CALANTHA Bradley drove me, Nyx, and Eloise to the new apartment he had found for me. It was in a tall, high-end building, modern and luxurious. Just like he promised, the place was beautiful. It was spacious and elegant, with a huge floor-to-ceiling window that felt like a wall of glass, looking out over the entire pack.It was perfect. But the ache in my chest wouldn’t let me enjoy it.Together, Bradley and the girls helped me set up the place. We didn’t go overboard. Just the basics: a couch, a center table with a rug, some wall art, a few plants. It was simple, but cozy.By the time we were done, it was almost noon. Bradley offered to drop the girls off before heading back to the packhouse. Before she left, Eloise handed me the emergency pill we had talked about earlier.“Take it right away,” she said, placing the sealed packet in my hand. “If more than 72 hours pass, there’s a risk you could get pregnant.”“Thanks, El.” I whispered, pulling her into a grateful hug. All three of
KAIDEN“Just like you asked, I’ve assigned two private security officers to watch over the Luna from a distance,” Bradley reported, standing in front of the dining table where I sat, slowly picking at my food. “They’re highly trained, professional, and personally recommended by Hana.”I didn’t respond right away as I continued to eat. The food tasted like nothing. I was only eating to keep my strength up after my beast had left me completely drained.“Make it five.” I said flatly, still chewing slowly, eyes on my plate. I didn’t bother looking up at him.“Understood, my King. I’ll take care of it.” Bradley replied, bowing slightly.I finally leaned back from the table and gave a small signal. The servants standing by moved quickly to clear the dishes. Bradley’s eyes followed them, then turned back to me with concern.“But… you barely touched your meal, my King.” He said carefully.“I’m full.” I muttered, wiping the corners of my mouth with a napkin.He didn’t leave. Instead, he stood
CALANTHAThe weekend came and it sucked. I was lying on the couch, surrounded by junk food wrappers, eating popcorn straight from the bucket, and staring blankly at the ceiling. I had been bingeing on snacks and doing absolutely nothing for the past few days, stuck in a haze of sadness and confusion. Somewhere in my head, I knew I should probably get up and do something useful, but I just couldn’t.I told myself it was post-breakup depression. Even though Kaiden and I weren’t exactly real mates, the pain still felt real. Maybe that was what made it worse. Falling so hard for someone who never truly claimed me. Pathetic, isn’t it?It still didn’t stop the sudden bursts of tears or those awful waves of emotion every time I thought about him. I couldn’t believe he actually let me go so easily, like I meant nothing.And just as I was spiraling again, my phone buzzed beside me. I grabbed it half-heartedly, expecting a random notification, but it was a message from our friendship group
CALANTHAEloise and Nyx honestly felt like gifts from the gods. With them around, I barely had time to feel sad or think too much about Kaiden. We had a cozy movie night, played silly games, went shopping, and even stopped by the amusement park on our way back. Before I knew it, I was laughing again. And for the first time in a while, I let myself enjoy the moment, pushing all the pain and heartbreak to the back of my mind.Before long, Monday arrived. Since both Eloise and Nyx were still staying over at my place, we decided to go to the academy together. Eloise drove, blasting loud music from her car speakers while Nyx and I sang along at the top of our lungs, laughing like kids.When we reached the academy, the hallway was packed. Students stood in big groups, all crowding around one side of the wall. Everyone seemed excited, trying to catch a glimpse of something.“What do you think it is?” Nyx asked, her eyes scanning the crowd around us. We heard a group of girls squealing in e
KAIDEN“Ivy has been the top student in our pack’s academy since she was a child,” Councilman Leonard said proudly. “She even started her own charity to support the less privileged in our pack. She’s quiet, loves her books, and always keeps to herself.”“Really?” My mother let out a soft laugh at his words. “Then she truly sounds like the perfect match for my son.”As they went on talking about the idea of Ivy being the best concubine candidate for me, I kept eating my food silently, not bothering to join their conversation.We were all seated around the dining table—my mother, Councilman Leonard, Ivy, and me. I noticed Ivy sneaking shy glances at me while she quietly ate her food, but I didn’t look back at her. The only time I had actually looked at her was when she first walked in with her father.She was beautiful, no doubt. Tall, slender, with curly blonde hair. But nothing about her stood out to me. Not the way Calantha had.And that frustrated me.No matter how much I tried to m
LYSANDRA“Welcome back, Miss.” Gia greeted with her usual warm smile as she helped me take off my backpack.“How was school today?”“Boring, like always.” I sighed, letting her take the bag from my shoulder.Gia had been my personal maid since she was eight, and over the years, we had grown close. More like best friends than anything else. But she never dropped the formal tone. Maybe it was because my mother never liked it when she did. Even when we were little, one disapproving look from my mother was enough to keep Gia in line.“You know,” Gia said with a soft laugh as we walked through the entrance of the mansion, “most top students love school. But you? You're a mystery.”I gave her a small smile. “I know, right?”But the truth was, my grades weren’t really for me. They were for my mother. I worked hard, stayed on top, played the perfect daughter just so she would look at me with even a hint of approval. That was the way I had lived my life.As we reached the foyer, I saw my moth
CALANTHAToday marked the official start of the Wolfville Blood Games trials. Because of that, our school schedule was split in two. Mornings were for regular classes, and the afternoons were reserved for tournament activities.As soon as the second half of the day arrived, we were told to change into our sportswear and head straight to the school field. Honestly, I didn’t want to be here. I had no interest in joining the tournament, but I had no choice. It was mandatory for everyone between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four to participate in the trials. I didn’t complain though, because I already knew I wouldn’t make it past the first round.While the P.E. teachers guided us through warm-ups, I stretched my arms and casually looked around. That was when my eyes landed on Kaiden.He was stretching a few feet away, and for a second, I felt everything around me pause.The early afternoon sun lit up his dark coffee-brown hair, making it shine a little. His strong muscles shifted und
CALANTHA Alright… here goes nothing. I stepped onto the track with the rest of the girls, trying not to look like I was already dreading what was about to happen. From the far end, I saw Nyx flash me a thumbs-up with a quick smile. I returned the gesture, even though we both knew it was pointless. There was absolutely no way I was making it through this race. “You’ve got this, besties!” Eloise called from the sidelines, clapping like the proud cheerleader she was. Then the starting gun went off. Before I could even blink twice, most of the girls had dashed ahead while I was still trying to figure out how to move my legs fast enough without tripping over them. Even Nyx was ahead of me athough judging by how others passed her too, I figured we were both pretty hopeless. “Come on, Cal!” she called over her shoulder before focusing back on the track and picking up speed like her life depended on it. Meanwhile, I felt like I was jogging more than running. My lungs were already com
NYXMy eyes widened in shock and fear. My heart thumped wildly as I stared at the broken pieces of the vase I had just smashed against his head.He lay on the floor, groaning in pain, a small trail of blood trickling from the side of his head. At least he was still alive. For a second, I had thought I killed him.“You…” he groaned, trying to crawl toward me, reaching for my foot. But before he could get close, I turned and ran—bolting out the door and down the hallway, my torn nightie flapping behind me, barely covering my body.I didn’t stop. Not even when I passed Aunt Diane, who was sitting in the foyer, lazily smoking her pipe. She sat up fast, sensing something was wrong. But I didn’t wait for her to ask. I just kept running.Because I knew that attacking an elite meant so much trouble for me. I was so done for. Once I burst through the gates and out onto the road, barefoot and shaking, I stopped in the middle of the street, my chest heaving. My ears rang with the sound of rushi
NYXTrigger Warning: This chapter contains scenes of attempted assault and may be distressing for some readers. Please proceed with caution.~~~~After a while, I finished showering. The cold water stung the open cuts on my back from Aunt Diane’s whip, making me flinch every time it touched my skin. I bit back the tears, trying not to cry as I washed the blood away.Once I was done, I changed into the usual lingerie I wore on nights like this—thin, see-through, and short. It stopped just above my thighs, showing the lace panties and bra I wore underneath. I hated it. But I didn’t have a choice.I sat in front of the mirror, spraying some perfume on my neck and wrists. The smell filled the air, sweet and heavy. My stomach twisted, and I felt sick. My eyes were full of tears, but I held them back. I just stared at the broken girl looking back at me in the mirror.This was when I always blamed my mother. The anger inside me burned. If she had been a real mother, none of this would be hap
NYXI didn’t miss the way Eloise kept glancing at me with concern during the entire car ride from the academy. Her silence spoke louder than words. Every time I felt her eyes on me, I looked away, pretending to be interested in the scenery outside the window, pretending everything was fine.When we finally arrived at my aunt’s mansion, I opened the door and stepped out quietly, shutting it behind me. Just as I turned to leave, her voice stopped me.“Should I come in with you?” She asked through the rolled-down window, her tone gentle but filled with worry.I forced a small smile onto my face as I looked up at her. “It’s fine. You don’t have to.”But the moment our eyes met, she caught the fear behind my mask. I saw it in her face—the way her expression shifted. She opened her door and got out at once. “Come on,” she said, reaching for my hand. “Let’s go in together.”“I already said it’s fine.” I pulled my hand back softly, not harshly, but firm enough that she understood I wasn’t g
CALANTHA“I remember my name now!” The timid boy said as we lay on the ground, breathing hard and trying to recover from the adrenaline rush. A small, relieved laugh escaped his lips. “Oh, gods… I actually remember!”“I remember too!” Eloise gasped, turning her head quickly to look at me. A wide, happy smile lit up her face, just like his. “Calantha. I remember now. Damn, I thought I was going to lose my mind back there.”I laughed softly, still catching my breath. It felt so strange that just a few minutes ago, I couldn’t even recognize the girl beside me as my best friend.This trial was definitely the hardest, scariest, and most confusing thing we had ever faced. And honestly, I would give anything not to go through the main tournament after this.“Come on. Let’s go find Nyx.” Eloise said, pushing herself up and reaching a hand out to me. I took it and stood, brushing dried leaves and dirt off my clothes. The others got up too, and I looked around.Other participants were stepping
CALANTHA As everyone started to panic, shouting things like “Who are you?” and “Why are we here?”, I took a step back and let my eyes roam around the strange room that had trapped the five of us together.The walls were tall panes of silver glass, stretching out in every direction like an endless mirror maze, reflecting our confused faces a thousand times over. A soft hum echoed through the room, and suddenly, a glowing clock appeared on one of the mirrors.00:10:59.An eleven-minute countdown.Fear climbed up my throat. What were we supposed to do?Beside me, the timid-looking boy stepped closer to the mirrors, frowning as he studied the clock.“We’re being timed.” He said quietly.“Timed?” The girl with soft cherry-brown hair echoed, stepping forward to see for herself. Her forehead creased with worry.As everyone started pacing in confusion, trying to make sense of the place, I moved closer to one of the mirrors and stared into it.My breath caught in my throat.My reflection didn
CALANTHAThe rune blinked once then glowed gold. The words on it shifted and changed:Passed ⅓.“Oh, thank the gods,” Eloise breathed out behind me, placing a hand over her chest. She looked like she had been holding her breath the whole time. I let out a small laugh, the tension finally easing a bit. I turned to the timid boy.“Well done.”He smiled shyly, his cheeks turning red as he looked down at his shoes. His ears were flushed too.Before we could say anything else, another door shimmered to life —this time, the obsidian one. A second riddle echoed through the chamber:"I wear your face, but hide a knife. I smile as you bleed. Once I strike, the scent of trust never returns. What am I?"Isadora folded her arms across her chest and stepped forward with her usual smugness. “That’s betrayal.” She said with a slight toss of her head, her voice sharp and confident.“Wait,” I said quickly, holding up a hand. “Could it be deception? Or maybe false love?”She let out a small snort. “I
CALANTHA"Um... I-I think I panicked and pressed the wrong runes." Isadora mumbled as the floor finally stopped tilting and the magic fog faded. We slowly picked ourselves off the ground. Eloise and I stayed close together, like something terrible might happen if we let go of each other. Isadora, on the other hand, was still trying to act calm, like nothing had shaken her."It’ll work this time.” She said confidently and started walking toward the rune slab again, but Eloise quickly stepped in front of her."We only have one chance left, Isadora," Eloise warned. "You already messed up the first try. What makes you so sure you won’t mess up again?""Oh really? Then why don’t you try it if you think it’s so easy!" Isadora snapped, glaring at her.Eloise scoffed. "Oh, now you admit it’s not easy? That’s funny coming from someone who said she’s the best in werewolf history.""You’re just jealous because I’m better than you!" Isadora hissed, her face red with anger."Me? Jealous of you?"
CALANTHAWe were all sorted into groups of five. In my group, there was me, Eloise, Isadora, a girl, and another timid looking guy whose names I didn’t know. Each group was given a name, and ours was called Group Starlight. Nyx ended up in a different group.I couldn’t help but glance over at Kaiden. He was grouped with Lysandra, Sara, Ryker, and another boy. A jealous feeling crawled up my stomach at the thought of Lysandra being in the same group as him. My jealousy only grew when Kaiden sent me a small smile from across the field. I pouted and looked away, feeling even more annoyed. Why couldn’t I have been in his group instead of her?"The gods, I’m so nervous." Eloise said next to me, kicking her legs as she warmed up, her face serious like she was going into battle.Before I could say anything back, Mr. Fisher spoke up again."Each group will enter the portal one at a time," he said, his voice loud and clear. "You’ll each be taken to a different puzzle room. You’ll have no mor
CALANTHA"I still can't believe you're hooking up with the Lycan King again after everything he did to you!" Eloise said beside me, throwing her hands up in frustration as we walked down the academy hallway, surrounded by other students. I had just finished telling her and Nyx about what happened yesterday. About me and Kaiden’s ‘little moment’, and Queen Adeline showing up at my doorstep. And Eloise and Nyx’s reactions were exactly what I had expected."Shhh!" I hissed quickly, glancing around to make sure no one had heard. I turned back to Eloise, shooting her a warning glare. "Someone might hear you! And remember, no one’s supposed to know I’m out of the packhouse yet."Eloise just rolled her eyes, and Nyx leaned in closer to ask in a quieter voice, "How did you two even make up?""I don't know," I said with a small shrug. "It just... happened."Eloise shook her head. "Well, as much as I don't want to see you get hurt again, I'm glad Queen Adeline walked in on you and Kaiden hal