I can't help the grin as it stretches across my face. Even when I tone down my teeth display for the camera, my giddiness makes my grin return to its full glory.These are the kind of joyful moments in life when everything aligns perfectly, and the future gleams with a brilliance that outshines the sun.Similar to tiny fireflies, the fairy lights surrounding us emit a soft glow in the approaching evening. My gaze shifts to the rows of people smiling and mingling, the white roses gathered in their transparent vases, the band playing an old classical melody that Akio Kamio has cherished for most of his life, and ultimately to Bibah's radiant smile, outshining even the stars in the sky.Bibah stands gracefully in her wedding gown, a vision of elegance and modesty. The gown's creamy hue complements her radiant complexion, and the intricate lace patterns and delicate beadwork trace enchanting designs across the fabric.Her head is adorned with a delicate hijab, carefully draped to frame her
The realization hits me like a fast train colliding with a building made of glass. Everything in me feels like it’s fracturing, shattering, rearranging itself into something; an undeniable fact entirely out of my expectation. Ben is not my mate. No, and that’s not even the worst of it.I want to run. I want to turn around and bolt far away from the dark woods; from William Ravenstone; from the truth, but I can’t will myself to move. My heartbeat thunders and disbelief along with something akin to grief twists my throat viciously. Finally, he turns to look at me, and I see the realization cloud his face just as it had done mine seconds ago. “You.” He lets out in a breath, thick eyebrows furrowed and sensual lips pulling down into a frown of disgust. The moonlight soaks his dark brown hair as he runs a hand through it, pulling at the strands. When he speaks again, his voice is ragged, almost tortured. “Isabella...” It’s the second time he has used my name and I feel a delicious shiv
I’m positive the blood in my veins has been replaced with vodka, but I’m fine with it. That’s all everyone is passing around; red cups spilling with ice and the clear alcoholic liquid; some of it flavored, most of it not.I stumble off the makeshift dance floor, zigzagging through sweaty bodies pressed up against each other; gyrating and dancing. The music is loud —too loud; a trending pop song that’s making my ear drums complain and my dull headache intensify. The cramped classroom reeks of alcohol, body odor, and teenage desperation. The disco lights overhead makes everything worse; bathing the classroom in pulsating rainbow colors, making everyone look like fucking clowns.“Bella?” Camilla calls, stumbling towards me with a drunken pout, trying to reach out for my shoulder. She hiccups and takes another swig from the red plastic cup in her hand. “Where?” She drawls, too wasted to even make sense.I slid open the window, momentarily appreciating the view of the moon and the gust of
I’ve heard the rumors.Of course I’ve heard the rumors. At Acadia academy, even the deaf hear the rumors, and there are a lot; most of them true, some of them downright outlandish. But right now, the rumors I’d heard about William Ravenstone begin to suspiciously make sense. Drugs and alcohol weren’t things that harmfully affected teen werewolves, unless one had a genetic disorder, but this fact didn’t make addicts in the community any less marginalized.I press a palm to my forehead, huffing out a breath and running a shaky hand through my hair. The vodka is really beginning to take over. I glare back at William. There are many things that annoy me in this world, but up there in my top ten are people who can’t own up to their shit. “A few broken bones, so what? I’d heal.” I reply, stumbling and peeping over the edge of the ledge, down to the darkness below.I shudder to think how things might’ve gone if he hadn’t pulled me back.I would heal, yes, but it’d be a hell of a painful expe
Mrs. Matilda; the dorm supervisor of House Hera or as we call her; the watchdog, doesn’t ask me a single question as I enter the halls of House Hera; soaked and shivering from walking the short distance from the main grounds to the dorms. One look at my face, and she could tell that I’m in a sour mood, and although she’s supposed to have the authority, Mrs. Matilda already knew how the routine was with me. It starts with a question and ends with me blackmailing her into letting me off the hook.I trudge up the silent stairs to the second floor and curse all curse-able things as I keep failing at sticking my key into the keyhole before I finally get the damn thing in and swing the door open.“You heard me struggle and you didn’t open it?” I shoot at Evin Vandran, my roommate.She is sitting in a binder and yellow boxers, holding a paintbrush, layering cyan paint on the blue tumultuous sea roaring to life on her canvas. “Hello to you too.” She answers, swiveling in her small chair to fa
I’m standing in the woods, in front of William Ravenstone.The trees around us loom in like lingering shadows of the dead, but my focus is not on them. It’s a full moon; the sky clear and starless. Chilly wind whips through my hair, tugs at my shirt –the same one I’d gone to sleep in.Something has made William angry. He is breathing heavily, fists clenched tightly, shirtless and shaking.“Isabella?” He says through panted breaths.Despite that wild stare and the way his body throbs with aggression, when he speaks, none of it comes through. His cheeks are dark from exertion; mouth slightly parted as each heavy breath pumps from his lungs, struggling to maintain control. “You shouldn’t be here.”I manage to unglue my feet and start toward him. He seems to brace himself as I move closer, hands on hips, back and shoulder stiff. When I stop in front of him, he directs his eyes at the ground. “William?” He doesn’t move, doesn’t speak. Reaching out, I touch his arm. “Liam?”He jolts, muscle
“Textbooks out, page two hundred and thirteen; Werewolf and human diseases. Last class we learned how certain diseases, disorders or infections that are usually human-coded can affect werewolves despite the supernatural healing ability of the latter.” Mr. Ortega briefs, his cold gaze sweeping over the class. “Rogers, discard that gum.” Andy Rogers mumbles something under his breath but takes out the gum frowning, before sticking it under his table with zero shame or a sense of hygiene. Next to me, Bibah continues to chew her gum silently. “Today, we are going to delve deeper into the Wolverine anti-gene.” Mr. Ortega continues, setting up his sleek black computer and connecting it to the class projector. “The Wolverine anti-gene makes up seventy eight point three percent of our body’s defense mechanisms and —“ The door creeks open, cutting him off and for a moment my heart skips a beat, thinking its William, but then Ben walks into the class and guilt follows
There’s only a two year difference between my sister Wilhelmina and I, but we look nothing alike. She is a complete replica of mom, and I am almost a complete replica of dad. The only physical feature we share is our foxy hazel eyes. It stops there.Wilma has bone straight, waist length chocolate brown hair that reaches midway down her back like a glossy waterfall. Although I had a few considerable inches over her, the height difference isn’t that apparent and she’s curvier with –as she puts it; heavier bones.She sits in the waiting room of the principal’s office, wearing my stolen white beret, like how a part-time model might sit at a coffee shop, relaxing. The only thing out of place in her uniform is the blood-speckled blouse and the bloody handkerchief in her hands she’d used to clean what I hope, despite knowing for a fact, is not her blood. Just to make sure, I move to her, nodding at the handkerchief.She shakes her he