For centuries, the Sky Border has kept werewolves and humans gifted with magic apart. Its ruthless Watchers uphold the most sacred law of Parlem—hybrids must never exist. Jade doesn’t know what she is. She only knows something wild and untamed lives inside her. One night, it takes over, robbing her of consciousness. When she wakes—bruised, aching, and surrounded by a group of armed men—she realizes she’s being hunted for a crime she doesn’t even remember. Then Kema saves her—a golden-eyed Watcher with a godlike beauty that steals her breath. He offers her a single path to survival: to hide what she is, she must join the Watchers and survive their hellish training. But as Jade hones her fire magic, the pull between them grows dangerous and undeniable. When the truth of her birth is finally revealed, so is a secret dark enough to start a war between werewolves and humans. Now, Jade is worth more dead than alive. If she runs, they’ll find her. If she fights, she might lose herself. But one thing is certain—she isn’t dying for anybody. Maybe Kema.
View MoreThe first thing I noticed was the chill of the water. My body ached as I stirred slightly, the stream’s gentle current lapping against my legs.
“This damn curse,” I muttered bitterly, groaning at the pounding in my head. I was lying on the bank, half-submerged, with the cool rush of water sliding over my arms. My clothes—or what little remained of them—clung to my skin, heavy with moisture. “Why tonight of all nights?” I grunted, almost weeping. “Celene’s going to raise hell on my head for coming back late again.” I barely had the strength to lift myself, forced to wait a few seconds for the beast to fully settle into the void before I could regain control of my body. This was the fourth time she had taken over in the past six months—the beast inside me. A demonlike creature that dragged my consciousness into the dark void at the back of my mind when her hunger grew too strong. That was the part I hated the most—the dark void. It was a suffocating, empty space where I couldn’t see, hear, or feel anything. The second worst part? Waking up afterward. Because when I came to, she was gone, and I was left to deal with the aftermath of whatever she had done. Now, with her energy finally settled, I forced myself upright, trembling. The water had rinsed away most of the filth from my body, but faint streaks of red still clung to my skin. My heart sank as I stared at them, the metallic scent of blood lingering faintly in the air. I splashed water over my arms and legs. “It’s not what it looks like,” I whispered to myself. “She only hunts animals. She’s done this before. Just rabbits . . . maybe deer.” I scrubbed at the stains until my skin stung. The stream carried the blood away, but the sinking feeling in my chest stayed. Then—flashes. Quick and violent. So sudden they felt like physical blows. A sharp cry. A figure falling to the ground. Eyes—wide, utterly terrified—staring back at me. “No,” I muttered, shaking my head. “That’s not real. It can’t be real.” “The beast only hunts animals,” I told myself again. “She’s never . . ." But the more I tried to push the images away, the clearer they became. The sound of tearing fabric. A woman’s voice, pleading. My claws ripping through something soft. I clenched my eyes shut, hands trembling. “It’s not real,” I whispered. “It’s not real.” But one name rose in my mind, unshakable. Elaine. She was the timber merchant's daughter, the one who worked at the shop next to my father's forge. I didn't know her well, but she always smiled at me in passing. 'Could the beast have . . . ?' "No!" I gasped, pressing a hand to my chest. The idea was unthinkable, impossible. She wouldn't kill a person. She wouldn't. 'Would she?' I staggered to my feet, my clothes dripping onto the riverbank. My reflection in the water was pale, my eyes wide and haunted. The beast's energy still hummed faintly in my veins, urging me to move. To run. I didn't know why, but I felt it—danger. The faint sound of voices reached my ears, distant but growing louder. "Spread out!" a man shouted. "The killer couldn't have gone far!" His thick voice was filled with rage, causing my heart to race. Panic gripped me. I didn't need to hear more to understand. Someone had been killed tonight, and the villagers were searching for whoever—or whatever—was responsible. I stumbled forward, my feet slipping on the muddy bank. My legs felt weak, but the beast stirred within, and my pace quickened. I ran faster than any human should, the beast lending me her strength despite the chaos I feared she'd caused. The trees loomed ahead, their shadows stretching like long fingers in the moonlight. If I could reach the forest, I could lose them. 'DON'T STOP RUNNING,' the beast's voice urged in my mind. A spark of adrenaline surged through me, and I sprinted faster toward the treeline. The forest was darker than I expected, the canopy above blotting out the moon, but the beast Instincts heightened my vision. My senses were likewise sharpened as I moved frantically in search of a place to hide, the damp earth cool beneath my bare feet. Every sound seemed louder in the quiet—my breathing, the crunch of leaves, even the distant shouts behind me that had me thinking hard. 'I can't let them catch me,' I thought, my heart racing. The beast's memories flashed again. A clawed hand. A scream cut short. Blood splattering the ground. "No," I whispered. "It's not real." A rustling sound made me pause. My head whipped around, scanning the underbrush. My enhanced vision picked out a small grey rabbit hopping through the shadows. Its moonstone eyes locked on mine for a moment, and a strange calm washed over me. The rabbit twitched its nose, then darted away, vanishing into the bushes. I swallowed hard, turning my focus back to the path ahead. The villagers' voices were growing fainter now, but I couldn't stop. I had to keep moving. Then, I heard it—a soft growl behind me. I spun around, my breath catching in my throat. Two piercing yellow eyes glowed in the darkness, fixed on me. A massive figure stepped into view, its bloodstained fur gleaming faintly in the moonlight. A werewolf. 'What is a werewolf doing here . . . in human territory?' The beast within me moved unpleasantly, her energy crackling like static. I took a shaky step back, but the werewolf growled low, its claws glinting as it moved closer. "Stay back," I whispered, my voice trembling. It didn't listen. I collapsed, warm liquid trickling down my legs as fear stole any control I had of my bladder. 'No . . . this can't be happening . . .' A woman's voice echoed in the distance. "The forest! It went into the forest!" The werewolf growled as it looked away from me, its massive frame radiating a feral energy that made my heart slam my ribcage without mercy. "You all would be the ones to suffer if we don't catch that monster tonight!" The enraged man's voice sounded closer this time. The werewolf's ears twitched on hearing him, and with a powerful leap, it disappeared into the trees, leaving me frozen in place. "MOVE!" The beast's voice roared in my mind, jolting me back to reality. My legs wobbled beneath me, but I forced myself forward, adrenaline surging through my veins. I stumbled at first, then broke into a desperate run, the forest blurring around me. My senses were still heightened, every sound and scent amplified as I raced deeper into the shadows. Just as I found a rhythm, a voice pierced the silence: "I see someone! I see a girl!" "No-no-no . . ." I muttered, panic setting in. A hand grabbed hold of my mouth and yanked me away, silencing my cry as I was pulled into the shadows.I thought it’d end with the passionate kiss, then a quiet cuddle through the night.But no.I turned my back, but the sounds still reached me.Soft gasps.Shifting cloth.The wet, messy noises of mouths colliding.Nyomei and Orin were lost in their own desperate little world, clinging to each other like the forest itself was trying to rip them apart.I wasn’t sure if it made me want to laugh, cry, or throw a stone at them.Probably all three.Across the clearing, Brand hadn’t moved. He sat with his arms folded, his face carved from stone. Watching . . . Not watching . . . Still pretending.I sighed and shifted closer to the stone wall, trying to find a comfortable spot in the damp moss.“Just sleep,” I muttered to myself. “Ignore it. Ignore everything.”Before I could fully settle, something unexpected happened.Brand moved.He nudged his knee toward me. Then shifted again, like he was offering—Was he . . .?I stared at him.He didn’t look at me. Just kept that flat, unreadable gaze
We moved through the thinning trees in silence, the kind that settles when fear lingers just behind your ribs. No one said a word. Everyone was shaken. Raw. But we were alive. That counted for something.The dense branches gave way to a wide clearing, and there it was—a black lake stretching out before us, its surface still as death. Not a ripple. Not a sound. It reflected nothing, not even the fractured sky above.Lotanni stepped forward."Wait," I said quickly, grabbing her arm.Something moved.The surface rippled. A sleek tendril rose from the water, tasting the air. Then another. And another. Long. Wet. Coiling like a snake with no bones. A low moan echoed from deep below, rattling the ground.Bainer stumbled back. "What the hell is that?"My stomach twisted. "A still lake . . . and twirling vines," I whispered.I recognized this from the journals. “Don’t tell me . . .” The words barely left my mouth.This was one of the worst places anyone could end up in the Evil Forest."The
Far across the mist, Lysar’s camp burned bright with controlled fires.Tents stood in neat rows. Food crackled over a spit. Laughter echoed through the clearing.They hadn’t yet faced a monster they couldn’t defeat—but they still kept their guards up. Fire repelled some creatures, but the ones it attracted were the most dangerous. So they scouted in shifts, planning only a few hours of rest.Lysar lay sprawled on a thick fur blanket, toying with a dagger. Arien — the royal mage — lounged beside her, sipping from a canteen.They were the picture of success. Strong. Untouchable.From the shadows, Ryn watched.Watched Lysar lean in, her fingers tracing Arien’s jaw. Watched their lips meet — slow, heated, possessive.Jealousy gnawed at his insides.His hands clenched at his sides.He could smell their mingled scents — Lysar’s musk, Arien’s magic, the heat of bodies pressed too close.He turned away.The pain of it was a blade twisting under his ribs.But what could he do?Werewolf and mag
Lysar strolled through the mist like she was taking a stroll through a rose garden, not a death trap.Her squad was all seasoned—fourth-years and fifth-years. They moved around her like a deadly pack, relaxed but hyperaware.She smirked behind her black half-mask, her portal magic flickering in tiny spirals around her fingertips, playful and casual."Poor Jade," she said lightly, almost singing. "Must be choking on her fear right about now."One of her teammates chuckled.Another—the royal mage—stepped closer, offering Lysar a playful grin. "Maybe she'll get lucky and die quickly."The royal werewolf stiffened a few paces back, silent. His golden eyes flicked to Lysar, then to the mage, then away. His posture rigid. His fists clenching.Lysar caught it all, of course.And smiled wider.She stepped toward the royal mage, tracing a finger down the front of his armored vest. Slow. Taunting."You’ll protect me, won't you, Arien?" she purred.The werewolf’s jaw tightened. A low, near-silen
Lotanni was the first to give the full rundown on Lysar's team. Of course she was. If there was gossip, she'd find it faster than a scent-hound on heat."Three mages, four werewolves," she muttered while checking the straps on her gear. "One of the werewolves is royalty. The prince from the Southern Fang. Has a stupidly forbidden crush on Lysar."Nyomei raised a brow. "That arrogant one who walks like his back’s too stiff for his own head?""That’s the one. But get this—he’s in some kind of love triangle. Because apparently, one of the mages, another royal, is having an affair with Lysar too."Bainer blinked. "Wait, what?""I’m telling you, the drama in that squad is better than any tavern tale."I didn’t comment. I was too focused on the unnerving green eyes of one of the mages Lysar had selected. He hadn’t said much, but the moment I saw those eyes—bright, fog-cutting, too familiar—something twisted in my gut.Kreel.He was from Kreel.I’d know those eyes anywhere.The briefing was
The news came the evening before the match.We were at the 5-Year Cadet Barracks when it dropped—right after evening drills, soaked in sweat and panting from a brutal sparring rotation. I’d barely unclenched my fists when the announcement flared across the nearest magic veil, the glowing script scrolling like a judge's verdict."UPDATE: Team Match Initiated. Jade Ishola and Lysar Fallan will no longer face off in a duel. Instead, each cadet will assemble a team and be deployed into the Evil Forest. Mission Objective: Recover a sacred crest stolen by bandits. First team to return with the item wins."A silence passed through the training ground when the update dropped. Then chaos.“They what?!” Lotanni shouted. “A mission? We’ve been training for the RGT, not an actual op!”Lysar’s voice cut through the noise, smooth and mocking. “Lucky cunt, Jade. Guess I won’t get to publicly humiliate her ass with a good beating after all.”She stood off to the side with her squad—older cadets in sh
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments