GUS.The market is bustling today, people shoveling past me as they carry on with their business, I follow Mrs. Lola obediently, and when she reaches her stall, she stops.“Should I drop it over here?” I ask with a smile, and she nods, I drop the basket of fruits and straighten.“Thank you so much. Gus, we don’t see a lot of boys your age helping out old women like this.” She smiles at me, “Especially every morning, helping me with my fruits, you are such a good boy, Gus, don’t let anyone take that away from you.”It’s my turn to smile at her now. “It’s nothing, Mrs. Lola, I am just happy to help.”“Of course,” She chirps, and like though I know what’s coming next. “My grand-daughter is done in the academy and is coming to town today. Will you be kind enough to meet with her?” She gazes expectantly at me, wanting me to say that positive answer.I really wish I could, but now, I can’t even look at any woman except her, it’s like everywhere I go, I am seeing her, everything I do, I am t
ASTRID.“Hey. Astrid.” An Omega calls me, her hands filled with plates and pans. “Can you help me deliver food to the Gamma’s daughter?”I stare at her, but then I say, after all it’s just food. “Okay.”“Thank you so much.” She shoves the bowl to my hand. “The Gamma’s daughter room is just by the left in the west wing room.” Her smile sets me down. She bustles out of the room immediately, leaving me alone in the kitchen.I wonder where the Omegas are, I haven’t even spotted Juniper anywhere after my confrontation, it seems like she’s ignoring me on purpose, and I feel so bad.The heart-shaped pendant dangles around my neck, it’s like any time I touch it, I can feel the power consuming me, something sharp and raw filling me.Fuck. I am never going to take this off, my hands reach for the bowl as I exit the room. The west wing is just around the corner, a few more steps. I knock, but there’s silence.I pull the door open and freeze in my steps, on the bed the Gamma’s daughter is openly
ZEKE.Damn.When I stepped into the academy, I felt the cold air flush through my face. Being here, in the same place I attended with Gus and my twin brother, being back here seems weird.My parents and Astrid’s parents attended this academy together, and due to my reports, they seemed to have been really close, but my questions are: Why are they enemies? Why did they wage war against each other? Here, the dorms are spread around the west and east wing, the dining room. I know the problem about having room-mates, because for the entire time I was stuck with Vortex, I know everybody said staying in the academy was every wolf’s dream, for me. It’s just three years of pure hell.The reception at the entrance feels cold, the principal’s office is just to the left, I could picture her frail face leaning on her chair, sipping cold tea, during the years we were here, Logan and I got into thousand of fights and we would always end up in her office, on her seat.She was more scary than the t
ASTRID.I have a feeling that I am here for a reason, either Diva wants me to shut up and not say anything after catching her kissing an unknown man or she’s just here treating me to drinks.I watched carefully as she poured her martini and took a gulp, while mine still sits on the counter, untouched.Lights flashes in my face, almost making me dizzy, music blares from every corner, strippers move around, their bodies on the poles. Damn, this place makes me uncomfortable.Aya and I were having a conversation when Diva nudged my hand, clearly drunk.“I will have another cocktail!” She yells under the blaring music, her cheeks flushed red.“Can you please tell me why I am here?” I suppressed a sigh as I asked, “If you want me not to tell a soul about what I saw, then I won’t, you didn’t have to bring me here.”She laughs, before tossing her hair to her shoulders, one of the men present was ogling at her exposed cleavage due to her dress. She winked and waved, the man blushed and looked
ZEKE.My demons are reeling inside of me, self control, I tell myself, but only goddess knows how much restraint is left inside of me before I pin her to the wall and devour her.Even now as we ride back to the pack-house, I control the urge. I can do this.I can.-The next day, I stayed in bed much longer than usual, a throbbing headache starting to resurface. The door creaked open and an Omega creeps in.I realize it’s Juniper, her brown eyes are struck to the floor. She bows her head slowly, before dropping the food on the table, her eyes narrow around, afraid to meet my gaze. She slipped out and I grunt, falling back towards the bed.After my morning routine, I go out of the room, in a shitty mood.My legs stride over to Madam Yv’s room, asking how she’s doing. At least, a little bit of me is good for her, my hands almost near to the knob when I hear some voices. I hear fast paced grinding on the floor, I stop and listen. “You leave my boys alone. You will not force Zeke to get
ASTRID.“Juniper?” I call out when I see her coming out of Zeke’s room, I don’t get why she’s ignoring me now, it’s been days now and we haven’t even spoken.She walks faster and pays no attention to me, the stab in my chest is painful, being cast aside is what I have always hated. “Juni!” I run after her, hoping she would stop striding faster, if anything, it only makes her walk faster in the hall. “Just stay and hear me out.” She doesn’t even listen, her legs grazing the tile faster than ever.“Wait.” I call out, but even my throat feels dry.Mrs. Perry appears in front of me, hands etched on her hips. Dark eyes stare back at me. Oh great, what does she want?She doesn't even move out of the way, her body blocking my view, now I am sure that Juniper is out of view.Anger fills me, but I don’t show it, showing it means more punishment, besides. Mrs. Perry and I are not friendly to each other.“What?” I ask, feeling irritated.“Is that how you talk to me now?” She clicks her tongue i
ZEKE.Anger pricks at my skin. Honestly, coming to this dark underground makes me feel as though I am at the end of the road.“Gus, this better be good, else....You will be getting punished.” I grit my teeth as I follow him into the path that leads to the treasure room, honestly, I am not in charge of this fucking shit, Logan is. So, I don’t know why I am here.“Do you ever keep quiet?” Logan hisses under his breath, the path we are going into is dim, barely light from the tiny cuffed windows.“And, do you ever use your mouth for something good?” I almost actually want to punch his face, why Gus brought us here is still undecided. Even now, as we walk through the path of the treasure room, I think about her. Her body is filling my vision.It’s hard to fucking breath just by thinking about her.Gus jostled the key into the hole, and led us into the cold room, air whooshes through my lungs as I stared around. Everything is in place, Logan’s already walking towards the other side.“Why a
ASTRID.I lay on my bed, watching the way blood oozed out of my palms. I am glad that Juniper is safe now, probably lying on her bed, still unconscious.Something disturbs me, if I could turn into my wolf form and fight off that wolf, why couldn’t Juni? Does she not have a wolf? Now, that I think of it. Juniper has never mentioned her wolf before, even though constantly I have told her mine is named Aya.The blood trickles down onto the bed-sheet, my body still hurts, but since I am of Alpha bloodline, it will heal within a few days.The door barges open and I see a broad shoulder dangling at the door. My eyes snap up that instant and I sit up, dark eyes like the deep ocean stares back at me.“Astrid.” His yell fills my ears, and I whimper because of the pain that shoots through me. He kneels, legs on the floor and stares at my hand.“What the fuck happened to you?” His voice is angry enough to almost send my eyes moistening with tears.I shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”“No big deal? Yo