LOGINKira In everything that constantly derailed my mind, a dream that came without warning was the shove I never saw coming.One moment, I was drifting in darkness—soon after eating dinner in stiff silence after my parents fussed over Kayla. Next, I was running as if I were being chased.My bare feet slapped against cold, wet ground that rippled through my body. The forest surrounded me, not the familiar woods of Dark Valley I was used to, but something darker. The trees looked like human skeletons, their branches in the shape of hands reaching toward the blood moon that hung too low in the sky. The blood moon seemed out of place. My heart hammered against my ribs, and my lungs burned at the speed my legs were taking me. I didn’t know exactly what I was running from, only that something was behind me. Something faster to compete with my werewolf speed. I could smell its hunger. I risked a glance over my shoulder. The red eyes were the first I saw in the dark, then the pale skin, and
The walk back from the cafe was a blur of grey pavement and my swirling thoughts. I didn’t remember crossing the street, or even passing the park, or the row of shops, or the bridge that led out of town. My feet carried me forward on autopilot while my mind churned through everything Harper had told me. I had spent years believing that the gap in my memory was a blessing. A protective block my mind had built to shield me from something terrible. But now I realized that I hadn't just been protecting myself. I was avoiding the bigger issue that involved my twin sister, and I couldn't deal with it. And everyone had let me stick to that warped memory. My parents and even Kira. They had all looked at me, night after night, day after day, and let me believe that the blank space in my head was nothing. A side effect of the attack. A minor inconvenience for their fake story. They had let me fill in the gaps with their lies, and I had swallowed every one of them because I had put so much
The warmth of the fire kissed my skin as I settled on the chair… the scent of herbs still hung in the air, and the air had shifted. The weight of my decision pressed against my chest like an iron rod, and Hilda’s pale eyes followed me as I moved my legs closer. “Lie down,” Hilda said, already moving toward her shelves. She observed the basket of dried herbs, selecting this one and that one with ease. “The tea will take a few minutes to brew, but it will help with the taste of the gross drink, as you call it. Use that time to quiet your mind.” I sat on the long couch, the leather itching, calming my body. My hand was still wrapped around the small jar she had given me earlier, but she shook her head when I held it up. “Hand it over. Since you’ll be going through the process here, I’ll mix it in with some herbs to make a more soothing tea. I’m not promising it will be sweet but it will not be as gross, okay?” she took the jar from me and i nodded. My mind was a bit at rest knowing I
The walk back from the cafe was a blur of grey pavement and my swirling thoughts. I didn’t remember crossing the street, or even passing the park, or the row of shops, or the bridge that led out of town. My feet carried me forward on autopilot while my mind churned through everything Harper had told me. I had spent years believing that the gap in my memory was a blessing. A protective block my mind had built to shield me from something terrible. But now I realized that I hadn't just been protecting myself. I was avoiding the bigger issue that involved my twin sister, and I couldn't deal with it. And everyone had let me stick to that warped memory. My parents and even Kira. They had all looked at me, night after night, day after day, and let me believe that the blank space in my head was nothing. A side effect of the attack. A minor inconvenience for their fake story. They had let me fill in the gaps with their lies, and I had swallowed every one of them because I had put so much
What I needed to clear my fogged head was nothing more than the morning cold against my skin as tiny beads of sweat rolled down the sides of my face. I had been running for nearly an hour, my legs burning and lungs aching as a torch hung below me, but I didn't slow down. The rhythm of my feet against the pavement was the only thing keeping the chaos in my chest at rest… alongside my heartbreak song playlist. Every time I stopped or took a deep breath, the thoughts came rushing back. Nick admitting to wanting Kira and Kira… The weight of her lies was choking me. My sister killed someone and had been lying to me for years… Thanks to my convenient memory loss. And Nick covered it up. With no shame whatsoever. How great was his love for her that not even the mate bond he shared with me deterred him? I rounded a corner and entered one of the main streets of the town. The small shops and cafes just began opening for the day, and the sweet scent of fresh-baked goods drew my feet toward
KaylaThe car had now become a small, suffocating box…. Leather seats are cold against my thighs, the dash lights casting a pale glow over the interior. Every breath I took was thick with the heat of our conversation, the space between us shrinking until there was nowhere left to hide and run from what needed to be said. “I can't mark you, Kayla. Not like this.”His voice was low, strained. He couldn’t even look at me as he said it. His hands moved to his thighs, and he squeezed them into fists as if he were holding himself back from something… or holding himself together. “Why not?” I raised my voice, losing the little bit of patience I had left. The sound bounced off the windows, too loud in the cramped space. My fingers curled into the seat fabric, my nails digging in. “She doesn't want you, so why can't you just bloody mark me now?”He turned his head, looking out the window to where Kira stood on the sidewalk. Her silhouette was faint, but I could see her watching us.“I'd exp
Nick ran like the forest had the answers he deperately needed. His thoughts were muffled, covered by the stumping of wolves behind him and racing his heart. Branches snapped beaneath his paws as he tore through the undergrowth, the sound of dozens of wolves following close behind got louder, echoi
What if Kayla misread everything? Judging by her manner of speaking and wistful gaze in her eyes as she spoke about Nick. Any stranger would think she'd had this amazing breakthrough with her mate, but in reality, we were trying to decipher what this really meant for her.And for me. Would he cla
Nick’s fists hit the sandbag in a steady, savage rhythm. The gym smelled of iron, sweat, and pinewood, all emanating from the morning heat. His wolf paced beneath his skin, restless, irritated as if it needed something he couldn’t name. The impact shook up his wrist, but he didn’t stop. Like the pr
The kitchen had never felt this small before. Big enough to fit 20 people, yet the air felt barely enough for a capacity of 3. Mom had been pacing for so long that the white tiles beneath her slippers scratched in protest. She moved back and forth, as if she stopped moving for one second, she migh







