LOGINVeil. “You seem better this morning.” Gilly's voice comes from behind me, and I momentarily stop mowing the lawn to look at her. Her eyes are bright, not judgmental like I expected they'd be after what happened last night. She's carrying a heap of clothes in a basket while grinning at me. “Uh…yeah.” I can't seem to meet her gaze.Now that I think about it, I was clearly rude last night. Gilly was only showing concern, but my history has made it difficult to open up to anyone. “I'm…sorry about last night.” She steps closer, smiling. “It doesn't matter. I figured it's not something you want to share yet. Forgive me for probing too much.” “No, you weren't. I was just…I couldn't do it.” She clasps my hand reassuringly, looking gently into my eyes. “I understand you, Veil. Our friendship just started. Things are still new between us. So there's no need to rush things. Whenever you're ready to share your story, I'll be right here to hold your hand.” Her words melt my heart, but I k
Veil. I stand face to face with the beast, holding my breath. It's as if days haven't passed. As if time is still. Quin's beast stands like a giant before me, assessing. I curl my fingers into fists, back perched deep into the wall with my eyes closed. His open maw dribbles with thick saliva as he smells me for any threats. His nose nudges at my skin, and suddenly, he rips me from the wall with his big hand, bringing me to the center of the cellar. The moonlight forces its way into the cellar through the window and cracks in the wall, illuminating the space.He growls, looming over my back like a predator. I'm so terrified, scared things might go south.Elbows meeting the floor, I fight to keep from escaping from him. He pulls at my dress, baring my womanhood. His snarl is heart-rending when he touches me and notices the blood on me. Shock blasts through me. Quin's beasts hit his chest, raging. I turn, watching the display of anger. Fear bolts through me, and I wonder what
Veil.I quickly recoil, creating a space between Gilly and me while covering up my back. My back meets the headboard, and I hug my knees to myself while watching her. There's a horror look on her face, brows creased questioningly. That's the normal reaction of everyone who sees the map on my back. They're either disgusted or feel pity for me. But since moving back home and knowing how much they hated me, I've been conscious not to let anyone see what I'm hiding. Gilly's hands drop at her sides. She tries to move close again, but I flinch away, especially now that the details of how I got redesigned into a monster are flashing through my mind.“Who did that to you?” “No one.” I abruptly answer, looking away. “Veil…” “I'd like it if you went away,” I state firmly. Gilly's gasp sends a twinge of pain in my chest. She looks more than stunned at my actions, but I need to do it. I need to act firm if I don't want to crash here and turn into a wrecking sob. “Please, Gilly, just giv
Veil. “Ouch, that hurts, Gilly!” I scream as Gilly massages my arms that I strained earlier in the fields where Emma had ordered me to cultivate. It's a barren land, but Emma's orders were specific: plant poppy seeds on the whole acres of barren land, nurture them until they grow, and transform them into the pain-killers the pack members suffering from Shiftbane will use to dull their pain. I've been stuck in the fields for four days now, surviving on a morsel of food, while executing Luna's orders. She made sure no one helped me, not even Gilly, and placed guards to serve as watchdogs for me. I saw hell in the field, literally. The lands are not receptive to the seeds I'm planting, and it's killing me. My skin has grown tanned from working under the harsh sun without stopping. Fortunately, orders came in, probably from her, asking me to return to the pack house, and here I am, swimming in pain from the blisters and strains on my arms and feet. The back of my eyes burn when G
Rio. By nightfall, I leave the pack house in my 1967 Chevrolet Impala, playing slow music filled with tension, the type that gets me in the mood. Circling my mind in a loop are thoughts about Veil. I saw her earlier doing laundry, exhaustion clear on her face. It grates on my nerves seeing her like that. But soon, it'll end. I just need to buy more time. The gentle brush of the night breeze fills my lungs as I drive down the mountain road. It'll take about an hour to get to my destination, the place I discovered during the days I was grieving Veil's disappearance from the pack. It took months to get it set up, filling it with items I imagined would be used on her someday. It looked stupid doing that, wasting money setting up a sanctuary she'd never step into, but doing that made it feel like she was there with me. Along the line, I got an idea, since I couldn't publicly declare my desires for her, why not do it in the most twisted way? At first, it looked like a dumb move, but
Rio. My lycan throws a quick fit inside me, pounding through my skull for a release. Deep growls build at the back of my throat, threatening to spill. No, it can't happen under my watch. Eyes still gleaming, Emma hisses. “What are you still waiting for? Get on your knees and pick them up. I'm ordering you as your Luna!” The tremble in Veil's body is unmistakable. She's scared, I can see it in her eyes. “Y-yes, Luna.” She moves closer until she's standing over the wreckage as the sterile scent of the antiseptics saturates the air. Veil's knees begin to buckle, and Emma watches with satisfaction. However, before her knees could meet the cold slate floor, my beast shoves forward in a flash, darting in the space between Veil and Emma, furry shins skidding across the glass-scattered floor.The shifting was swift, unforeseen, and powerful that a resonant grunt of agony tears from my gut. The Shiftbane. It always makes shifting twice as agonizing as it should be. Gasps fly through







