Mag-log inRivenI stood by the window in the living room, arms wrapped around myself, staring out into the pouring rain. Kael was still there. Just standing in the middle of the road, completely soaked, head bowed. He hadn’t moved in what felt like hours.I bit my lip hard, chest tight with worry. I knew he gets cold easily.Dex came up behind me and rested a hand on my shoulder. “What are you staring at?”I quickly turned away from the window. “Nothing.”Dex glanced outside anyway and sighed. “Are you worried about him? Who is he to you, really?”I lowered my head, unable to lie anymore. “Actually… Kael and I used to date. But please don’t tell anyone. It was our little secret.”Dex scoffed softly, but there was no real anger in it. “I knew something was going on between you two. I didn’t realize it was that serious.” He stepped closer and gently cupped my face with both hands. “I want you to forget about him and focus on me. I want you to love me. I want you to look at only me.”I forced a sm
KaelI stood there frozen near the entrance, watching the whole thing unfold like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.Riven had stood up, grabbed Dex’s face, and kissed him. Deep. Right there in the middle of the restaurant. Dex looked surprised for half a second before kissing him back, hands on Riven’s waist.My chest tightened so hard it hurt. Regret hit me like a truck. I wished I had never listened to Riven’s father. I wished I had told him to go to hell and dealt with the consequences. But then the memories came rushing back — my mother’s hands around my throat, May on the floor, Dad’s desperate face, and the lie we built to protect what was left of our family. If that truth came out, Dad could go to prison. May would be devastated. Everything would crumble.So I stood there and forced myself to look away.Faye, standing beside me, tilted her head. “Um… so your ex-boyfriend got a boyfriend now?”“Shut up,” I muttered, my voice low and sharp.She had been so happy when I asked h
RivenIt had been a full week.A week of restless nights, constant overthinking, and an ache in my chest that refused to go away. I kept telling myself I was fine. That I was moving on. But every quiet moment brought memories of Kael crashing back in.Coach called me back to practice mid-week. He said the team needed me and that I had rested enough. I was happy to hear it. I thought throwing myself into hockey would help me forget Kael. Instead, it only made me miss him more. Every drill, every rush down the ice, every time I looked up expecting to see him on the other side… it hurt.I hadn’t seen him in person since that day at his place. But I still saw him on Instagram. I never blocked him there. I told myself it was just curiosity, but really I was torturing myself. Pictures of him smiling with Faye. Them out together. Him looking happy. Each post felt like another stab.One afternoon after practice, we were all in the locker room, showering together. Naked, water running down tir
RivenI sat on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in my lap, the TV glowing bright in the dim living room. The Bulls were playing today — a solid matchup against a strong rival team. The stadium was packed, fans roaring even through the screen. I should’ve been there. On the ice. Part of it.Instead, Coach had benched me. “Take some time to rest,” he’d texted early this morning. To be honest, I’d been off, slow, and distracted, with my body feeling heavier and more unpredictable every day. The omega changes were getting worse. My scent was stronger. I couldn’t risk being around the team like that.So I stayed home watching from the couch like some stranger instead of their teammate.“Come on!” I shouted at the screen as one of my linemates missed a perfect pass. “Right there! Skate it out!”Even alone, I was cheering, leaning forward, heart racing with every play. When we scored, I jumped up, popcorn spilling everywhere, pumping my fist. When the final buzzer sounded and we won, a big g
KaelThen a scream tore through the house. “What are you doing?!”Dad’s voice cracked with panic as he burst into the room. He saw Mom on top of me, her hands locked around my throat, and lunged forward. “Get off him! Let him go right now!”He grabbed her shoulders and pulled hard, but she fought like a wild animal, nails digging deeper into my skin, screaming curses. I was fading fast — vision blurring, lungs burning.Through choked gasps, I forced the words out, my small voice hoarse and desperate. “Dad… stop… don’t say anything… please… don’t tell anyone the truth…”Dad froze for a split second, staring at me in complete shock. His face twisted with confusion and pain. “Kael… what are you saying? She’s killing you! I have to—”“Please!” I wheezed, tears streaming down my face as my strength slipped. “They’ll take us away… they’ll take May… they’ll take you… I can’t lose you, Dad. Please… just… don’t say anything…”He looked completely stunned. His mouth opened like he was ready to
KaelRiven’s father finally stopped the car in a quiet, deserted stretch of road. He turned to face me fully. I kept my eyes straight ahead, jaw locked, mind racing through every possible way this could go wrong. What the hell was he planning to blackmail me with?“After several deep digs into your life,” he said calmly, “I found out a big secret about you.”I finally turned to him, searching his eyes like I could read the truth there. My pulse hammered in my ears.“The secret isn’t really about you,” he laughed, cold and satisfied. “But I can assure you it belongs to someone you truly love and would do anything to protect.”Irritation flared hot and immediate. My eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to blackmail me using your own son? Are you being fucking real right now?”He growled in anger and jabbed a finger towards me. “You’ll listen to me, you hear me!”I just glared, fists clenched so tight my knuckles ached.“As I was saying…” His face softened into something almost smug. “I went d
KaelIt was a good night for the Vipers.We had beaten the Razorbacks 5-3, and the whole team was buzzing with victory. After the game, we decided to celebrate the old-fashioned way — drinks at a lively bar downtown. The place was loud, music thumping, and lights flashing. The boys were laughing, c
RivenThat evening, I decided to go home — to my parents’ house, precisely.I packed a small bag, changed into something comfortable, and took a taxi instead of my bike. The ride was long, almost forty-five minutes, but the moment the familiar house came into view, something in my chest eased.Mom
RivenThat morning, I woke up to a few soft knocks on my front door.I froze in bed, heart jumping. Then I heard May’s cheerful voice from outside.“I was asked to get some suppressants for you. I’ve left them right outside. Have a good day!”I cleared my throat, trying to make my voice sound diffe
KaelJust when I was about to sleep, my phone rang.I checked the screen. It was Riven.I narrowed my eyes. I sat up quickly, glanced at Oliver, who was still snoring loudly, and slipped into the bathroom. I locked the door, sat on the closed toilet seat, and answered.“Hey?” I said, keeping my voi







