HU:The days go by fast, and with each passing second, my life keeps crashing down. Every day is torture, watching Ginger get bullied because of my stupid ass, but I always make sure to go after whoever is responsible. Yet, they never seem to stop. Worse, I cannot even tell who is behind it. It could be Ruby or even Hana. I want to confront them, but I don’t even know what to say.It’s been two weeks, and it feels like hell. Today is Friday, the last day of school before we travel for the hockey match. I am in my room packing, and I cannot help but stare at Ginger’s window. I wish we were still on good terms because we would be talking by now. Maybe I would send her a pic of my room and how horribly packing is going. Then I would probably sneak into her room to help her with hers, sleep over, and end up hurriedly packing the next day.The thought of it sends heat through my core as a smile forms on my face. Her curtains are shut, but I can picture her perfectly.“I can’t believe that
GINGER:Sometimes I wonder why Hu will not just leave me alone, and other times I am kind of glad. If he did not care about what his actions did to me, then I probably would have killed myself.Today, the hockey team is traveling to the Blue Shadow Pack. My luggage is almost empty, because over the past two weeks, I have put on a lot of weight. As I stare at myself in the mirror, all I feel is disgust. My arms look flabby, and I cannot help but pull at the bulging fat on my back. I have stress-eaten so much that I did not realize it until now. No wonder I have been getting bullied so much.My heart aches as I think of the best way to mask the fat. I rush to my wardrobe, pulling out a tape. Drawing out a long streak, I place the end on my left armpit, then wrap it around, looking at the mirror. It looks good, so I continue until I feel comfortable. Then I grab my shirt, draping it over my body. Examining myself in the mirror,
Ginger:The blare of a loud alarm sends both Janet and me flying from our beds. I land back on the bed on my butt. It hurts a bit, so I rub it slightly while Janet tries to stand on the ground where she has fallen.“Attention, students! This is Coach Billy, and I am here to officially welcome all of you.” I groan at his voice, which scratches my ears as it blares through the speakers. “I know I met some of you yesterday, but on behalf of the Red Pack students who arrived late, I am welcoming you guys once more.”The Red Pack is here? I question myself.I had no idea my pack had a hockey team now in high school. I pray silently that I do not see anyone I know, because I do not want to answer questions.“The first match is tomorrow, but for today, you can mingle, make friends, and have fun together because it is a Sunday.” He yells a slogan that I can barely make out. &
GINGER:Janet and I swim around for a while, splashing each other and floating lazily in the cool water. The sun shines down on us, warming my skin despite the chill of the pool. It’s peaceful having just the two of us here, and a part of me dreads that this will soon end when the other students arrive.Janet swims closer, resting her arms on the edge of the pool. “You know,” she starts, her voice softer than before, “I just want to say… I’m really sorry for everything. The bullying, the rumors, all of it. You don’t deserve that.”Hearing her say this doesn’t make me feel better about myself, because a part of me feels like I deserve it. I hurt Caspian, and this is probably my karma.I shake my head at her.“I know I can’t change what’s happened,” she continues, “but I just want you to know that I’m here for you,
GINGER:“Hey! Stop!” I call out to Janet as she catwalks away toward the pool exit.I cannot believe I bought into her nerdy girl nonsense because, looking at her now, I can barely see that. She is the typical mean girl—the ones who spend their entire lives investing in heavy skincare, starving themselves to have an enviable build. She is… Ruby!“Hey! Stop!” I try again, pushing myself against the edge of the pool, but she only laughs, tilting her head.“Why?” she taunts. Then she pauses, a smile curling on her lips as we hear the voices of approaching students. “You better stay in there because I doubt anyone wants to see your mom tits.” She glares at my bra. “I cannot believe those boys are fighting over this. Ew.”I suck in a shaky breath, trying to hold myself together. “Don’t do this, please. It isn’t fair.&r
GINGER:I push the door open, my body still damp from the pool, Hu’s oversized shirt clinging to me. My heart sinks the moment I step inside and find Janet’s side of the bed empty. Worse, my property is all over the place. My clothes are on the ground, and they are wet.A shaky breath escapes me as I scan the room. I walk over to one of my shirts, lifting it off the ground, watching as water drips from it. Tears well up in my eyes, and I try so hard to ground myself, but they keep falling. I know I hurt someone, but this is too much karma for my sins. A choked sob slips out, and suddenly, I sink onto the cold floor, pulling my knees to my chest.I try to breathe, but it feels like I’m suffocating. Like the walls are closing in. And then it happens before I can stop it. The darkness I dread envelops me, pulling me under like quicksand, dragging me back to a place I never want to be.The room fades, and it is just me, standing with my father, watching him p
GINGER:The locker room is buzzing with high energy as we prepare for the match against the Blue Shadow Pack. Everyone is talking over one another, debating who should go on the field first. I sit on the edge of the bench, tying my skates, trying to block out the noise. Then I see a pair of familiar shoes walking toward me, stopping inches away.Ruby speaks before I can look up. “She shouldn’t play.” Her tone is laced with disgust. “She’s too fat, and she’ll slow us down and make us lose.”My fingers freeze over my laces as I lift my head to see her standing with her hands on her waist.Silence falls for a brief second before a few girls start giggling, while others shift uncomfortably. My chest tightens as heat rises to my face, and I will myself to look unaffected, but my nails dig into my palm.“Ruby might be right,” someone says
GINGER:Ginger’s breath comes in ragged gasps as she rushes down the hallway, her vision blurred with unshed tears. The echo of the crowd’s cheers for the Blue Shadow Pack rings in her ears, each sound amplifying the shame tightening in her chest. She cost them the game. She fell at the most critical moment.She doesn’t stop until she reaches the empty corridor leading to the locker rooms, but heavy footsteps pound behind her, gaining on her fast.“Ginger!” Hu calls out, but she doesn’t slow down.She clenches her fists, trying to ignore him, but within seconds, he is beside her. His longer strides close the distance between them, and before she can pull away, his hand curls gently around her wrist, forcing her to stop.“Leave me alone, Hu,” she whispers, her voice cracking.He doesn’t let go. “Why are you beating yourself up?”
THIRD PERSON’S POV:The chaos caused by a mere action of love is underestimated until Hiram’s phone rings on a cool night evening at his honeymoon at the Red Pack.“What the hell were you thinking?” Hollis barks at his younger brother, whose face scrunches up, and he takes his hands off his wife, Juniper, who is laying peacefully on the bed asleep.He gets to his feet, walking to the sitting room.“How could you let Hu go off like that with Ginger? We all know how unstable he can get sometimes, and…”“What are you talking about?” Hiram asks, heading to the door. “Hu is right here with me,” he protests as he knocks on the door. “Hu!” He calls out, then he gets the automated reply.“Hello Hiram, Ginger and I are fine. How are you?”Hollis sighs over the phone. “Then explain why he was caught in New York and is being transported back to the pack by the general in charge.”Hiram’s heartbeat drops at once, and it dawns on him he had been fooled. He ends the call and gets the attendant down
HU’S POV:Fucked is an understatement. How the hell did I let us get captured? Not just by anyone, but the U.S. military. My mother will tear us apart if I don’t figure out how to get us out of here.“I understand you were having a moment with your mate,” the man in front of us says, glaring at Ginger with a look that sends a surge of anger through my veins. “But who says you can trespass in my city?” He returns his attention to me, his eyes narrowing.I keep my mouth shut, refusing to say anything that might make this situation worse.“We have a law governing the two worlds,” he continues, “and you’re either rogue or just two dumb teens who think they can run wild. Is this a joke to you?” His voice roars as his hand slams against the metallic bars of the cage.I grit my teeth, feeling the tension rise, when I hear Ginger’s voice through the mind link.“Calm down, Hu,” she whispers, and it’s the only thing keeping me from tearing this guy apart.I close my eyes, steadying my breath, a
GingerIt’s been two days since we arrived in New York, and I’ve fallen in love with the inn Hu picked for us.It’s nothing like the big, flashy hotels in city brochures. It’s small, quiet, and tucked between a flower shop and a gallery with dusty windows. The air smells faintly of roses and old wood. Inside, the walls are painted in warm shades of cream, and the floral decorations are to die for. Pressed flowers in glass frames, dried lavender hanging by the windows, tiny potted plants on every sill.I like that no one rushes here. That mornings begin slow, with the scent of baked bread drifting from the little café downstairs. No one bats an eye when Hu and I come down laughing, still sleepy, still tangled in each other’s warmth from the night before.The little things in the city make me want to stay forever, but I know one mistake could shatter everything. This is our fairytale, but we’ll never be human, no matter how much we try.I’m lying on the bed now, cozying up to the soft s
Hu:In less than a heartbeat, the hotel room disappears as the portal swallows us whole, but not for long.We land hard on the coal tar. Ginger hesitates to stand as I try to help her.The sound of a blaring horn hits me, and my senses activate. I hear tires screeching against asphalt as bright light floods our faces. Then I realize we are standing in the middle of the damn road.“Shit!” I hiss, yanking Ginger to my side just in time as a car flashes past, its bumper brushing my side. More vehicles follow, speeding by like we’re ghosts they don’t see.“Hu!” she calls out in a shaky voice.I don’t think. I drag her to the sidewalk, her boots stumbling as I pull her against my chest. My pulse is racing, her breath ragged in my ear.The portal zips shut behind us, vanishing into the air.“I’m fine,” I answer, but her brows do not let up.“What the hell?” she pants, eyes wide. “Where—where are we?”I step back just enough to look around. A smile spreads across my lips, knowing I got what
Hu:Shit, I curse myself silently as Ginger’s face pales. How could I forget she was from the Red Pack? I try to steady myself in order to console her because there is no need for both of us to be fidgeting about this problem.“We are going with my brother and enough security.” I grab her hand, rubbing soothing circles on it. Her body relaxes a bit. “Besides, we won’t be staying there, and…” I lean in close to her. “Remember, I promised to protect you. You have my word, and I will not allow him to harm you, or even get close to you.”She looks at me with her face still drawn down.“It isn’t just about him hurting me. The pack holds a lot of memories, and…” she lets out a sigh, withdrawing her hand as she sinks back into the seat.I’m a fucking fool for letting this happen, I say to myself as I attempt to grab her hand again. She lets me.“Then we will make our exit as soon as possible,” I whisper, drawing her close to me.I close the space between us, snaking my arms around her waist
HU:Six in the evening, I show up at Ginger’s house dressed casually. Mrs. Orbblood opens the door as usual. This time she gives me a warm smile instead of taunting me like in the earlier days.“Good evening, Mrs. Orbblood,” I greet with a slight bow. I am trying to be the perfect gentleman whom she cannot say no to.“Well, hello, Hu,” she replies as I walk into the house. “You can call me Anna, and I made my special soup.”“Mum!” Ginger groans, and we both look at her, standing by the door leading to the living room, fuming with anger.Mrs. Orbblood leans towards me, whispering, “She hates when I am friendly with her friends.”A chuckle leaves my lips briefly, but Ginger’s eyes shoot me a hard look, which causes me to clear my throat.“And I heard you guys,” she says. Then Anna shifts for me to mee
HU:The plan to get Ginger and me to the human world is in motion. It has been in motion since graduation day. Today, I am supposed to meet with one of the service engineers who works in the portal room. I’m supposed to have access to the portal, but I guess my mother doesn’t trust me enough. Well, she’s right not to—because I would have used it anytime they annoyed me, which is every time.Hiram has one in the mansion in Las Vegas, which he took over after he left for the human world.Finally, I make it to the portal room, opening the door to find the engineer inside. He’s in his usual gear, scanning me as I walk toward him.“Prince Hu,” he calls out in a steady tone.“Mr…” I hesitate, reading the tag on his shirt. “Pierce.” I call out at once, flashing him a smile. His brows remain crumpled as he glares at me, arms crossed over his chest.“I believe you understa
HU:A lot has been on my mind lately, especially the fact I need to go somewhere and be alone with Ginger. I cannot tell if it is the impending pressure from the duties I will take up in the future, but sometimes I feel I am sliding back into the past where I was depressed. I hate it so much, and I have been holding out the strongest because I do not want Ginger to worry about me.Also, she holds it down for me too without even knowing or trying. It is like when I see her, the dark cloud hovering over my head disappears, so I want her even more than I have her now. I want us to be together every second of the day. Knowing she has to go home at some point makes me sad and mad every time.Yes, we are neighbours, but the distance still feels like hell. I want to be the only air she breathes, my face the first thing she sees in the morning. The moon goddess made her mine, so why won’t everyone allow me to just have her forever? I have been scared to voice my thoughts to anyone, even my th
GINGER:Hu’s mouth lingers at the inside of my thigh, his tongue moving in slow strokes that makes my skin quiver. Every kiss he places there is maddening, and he savors me, worshiping every inch of my skin like he had promised. His hands grip my thighs, spreading me wider, and the cold air hits my core, intensifying the heat in between.He breathes in deeply, his nose grazing my folds, and I shut my eyes, biting my lower lip to muffle my moans. I wait for a moment, but I feel nothing. This drives me to the edge as I throw my eyes open, looking down at him to see he is looking up at me. Then his tongue dips into me—slow and deep. The wet slide of it makes my back arch off the bed, hips jerking toward his face. He holds my left thigh, grounding me as his tongue works me in slow circles.His tongue flicks up to my clit, then down again. He works in long, wet strokes—licking me open, dragging his tongue through my folds like he is starving for it. A low groan erupts from his lips as he p