand. I looked to the side and met Nicolas’s eyes. He looked like he was trying just as hard not to cry.“Does it hurt?” I asked him. I wasn’t talking about our bond—I meant his arm, which was bandaged up. Without a word, he set the cup down on the table, turned around, and walked away. I stood there, unsure of what to do. Should I follow him or give him space? “Nicolas, wait!”He heard me, but he didn’t stop. It was clear he didn’t want to talk to me. So I gave up on the idea of drinking and tried to drown my sorrows in food instead while I waited for the performances to start. Every now and then, I found myself scanning the crowd fo
I passed by the hospital front desk and paid the entire bill in advance, leaving some credit for any unexpected needs. Then I slowly walked down the road as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon.I wandered aimlessly for a while, completely lost. I couldn’t remember where the little house Veronica had taken me to was. I reached into the pocket of my jeans, looking for the key. I was planning to track the house by its scent.“You forgot the keys!” Lisa said in my head. I smiled softly, hearing her voice in my mind again. She was right—I suddenly remembered I’d left the key on the bed and had only grabbed my wallet. I hadn’t even closed the front door.“We’re going to be okay,” I promised myself. I needed to believe that—to believe I could fix everything.“I’m starving!” she said the moment we passed by a café that had just opened. The smell in the air was irresistible. I stepped inside and picked a table to sit at.“Whoa!” the girl at the counter exclaimed when she saw me.
I sat on the bed, completely lost. I tried calling my aunt to find out how my grandma was doing, but her phone was ringing in the room next door. In the rush to help Grandma, she’d left it behind.Next thing I knew, it was almost midnight. My mom got back to me with a message. It was short but straight to the point:Mom: My friend will be there soon. Grab your stuff and go with her!Sure enough, not even five minutes later, a blue van pulled up in front of the house. A medium-built woman with long, curly black hair and dark skin stepped out. She was wearing pajamas."You’re Eliza?" she asked. I nodded slightly."Girl, what kind of mess did you get yourself into? Don’t worry, it’s gonna be okay. I’m Verônica, your mom’s friend."She held out her hand, but I couldn’t bring myself to shake it. Instead, I clutched the bag that held my Preciosa even tighter."Poor thing! I’ll help you carry your stuff, okay? Luckily, I had the perfect place lined up for you. Your mom already paid three mont
Everything in my head was just a high-pitched ringing, echoing persistently in the back of my mind. I started struggling to breathe and desperately searched for music. Lisa had abandoned me, and now Preciosa was destroyed. I was falling apart.By the time I started to get even a glimpse of what was happening around me, it was already dark.“How long have I been like this?” My head was spinning. I leaned against the bed and focused on listening for any sounds. The silence told me there was no one home. I pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket. The screen was cracked, but it still seemed to work. There was only one person who could make sense of everything that had happened.After trying over and over, I finally heard a familiar voice on the other end, and it made me want to break down and cry."Mom, it's me!" I said. "Mom, please help me!""Sweetheart, what happened?""I told Grandma about Dad, and she freaked out. I don’t know what to do. Mom..." I started crying again. The pain was j
William had dislocated Nicolas’s arm, and I couldn’t do anything about it because I couldn’t bring myself to fight against my mate. I felt awful. When I tried to help Nicolas, William grabbed my arm and dragged me along with him."William, he needs help. Please!" I begged again, but it was no use."Shut the hell up!" he shouted at me. He dragged me to his car, and as soon as he started the engine, he floored it, tires screeching."William, let me explain, please!""You bitch! Explain? What the fuck is there to explain that I didn’t see with my own eyes? You spend a week with him, and now you’re meeting up with him alone? You think you’re fooling me? You’re fucking worthless!""That’s not how it is, I—""I told you to shut the fuck up!"I couldn’t hold back the anguish and sadness in my chest. Even staying silent, I couldn’t stop myself from sobbing. William pulled over on a narrow street, out on the outskirts of the village. He was breathing heavily."William, your nose is bleeding. A
The day started off cloudy, with rain in the forecast for the weekend. I wondered if I’d still be able to watch the eclipse with Mr. Ghost. It had been over a week since I last saw him. After a full day of rest, it was time to get back to work. I grabbed Precious and started playing my songs, fine-tuning the arrangements. During my lunch break, I ended up thinking about Nicolas and sent him a short audio clip of a song’s chorus along with a message:Eliza: Congrats on your graduation, brother! Consider this audio a sneak peek of your gift!Nicolas: A sneak peek? Are you finally gonna show me the new songs? I should’ve graduated sooner!He replied just a few moments later. As I was typing out a response, my phone started ringing. It was him!“Lisa, we need to meet up,” he said as soon as I answered. I could hear the anxiety in his voice.“What’s going on?”“There’s no one home right now. Can you come over? I really need to tell you something. And while you’re here, you can show me the
The next day, wolf training got real. After getting sidelined with serious injuries from dueling with me, Nicolas and Arthur had to train with each other until John was finally satisfied. Meanwhile, I took a dip in the lake and sunbathed with Kate during two full days off.When they finally called me back to training, they looked confident. Arthur had that revenge spark in his eyes as he teamed up with Nicolas to take me on. It wasn’t a fair fight. Unable to intimidate me, the beta joined in, turning it into a three-against-one brawl. They snarled around me, circling, looking for any opening to strike. No matter how strong you are, when you're outnumbered, it takes more than skill to win. I started dodging defensively, avoiding hits while my mind raced to come up with a strategy. A few times, I had to shift into semi-human form to fully dodge the attacks and hit back. Eventually, I decided to cut down the numbers—starting with the weakest link.I aimed for Arthur, but mid-air I change
The real training was about to begin. A fight between two wolves was way more intense—and brutal. I felt awkward as I undressed and slipped on the robe they gave me.“No need to be shy, sweetheart. I’ll help you through it, okay?” said Kate, who was in the room with me, trying to reassure me.I walked barefoot out onto the backyard patio, with Kate right behind me. John and his sons were already there, standing at attention. The way they all stared as I approached made my face burn with embarrassment, and I ended up lowering my gaze.“Well, well… doesn’t look so tough now,” Arthur took the opportunity to tease me.“Since we know you’re a shy little wolf, we figured this was more appropriate,” John said, referring to the fact that his sons weren’t naked—they were wearing men’s robes.Wolves were used to running in packs, so nudity wasn’t a big deal for them. But for a lone wolf like me, it was a bit much. I was genuinely touched that they had considered how I’d feel.John went over a b
I took care of my hygiene before heading to my room and setting my alarm for the next morning. When I woke up, I felt completely refreshed and even helped Kate set the table for breakfast. When Nicolas and Arthur showed up, they looked like a pair of zombies."I'm dead. Do I really have to train today, Dad?" Arthur groaned."More than anyone," John replied. I could feel Arthur shooting daggers at me with his eyes, but I pretended not to notice. "Today and tomorrow, you’ll be doing hand-to-hand combat in human form. Eliza will be your opponent, and I’ll be supervising the whole thing."“I get to fight Eliza? Can’t wait,” Arthur said with a sly grin.“Should I tell him or do you want to?” Nicolas whispered, barely holding back a laugh.“Let the kid enjoy the moment,” I whispered back.“Just go easy on me, okay?” Arthur asked. I gave him a nod as I finished my breakfast.I stopped by my room to grab the training outfit they’d given me, then headed out to the garden. I started warming up