LOGINThe common room was bustling at this hour as students rushed around, getting ready for classes. I made my way to the kitchen and threw a bagel in the toaster, leaning against the counter as I waited.“Callum?”Bianca stepped into view, appearing out of seemingly nowhere. My jaw tightened, wolf insti
Callum’s POVI woke to the feeling of something warm in my chest.For a moment, I almost could have sworn that I had something small and delicate gathered up in my arms. A gentle heart beating against my own. A lock of soft hair fluttering against my cheek.Liora.A smile touched my lips. I tightene
It might have been laughable, had circumstances not been so… sad.“So your parents took it badly, I imagine,” I pointed out.Callum huffed and looked into his bottle. “My dad beat the shit out of me.”I pulled my head back. “He what?”Wordlessly, Callum turned, pulling his shirt up to reveal his bac
Liora’s POVI just barely made it into the parking space before the car let out one final groan, then sputtered to a stop, rocking back and forth on the wheels.“Sorry about that, girl,” I said, patting the steering wheel. “That was a lot more driving in one day than I anticipated.”Shirley almost s
“Twenty lashes,” he said. “We’ll see if you change your mind then.”I grit my teeth. “I don’t have to put up with this anymore.”“Would you rather take it, or would you prefer if that little wolfless whore of yours took it instead?”The moment he said those words, I felt all the blood drain from my
Callum’s POVMy father’s shadow darkened the room.There was a time in my life when my father’s presence seemed enormous and all-consuming, like a black hole filling any space he entered. When I was a child, I remembered thinking that he was big enough to reach the moon, or to blot out the sun.I’d
Liora’s POVThe morning after my father returned to the palace, I woke to the sensation of someone shaking my arm. Groaning, I cracked my eyes open to see Mia kneeling on my bed with a grin.“Wake up!” she announced. “School is canceled for the day!”“Hmmm?” I rubbed my eyes and yawned. “Why?”“Look
Liora’s POV“Let’s begin.”The principal approached the microphone that was set up in front of the band and started making his announcements. His eyes flicked to me with obvious disdain as he pulled out his note cards, but I pretended not to notice him, or the malice in his gaze.I pretended not to
“A partner like me, you mean?”The words slipped out before I could stop them. Callum froze, hand tightening on my lower back, and it was only then that I realized we’d been swaying this entire time—our footsteps perfectly in sync with each other and with the music that was still playing inside.My
Sighing, I relented. Mia grinned and bounced on her toes. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” she cheered, then grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the circle.Zane looked up as we took our seats. “Ah, new recruits!” He wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Couldn’t resist joining, eh, princess?”“Stop calling me







