KADE’S POVI leaned back against the stiff hospital pillows, and exhaled. The place reeked of antiseptic, like they scrubbed the walls down with chemicals strong enough to erase the scent of sickness but not the feeling of it. I hated it. Always had. Hospitals reminded me of things I didn’t want to think about—weakness, vulnerability, the way a person could be trapped in a place like this even when they didn’t want to be. I didn’t even know why I was still here. The doctors had cleared me. They said I was stable. So why the hell wouldn’t they let me leave? The door creaked open just as I was lost in thoughts and I glanced up to see my father stepping inside. His forehead looked wrinkled and despite the fact he was the lycan king, he still looked stressed over all of this. He stood at the door for a while, hesitating as his gaze swept across the room like he was expecting something to be out of place. Or maybe he was just stalling, searching for the right words. From the look on h
BLAIR’S POVAs we walked towards my room, I stole a glance at my mother and Robert, who were walking behind us at a slower pace, deep in their own conversation. It still felt unreal that Kade was here, walking beside me instead of lying in a hospital bed. I shook my head in disbelief, smiling. “I can’t believe you convinced them to let you leave,” I muttered, looking up at him. Kade smirked, his steps confident as if he hadn’t just been at death’s door days ago. “My father knows I’ve recovered. Staying there was a waste of time for both of us. And if there’s one thing he hates, it’s wasted time.” I let out a soft chuckle. “I’m just glad you got better so quickly.” He raised a brow, his smirk widening. “I’m Lycan, Blair. What did you expect?” Rolling my eyes, I threw a playful punch at his arm and he barely even flinched. He gave me a mocking look and I playfully rolled my eyes. As we drew closer to my room, I became aware of something strange. The hallway was buzzing with pe
BLAIR’S POVI told myself I was just imagining the way Kade looked at me and it didn’t mean anything. But the longer we stayed, the harder it became to breathe around the silence stretching between us.Kade sat at the edge of my bed, one arm resting lazily on his knee, his body angled toward me. "Were you worried about me?" He asked, a teasing smile on his lips. I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "Obviously. I cried almost every day." That wiped the smirk off his face and his brows pulled together slightly. "Why?" I hesitated, staring at his eyes. "Because you're special to me," I admitted. His lips pulled into a small smile, but his eyes stayed on me. Then he leaned in just slightly. "How special?" I swallowed, my heart beating too fast. "Special enough to make me cry," I answered with a slight shrug, not quite meeting his gaze. His smirk deepened. "You're playing with me," he said, and I felt shivers run down my spine from his voice. Before I could respond, he straightene
BLAIR’S POVMy eyes fluttered open and I yawned, blinking rapidly so I wouldn’t fall asleep once more. I turned and the first thing I felt was warmth. Heat wrapped around me and I took a deep breath, inhaling a very familiar scent. My body curled naturally into it and I smiled softly, pressing my back against strong abs.I suddenly remembered. And I sighed deeply as flashes of last night crashed over me and I remembered everything with Kade. The way his hands moved on my skin, his mouth on mine, the way he whispered my name in that low, hungry voice. The way I moaned his name, over and over, asking him for more.My eyes flew open and I turned to see Kade watching me. His dark gaze was intense, making my stomach twist into knots. His arm was still draped around me, his fingers lazily tracing circles against my hip, like he had no plans of letting me go. I whimpered and immediately threw an arm over my face. Kade chuckled. "Are you shy?" I shook my head quickly. "Then why ar
BLAIR’S POVI stared at the screen, rereading the headline as my stomach twisted. “But is this true or is someone just making things up?” I asked Kade who took a seat next to me, putting the plates aside and resting his hands on the table. “What do you mean?” He asked casually.I turned the phone toward him, my finger tapping against the headline once more. “The poisoning, Kade. Do you think Lara has done this before?” My thoughts raced as I scrolled, looking for any mention of other incidents. “Or maybe Greenfox poisoning has happened in Northvale before?” Kade shrugged, completely unbothered. “I don’t really care about that.” I shot him a look. “You don’t care? Someone else could’ve been hurt before you. Maybe someone died, Kade.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “What do you want me to do about it, Blair? It’s not our problem.” That irritated me. He had almost died and I had been framed. I expected him to take this seriously. I returned my gaze to my phone an
BLAIR’S POVI stepped out of Kade’s car, my fingers tightening around the strap of my purse as I stared at the school buildings. I looked around to see a few students watching me and my heart pounded nervously. I shifted my gaze away from them and checked for something else to feed my eyes on. Kade came around to my side, shoving his keys into his pockets, and then he extended his hand. I stared at it, then up at him slowly. His dark brows lifted. “What?” He asked. I swallowed, glancing toward the school entrance and then to those students who were watching us. Some of them pretended like they weren’t staring but they were. “I’m not so sure about this…” My voice trailed off as I turned my gaze back to his outstretched palm. Kade sighed, tilting his head. “Blair.” “People will talk,” I said. “And?” I hesitated. “Our parents are still…mates. Did you forget that?” He rolled his eyes, taking a step closer. “We’re not high school kids, Blair. If people want to talk, then l
KADE’S POVI pulled my jersey over my head, rolling my shoulders as the fabric settled against my skin. The locker room smelled the same as always, like stale sweat, old cologne, and that faint dampness from towels left out too long. It wasn’t pleasant, but it was familiar. After everything that had happened, I needed that familiarity. The sound of laughter and sneakers squeaking against the tiled floor filled the room as a few of my teammates came in. The second they saw me, their faces lit up. “Yo,” Edward said, slapping me on the back. “Look who’s here, guys!”“It’s Kade!” “Man, I’m glad to see you. I can’t believe you almost died.”“That bitch is crazy.” A round of laughter followed, the guys shaking their heads in disbelief. I smirked, leaning against my locker as I pulled on my wristbands. “Seriously, man,” Edward said, crossing his arms. “I don’t know how you survived that. Greenfox isn’t just some regular poison. That shit is meant to kill.” I exhaled and shrugged.
BLAIR’S POVAs Kade turned the steering wheel, pulling into the driveway of an unfamiliar house, I shifted in my seat, eyeing the massive place in front of us. The windows shone with neon lights and music vibrated through the walls, thumping like a heartbeat. People were in the front lawn, laughing loudly, their movements already clumsy as they staggered probably due to the alcohol. Just watching them made me already feel regret curling in my stomach. “Are you even sure we’ll be allowed in?” I asked as I looked around, staring at the chaotic scene. Kade smirked and lowered his head, looking at one of the windows with his one hand relaxed on the wheel, while running the other up my thigh. “One of my teammates is throwing this party,” he said. “Trust me, we’re more than welcome.” I let out a groan, already dreading this. “I don’t even go to parties like this.” “Exactly,” he said, tapping his fingers idly against my skin as he turned to stare at me. “You sit in your room like a
BLAIRThe concierge gave us a polite nod, handed us our menus, and quietly stepped away. I barely skimmed the pages before spotting a few dishes that immediately caught my eye.“They have truffle risotto. And duck breast with cherry glaze. I’ve always wanted to try that. Oh and lobster tail?” I beamed with barely contained excitement. Across the table, Kade watched me with an amused smile. “Get whatever you want,” he said calmly, like the prices didn’t matter at all.Once the concierge disappeared, I set the menu down, still trying to process everything. “Okay, seriously. How did you even pull this off? I heard reservations here take weeks.”He shrugged. “I was persistent.”I narrowed my eyes at him, still smiling. “Persistent?”He leaned in a little, his tone playful. “Let’s not forget, I’m a Reid. That helped.”“Cool,” I said with a grin, settling back into my seat.“So,” he asked, watching me, “Do you like it here?”“I love it,” I replied honestly.When the waiter returned with ou
BLAIRThe ride to wherever Kade was taking me wasn’t awkward. It was quiet, but comfortable. He had slow, mellow music playing in the car, and I couldn’t help but wonder where we were going.His right hand stayed on the wheel, while his left rested on mine in my lap. Every few minutes, he’d lift it and press a soft kiss to the back of my hand, like it was nothing. When the car began to slow, I glanced out the window and gasped at the magnificent building we were pulling up to.No way, I thought.I blinked and leaned forward, making sure I wasn’t seeing things. Turning to Kade, I found him already grinning from ear to ear.“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whispered, and he just laughed.He got out of the car, walked around, and opened my door with ease, offering his hand to help me out. I took it, stepping out slowly, my eyes immediately locking on the towering penthouse ahead.The King’s Restaurant. It was the most exclusive place to dine in the entire pack. Reservations took weeks,
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