ANMELDENThe tension in this chapter could pay rent.
I watched her, trying to keep my emotions in check, but it was impossible. Quinn was standing right there, close enough to touch, and I could feel everything—her confusion, her fear, the way her pulse raced as she processed the bond between us. The bond I'd tried so damn hard to ignore.I let out a sigh, knowing this was it. There was no point pretending anymore. "It was me, Quinn," I told her, my voice steady even though my heart was pounding.The look on her face was priceless. She actually thought I was joking, like this was some kind of game. Her laugh was sharp, almost mocking. "No way that was you, right, Luca? You can't seriously talk to me in my head."I stayed silent, just staring at her, letting it sink in.Then her eyes widened, and I saw the exact moment she realized I wasn't messing around. The disbelief turned into shock, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of what was happening. "What... how are you doing that?" she asked, her voice laced with panic.I sighed agai
I slammed my fist into the bathroom door, shaking the frame. My whole body burned with fury. How had I let Quinn get the upper hand again? That damn cake... I could still feel the humiliation burning through me like wildfire."I won't let anyone embarrass me," I muttered quietly, though I was aware it wasn't just about the cake. It revolved around her—Quinn—and her talent for bringing to the surface emotions I had been avoiding for years. Or I was angry because I knew I was losing her.I hurried down the corridors, searching the whole school area for her. My mind was clouded with anger, but beneath the surface, a knot of guilt gnawed at me. Today was her birthday. I'd known that, and still, I had ruined it. I'd done it because... hell, I didn't even know anymore. Was it to push her away? To stop feeling what I was feeling for her?But my body didn't care about all that. I needed to find her, even if I didn't know why.I caught her scent before I saw her, the wind carrying it through t
When I spotted Quinn hobbling down the hall in that damn boot, surrounded by a sea of judgmental eyes, something inside me twisted. I should've just kept walking and ignored her, but no. I had to be an idiot and engage. When our eyes met, I saw that flicker of recognition—and, yeah, maybe a little fear—and that only fueled the need to push her away."Watch where you're going, Wayne," I said, my voice coming out colder than I intended. She looked up, all wide eyes and nerves, stammering an apology, but I wasn't having it. Every word felt like another wall between us. If she hated me, then maybe I could convince myself to hate her too."What happened? Trip over your own ego?" The smirk on my face felt fake, but I plastered it on anyway.Her cheeks turned red, and I could see the sting in her eyes, but she didn't fight back. She just turned and limped away, trying to pretend I didn't get to her. It hurt more than I wanted to admit. I wanted her to lash out, hit me again like she had at t
My paws hit the ground, each step like thunder pounding through the earth as I tore through the trees. Every muscle in my body burned, but I couldn't stop—I wouldn't stop. The forest blurred around me, branches whipping past, snapping under my weight. None of it mattered. I chased after the Echo and fortunately in the opposite direction of the Inn where Quinn was.It must have been an hour already, and I felt like this thing was playing a game with me. Suddenly a voice popped into my head uninvited."You think you can save her? You think you can keep her safe from me?"I roared, pushing forward, my eyes locked on the dark figure slipping through the woods ahead. I wasn't going to let it get away. I couldn't.But something was wrong. The forest around me started to shift, the trees twisting into strange, unfamiliar shapes, and the ground beneath my paws felt unstable, like it was shifting under me."Luca…" The Echo's voice taunted, closer than it should've been. "You can't catch me. Yo
From the moment Ethan grabbed Quinn's arm, something in me snapped. It wasn't a rational thought—hell, it wasn't even a thought at all. It was instinct, the need to protect my mate, coursing through my veins like wildfire. My vision blurred with red, and before I even realized it, my wolf had taken over. My muscles coiled, and I launched at him, fury burning hotter than it had in years.Ethan saw me coming and barely dodged the first attack. His movements were fast, but I knew he was holding back—for her. I wanted him to fight, to hit back, to stop pretending he was better than me.A savage growl ripped from my throat as I lunged again, this time slamming into him with enough force to send us both crashing to the ground. I pinned him down, teeth bared, a snarl rumbling deep in my chest. My wolf wanted blood. My wolf wanted him gone.Ethan's voice was calm, infuriatingly steady. "Luca, stop. Not like this."But I couldn't hear him. All I saw was red. My claws dug into the dirt as I pre
I knew I shouldn't have come. The second I stepped out of the shadows, every instinct screamed at me to turn back. But I couldn't. She was the reason—Quinn. No matter how many times I told myself to stay away, I kept getting pulled back. My wolf stirred inside, restless and growling at my stupidity. I was supposed to watch from a distance, protecting her without being seen. Yet here I was, drawn to her like a moth to a flame.She walked through the garden, her eyes fixed on the trees, lost in thought. At first, it seemed like she didn't notice me, but then she froze. Her gaze snapped to the darkness where I stood, and I saw it—fear flickering in her eyes as they locked onto mine. My glowing red eyes gave me away. My wolf wanted to rush forward, to nuzzle her, to promise safety, but I held back, fighting to control the primal instinct surging through me.When I finally stepped out, her gasp sliced through the night. Then recognition dawned on her face, and relief softened her features.
(Luca’s perspective)Crissy’s head bobbed up and down, taking me fully in her mouth, but my mind was somewhere else—anywhere else. She was trying, I’d give her that, pulling out every trick she knew to hold my attention. But it wasn’t working. She could’ve had the skills of a goddess, and it still
(Luca’s perspective)The moment her scent started fading, my gut twisted into a knot. Something was wrong—dead wrong. Quinn wasn’t anywhere on campus. Not by the classrooms, not near the gym, nowhere. My heart slammed against my ribs as I stormed through the grounds, adrenaline surging through my v
I didn't look back. Not once. I marched right out of that school courtyard, chin high, daring anyone to stop me. Let them watch. Hell, let them gossip. I didn't care. They could talk all they wanted because soon, I'd be gone—out of this werewolf-infested town and away from all of them.Including Lu
(Luca’s perspective)I couldn't shake her words from my head."Are you happy now? Was this all just to get under Ethan's skin, or are you really just that cruel?"Her voice echoed in my skull like a bad song stuck on repeat. Cruel? Did she actually think that about me? That I could mess with her fe







