CALANTHA“‘You think my distance is cruelty? No, my love. It is mercy. To love me is to walk willingly into the dark, and you... you were made for the light.’”“Pain bloomed in her eyes. Pain he put there. She didn’t believe him, not yet. But she would. He would make sure of it. Because loving her meant letting her go before she realized that monsters like him didn’t get happy endings.”With those final words, our literature professor closed the book in his hands and looked up at us."So, let’s talk about the protagonist of The Caged Heart," he said, setting the book aside. "Was he right to push the heroine away? Was he protecting her, or was he just being selfish?""He was absolutely being selfish." I blurted before I could stop myself.A few heads turned in my direction, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Kaiden glance my way too.I forced myself not to look at him, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves. Maybe I had answered too impulsively. But something about the book felt to
CALANTHA “… And do you know what she said after that?” Lysandra recounted her ordeal. Tate, Eloise, and Nyx leaned in, listening intently as we sat at our usual table in the cafeteria where Lysandra and Tate joined us. “She claimed I was too fragile and feminine to be a cheerleader. Can you believe that?”“Ugh, Isadora and her minions are just jealous.” Eloise scoffed, rolling her eyes.Lysandra was telling us how she made the cheer squad despite Isadora’s efforts to sabotage her during the auditions. But while my friends were fully engaged in the conversation, only half of my attention was on them.The other half was locked onto Kaiden.He was sitting with his teammates and their girlfriends at a table across the room, where everyone seemed lost in chatter. Everyone except him. Because his gaze was on me.I had caught him staring more than once, his eyes never straying. Every time I stole a glance in his direction, he was still watching. Unwavering. And sometimes, his stare was on T
CALANTHA7:00pmI sat cross-legged on my bed, staring at the wall clock.One hour until the time Kaiden said we would go on that dinner date.Even though I knew he was a man of his word, and that he always did exactly what he said he would, part of me still had doubts. Maybe because I never imagined he would want to take me out on a date.I wondered why. Was he starting to like me too?I shook my head, forcing the thought away. I couldn’t afford to get my hopes up. If I let myself believe in something that wasn’t real, I would only end up hurt. Again.Needing a distraction, I climbed off my bed and walked to my desk, grabbing a pen and opening my notebook. Maybe if I focused on my assignment, I could push him out of my mind.But it didn’t take long before I found myself glancing at the clock again.7:20pm.Was he serious about this, or was he just messing with me?But Kaiden never lied. He had hurt me, more times than I could count, but he never made empty promises. The only reason I
CALANTHA I took a shaky step back, my fingers slipping from the doorknob as a quiet, broken gasp left my lips. My chest tightened, like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs. Tears blurred my vision as I stared at the scene before me. A single tear slipped down my cheek, but neither Kaiden nor Lysandra noticed me. They were too caught up in their kiss, with Lysandra’s hand trailing lower on his body. Unable to watch anymore, I swallowed the lump in my throat and slowly shut the door. Wiping my tear away, I forced myself to keep it together despite the sharp, unbearable ache in my chest. I turned and walked away, my lips trembling and my eyes burning with unshed tears. A deep, seething rage boiled inside me. Kaiden. That bastard. He had stood me up, left me waiting for hours, just so he could be with her! I should have known better. I should’ve seen this coming from miles away. How could I be so stupid and blind? Grinding my teeth, I grabbed the necklace around my neck, y
CALANTHA Trigger Warning: This chapter contains scenes of attempted assault and may be distressing for some readers. Please proceed with caution. —- “Welcome to my place.” Tate said as we stepped inside his penthouse. I glanced around, taking in the polished, minimalist design. The furniture was perfectly matched to the walls, and expensive artwork hung in just the right spots. Everything looked effortlessly luxurious. “You have a nice place.” I said, genuinely impressed. “Thanks.” Tate smiled as we reached the spacious living room. He gestured toward the plush couch. “Have a seat. My parents are successful merchants in the pack. They migrated here years ago, and even though they weren’t originally from this pack, they managed to build a name for themselves.” “That’s really impressive.” I said, settling onto the soft cushions. During the drive here, Tate had kept the conversation flowing, talking about movies, his favorite artists, and his hobbies. I knew he was doing it to dis
KAIDEN “That’s enough, Lys. Stop.” I murmured against Lysandra’s lips, but she ignored me, her hands trailing down my torso toward my belt again as she continued to kiss me. I caught her wrist, stopping her before she could take it further. This time, I pushed her away —maybe a little rougher than I intended. Lysandra’s face fell with disappointment, but I didn’t care. I was already getting up from the bed, my head spinning slightly from the alcohol in my system. Blinking hard, I tried to steady my vision. I grabbed the clock on the bedside table, and the moment I saw the time, a sharp curse escaped my lips. “Shit.” It was already 11 PM. A sinking feeling clenched my chest as my thoughts immediately went to Calantha. She was going to be furious. Hell, she had every right to be. And it was my fault. I never intended for any of this to happen. At first, I had been caught up in an urgent council meeting which had started at 8 PM sharp, the exact time I was supposed to meet her. It
KAIDENI was able to trace Calantha’s bond, just like I had the night she was kidnapped. The pull led me to a sleek penthouse. My heart pounded harder as confusion crept into me.A luxury car was parked outside, and somehow, it looked familiar. I had seen it before. I was sure of it. But where? And why the hell was Calantha here?I clenched my jaw, scanning my surroundings. Calantha did not have friends from the alpha ranks, besides Eloise and Nyx, and neither of them lived in a damn penthouse. Did I trace her wrong?A part of me considered turning back. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe she was back at the packhouse, sleeping peacefully.But I just couldn’t do that even though that was the most logical thing to do right now.That lingering pull in my chest and the unmistakable bond was still there. It was weaker than before, but still present and still calling to me.I was certain that she was here. Or at least, she had been.Setting my jaw, I strode toward the entrance, only to be m
RYKERI pulled up in front of the towering, gothic mansion hidden deep in the woods. The night had settled in, just as I had calculated. I had wanted my visit to go unnoticed.Stepping out of the car, I let my gaze linger on the dark, ominous structure ahead. A deep breath steadied me before I took my first step forward. But just as I moved, the rustling of leaves and branches snapped my focus. My instincts flared, sensing danger before I even saw it.Right on cue, several wolves emerged from the shadows, surrounding me in a tight, hostile circle. Their bared fangs glistened under the moonlight as their bloodthirsty eyes locked on me. I clenched my jaw but couldn’t stop the smirk that curled on my lips.Of course, he had this place heavily guarded.Rolling up my sleeves, I braced myself. I had just bought this designer outfit last week, and now I would have to fight in it. Shifting would ruin my clothes completely, so I had no choice but to handle this in human form.Before I could dw
CALANTHA“Guys, don’t you think the Lycan King changed his mind because of my warning?” Eloise asked proudly, her voice light as she helped me unpack clothes from my bag.“Oh please, don’t flatter yourself,” I replied, laughing. Eloise joined in, both of us giggling.We were in my new chamber. I was standing with Eloise while Nyx sat quietly on my big king-sized bed, helping with the clothes too. I had called them over the moment Kaiden told me I would be returning to the packhouse and reclaiming my role as Luna. He had even moved me into a new chamber—bigger, closer to his, and just as grand as his own. It truly looked like a room fit for a queen.Still, everything felt surreal. It took me forever to believe this was really happening. Even now, I was struggling to take it all in. I was back in the packhouse, being treated better than ever. Really unbelievable.“I still can’t believe it,” Eloise said, shaking her head. “I’m just glad Kaiden finally stopped running from his feelings
CALANTHAAs soon as the limousine stopped, Bradley stepped out and opened the door for me. I didn’t move right away. I just sat there, confused and unsure.Was this a mistake? Did Kaiden really tell them to bring me here? Or did Bradley misunderstand him somehow? Because this was honestly the last place I expected to be.“My Luna?” Bradley’s gentle voice pulled me out of my thoughts.“Sorry.” I murmured and finally stepped out of the car, my heels clicking softly against the stone path as I landed on the packhouse grounds.I looked around slowly, taking in everything. The place felt strangely familiar—almost like coming back home. Even though it never truly was my home, something about it felt oddly comforting. Maybe I had grown used to it during the short time I had lived here.The packhouse was alive with movement. Servants rushed around, decorating and preparing for the upcoming tournament. My brows pulled together slightly. Was that why Kaiden brought me here? To help out?As I k
CALANTHAA COUPLE OF HOURS LATERI let out a frustrated sigh as I stood in front of the full-length mirror, staring at the dress I had on. It was a long, thin spaghetti strap dress. Simple, not flashy—but somehow, it still felt like too much.That was what bothered me. I didn’t know if I was overdressed or underdressed for wherever Kaiden was taking me.He had messaged me earlier, telling me to get ready because his guards were coming to pick me up. When I asked where we were going, he only said it was a surprise.And now, here I was, stressing about what to wear without having a clue what the occasion was.With a groan, I turned to my closet and began searching through my clothes again, for what felt like the hundredth time. Finally, my hand stopped on a floral, flared dress that ended just at the knees. A small, relieved smile appeared on my face.This was perfect! Not too plain, not too fancy. Just simple, stylish, and elegant.I quickly changed into it, tied my hair into a loose,
KAIDENTHE NEXT DAYAfter rounding up my meeting with the elders about the tournament plans, which was now just around the corner, Bradley and I decided to take a walk around the packhouse to check how the preparations were going.Inside the grand hall, the chandeliers had been replaced with floating orbs of flame, glowing softly in warm, shifting colors. Servants moved around quickly, still making final touches to the setup. I nodded to myself, pleased with what I saw.As we walked further, Bradley signaled a maid over with a flick of his fingers. She was carrying a tray of pastries and walked over gracefully, bowing her head before us. Bradley picked up one of the pastries—a hot cross bun—and shoved it straight into his mouth. Then, he grabbed two more before motioning for the maid to leave. His cheeks were full as he chewed noisily.I gave him a look of pure disgust, which slowly turned into a glare as he held one out to me with an awkward, guilty smile.“No, thank you.” I said, l
CROSSAfter walking Calantha back to her apartment and making sure she was safely inside—even though she clearly didn’t want me to—I left again. This time, I drove. The place I was heading to was far, and walking wasn’t an option.It took nearly thirty minutes to get there. I parked in front of an old building deep in the woods. There was nothing else around. Just towering trees and the silence of the night pressing in. Most people would be scared to be here, but not me. I had lived like this before, alone and hidden for three long years during exile. Plus, this place wasn’t new to me.As I walked toward the building, I noticed glowing eyes watching me from the shadows. The coven’s security. They didn’t move until they were sure it was me. Then one of them stepped forward and opened the heavy doors.Inside, the room was wide and dimly lit. A few young men and women in black sat on worn-out couches. Their faces were hard. Their bodies were bruised, arms and legs in slings. Others, no
CALANTHA “Oh gods…” I breathed out, rushing to Cross. He was on the ground, trying to push himself up even though blood was still flowing from the stab wound in his side.I dropped to my knees beside him, my heart pounding with fear. His face was pale, and I could hear how hard and uneven his breathing was.“You can’t get up yet,” I said quickly, reaching out to steady him. “You’re still bleeding.”He winced but didn’t stop trying. His hand pressed over the wound, trying to slow the bleeding.“How did you even know I was here?” I asked, frowning in confusion.“I was out for a run,” he said between heavy breaths. “I saw you… I’ve been behind you this whole time.”“Oh.” I whispered, guilt sinking into my chest. Just like the other night he had escorted me home from the food stall to make sure I was safe, he had done it again tonight.He interrupted my thoughts. “Let’s go already.” He said, pushing himself up again.But I didn’t move. I just stared at him.This was my fault. He was hu
CALANTHA I didn’t know how long I stood frozen, locked in a silent staring match with the group of masked intruders.But I was the first to snap out of it. Without even thinking twice, I turned and ran.“Stop her!” One of them yelled, and the rest immediately started chasing after me.My heart pounded hard in my chest as I pushed myself to run faster, my legs burning with effort. I just needed to get away, and make it back.But of course, I wasn’t fast enough.“Get back here, you little…” I felt someone grab the back of my hoodie and yank it. The hood slipped off, and panic flooded me. I twisted and struggled, trying to break free, but the man flung me aside with ease. I hit the ground hard, scraping my hand. A sharp pain shot through me, and I let out a low grunt.“Who the hell are you?” I demanded, backing away on the ground as the group circled me. They all wore black, their faces hidden behind masks, their eyes cold and cruel.“The Luna,” the one who had shouted earlier said as
CALANTHAThe woman was running, holding a baby tightly in her arms. She was breathing hard, glancing back with fear in her eyes. I could see everything through the eyes of the baby she was holding, even though the woman’s face looked a bit blurred. She ran through the woods, stumbling over branches but quickly getting back on her feet. Her long white dress dragged along the forest floor as she moved, her face wet with tears and panic.Behind her, a group of incredibly tall men dressed in white robes chased after her. They held long staffs, and they looked terrifying.The woman turned her head again, gasping for breath, her eyes wide with fear. But just as she looked forward again, the hem of her dress caught on a broken branch.She fell to the ground with a heavy thud. But even as she hit the earth, she protected the baby in her arms, cradling the child’s head so it wouldn’t get hurt.“Give us the child,” one of the men ordered. They stood over her now, their staffs raised like weapo
KAIDEN“The tournament organizers, led by the High Priestess, have begun preparations,” Bradley reported calmly. “From what I’ve seen in the mails sent to you, several high-ranking figures will begin arriving in our pack starting tomorrow. The Vampire King is among them. His crowned prince will be participating in the tournament as well.”My hand froze mid-sentence, the quill pausing just above the paper. I had been drafting formal invitations to other royals across the realm, but Bradley’s last words caught my attention.“The Vampire Prince?” I asked, glancing up at him with a slight frown. “Didn’t he take part in the last tournament with me?”Bradley nodded. “Yes, my King. Like you, this will be his second, and final tournament.”“Interesting.” I muttered, eyes returning to the letter I had been writing.Back then, the Vampire Prince had proven himself a worthy opponent. He was tactical, fierce, and unpredictable. He had made the games challenging, not just for me but for the entire