Paxton's POVIt's a new school week, and the anger from yesterday still burns in my chest like acid. I can barely focus on anything else except finding Gabriel. The conversation with Mom keeps replaying in my head – her confession about Gabriel's father, the way she looked when she said she might consider his proposal. The thought makes my stomach churn.I walk through the campus with my bag slung over my shoulder, but it feels heavier today. Everything feels heavier. The weight of secrets, lies, and a truth I never asked for. My eyes scan the usual spots where Gabriel hangs out with his crew, but he's nowhere to be seen.The courtyard is empty of his presence. The parking lot where all the expensive cars gather – nothing. Even the cafeteria where he usually holds court like some kind of king is Gabriel-free. My jaw clenches as frustration builds inside me.I pull out my phone and text Tony, one of my most reliable guys. "Find Gabriel. Send me his location when you spot him."The res
Carlota's POVI push through the front door with three heavy grocery bags in my arms, the plastic handles cutting into my fingers. The weight of them feels good though—solid proof of what I accomplished last night. The prize money from the race is tucked safely in my pocket, more cash than I've seen in months.I actually did it. Pride swells in my chest as I set the bags down on our small kitchen counter. I won that race against Gabriel and Paxton, against all those other riders with their fancy bikes and expensive gear. Me, with Dad's old bike and his racing suit.The kitchen looks different with actual food in it. Fresh bread, real milk instead of the powdered stuff, some decent meat for dinner. I even bought Mom's favorite tea—the expensive kind she never lets herself get because it costs too much.She's going to notice. The realization hits me like cold water. Mom keeps track of every penny we spend. She'll want to know where I got the money for all this food.I start unpacking q
Paxton's POVMy cheek still stings from Mom's slap as I pace back and forth in our cramped living room. The floorboards creak under my feet with each step, and I can hear Gabriel's father's car engine starting outside. The expensive purr of his luxury vehicle is so different from the rough sounds of our neighborhood—old trucks backfiring, motorcycles with broken mufflers, kids shouting in the street.Something's not right here. The feeling gnaws at my gut like a hungry animal. Mom's never lied to me before, not about important stuff. But the way she looked when Gabriel's father mentioned family, the way her face went pale—there's something big she's been hiding.I stop pacing and turn to face her. She's standing by the window, watching Gabriel's father's black sedan pull away. Her shoulders are slumped, and she looks older than her forty-three years. The afternoon light streaming through our thin curtains shows every line of worry on her face."Mom," I say, trying to keep my voice ca
Paxton's POVI can't stop smiling as I walk toward our small house. The conversation with the mysterious racer didn't go as I wanted, but I got something she didn't know she gave me. When she turned her head quickly to escape, a few strands of long dark hair slipped out from under her helmet. It's not much, but it's a clue.Finally, something to work with. The excitement bubbles in my chest. Everyone at school won't shut up about how amazing this anonymous racer is. I'm getting tired of hearing it. She's good, I'll give her that, but the way people talk about her like she's some racing goddess is annoying.I chased her for miles through the back streets, but she knew the area better than I thought. One second, her taillight was right there; the next she vanished down some alley I didn't even know existed. Frustrating as hell, but at least I got that hair.Dark, almost black, and longer than most girls wear. I replay the moment in my head. The way it caught the streetlight before she sp
Gabriel's POVThe sound of hushed voices outside my bedroom door pulls me from sleep. I can hear my mother's voice, strained and emotional, mixing with my father's deeper tones. Something's wrong. The way they're talking—urgent, secretive—sends an uncomfortable chill through me.I swing my legs over the side of the bed, running a hand through my disheveled hair. The digital clock on my nightstand glows 7:23 AM. Too early for whatever drama is unfolding outside my door. But the tension in their voices is impossible to ignore.What now? I think, frustrated. First, I lose the race to some mysterious rider who came out of nowhere. Then Paxton nearly gets us both killed with his insane stunt. Now my parents are having some kind of crisis meeting outside my room like I'm still a child who can't handle adult conversations.I stand up and walk to the door, pressing my ear against the cool wood. My mother's voice is shaky, almost tearful."How could you keep this from me, Richard? How could yo
CARLOTTA’S POVMy heart hammered against my ribs as I kept my helmet firmly in place, watching the figure in front of me reach up to remove his own. The dim streetlight cast shadows across his face, but when the helmet came off, my breath caught in my throat.Paxton.His dark hair was tousled from the ride, and those piercing eyes that had looked right through me in the cafeteria were now fixed on my helmeted face with an intensity that made my skin burn. Even in the shadowy alley, he was devastatingly handsome—all sharp jawlines and that dangerous smile that had gotten him in trouble with Gabriel just days ago. But there was something else now, something primal in the way he looked at me that made my dormant wolf stir restlessly in the depths of my soul, still locked away by whatever curse kept her silent.Of course it's him. Of all the riders who could have followed me...The night air carried his scent to me—motor oil, leather, and something distinctly powerful that screamed Alpha e