DALA My breath got caught in my throat as I stared at the mask like a knife was being launched at me. Taking that mask would put me in absolute trouble. I felt a pulse in my throat. They didnโt know, they were just guessing, right? โYou really think that she could be Lunalust?โ Amber joked, โSeriously?โ I let out a fake laughter, sounding more like a hyena than hyenas themselves. โThen I guess sheโs Beyonce,โ I joked. Both of them exchanged curious glances. The blonde spoke first. โOh, so you knowโฆโ โOf course we do! First, itโs absolutely ridiculous that you believe she is in this school because of what? A logo? Thatโs unreasonable, and I am not putting that contaminated mask on my face. Neither is she.โ I gulped hard, nodding like a child getting defended by her mother. โYeah, whatever.โ They rolled their eyes, โNeither of you looks as hot as her anyways. We should have skipped you two.โ โYou now have the chance to do so,โ Amber shot back. โRun along.โ My lips
DALAI did not see myself in a high-end boutique with Lady Arya, flipping through racks of dresses that probably cost more than my entire life savings. Yet here we were. The smell of expensive perfume clung so tightly that I choked. My mind reeled whenever I saw a price tag, but Lady Arya reacted utterly differently.She was in her element, floating between sections, plucking designer gowns from hangers and draping them over her arm like they weighed nothing. The store attendants practically tripped over themselves, trying to please her. I, on the other hand, felt like a fish out of water. How could I even pick a thing here? โThis one,โ Lady Arya declared, grinning as she held up a floor-length emerald gown against me. โOrโฆno, maybe this one! Do you like it?โ She swapped it out for a shimmery gold dress that looked like it belonged at a royal ball.We were NOT attending a royal ball. I arched my brow, perplexed. โYou do realize Iโm only going to a school party. Not the Oscars?โL
DALA Who knew bribery would bring out some decency in him? In no time did we settled in the car. Arya and I occupied the backseat. She wouldnโt stop humming a happy tune while anxiety gripped me like a vice, unwilling to let go. I had never been to a party like this one before. The school was barely welcoming, not to mention a party with little to no supervision. โWhoโs genius idea was it to sneak out?โ Vander asked, igniting the engine. The promise of that bike really did make him chatty. I wasnโt being judgmentalโ or maybe I was, but his sudden interest in whatever this was was questionable. โJoint effort,โ Arya responded, flashing me a mischievous smile that my lips was too stiff to respond. She looked and acted more childlike today, and I liked it for her. Through the rearview mirror, Vander met my eyes, and my stomach jerked before I could tear my gaze away from his. The corner of his lips lifted slightly. Perhaps I had seen wrong. โI want nothing to do with this
DALAThe guard raised a mask like it was some royal invitation, but I shook my head with the firmest โno thank youโ Iโd ever mustered.โCompulsory,โ he grunted, like Iโd just committed a federal crime.โI said no,โ I repeated, firmer this time, heat already creeping up my neck. I didnโt care if it was compulsory. I wasnโt about to walk into a mystery party with my identity outed. Ayra stepped up before I could work myself into a full-blown argument. โIf she doesnโt want it, then she doesnโt want it,โ she snapped, standing in front of me.โShe has to wearโโโShe doesnโt have to do anything,โ Arya snapped again, her thin voice edged with venom. โI suggest you figure out who I am before you lose your job over a stupid mask.โThe guard blinked, his eyes locking onto hers, yet he zoned out. It was obvious that he was calculating, probably doing some mental search like is this the Lady Arya? The one married to the old Alpha?A few seconds passed, and his eyes widened a little with recognit
DALAThis wasn't a panicked grab of someone flailing for safety. Nope. This grip was confident and intentional. The kind of handhold that said, I knew exactly where you were, and I waited for the lights to go out just to be extra dramatic about it.I didnโt need to see his face or the lights because only one person would drag me into the shadows like this and act like it was perfectly normalโKnox.โYou,โ I said flatly, still half-blind as my heels skidded over the marble floor. โDo you ever enter a room like a normal person?โHis voice burst into the dark. โYou lookโฆdecent, Omega.โ I blinked, still trying to adjust my vision. โExcuse me?โโYou donโt look like a maid,โ he added, as if that somehow clarified the compliment and not terrified me even more. My cheeks burned, and I looked away. Great. Iโd officially reached the highest level of praise in Knox Erymorโs vocabulary. โWow. My self-esteem just grew legs and ran straight into traffic,โ I muttered.The lights hadnโt come back on
KAINancy finally peeled herself off me with a flirty little, โDonโt go too far,โ before disappearing toward the restroom, blowing me a kiss I had already had enough of for one night.I exhaled hard, finally able to catch my breath and move a muscle without Nancy breathing down my neck or pressing her perfumed tits into my face.She was not exactly annoying. She wasโฆ fine, just little too everywhere all the time like glitter, and had worn enough perfume for all the ladies in here. I was debating whether I had time to ghost her before she came back when two very familiar faces cut through the blur of sequins and smoke. Knox didnโt believe me when I said Vander could have an angle with this Omega. He should totally see them now.The vision cleared out, and their full faces came into view. Dala, looking pale and spooked as sheโd just been chased through a cemetery, locked eyes with me first. โHave you seen Arya?โ she asked urgently.โArya? What? Wait, Aryaโs here?โ I looked at Vander,
KAI I frantically looked around like someone would magically appear with a solution. Arya slumped heavier against me, muttering the same thing. โI canโt feel my babyโฆโ Shit. I didnโt have time. I scooped her into my arms and raced toward the entrance, weaving through the crowd and ignoring how everyone turned their heads like I was the drama theyโd been waiting for. โHey, you really gonna be fine,โ I assured her even though the words just slid off the top of my tongue like a recitation. Confusion had its claws deep around my throat, and fear made every step I took heavier than it should have been. My phone buzzed in my pocket. Dala or Vander, maybe, but I couldnโt stop. I reached the parking lot and scanned the cars like a madman. It would take minutes to call my driver, which was precisely what I didnโt have. Aryaโs warm arms tightly wrapped around my neck, tears spilling from her eyes. In seconds, my gaze fell upon a silver convertible with a group of girls lounging insi
VANDERThe second the doors slammed open, I knew. I knew from the way the air shifted that it was him. I could feel it from the way his eyes locked straight onto me without hesitation that he wasnโt wondering who to blame.He already knew.My father had already decided. I barely had time to brace myself before his boots thundered across the tile, and then his arm swung at me so hard that I almost lost my footing. The slap was brutal. A full swing, palm wide, strength precise. My head jerked sideways, my vision flashing white for half a second. The sting spread across my jaw like wildfire, and I tasted blood.A gasp ripped from Dalaโs throat. I straightened slowly, locking my jaw, not because I wasnโt hurt but because I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing it.โWhat the hell is wrong with you?โ His voice roared through the hospital.โDid you come back just to destroy everything again?โI winced. The words hit harder than the slap. Destroy everything? โYouโre barely back fro
KNOXIโve done worse.Worse things. To worse people. I have done things that would keep most people up at night, gnawing at their souls, but I always slept just fine.When did that end? Because sleep seemed to have eluded me. The moment I shut my eyes, her face was the first thing I saw.Those huge eyes staring at me with so much fear in them. That wasnโt the kind of person I wanted to be to her. Every single time after that, all I saw was the way her eyes filled with so much fear and hatred toward me. Even the way she slammed that damn door in my face like I was some kind of monster still stuck to my memory, and maybe I was.I wouldnโt usually mind that. But thisโthis tightness in my chest, this constant ache gnawing at my ribs wasnโt just guilt. Funny, it could be but o wouldnโt even know what guilt feels like anymore. All I knew was that I couldnโt stop thinking about her. I donโt even remember what I said that night. I was drunk and out of my fucking mind. But I remember to
KAII didnโt even like pies.Seriously, I didnโt. I found them too sweet, too flaky. That was definitely too much drama for a bite of fruit and sugar. But for some reason, when Arya handed it to meโstill warm, wrapped in a little dish towel that smelled like cinnamon and rosemaryโI didnโt hesitate.It just seemed more valuable than it actually was, and I took it like it was a damn treasure. As if Iโd been waiting all day for someone to make me a pie.Which, againโI hadnโt. I donโt even like pies.I liked the way she smiled when she gave it to me. She looked like she hadnโt slept and wasn't thinking about the bruises under her eyes or the way her hands still shook a little when she thought no one was watching. I guess that was my little thank you gift for helping and practicing hijacking a car.I should probably call my dealer to see if the upgrade was done for the girls. I carried it upstairs, headed to Knoxโs room, and tapped on the door with my foot.โBro,โ I called, โyou alive in
ARYAI canโt let him go.The thought echoed so loud in my head, it was a physical thing, pounding against my skull. I couldnโt let Vander leave this house or watch Dala be dragged away like she was nothing.My hands twisted the bedsheet in my lap as the memory bled into me. It was years ago, at a summer camp organized by the packs but obviously for the privileged families.Then, my father hadnโt gained steady footing in the packโs politics. I was a nobody with braces, giant glasses, and a target so obvious it was like I wore a sign on my forehead. I wasn't a conventionally attractive kid.The kids, as horrible as their families, circled me, laughing, poking, and one of them trying to yank my glasses off.I thought Iโd die of shame before Vander appeared to cook up a storm, telling the kids off and threatening them all that if they touched me again, theyโd have to deal with him. He was rough and reckless even then, with a black eye and a crooked grin, but to me, he wasโฆ everything.Iโ
DALAThe Alphaโs words still rang in my ears like a slap. Apparently, no, worse than the slap he gave Vander. It crashed into me in slow motion, and my vision was blurred by my tears, slowly trickling down my cheeks. He was sending me back. Back to a house that had never felt like home and to Aunt Claudette, who always looked at me like I was a burden she was stuck with.โPlease!โ I cried desperately, running to the Alpha before he could get to the awaiting vehicle.Desperation was the thing I understood and felt in that second. My knees moved before I could stop them, and I dropped to the cold floor with a hard thud that could have cost me my bones.โPlease,โ I whispered, my voice barely a thread. โI canโt go back. I didnโt mean to hurt Lady Arya. I didnโt know sheโโ My voice cracked. โPlease donโt send me back.โHe kept walking, disregarding my existence. โPlease!โ I called louder, scrambling closer. I grabbed the fabric of his trousers, clinging like a child, begging not to be le
KAELMy head hurts.That was the first thing I registeredโ this wicked, throbbing pain behind my eyes like my brain had been tossed around in a blender overnight. I groaned and shifted under the sheets. It wasnโt my room. That much was clear.My eyes cracked open, and the ceiling above me came into view, completely unfamiliar. My mouth tasted like bad decisions and tequila, and I sat up slowly because any faster and my skull might actually implode. I was shirtless, just boxers. Great. This must be one of Knoxโs hotels. How I ended up here? I had no idea. I glanced to my left and nearly jumped out of my skin when someone squirmed in the space beside me. Looking closer, I realized it was Gabriel, the last person Iโd expect to be here.My best friend, since always. Since matching superhero costumes and sleepovers where weโd talked about crushesโhis on Jason from track, mine on no one in particular. I stared hard. He was still asleep, curled slightly toward my side of the bed. I blink
VANDERThe second the doors slammed open, I knew. I knew from the way the air shifted that it was him. I could feel it from the way his eyes locked straight onto me without hesitation that he wasnโt wondering who to blame.He already knew.My father had already decided. I barely had time to brace myself before his boots thundered across the tile, and then his arm swung at me so hard that I almost lost my footing. The slap was brutal. A full swing, palm wide, strength precise. My head jerked sideways, my vision flashing white for half a second. The sting spread across my jaw like wildfire, and I tasted blood.A gasp ripped from Dalaโs throat. I straightened slowly, locking my jaw, not because I wasnโt hurt but because I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing it.โWhat the hell is wrong with you?โ His voice roared through the hospital.โDid you come back just to destroy everything again?โI winced. The words hit harder than the slap. Destroy everything? โYouโre barely back fro
KAI I frantically looked around like someone would magically appear with a solution. Arya slumped heavier against me, muttering the same thing. โI canโt feel my babyโฆโ Shit. I didnโt have time. I scooped her into my arms and raced toward the entrance, weaving through the crowd and ignoring how everyone turned their heads like I was the drama theyโd been waiting for. โHey, you really gonna be fine,โ I assured her even though the words just slid off the top of my tongue like a recitation. Confusion had its claws deep around my throat, and fear made every step I took heavier than it should have been. My phone buzzed in my pocket. Dala or Vander, maybe, but I couldnโt stop. I reached the parking lot and scanned the cars like a madman. It would take minutes to call my driver, which was precisely what I didnโt have. Aryaโs warm arms tightly wrapped around my neck, tears spilling from her eyes. In seconds, my gaze fell upon a silver convertible with a group of girls lounging insi
KAINancy finally peeled herself off me with a flirty little, โDonโt go too far,โ before disappearing toward the restroom, blowing me a kiss I had already had enough of for one night.I exhaled hard, finally able to catch my breath and move a muscle without Nancy breathing down my neck or pressing her perfumed tits into my face.She was not exactly annoying. She wasโฆ fine, just little too everywhere all the time like glitter, and had worn enough perfume for all the ladies in here. I was debating whether I had time to ghost her before she came back when two very familiar faces cut through the blur of sequins and smoke. Knox didnโt believe me when I said Vander could have an angle with this Omega. He should totally see them now.The vision cleared out, and their full faces came into view. Dala, looking pale and spooked as sheโd just been chased through a cemetery, locked eyes with me first. โHave you seen Arya?โ she asked urgently.โArya? What? Wait, Aryaโs here?โ I looked at Vander,
DALAThis wasn't a panicked grab of someone flailing for safety. Nope. This grip was confident and intentional. The kind of handhold that said, I knew exactly where you were, and I waited for the lights to go out just to be extra dramatic about it.I didnโt need to see his face or the lights because only one person would drag me into the shadows like this and act like it was perfectly normalโKnox.โYou,โ I said flatly, still half-blind as my heels skidded over the marble floor. โDo you ever enter a room like a normal person?โHis voice burst into the dark. โYou lookโฆdecent, Omega.โ I blinked, still trying to adjust my vision. โExcuse me?โโYou donโt look like a maid,โ he added, as if that somehow clarified the compliment and not terrified me even more. My cheeks burned, and I looked away. Great. Iโd officially reached the highest level of praise in Knox Erymorโs vocabulary. โWow. My self-esteem just grew legs and ran straight into traffic,โ I muttered.The lights hadnโt come back on