ANMELDENNicole’s POV“You still there?” he asked, voice deeper than before.“Yeah,” I whispered. A soft chuckle rumbled through the line. “Good. Now go inside, baby. Lock the door. I want to know you’re safe.”The protectiveness in his voice made heat bloom low in my stomach. I stood up and walked into the building, climbing the stairs to my apartment while we talked. Once I was inside and the door was locked, I kicked off my shoes and collapsed onto my bed.“Done,” I told him. “All locked in.”“Good girl.”Those two words sent a shiver down my spine. I bit my lip, suddenly very aware of how empty the apartment was. Bella was still out with friends.“Zach…” I hesitated, then decided to be brave. “I missed you. Not just talking. I missed your hands. The way you touch me.”He inhaled sharply. “Fuck, Nicole. You can’t say things like that when I’m this far away.”“Why not?” I asked, my voice dropping. “I’ve been thinking about the patio every night. About how you felt inside me. How hard you tr
Nicole’s POVThe campus felt both familiar and strange at the same time. I clutched the strap of my bag tighter as I walked toward my first lecture hall, trying to ignore the nervous flutter in my stomach. Being back at school after everything that happened felt like stepping back into a cage I thought I’d escaped.I kept my head down, hoping to just get through the day quietly. Attend classes, take notes, go home. That was the plan. No drama. No drama at all.My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and a small smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. He finally texted. He wasn’t ghosting me after all. Zach: Good luck on your first day back, beautiful. You’ve got this. Miss you already.After days of silence, this little text felt like a lifeline. I typed back quickly.Me: Thank you. I needed this ️I was still smiling down at the screen when a voice I really didn’t want to hear cut through my thoughts.“Nicole.”I froze. Killian.I didn’t even look up. I just turned and
Zach’s POVThe knock had already put me on edge, but nothing prepared me for who was standing in my doorway. Alice.I shook my head slowly, disbelief mixing with pure rage as I stared at her. She looked flawless as always, her dark hair fell over one shoulder, red lips curved in that signature smirk, and a black dress that screamed seduction more than power. But I knew better. Behind that exterior was a snake who’d strike the second you let your guard down.“What are you doing here?” My voice came out rough, barely holding back the growl building in my throat.Alice’s smile widened, like she’d been expecting exactly this reaction. “Why else would I be here, Zach? I came to see you, of course.”I stood up from my desk so fast the chair scraped loudly against the floor. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. “Who let you in?”She let out a soft, musical laugh that grated on every nerve I had. “Like I need permission to walk into this house. Please. We both know how things work around
Nicole’s PovI grabbed it so fast I almost dropped it, hoping it was Zach. It wasn’t. Instead it was a text message from Leah.Leah: Hey sweetie, did you get home safely? Let me know when you’re settled. Love…I stared at the screen for a long second, the little bubble of hope popped painfully. No message from Zach. Not even a simple “hope you landed okay.” Nothing.Bella glanced over at me. “You good?”“Yeah,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just Leah checking in. I’m fine.”She didn’t look convinced but let it go. We pulled up to our apartment building, and the familiar sight of the brought along a feeling of nostalgia. Home. Even if it felt a little different now.Inside, the place smelled like vanilla candles and Bella’s favorite laundry detergent. I wheeled my suitcase into my room and stood there for a moment, taking it all in. My bed with the messy blue comforter, the string lights I’d hung last semester, the stack of textbooks I’d abandoned on my desk. It was all exactly h
Zach’s POVI watched Nicole enter into her room and close the door behind her. That little smile she gave me before disappearing? It filled me with warmth. I stood there in the hallway for a long minute, fists clenched at my sides, forcing my breathing to stay even. Only when I was sure she was asleep did I let the mask drop.My wolf, Kade, had been clawing at my insides the entire night on the patio. Every thrust, every moan from her lips, every time her body clenched around me, he’d surged forward screaming one word: Mark her. I wasn’t even close to satisfied when we finished. I’d held back so hard my muscles ached and my jaw hurt from grinding my teeth. The release I got was shallow, because I couldn’t let go. I slipped out the back door and took off running before I did something stupid.The night air whipped past me as my feet pounded the ground. I didn’t stop until I reached the thick woods behind the property, far enough that no one in the house would hear me. The second I wa
Nicole’s POVMy eyes opened before the alarm even went off. The room was still dark, except for the soft hum of the ceiling fan. I lay there for a second, staring at the ceiling, feeling the ache in my body from last night on the patio. A small smile touched my lips before reality hit me. Today was the day. My flight back to New York.I slipped out of bed and quietly packed the last few things, my charger, a book Leah lent me, the hoodie Zach had let me keep. My chest felt strangely heavy. This house had started to feel like home. I shook the thought away, zipped my suitcase, and rolled it gently down the hallway so I wouldn’t wake the kids.The smell of fresh coffee hit me as soon as I reached the bottom of the stairs. My steps slowed. Leah was already in the kitchen, moving around slowly because of her belly, while Jack stood by the counter pouring coffee into travel mugs. They were both dressed and ready.“You guys…” I whispered, surprised.Leah turned with a bright smile. “Did you
Nicole “Well isn't that just great,” Zach murmured as we hit the third red light in the past ten minutes. “There's no need to be so dramatic,” I teased, the only response I got was an eye roll. Unfortunately for us, red lights weren't our only problem. Less than five minutes later, we hit a
Nicole.. I bit my bottom lip, as I glanced at the windows, my heart starting to race at the thrill of getting caught. Zach’s hand found my chin, gently tilting my face back to his. “Hey,” he murmured, his thumb grazing my cheek. “Eyes on me, Nicole.” My breath caught as his gaze locked with mi
Nicole.. I was actually going to miss this little cabin. I thought to myself as I walked out and shut the door behind me. It was nice to get away from everything and just feel free even if it was just for a few days. I still had some time to spend with Leah before I had to get back to school but i
Anonymous Pov.. My breath caught in my throat. Slowly, I turned, my movements calculated and calm, though my mind raced with potential excuses. My eyes locked onto a tall figure walking towards me. It was one of the guards. His piercing eyes studied me closely, his hand resting on the hilt of his







