Lola's studio apartment was dark and gloomy. The littlest light from the moon tried to seep in but barely reached inches over the floor. The wooden panels on the floor began to squeak as though someone had walked on them. Lola lay on her bed, with her head tossing back and forth as her mind filled with dreadful memories of a past not long forgotten.
the creaking continues closer to her bed and she's too deep in sleep to notice him watching over her. He sees how her face is contorted in pain from her nightmare and the sweat that is forming on her face so he leans down, strokes her hair away from her face, and whispers, "Wake up."
“No!” She sat up quickly in the bed and panted. She frantically looked around the room and into the dark corners of her apartment.
“Who— Who’s there?” Lola’s words were hoarse and frightened, and she felt a presence around her. Somebody was watching her, but why couldn’t she see them?
She shook her head free from the thoughts and the nightmares and laid back down.
Maybe the pill was too strong, I should've taken a half.
She dragged a hand over her tired face and grimaced when she felt the sweat.
Lola turned and faced the open space, hopefully, the nightmare wouldn't continue- she reached out and grabbed her phone to see how many hours of sleep she would get. With a loud groan and no tears, she cried into her pillow and begged that she would fall back asleep; so she put the phone away and turned her head only to meet the corner of the apartment where two yellow eyes pierced back at her.
Lola screamed and flew up from the bed- she reached out and grabbed the switch for the lamp but tugged too hard and the lamp fell down on the floor with a thud as the frame fell off and rolled toward the corner. She leaned down, her breathing quick and uneven and she lifted the lamp and turned it on.
The corner was as empty as always and the curtain blew to cover the spot where she thought a man had been standing. The window let in a small breeze and she closed her eyes, the nightmares were causing hallucinations- that had to be it.
* * *
Lola flew up in her bed to the ringing sound that pounded into her ears and caused the headache to grow so much she thought her head would burst. The sun was up, and she patted with her hand to find her phone. As she fiddled with her fingers to shut off the alarm, she recalled the dream she’d had.
“Shit.” She dragged her hand down her face and stared into the wall.
Looking at her phone, she sensed panic soaring through her. She jumped out of bed, and her ankle twisted on the thick history book on the floor.
“Come on,” she groaned and hastily pulled on the first shirt she saw. Lola was already late for the day’s assembly. They had all been warned to be on time because today was when they received a new classmate.
Usually, people weren’t allowed to enroll this late into the semester, but for some reason, they had made an exception. Not that a new classmate even made the top ten list of things on her mind.
* * *
The sweat ran down her back, and the chilly winds left cold trails on her shirt that pressed against her skin. She pushed open the assembly doors, panting and heaving Lola stumbled into the Aula and all heads turned to watch the latecomer.
“Lola, glad to see you made it. Did we not make it clear this entire week that we expected every student to be on time?”
She nervously looked around and licked her lips.
“You did, sir. I’m sorry, sir.”
“Take a seat.” Mr. Manor returned to his well-planned speech on which he had worked the whole week. Mr. Manor, the principal of Lilac University, was happier than anyone that this new student was enrolling in his school. He did little to hide his excitement as he presented the young man beside him. The guy that all girls were zooming in on was noticeable and exceptional in so many ways, even to Lola, who had never found herself caring too much about men.
“Allow me to introduce you all to your new schoolmate and, for some of you, your new classmate, Jax Blackwood.”
“I have no problem with that.” a girl muttered under her breath and narrowed her eyes hungrily.
“Hell no, he’s yummy,” some girls purred.
“Did he say Jax Blackwood?” another asked in shock, which gained him much attention.
“Yeah, why?”
“His dad has to be Michael Blackwood, the man who owns that big-ass house over by the lake. They’re not there often, but it’s like the most expensive house in town. I think they own businesses or something.”
Someone tapped on their phone and showed his picture.
“Is this him?” she asked and held a picture of Michael Blackwood.
“Michael Blackwood, a billionaire business mogul with business in hotels, casinos, and airports across the country. The well-versed business giant has expanded his empire internationally…” They stopped reading and stared in shock at each other. This time, when they looked back, Jax Blackwood was even more attractive than before considering he was the heir to that fortune.
Lola leaned down as usual, hunched in her seat not to be seen, but somehow, in the sea of people, Jax’s eyes found hers.
Dark-brown eyes that looked to hold many secrets, a face that didn’t reveal a single emotion, and a body that looked like a military-trained combat soldier.
“I do trust that you will all welcome him and help where help is needed. Jax is late to enroll with us, but there is no reason he shouldn’t be able to catch up with a little help.” Mr. Manor tapped Jax’s shoulder and smiled gratefully.
“Thank you, sir.” Jax walked with a straight back out of the auditorium with the eyes of both girls and guys following him out.
Everyone was quick up on their feet to walk to class and meet him. Lola, however, sat back and waited until everyone was gone before she picked up her bag and stood up from the seat. She waited another minute, having an idea of how long it took the students to reach the classrooms, and she stood up with a sigh. She took a moment to enjoy the silence before she turned around. A loud gasp escaped her lips, and her fear-stricken eyes stared straight into those dark brown orbs.
“You’re Lola,” he said as a fact and looked her up and down.
She didn’t answer at first. Her mind was too preoccupied with thinking about how close they were standing, and then her alarm bells went off when she remembered that nobody else was even close to the auditorium anymore.
He chewed down on a piece of gum, his jaw tensing with each bite, and he shrugged a soft shoulder. “Well?” he asked.
“I am.” Her brows hunched from confusion over how he knew her name, but he didn’t seem too bothered.
“I’m Jax. It’s nice to meet you.” He reached out his hand.
Lola was looking into his eyes, unaware of the hand held out for her to grab. She was contemplating whether or not to interact more with the strange guy; it hadn’t worked out well before, and she preferred to keep her head down.
“Likewise.” her hand nearly disappeared in his when he closed his fingers around her hand- two slow shakes before they stilled. Both stared into each other’s eyes. Lola focused on a black dot in his left eye to stay focused.
She pulled her hand back and nervously pulled her bag over her shoulder as she walked past him.
It was an odd interaction, but for her, it was nothing new. They had been after her once. She couldn’t trust that they wouldn’t be after her again so trusting people wasn't a luxury she could afford.
“Lola.”
She stopped and felt the shiver going down her back when he had called after her. She looked over her shoulder, glancing down at Jax’s arms as he moved through the seats. His shirt got caught in one of the headrests and lifted an inch- exposing his rippling muscles beneath.
Lola looked away the second she saw the shirt lifting, and she cursed herself for stopping for him. Jax stopped by the last row of chairs a few meters away from her. His eyes held hers captive. He must’ve known the effect he had; he must be used to it considering the way he used that gaze with an unbothered control.
“I’ll see you around,” he said with a low voice that made it sound not too welcoming.
Lola turned her head, the fear rising rapidly and her instincts telling her to run.
“Get your butt in here right now, young lady!” Lola scolded while running around with a towel chasing her two-year-old daughter who was running down the hallways butt naked. With her arms swinging in the air and laughing menacingly, the water traced her steps on the carpets, and she headed towards the stairs. Just before reaching the end of the hallway, she was lifted into the air by two large arms and flown around like an airplane. “Daddy!” “My darling Ophelia,” he said and lowered her gently. He tickled her nose and hugged her tight when Lola came to a stop with the towel. “That little girl is definitely wolf,” Lola panted. She halted to a stop and raised a brow when she took in Jax’s appearance. “Daddy indeed,” Lola purred when she watched her husband’s bare upper body as he stood sweating after his workout with the warriors. “She could be a Doe,” Jax said and looked into his daughters’ eyes. “She has your big, beautiful eyes,” he remarked. Lola giggled and cupped Jax’s che
They were back at the mansion and had constructed a plan on the way. The danger was still not altogether eliminated, not all enemies had been neutralized and there were those on the inside still wanting to break Jax and Lola apart.Jax and Ash walked into the mansion with Lola keeping her distance behind them. She turned away from them and hid where they wouldn't see her until it was time. Jax had called for a meeting on the way and told his parents and Lavina to meet him in the study. Nobody had suspected a thing, they were all just glad to hear that he was alright and their Alpha and son were returning home. The Blackwood boys entered the office and let the door fall to a near close. “It is so good to see you again, darling,” Mrs. Blackwood gleamed.Lavina ran up and wrapped her arms around him. The wide smile on her face and the wrinkles on her eyes deepened as relief washed over her. “I was so worried I almost went after you myself but Lola insisted she had it covered,” she sai
Lucien clapped his hands, starting slow as the sound echoed in the room before he picked up the speed and laughed menacingly. He slammed his fist in the air and blew into his hands in celebration.“I have played this in my mind for months, going over what it would be like to have you all here and to tell you the things I knew but now that it is happening, holy shit, there is not a feeling like it.” He licked his lips and wiped the sweat from his face.He used his speed and kneeled next to Lola in a second. She fell back and tried to widen the distance between them by crawling backward but Lucien circled his fingers around her ankle and pulled her in with a rough grip. He gestured with his hand towards Jax and said through a deep smirk, “How I have been waiting for this. Be honest now, which do you prefer- getting fucked by a werewolf-” he grabbed her chin and forced her head back, “-or a vampire?” He asked. Jax’s mouth fell open and his eyes glistened as though all the pain came rus
Ash’s eyes glowed as his wolf stepped up, his canines extended and his growl shook the walls of the house when he pulled the knife out of his side and he flung it at his cousin's hands. They all turned their heads and watched as the knife cut through the air and went clean through the chains that bound Jax's hands. Jax fell into a pool of his blood, his heart barely beating and his body weakened from the poison in his wounds.“What the fuck?” One of the vampires spat and tried to overrun Ash. Ash grabbed the vampire's arm and spared no time as he ripped his head clean of his body and through against one of the windows, shattering the glass.“Let go of her.” He growled and walked towards Lucien. Whatever they had laced the blade with was eating at his insides, burning his flesh like acid but Ash refused to fall, not until he knew that she was safe.Lucien pulled out his fangs and lifted his head, looking toward the ceiling in a euphoric high.Three of his men jumped on Ash who was alre
They went to sleep not long after their talk and Ash slept on top of the covers. He watched Lola drift off into slumber and lay awake completing his choices.His cousin had been taken and he was making moves on his girl. Though he knew what he wanted, he now began to regret the many decisions he’d made that had led him this far. He looked at her lips slightly parted in her sleep and her eyes softly closed still, the faint freckles on her nose and her thick hair landing over her shoulder.She was a special girl, loved by many and desired by more. Perhaps it was the curse of being the Doe or maybe it was just her heart that sparked interest once she trusted people enough to show it to them. Regardless of the reasons, Ash realized now that his fighting was futile because her heart was not his to win. He should've been grateful to have felt her love, the one she gave him when she chose to trust him. The love was addictive, at first taste he wanted more, and he wanted what his cousin had.
They drove up to the Inn though it was further away from the street than advertised and they circled a sharp turn that led up a narrow path.As they arrived at a red neon sign saying ’open’ and a lady sitting with headphones on behind the desk inside they looked at each other, a lingering silence that was questioning just how good of an idea it was to go in. The rain poured around them. Drops on the roof of the car began to sound like firecrackers went off in a tunnel.Ash gave Lola his jacket to hold over her head and they shared a look before they ran from the car and slammed open the door as they tumbled inside.The lady looked up, slowly and gently as though a couple of strangers hadn't just tumbled into her hallway. She slowly leaned to the side to look past them and watch the pour outside of the Inn.“You kids don’t listen to the news, do ya?” She laughed.She wiggled her finger in front of Lola and pointed to the den.“There are towels in there, go grab yourselves some and I'll