Hael’s P.O.V.From the sidelines, in a box cut off from the rest of the crowd, I watched Cole and another werewolf fight. There was something satisfying about seeing Cole shed his charismatic side, the one that made him friendly and approachable, and take on the form of a monster.Cole took as many blows as he dealt, but my future Beta was more than capable of handling himself in a fight. Every time his opponent would land a punch, drawing blood from some part of Cole’s body, he’d let out a laugh that bordered on insanity. Every opponent he faced balked at the sound of that laugh, remaining pale until the moment Cole left them flat on their back, unconscious and bloodied.Before long, I found myself stepping up to the circle, tilting my head at Cole’s shell-shocked expression.“Shit, dude. You’re fighting tonight?” He asked.It had been a while since I’d fought in the ring. There aren’t many werewolves stupid enough to go up against a future Alpha, but the ones that were did so thinki
Violet’s P.O.V. I tumbled headfirst into bed that night exhausted beyond belief. Between Eric, Olive, and I, we’d managed to get the pub ready for opening night. Eric himself had installed the hardwood floors and replaced the peeling wallpaper, which already made the place look a million times better. While we were in school, he replaced the light fixtures and got a few friends to bring in more furniture. After deep cleaning everything from the molding along the walls to the shelving unit Eric had taken off the old owners, the musty scent that had filled the pub was all but gone. We hung a few pictures up, mostly poster advertisements for the latest brands of beer and liquor and used a level to make sure each one was straight. All that was left was for Olive and me to rearrange the tables and chairs while Eric unloaded the truck and made sure things were stocked and prepped for tomorrow night. It was by pure luck that we had enough time to finish our homework, but not only did I fi
Violet’s P.O.V.“Lacey?” I called out, wavering when my voice echoed. There was a tremor in it that I couldn’t shake. “Whose there?”It had this dream-like quality that thickened the sound until it was almost something tangible. I reached out into the space in front of me, wondering if I could feel where my words had hit the air.I stilled, my fingers still extended, when a voice slithered past my ear.“Not Lacey.” It growled quietly.That inhuman voice was like a shot of adrenaline straight into my bloodstream. Without turning around, I broke out into a sprint, kicking off the carpet that bunched under my feet.The hallway curved right, and I took the turn without slowing down or looking back. Everything was the same, identical right down to the grey doors and the carpet beneath my feet. Sconces and doors bathed in the same muted colors flitted past as I ran, but the only thing I could focus on was the thundering in my ears and the fact that something was breathing down my neck.I co
Violet’s P.O.V.I woke a second time with a start, slapping a hand over my chest as I registered a presence in my room. Groggy, and with sleep clouding my eyes, at best all I could make out was a hazy figure. Blinking rapidly, my vision cleared, and I was left staring at Sylvia’s contemplative face.“Apologies, dear.” She said silkily, tapping away at the screen of her phone.She didn’t sound all that sorry, but I didn’t take offense to it. This was her house, after all. Besides, Elijah had already warned me about how she was.Sylvia looked up from her phone, smiling softly before tucking it away in the pocket of her charcoal blazer. The make-up that painted her face was light and airbrushed, perfectly tailored to her high cheekbones and slender nose. She had that effortless natural look that many women tried and failed to achieve, but it only made sense considering she had a team of stylists at her disposal.“Good morning?” I yawned, combing my fingers through my hair.Since meeting
Hael’s P.O.V.‘You, Hael Ashford, owe me a very large coffee.’ Cole’s voice came across the mind-link, exhausted and raspy from lack of sleep.I ignored him, leaping over a fallen tree and landing with all four feet on the ground. Without stopping, I continued running, my will blending with Magnus’s as we darted through thick clusters of brush and through dew sodden grass that dampened our fur. There was a slight fog that wrapped itself around every tree trunk and bit of foliage. It made the air taste fresh, the forest and soil not yet warmed by the sun’s heat.Sleep was becoming harder and harder to achieve, especially as of late. It was her fault, of course. The girl. Her scent was everywhere, clinging to every fucking thing in the estate. Some nights I’d fall asleep, only to wake up in a haze, momentarily forgetting who I was and who she was. Twice now I found myself out in the halls, seconds away from breaking into her room just to be near her. All that existed was the infuriating
Hael’s P.O.V.Not waiting for his response, I opened the door and stepped out, shutting it behind me. From a distance, I could hear Cole shout something about me not knowing his order, but I didn’t care enough to listen. From what I knew about Cole, he probably got the sweetest, most sugary drink the place had to offer.Sure enough, his voice slid across the mind-link and answered my unspoken suspicion.‘Get me a large, iced caramel macchiato with four pumps of vanilla—not the sugar free shit they have, and extra caramel drizzle. If Katie’s at the register, tell her I want coconut cold foam on top. She’ll know what to do. Oh, and have them make the three shots ristretto. It’s just too bitter if they aren’t, completely ruins the flavor of the drink.’I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting off the headache that was already forming.‘Cole, that’s more sugar than it is caffeine.’There was much more I could say, but there was no use arguing with Cole. He, like myself, let absolutely no
Violet’s P.O.V.Oh my goddess…My feet slapped against the pavement, the sound echoing in my head. Or maybe that was my heartbeat, I didn’t know. It was going so fast, pounding away like a drum subjected to the rage of its owner.‘Violet, calm down!’ Lacey shouted, her voice too far away to reach me.What did I just do? What the hell did I just do!Colors whirred by, but I barely noticed them. In my head everything was a washed-out shade of grey, the color leached away by horror and utter shock. I was still there—in the café, listening to him scream and scream, staring at myself as I stood frozen, the empty cup still clutched in my hand.‘It wasn’t your fault. Ugh, listen to me!’Wasn’t my fault. Wasn’t my fault? I did that. I hurt him; I burned him!Tears stung my eyes, but no matter how many times I wiped them away, they just kept coming back. The seconds leading up to that moment played on repeat, the colors just a tad too bright and every second slowed, almost like a filter had be
Violet’s P.O.V.Holden ended up taking us back to his car, which smelled so much like him that I wanted to burrow into the seats and never come out. It held every sultry note of his masculine scent, along with the faint undertone of salt and sea spray. For a second, I felt sad that he hadn’t been my intended mate, but I forced the thought to the very back of my head.I didn’t ask where we were going because I simply didn’t care. I sank into the seat and let the husky sound of Holden’s voice wipe away the night and morning I’d had. Halfway into the drive, he pulled out his phone and gave Olive a call. How he had her number, I wasn’t sure, but I figured it wasn’t too hard to get the information in a town like this.I could hear her shrill voice on the other end, demanding to know where I was and if I were alright. Sure enough, my friend refused to get off the phone until she heard me say it myself. I knew she’d want details later on, which is why I had Holden promise he’d drop me off at