NOVA
He stalks towards me with a smile that looks like it hurts him. And I shuffle backwards, my heart slamming against my rib cage. Whoever this monster is, he's definitely not a friendly one. "You're still alive, I see," he drawls, and my heart leaps into my throat. What? What the hell does that mean? "Aren't you surprised to see me back here after I was supposedly expelled?" He continues, and I shuffle backwards, trying not to cave under the pressure of the fear crippling my bravado. "I've been lying low and waiting for revenge ever since you returned. And right now, you're not surrounded by your loyal wolf pups. It's the perfect opportunity, don't you think?" He continues. An alarm blares in my head. Wolf pup? Is he talking about Leo's friends? I can see the murderous intent in his eyes, and there's only one instinct screaming in my gut: RUN. The sound of his boots scraping against the stone floor is the last thing I hear before I bolt. He doesn’t chase right away. Instead, he laughs. The hair on the back of my neck rises stiffly as I push myself to go harder and faster. I’m panting hard, my lungs screaming for air. But the bastard is still not chasing yet. And I realize then that he’s giving me a head start. Fuck, I’m going to be sick. One twisted psycho is enough. Why did Leo have to get himself tangled with two of them?! I should shift, but the oppressive Alpha energy is suppressing me so badly that I can barely feel Summer’s presence. Just then, I hear Scarface moving. I turn, and to my horror, he’s walking. Walking! Oh, shit! I’m going to die! I’m going to die! Leo, I love you, but this is too much. How can you do this to me? Scarface is increasing his pace now, and he’s already so close. I can’t breathe. I can’t… I gasp as pain shoots through my side. Oh no, not now! Not a fucking stitch! The pain in my side continues to grow as I sprint, the sound of my pounding boots echoing around me. One moment, I’m running, the next, I’m being pinned against the wall, brutally. I let out a cry that turns out to be more of a squeak. My legs are shaking so hard, they are about to give out. I shiver when my gaze meets his, horror twisting my insides. He smells like ash. Nothing else. Bile threatens to push up the back of my throat as he squeezes my neck. What is it with these monsters and my neck? Fucking hell! “Let go of me,” I croak, my voice trembling. He cocks his head and sniffs. Wait… I’m sweating… He can smell me. No. No, please. I squeeze my eyes shut as he leans in to sniff me. “Fascinating. How do you smell like that, Creed?” He asks, and suddenly, I forget how to breathe. “Get your hands off him, Lucas.” My eyes pop open at the sound of the familiar voice that has just spoken. Wait, Rhydar?! Oh, thank goodness. I’m saved, I’m saved, I’m… “Damn you, Rhydar. Having withdrawal symptoms already?” Lucas growls, and a shiver runs down my spine. “Let him go while I’m asking nicely,” Rhydar says, and I turn to look at him. My eyes go wide when I see his blazing red eyes shining in the dark as he approaches, his claws elongating. He doesn’t look the slightest bit intimidated. But he should be. Rhydar is at least 6’4, but this beast is taller than that. He’s huge, and he looks terrifying. I gasp as ‘Lucas’ tightens his grip on my neck, cutting off my airflow. I swear the gate to the afterlife flashes in my mind's eye for a moment. But all of a sudden, the pressure on my neck vanishes, and I crumble to the ground. I crack my eyes open only to see Lucas standing a few feet away clutching at his bleeding throat. Rhydar snarls at him, and Lucas does the same before letting his eyes rest on me. “I’ll be seeing you soon,” Lucas growls with an inhuman voice before he speeds off, leaving me alone with Rhydar. I cough, bringing a shaking hand to my neck as air drifts into my starved lungs. Rhydar moves over and crouches before me, his claws retracted. “What do I do with you?” He mumbles under his breath. But why does that statement sound so fond? Or am I tweaking? Without any sort of warning, he scoops me off my feet and places me over one of his broad shoulders. I let out a cry of surprise, alarmed. “What are you doing? Let go of me! Let go!” “Quiet!” He hisses, using his alpha command on me, and suddenly I can’t speak. No, this is bad. I’m supposed to be an Alpha. How does he know his command doesn’t work on me? I’m screwed. That’s the only plausible explanation. I try to fight him and pound my fist against his sculpted back, but he doesn’t even react. And eventually, I give up, letting him carry me back to our dorm room. Jerk. When we do get to the room, he drops me on his bed. On his freaking bed. What the heck is wrong with him? I try to move, but he easily pins me with one hand. “Don’t move,” he says softly this time. And to my surprise, my body obeys him. He opens a drawer and takes out what looks like… a medicine box? I blink at him, confused. Why would he have that? He doesn’t need medical supplies. “Don’t look at me like that. I kept it because I’m aware you can’t heal as fast as you should anymore,” he says, and I nearly choke on air. Excuse me? Is he talking about Leo? Or is he trying to manipulate me? He presses some ointment onto a cotton bud and leans in close, his creamy scent washing over me. I flinch when he brings the cotton bud to my neck, dabbing on what seems to be wounds caused by Lucas’ claws. He barely reacts. He just goes ahead to do the same on the other side of my neck. And despite myself, my face is starting to heat up. I really don’t understand him. He’s supposed to be a jerk. Why is he doing this?RHYDAR She probably thinks I'm in full control. Bloody hell, I've never been so out of control. Her scent is driving me insane, and I'm barely keeping a leash on the urge to claim her instantly. I've never been so turned on. Maybe it's because she's my mate. She must've known this the first time she met me. I must applaud her control. Too bad, she's already losing the war against nature.Her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes are dazed and darkened with lust. Her full lips are parted, her sultry gaze locked on mine. I doubt that she knows what that look in her eyes is doing to me."More...please..." she whispers, and I take it as my permission to rub her swollen nub in tight circles. Fuck, how can she smell this good?She moans, and I lean over, close enough for her to grab the front of my shirt and pull me in for a fever-dazed kiss. It's messy, but she manages to draw a feral groan from me.I slide one hand into her hair, fisting the strands gently as I tilt her head to deepen
NOVA “One, you will sleep in my bed,” he tells me and my blood runs cold in my veins. He’s a fucking perv! That’s what he is! How could he ask me to sleep in his bed?"What?" I hiss, rage already stirring inside of me."You heard me," he says calmly. "Every night you must sleep in my bed. With me."My heart slams against my chest. "You're insane.""Possibly," he replies. "But I'm also the only reason you're not in shackles right now. You want my protection? My silence? Then you follow my rules."I don't answer. I can't. My body is trembling too hard, the heat in me growing worse with every breath I take. My wolf isn't helping either. She’s pacing, eager, hopeful."You'll sleep in my bed," he continues. "And no, I won't touch you, unless you beg me to."My breath hitches.He tilts his head, studying me with that unsettling calm. "Which, judging by your scent right now... won't take long."The nerve of this guy! He’s really trying to turn me into his whore. He’s in for a load of sur
NOVA For a wild moment, my brain freezes from the shock. I can't think or move. All I do is stare with the heartbreaking realization that I'm trapped. How on earth do I get out of this mess now? What male Alpha needs a heat suppressant? "So that's your new strategy, huh? Acting mute?" Rhdar asks, cocking an eyebrow. I press my thighs tighter together, the pain in my gut rising. This is not good. My legs can barely hold me up anymore. I'm going to die. Okay, maybe I'm just being dramatic. But I've never had to suffer through my heat period without a freaking heat suppressant. Rhydar releases a sigh, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "You're just as stubborn as he is," he comments, and I grit my teeth. I can't trust him. There's still a very high chance that he's my brother's killer. "You want me to beg? Don't make me laugh," I hiss. A smirk tugs at his lips, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. Oh no... I think things are about to get real bad. Do I run? But I won't get
NOVA I didn't sleep well. That's what happens when you try to live a life that isn't yours and survive in a den of monsters. But I haven't forgotten the main reason that brought me to the academy. And that's why I'd sneaked into the library a few minutes ago.It's almost seven a.m. Therefore, I have to be quick about this. My fingers skim along the books on the shelf in the Ceremony and Culture section, and finally, I find a red book. It's titled "The Red Moon Tournament."I have a feeling that the information in it is vague. If it was detailed enough, it would be more likely to be kept in the archives. I scan the pages, taking in the important information in it.According to the book, the ceremony is done when the moon turns crimson and the gate to the underworld opens. During this time, werewolves are at their weakest, and only the most determined can complete the rounds. Apparently, it was first used by the werewolf militants responsible for protecting their packs from vampir
RHYDAR I can't breathe. It feels like my lungs are filled with broken glass. This isn't normal pain. It's the fallout from the fucking experiments. I was only twelve years old when my father took me to the bastards that paraded themselves as the Werewolf Order. They tore me apart for seven years. My father is a coward. When he learned of a prophecy that hinted that I would overshadow him, he sought to prevent it by ‘fixing’ me. What father does that to his own son? What father tells his son that he’s a symbol of destruction and must be fixed?Thankfully I managed to escape three years ago, barely alive.I bite down on a groan, my teeth clenched so hard I swear they'll shatter. Blaze, my wolf is losing control.'They broke you,' he growls, pacing inside my mind. 'Let me out. I'll kill them all. Let me protect what's left of us.'Yeah, sure. That'll go great. Nothing bad can possibly happen. The last time I lost control, the whole place got soaked in red.My head slams against the w
NOVA I know I should probably not wander off the way I'm doing now. But for the life of me, I don't think I can bear Rhydar's presence anymore. And worse, it's only been a few days since I arrived at the academy. He's always watching me, just like he promised. And thankfully, I haven't encountered Scarface again. I'm heading past the garden path when I hear grunts.Curious, I quicken my pace, my movements light and soundless. And that's when I see him. It's Theo. He's straining hard, trying to lift a weight. He's shirtless, and his toned body is soaked with sweat. He's trying so hard to lift the weight, but he keeps failing. And that is pretty unusual. Alphas are supposed to be super strong. The only possible reason for his failure and frustration is that he's an imposter or he's just not an alpha. Suddenly, he sits up, turning his head. His eyes are dark with menace. But they soften the instant he sees me. He grins, rising to his feet."Yo, you didn't have to sneak up on me lik