LOGINAria’s voice echoed in my head.“They like each other.”“Guys,” Ryder cut in, his tone sharper now. “Give us a minute.”The room quieted slightly.“We’ll meet you on the field,” he added.There were a few nods, a couple of claps on my shoulder again, lighter this time, more careful.“Let me know if
Then I looked up.The mirror reflected it all back.The uniform with my last name at the back. BlackthonThe number. 1The image, perfect future alpha, quarterback, captain..The lie.I held my own gaze for a second longer.Then I turned away.I reached for the table beside me, where Coach had left
Kai.I stood in front of the mirror longer than I should have because I couldn’t quite believe what I looked like.The reflection staring back at me barely resembled the person I was supposed to be.My left eye was bloodshot, the red stark against the pale of my skin. A dark bruise spread across bot
The one Kai had taken from my bag.The one piece of home I still had.My chest tightened.I reached out slowly, brushing my fingers along its surface. The memory hit immediately, him handing it back to me, and lying to my face that he had bought it. I shook my head as a tear escaped my eyes.I swall
Aria.The phone rang longer than I expected.I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor, my fingers gripping the device a little too tightly as I waited. For a second, I thought he wouldn’t pick up. Maybe I had called at the wrong time.Then the line clicked.“Hello?”I let out a small breath
She was calling me.My thumb moved before I could think.I answered on the first ring.“Kai—” Her voice was soft and something warm rushed through me so suddenly it almost hurt more than the pain. My chest tightened again, but this time it wasn’t just agony—it was something else.Relief mixed with d
And she was laughing. She was laughing with another guy.I gripped the edge of the table so hard my knuckles cracked.“Relax,” Ryder said lazily, though I could hear the edge of mockery in his tone. “It’s just a car wash. What’s the matter, Blackthorn? Your little stray not behaving like the good, o
And now, he was standing in front of Aria.I gripped the edge of the table, nails digging into the wood as I watched them. He leaned down slightly, saying something that made her laugh. My heart thudded so hard I thought it might break my ribs.Aria was laughing with him.Adrian let out a low whistl
Aria.By the time we reached the steps of the school, my anger had boiled over. At first, I had been too stunned to process what had just happened, too caught up in the heat of the moment and the weight of Kai’s hand pulling me forward. But now? Now I was furious.How dare he. How dare he punch Luke
My chest pulled tight, and for a second, I almost laughed in disbelief. What the hell was she doing?And yet… a part of me couldn’t stop swelling with pride. I had never seen her like this. Bold. Fearless. Beautiful. She was shining, and I hated that the rest of the world could see her the way I did







