LOGINThe strange, dull metallic ache in my chest was gone because I poured my morning tea into the dirt hours ago. A brand new warmth spread through my veins, and my body felt surprisingly light. I actually had energy to spare, so I did not mind the long walk to the science building.Paige jogged across the green grass to catch up with me, and she waved her hands in the air to grab my attention. She wore a bright yellow sweater, and she looked incredibly excited about something. She stopped right in front of me while she tried to catch her breath."I have been looking all over the campus for you," Paige said as she adjusted the heavy strap of her backpack. "You have to come with me tonight, Jaslyn. You cannot say no to this.""Come where?" I asked her, and I offered a small smile since her good mood was very contagious."Sienna is throwing a massive frat party off-campus tonight," Paige explained in a rapid rush of words. "It is the biggest event of the fall semester, and everyone from our
I stepped out of the morning sunlight and walked straight down the concrete stairs into the pack's underground training gym. The air inside the basement facility was very cool, yet my blood still ran hot with restless energy. I had left the formal dining room right after Jaslyn refused to tell me why she poured her morning tea into the dirt. She had just stared at me with wide eyes, and she refused to answer any of my questions before she grabbed her backpack and rushed out the front door to attend her classes.I could not stay inside the quiet estate while my mind raced with so many unanswered questions. My inner wolf paced back and forth inside my skull, because the beast was incredibly frustrated by her constant defiance.I also could not stop thinking about the massive electrical spark I felt in the SUV last night. The supernatural connection was undeniable, yet she was supposed to be a normal human girl. To make the situation even more confusing, I had noticed a very sharp change
I stared at the ceiling of my dark bedroom because my racing thoughts kept me awake all night. My heavy blankets felt suffocating, so I pushed them off my tired legs and sat up on the edge of my mattress. The morning sunlight filtered through the large windows, yet the bright rays did not make me feel any better. I felt deeply unsettled about living in the Blackwood estate, and my mind replayed the terrifying events of the previous evening over and over again.I remembered how Damien stepped into the hallway to catch my mother's arm. I remembered his terrifying threat, and I shivered because his dark eyes held zero mercy. He told Vanessa she would leave the house in a body bag if she ever tried to hit me again. He acted like a lethal protector, which contradicted everything I thought I knew about the distant billionaire.However, Damien's intervention was not the most disturbing part of my night. My mother's bizarre phone call bothered me the most. She told her secret supplier that my
The heavy canvas backpack rested against the wooden hallway table after it made that loud noise, and the silence in the corridor stretched for a long, uncomfortable moment. Vanessa stared at me with pure terror on her face, yet her fear did not last very long. Her expression morphed into raw, defensive rage because she realized I had heard her secret phone call. She dropped her expensive cell phone onto the thick Persian rug, and she marched toward the open parlor doorway to confront me."What are you doing sneaking around the house?" Vanessa screamed at me, and her loud voice echoed down the long, dim corridor. "You are supposed to announce yourself when you walk through the front doors, so you have no right to skulk in the shadows like a common thief."I refused to back down or apologize for walking into my own home. I dropped my old sneakers onto the cold marble floor, and I crossed my arms over my chest so I could defend myself. My legs ached from walking across the huge college c
The unnatural heat from his large hand burned against the sensitive skin of my wrist, and the massive shockwave of electrical energy still traveled through my veins. I did not understand how a simple touch could produce such a strong physical reaction, yet my body recognized the strange power connecting us. He leaned closer to me with an expression of raw awe on his face, so I knew I had to get away from him right now before he tried to kiss me.I yanked my arm backward with all of my strength, and I ripped my wrist out of his firm grip.Ryder let out a low gasp, and his fingers flexed in the empty air as though he wanted to grab me again. I did not give him the chance to trap me, because my survival instincts screamed at me to run away. I slammed my left hand against the electronic door panel and hit the unlock button.The automatic locks clicked open with a loud mechanical sound, and I pushed the heavy passenger door wide open.I scrambled out of the dark SUV before he could reach a
She pressed her spine against the leather passenger seat, and her eyes grew very wide in the dark vehicle. The confined space of the SUV felt incredibly small while her sweet vanilla scent surrounded me and clouded my rational thoughts.My inner wolf pushed hard against my mental barriers since the beast wanted to close the final few inches between us. I leaned my upper body over the heavy center console, and I let my gaze drop to her soft lips. My biology demanded that I claim her right now so no other male could ever look at her again.I wanted to kiss her right there in the dark driveway, but I forced my muscles to stop moving before I made a terrible mistake.I knew she did not understand our supernatural world, so a forceful physical advance would only terrify her more. She already viewed me as a cruel jerk, and I did not want to push her further away. I clenched my jaw and pulled my face back a few inches, although my chest still heaved with heavy breaths. I needed to establish
I dropped my hand away from Jaslyn’s chin before my control shattered. My chest heaved with every breath I took because the urge to kiss her right there in the dusty basement was overwhelming. I looked at her soft lips one last time, and I forced myself to step back. I had to create physical distan
The cold metal of the bookshelf pressed hard against my spine because Ryder had me pinned in the narrow aisle. His thick arms formed a solid barrier on either side of my head, and I had absolutely nowhere to run. The dark scent of pine surrounded me while the heavy air made it difficult to catch my
Paige pointed her finger at the indoor balcony and asked if I knew the terrifying man in the dark suit. I forced myself to look away from Evan, and I turned my attention back to Paige's worried face so she would not see the genuine fear in my eyes."I do not know him personally," I lied, although m
I sat at the head of the long glass table inside the main boardroom of Blackwood Global. The room was freezing cold because the air conditioning always ran on the highest setting. I wore a tailored black suit that felt too tight across my broad shoulders, and my silk tie felt like a rope around my







