Chapter 001

Cassie’s Pov

My name is Cassie, or as my schoolmates like to call me, ghostie. That was the thing about being ‘the quiet girl’ people assumed you were part of the furniture, or a shadow, or maybe a faint ghost drifting too politely through hallways to bother anyone. Which was fine. Preferred, even.

I was good at disappearing. I slipped into the art room before the first period.

I munched on a piece of chocolate as I slowly brought out my diary. My diary? Well, more like my confidant in the whole world, the only problem was that it didn't talk back. I wrote down my deepest thoughts, my darkest secrets, and my most traumatic experiences.

I snapped the diary shut, slipped into the art room, and sank into my usual corner. No one noticed I was here. They never did. That was the point. Silence was safe. Silence kept me alive.

Renaissance academy was popular, in fact everyone fought hard to be here. It was meant to give me a better life. It did the opposite of that.

But silence never lasted long and the door slammed open.

“Look, it’s the ghost,” Katie called out as I sat in the music room. “Maybe today she’ll actually speak.” Laughter erupted around her.

I kept my eyes on my diary, pretending my heartbeat wasn’t trying to punch its way out of my chest.

Jenna leaned closer, fake concern dripping from her voice. “Cassie, sweetie, why do you even come to class? No one wants you as a partner.”

Laughter. It always stung, no matter how many times I heard it.

I swallowed hard. If I let myself react, they won. If I didn’t… they won anyway.

I forced my eyes down, clutching my diary and wishing I could vanish.

“Knock it off,” a calm voice cut through the room.

Luka.

I stiffened. Slowly, I looked up.

He leaned against the doorway like he owned the entire building. Messy black curls falling over half his forehead. He had that golden boy vibe, the kind that came from being the only child of the Bloodmoon Alpha and heir to the wealthiest pack in the region. Girls threw themselves at him daily. He took none of them seriously.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a sharp jawline. His family owned half the territory's businesses, and he threw the best parties with endless drinks and private rooms.

And for some reason, he was always… kind to me.

“Katie,” Luka said, eyes flat with warning. “She didn’t bother you. Leave her alone.”

Katie’s lips parted. She hated being challenged, but Luka was Luka. She tossed her hair and muttered, “Whatever,” before slinking out with her pack of shadows.

My heart pounded so hard it hurt.

Luka looked straight at me. “You good, Cassie?”

“I… yeah. Thanks,” I whispered.

He shrugged, a little smile tugging at his mouth. “Ignore them. They bark more than they bite.” Then he stepped away, hands shoved into his pockets, like defending me didn’t cost him a second thought.

But to me, it meant everything.

The music teacher, Mr. Chris, walked toward the front of the room. “Alright everyone, today we’re forming three-person teams for the end-of-term performance. Choose wisely.”

That was when the whispering began.

“Not her.”

“Are you kidding?”

“She’ll tank our score.”

I pressed my pen harder into the page to drown them out.

Normally, I would doodle to calm myself.

Today, the words spilled out instead. It was raw, too honest.

I was so tired of feeling small. I felt like a loser.

Ink soaked into the paper. I kept going.

I wished just once, I could be in someone’s arms instead of being shoved into corners.

I kept my head down until class ended. Then I slipped out the back and practically ran home before anyone else could look at me.

The moment my bedroom door shut, I grabbed my diary.

Today, it was Luka first.

I wrote fast, spilling out how badly I'd been craving him.

Goddess, I wanted Luka to grab me after one of those parties, pull me into a dark corner away from everyone. He'd pin me against the wall with his strong hands on my hips, his breath hot on my neck as he whispered how he'd been watching me all night. "You think you can tease me like that, Cassie?" he'd growl, his fingers sliding under my skirt, pushing my panties aside without asking. I'd gasp as he touched my pussy, already wet just from being near him.

His thick fingers would rub my clit slowly at first, circling it until I squirmed and begged for more. "Please, Luka," i'd whimper, and he'd chuckle low, slipping one finger inside me, then two, stretching my tight walls. He'd pump them in and out, curling them to hit that spot deep inside that made my legs shake. All the while, his thumb would keep teasing my clit, pressing and flicking until I was dripping down his hand. 'Look at you, so fucking wet for me,' he'd say, his voice rough. I'd clutch his shirt, my hips bucking against his palm, chasing the pressure building in my core.

He'd lean in, biting my earlobe as he finger-fucked me harder, his free hand squeezing my breast through my top, pinching my nipple until it ached. "Come on my fingers, Cassie. Show me how much you want this cock." The words would push me over, my pussy clenching around him as I came hard, juices soaking his hand, my moans muffled against his shoulder. But he wouldn't stop there—he'd keep teasing, light strokes on my oversensitive clit, making me twitch and whine until I was ready for round two.

I closed my diary in a shaky breath as I drifted off to sleep.

***********

The next morning, I forced myself out of bed, pulled on my clothes, and left before sunrise. Maybe school would hurt less if I arrived early.

As I walked down the hill, a black bike slowed beside me.

“Cassie?”