BLAIR’S POV
Kade dropped his box on my bedroom floor with a heavy thud. I knew I shouldn’t be staring as he bent down, but my eyes had a mind of their own. His jeans clung to his body in all the right places, like his ass, and his muscles flexed as he moved. Moon Goddess, please help me. How would I survive living with him for a full month? “Snap out of it!" my wolf growled, dragging me back to reality. I cleared my throat, trying to focus on something other than him. But I had questions, things I needed to ask. I folded my arms. “Did you know?” I asked. Kade didn’t look up at first. He just kept unpacking his things like we weren’t in the most awkward situation in the world. But when he finally turned, his blue eyes looked me over for a second, making my breath hitch before I could stop it. “Know what?” he asked. “That I’m your step-sister.” I responded. “At the bar last night.” “No.” I opened my mouth, ready to say something, but then he beat me to it. “Forget about last night,” He continued in a calm and indifferent manner. “It’s not a big deal.” I scoffed. “Did you really just say that?” He shrugged, acting like we were talking about something unimportant while we were actually talking about my virginity. Did he think I kept it all these years just to give it to him? “My mom did say you were a bit arrogant, and now I see why,” I muttered, crossing my arms. He didn’t even react. He just glanced at me, looking completely unaffected. “I’ll be out of your hair before the month is up, so your opinion of me doesn’t really matter.” Oh, this guy. I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to throw something at him. It hadn’t even been a full day of living together, and I already wanted to kill him. I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why are you being such an ass?” He exhaled, still looking very unbothered. “Look, just because we fucked doesn’t mean we’re besties. Besides, siblings fight all the time, don’t they?” he added so casually. “You’re not my brother.” I spat. He tilted his head slightly, almost like he was amused. “Yeah. I wouldn’t have fucked you if I were.” Unbelievable. I was pissed at this point. “Do you…” I started to say but a sharp knock sounded at the door. I turned, my irritation deepening the second I heard the voice on the other side. “Blair, open the door.” Jaxon said, knocking again. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, trying to calm down before going over to the door and pulling it open slightly, just enough to talk to him without letting him see Kade. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “I’ve been calling you since last night.” He said, running a hand through his hair. “We really need to talk, Blair.” “Do we?” I asked. “What part of we broke up did you not understand?” Before he could answer, I tried shutting the door in his face, but then he looked into the room and spotted Kade inside. His eyes widened and he forced his way in. Jaxon looked Kade over before asking me, “Who the hell is this?” I ignored his question, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. Could my day get any worse. Did I really have to deal with this? “I said, who is this?” he demanded, his tone annoyingly possessive, like he was still my mate and still had a say in my life. I crossed my arms. “I don’t owe you an explanation.” Behind me, Kade didn’t even glance up, still folding his clothes like he couldn’t care less about the drama unfolding in front of him. Jaxon scoffed, his jaw tightening. “Is this why? Is he the reason you’re ruining our relationship?” Wow, I thought. Ruining our relationship? “Did you forget the part where you cheated on me with Harper?” I asked, the painful memory I tried to forget replaying in my head. Jaxon stepped closer to me, his eyes filled with anger. “Blair, couples have issues. We argue. We make mistakes. That doesn’t give you the right to turn into a slut one day after our breakup.” My stomach twisted and my anger flared. “First, you call me a prude,” I spat, stepping toward him. “And now, a slut. Which is it, Jaxon?” Jaxon didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to Kade, his fists clenching. “Get out, buddy.” Kade still didn’t react. He folded another shirt even more slowly, completely ignoring Jaxon. I exhaled sharply. “Please leave, Jaxon.” His gaze snapped back to mine, and he looked furious. “Leave? Did you just ask me to leave?” he barked, raising his hand, and it was obvious that he was about to hit me for disrespecting him. But before I could react, Jaxon’s back hit the wall with a loud thud. And when I looked, Kade’s hand was tightly wrapped around his throat. I was breathing heavily as I stumbled back. Kade had moved so fast I hadn’t even seen it happen. One second, he was folding his clothes, completely uninterested. And the next, he had Jaxon pinned against the wall, stopping him from hitting me. Jaxon choked, his fingers clawing at Kade’s wrist, with his feet barely touching the ground. I sucked in a sharp breath. “Kade…” But he didn’t even glance at me. Veins lined his neck, and he looked really mad. His entire body was vibrating with barely restrained anger. “Touch her again,” Kade said in a low voice, “And you won’t find your fingers anymore. Stay away from her.” Jaxon let out a bitter laugh. “Or else what?” Kade’s fingers tightened for just a second before he let go. Jaxon dropped to the floor and began coughing. Kade crouched beside him and answered his question, “I’ll break your fingers and shove them down your throat.” Jaxon wiped his mouth, glaring up at him. “And who the hell are you to threaten me? Her bodyguard?” Kade tilted his head slightly. Then, without a hint of hesitation, he said, “Blair is mine. So, fuck off.” My stomach flipped when I heard that. His? What did he mean by that? Jaxon’s face twisted in disbelief, his eyes darting between us. “You—” Before he could finish, Kade grabbed him by the collar and shoved him out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.BLAIR’S POVI sighed as I dropped into my chair in biology class, glancing towards the boys that were laughing at the back.I pulled out my books, trying to relax before the class, but Kade’s words kept replaying in my head. “I didn’t do that for you,” he’d said. “I just don’t want your ex-boyfriend disturbing my peace while I’m here." I rolled my eyes just thinking about it. Seriously, what was wrong with him?One second, he was throwing Jaxon out of my room and claiming me like I belonged to him, and the next, he was acting like I was just some inconvenience. He was really making it even harder for us to live together. I shook my head and forced myself to push the thoughts away. I had bigger things to worry about, like surviving this semester.But just as I opened my notebook, I heard heels clicking against the floor. I already knew who it was before I even looked up. Harper. I exhaled sharply. Just my luck. Of course, I was stuck in most of my classes with the two fac
KADE’S POV“Blair!”I called out to her, but she was already gone, running down the hall. My feet itched to follow her, but the sight of Jaxon standing there, leaning against the wall with that smug smile on his face, made me pause. I wanted to go over there and punch that stupid smile off his face.I could hear the laughter. I could see people glancing at their phones and looking at Blair’s retreating figure. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened.Jaxon.That son of a bitch had done this. He’d spread private pictures of Blair as revenge for rejecting him.My blood boiled, and my fists tightened at my sides.“We promised to keep our anger in check,” my wolf reminded me, and I growled.I had made that promise because of something that happened in the past, but I didn’t care anymore. This wasn’t the past. And I wouldn’t let Jaxon get away with this. Not this time.I took a step toward him, and he saw me coming. He tried to throw a punch first, but it was useless. I cau
KADE'S POVFear. That was all I could see in the dean’s eyes when he realized who I was. The man looked down, averting my gaze as his eyes darted across the table.There was beads of sweat on his forehead when he looked at me once more. “I apologize,” he said and then cleared his throat. “I didn’t recognize you, Mr Kade,” he added anxiously.“You didn’t recognize me or you just didn’t care?” I asked. From the corner of my eyes, I could see that Jaxon was watching me too. I turned to glance at him and there was a scowl on his face with his fists clenched at his sides. Good. “Why would you think I don’t care?” The dean asked, chuckling softly and I returned my gaze to him. He must have realized just how badly he’d screwed up. The confidence he had a second ago? Gone. Now, he was shifting uncomfortably in his seat.The man leaned in and began to fiddle with the pen on his table. “Your father even asked me to take you under my wing,” He said and I tried not to let my irritation sho
BLAIR'S POVThe door creaked open, and I knew Kade was back.I quickly wiped my tears, not wanting him to see me like this. It was bad enough that Jaxon had humiliated me in front of the whole school, and I didn’t need Kade witnessing my breakdown too. I buried my face between my knees, trying to steady my breathing as I heard him walk in. His feet stopped moving at some point, and I figured he was just standing there, staring at me.I could only imagine what was going through his mind at that point. What if he’d seen the photos? What if he now thought less of me? I slowly shook my head, wiping my tears because I didn’t want to think the worst. His feet began to move again and soon, the bed beside me dipped under his weight as he dropped onto it casually. “I got you cupcakes,” he said. His voice was light, like this was no big deal. “I heard they cheer girls up.” Slowly, I raised my head and looked at him, meeting his blue eyes. He casually held out a small box, and without th
BLAIR’S POV “Is that her?” I heard someone ask, pointing at me, immediately I walked into school. “I think so,” Another remarked but I avoided their gazes and just kept walking. I knew this would happen because of what happened yesterday. I knew the gossip would follow me everywhere but I just didn’t know it would be this bad. I had contemplated staying home when I woke up this morning but I had an assignment to turn in. I sighed, clutching my purse tighter and praying they would leave me alone. As I walked down the hallway leading to my class, I could feel the stares increasing. Whispers followed me around, but I kept my head high, refusing to let their judgy eyes affect me. “There she is,” A girl whispered to her friend, gesturing in my direction. I pretended not to hear her, but my ears caught every word. “What kind of photos are those?” Another girl scoffed. “I can’t believe she cried over them,” her friend responded. “They’re like PG-12.” “More like 11.” They both
BLAIR'S POV“So…” Jaxon drawled, dragging out the moment, his grin widening. “I thought I should tell all of you I’m dating someone new.” A chorus of “Ooooooo” erupted from his teammates, followed by rhythmic drumming on the tables. Laughter rippled through the crowd, and I forced myself to keep my expression blank, swallowing past the lump in my throat. “She’s the most beautiful girl ever,” He continued, pausing for effect. “And sexy.” Someone whistled. “You know the drill!” Max shouted, prompting more laughter. I felt something claw at my chest, but I brought my fork to my mouth, biting off the meat on the sharp end and chewing with great difficulty.Jaxon didn’t need to make this announcement. Everyone already knew that he and Harper were now together. This wasn’t about sharing news—this was about humiliating me. And the worst part? His friends were cheering him on. Even Max!Those guys had sat with me, laughed with me, and even said they would never let anything come
BLAIR’S POVI wiped my tears, my shoulders shaking as I cried. Crying in the bathroom felt different, like a heavy pain pressing down on my chest, reminding me of just how much of a loser I felt right now.“Remember what Kade said,” my wolf chimed in, trying to be the voice of reason. “He’s not worth it.”“Shut up,” I snapped back, my frustration bubbling even more. My wolf quieted down, thrashing inside my mind, making her displeasure known. But I ignored her. I was in too much pain to even care.As I wiped my tears, I couldn’t help but wonder why everything bad was happening to me. What did I do to the moon goddess to deserve this? Jaxon hadn’t just cheated on me; he had humiliated me in front of everyone. I had loved him for four years, and now I felt like the biggest fool alive for not seeing his true colors after so many years.I wiped my tears away, trying to gather myself. I would just have to endure this until everyone in school forgot about me. The thought of facing anyone
BLAIR’S POVJulia and Michelle burst into laughter, and my heart squeezed as I glared at them. Every one of Harper’s words stung. The way she was unapologetic about the things she did to me, it made me wonder how long she had hated me.“We used to be friends,” Harper continued. “You should have told me you needed lessons on how to make your mate feel good.”I balled my fists as every word sank in.“Maybe he wouldn’t have come to me if you had just gotten that right,” She added with a devilish smirk. “And you know what he says when we fuck? He tells me how good I am. When I ask if he wishes he was fucking you, he would tell me that he knows it would be an awful experience.”Before I could stop myself, my hand shot out, connecting with Harper’s face with a sharp crack. The sound of the slap echoed in the bathroom, making Julia and Mishelle immediately go silent in shock. Harper stumbled back, one hand flying to her cheek, her eyes wide in shock. For a split second, I thought she would
BLAIR’S POV Kade’s jaw clenched hard and I could feel the war waging inside him. His instinct to protect me was louder than any logic. But he also knew the kind of shit storm we’d be dragging ourselves into if he got in the way. Besides, I knew I was innocent and he knew that too. So after a long, burning second, he gave a stiff nod. He didn’t say anything, just let his hand fall from my hand. I gave him a small smile and followed the officers out of the dining hall, keeping my head high. Everyone watched with wide eyes and the whispers only grew wider, like I was already wearing the stain of guilt. The men led me into an office that smelled like old paper and something faintly acidic. I was taken to the drug investigation officer who was a bulky man with a sour face. He motioned for me to raise my arms and I did. Wordlessly, he and another woman searched me thoroughly but not invasively, probably disappointed they didn’t find pills sewn into my bra strap or something. Then
Blair’s POV I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. So this was Mrs Priscilla’s grand plan? A psychologist? When she said we would be working with delinquents, I thought we would suffer through punishments. I definitely did not expect to sit through a therapy session. Community service, they said. Not group therapy. I didn’t sign up for this nonsense. And yet, here I was, perched awkwardly on a hard chair while the psychologist with her tightly pinned hair and gentle, annoying smile tried to pick apart my brain. What did they even expect to achieve with this? Make us hold hands with delinquents and sing songs about teamwork? Did Mrs Priscilla really think I would open up about myself? And even if I did, what next? Lock us up with criminals? “Tell me, Blair,” the psychologist cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. I’d been expertly avoiding her gaze, like maybe if I ignored her long enough, she’d give up. I didn’t get such luck as she went on with her question. “How
BLAIR’S POV Harper didn’t answer right away. She looked down, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her dress, pulling at a loose thread, perhaps buying herself time. Then she shrugged. “I was never jealous of you when you started dating Jaxon, Blair.” she started and I scoffed. “Is that so?” “I was actually happy for you,” she said in her own defense. “You were my friend and I never looked at Jaxon in a romantic way or anything like that until he started texting me.” “Hmm,” I mumbled, crossing my arms. “So he made the first move, huh?” “You were the one who gave him my number,” she said, her voice rising. “That was because you were my best friend!” I shot back, matching her tone. “Fine, I was naive but you knew exactly what you were doing when you fucked him.” She shook her head like I got it all wrong and I decided to stay quiet so that she would explain. “Jaxon texted me first,” she repeated in a quiet voice. “It was just friendly at first. Until he began flirting with
BLAIR’S POV The screech of the door opening was the first thing I heard from my sleep, followed immediately by that painfully familiar voice that irritated me, coming through the quiet like a trumpet. “Get up, all of you!” I groaned and buried my face deeper into the pillow, but it was useless. I was starting to believe that Mrs. Priscilla’s voice could wake the dead. I forced my eyes open and there she was, towering by the door like a villain straight out of a bad dream. I squinted at the still-dark sky outside the window. The sun wasn’t even out yet. Couldn’t the moon goddess strike this woman with a temporary cold or something? Just long enough for us to get a full night’s sleep? “If your back is still on the bed in the next thirty seconds, you’ll be assigned more responsibilities today,” she snapped and I groaned loudly, pushing myself up. “We’re going hiking,” she announced with way too much energy for someone who clearly fed off our misery. “You’ve got twenty minutes to
BLAIR’S POV I tugged my jacket tighter around me, hating how the cold wind kept sneaking past the fabric like it was on a personal mission to freeze my bones. Winter wasn’t here yet, but it sure as hell was announcing itself like an unwanted guest. I blew air into my palms for warmth, glancing at my phone. It was already two minutes past eight. Seriously? Mrs Priscilla had barked at us about being here at eight sharp. Where was she now? “This is all your fault, Blair,” Harper snapped and I turned to her. Her arms were crossed like a spoiled brat who’d just been told no for the first time in her life. “We wouldn’t be here freezing if it wasn’t for you.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Of course, she’d find a way to twist this around. God forbid Harper takes any responsibility for her miserable life. Apart from freezing my ass off, being dragged away from the comfort of my room, my warm bed, and decent food, forced to spend two hellish weeks around criminals… yeah, the ch
BLAIR’S POV I tugged my jacket tighter around me, hating how the cold wind kept sneaking past the fabric like it was on a personal mission to freeze my bones. Winter wasn’t here yet, but it sure as hell was announcing itself like an unwanted guest. I blew air into my palms for warmth, glancing at my phone. It was already two minutes past eight. Seriously? Mrs Priscilla had barked at us about being here at eight sharp. Where was she now? “This is all your fault, Blair,” Harper snapped and I turned to her. Her arms were crossed like a spoiled brat who’d just been told no for the first time in her life. “We wouldn’t be here freezing if it wasn’t for you.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Of course, she’d find a way to twist this around. God forbid Harper takes any responsibility for her miserable life. Apart from freezing my ass off, being dragged away from the comfort of my room, my warm bed, and decent food, forced to spend two hellish weeks around criminals… yeah, the ch
BLAIR’S POV I scratched my nails into the skin of my palms as I waited. I had named Sherry as Harper’s accomplice and now, we were waiting for her to be brought here. The door opened and Sherry was marched inside, her eyes darting around like she already knew she was in trouble. My heart thudded so hard against my ribs, but I managed to keep my face cold. I had to pull this off. I just had to. Across the room, Harper shifted in her seat. She was trying too hard to look calm, but her body betrayed her. She kept trying to make eye contact with Sherry but I caught her gaze and didn’t bother hiding my glare. I hoped she was smart enough to realize her little plan had exploded right in her face. The leader turned to me. “Alright. Over to you, Blair. You asked for Sherry to be brought in. Well, here she is.” I nodded and then got on my feet. I felt the eyes in the room hook on me, but I only looked at Sherry. “I asked for Sherry,” I started in a clear voice, “Because she’s the one
Chapter 91Blair’s POVThe car barely rolled to a stop when we got to school before the driver turned to us, his tone unusually stiff. “Your father asked me to take you both straight to the administrative wing. He’s expecting you both in the dean’s office.”My brows pulled together. “Now?”He nodded, and I glanced at Kade. His brows lifted, and we shared a look. This could not be good.We were just getting out of a roller coaster ride and I was already bracing myself for the storm from Robert and my mom. I could already imagine the raised voices, long-winded lectures, the kind of dressing-down reserved for kids who didn’t know any better. I wasn’t in the mood to be treated like some clueless teenager who had stumbled into trouble. Not after everything. But we couldn’t refuse.When we got to the administrative building, we stepped out of the car and I let out a sharp breath. My skin was already prickling with tension but Kade took my hand in his and held it tightly.“We’ll be fine,” h
Blair’s POVAfter leaving the drug enforcement office, I decided to visit Beth at the clinic inside the detention center. Being at a hospital reminded me of the time when Kade was unconscious and hospitalized due to poisoning. Walking down hallways while trying to locate Beth’s ward, I remembered how disoriented I was at the time. After he recovered, I prayed to never have to visit a hospital again. Well, here I was. Finally finding the ward, I walked over to Beth’s bedside, barely breathing myself. I looked around, taking in the soft hiss of the machines connected to her. I also took note of the slow rising and falling of her chest. She looked so small tucked under the hospital sheets and I wiped at my cheeks roughly, furious that I was crying again.“You’re a good girl,” I whispered, running a finger over her smooth cheek. “The only good thing about this place.”I swallowed the lump in my throat. Beth had dreams—big ones which she told me about. She wanted out of the detention c