LOGIN"Ana!" A scream pierced through the ringing in my ears when the world spun in a swift motion right before I landed on my back. The sound of shattering glass rained around me. But not a single shard touched my skin, no pain bloomed through my flesh. Although something else burned through me.Unusual heat.Powerful arms. One secured under my waist and another at the back of my head. My eyes snapped open, meeting solid greens. Unlike their usual cold, brooding mien, they now stared intensely, granting me a peek at raw, feral energy, and... disbelief. So, so much of it. Why would he think no one would do that for him?Dark brows plunged deep, but the eyes that stared back weren't the jagged green anymore but soft blue, the color of the sky on a warm day, echoing one question in my head. Did my father think why no one was doing that for him while he took his last breath in that road?The fogginess of the situation bled into reality, and panic mixed with guilt and sorrow from the past,
"Murder. He's plotting your murder."I gasped, my hand shooting to my mouth to conceal the sound. Someone was planning to take the professor's life. But why? Who was that underworld heir? Though I wouldn't be surprised if it was the consequence of his brutal arrogance towards people. But knowing that his life was in danger, no matter how cruel he had been with me, worry twisted in my gut. Rather intensely.I was so immersed in my thoughts I didn't notice that the hallway went silent. Were they gone? I was about to turn when hot breath hit the back of my ear."Little eavesdropper."I yelped as powerful fingers wrapped around my wrist, and the world spun. My back hit the wall once more, and cold green eyes pinned me."What were you doing here?" he clipped, imprisoning my hand against the wall beside my head."I... I wasn't eavesdropping I swear," I protested, my eyes wide, trying not to register the way streaks of electricity shot through his touch or the tiny space between us. "I just
Tears blurred my vision as I ran through the sequoia forest, the ancient giants looming over me, shielding me from the cruel world. My breathing came out in ragged gasps as my heart pounded in my chests. I didn't know where I was going or why I was going there, I just ran. From whatever that happened moments ago. Or an hour ago, I wasn't keeping track.I wanted to forget it.No. I wanted to forget the whole month.The night, the wolf, the man... And that professor. I hated him. I hated him with all my guts. I hated them all. My feet stumbled upon exposed roots, my chest heaving with sobs, but I didn't stop. Not even when the woods started to close in on me, the trees becoming a maze of dark trunk and dense foliage. The stillness of the forest that was so comforting normally, now felt tyrannical, as though it was mocking me silently. Pathetic. His voice echoed in my head, propelling the pain in my chest to a flaring intensity. The frustration grew along with the unknown grief until
"What's that?" I asked, eyeing the stack of papers warily, still panting from sprinting across campus just to make it to his office on time. The last thing I needed was to give him another reason to extend my punishment. "Homework," he replied curtly.I blinked, recoiling. "B-but you already gave us homework in class."Dark eyes pinned me in place from across the desk, narrowing until I felt like I was standing at the center of a storm. My skin still itched in places from earlier, but I dared not give in to the urge in front of him."You will turn it in by seven tomorrow.""P.M?" I asked, hopeful. "A.M," he gritted out.My stomach plummeted. "But... I don't have any classes tomorrow.""So?" He arched a thick, dark, perfect eyebrow. "It's a lot, Professor," I tried, desperation creeping into my voice. I had a couple of tests lined up the day after. A flicker of something cold and dangerous passed across his face. "Are you denying me?" "No," I rushed to say, shaking my head. "No. N
Why do I do this to myself?I coughed, blowing dust off an old book and squinting at the title. Nope, not the one. Reaching for the next book, I did the same, only to get a fresh cloud of dust straight up my nose, burning my sinuses and triggering a sneezing session like a full-blown allergy attack. My skin was itching non-stop, and my mouth felt like I had swallowed a bowl of dirt.But I couldn't stop. It was only the first phase of my punishment no matter how unfair that was, and I had no choice but to endure it. Still, I was grateful to him that he had listened to my pleas and spared me the dean’s office.I hadn't told anyone about it yet. Of course, not my mom, and not even my friends. They were already extra worried regarding the past events that circled around me. They even went as far as hunting down the guy who uploaded the picture and possibly started the rumor, and going to his house at midnight to have him remove it. But it was done way before they arrived, and for some rea
The next day, I walked into college with a mission. To find the guy responsible for wrecking my chances at a peaceful year, and possibly my grades too. I had been so disturbed since yesterday that I couldn't focus on anything—let alone sleep. Even the homework I barely managed to finish didn't have half the effort I usually put into it. All the while, those hurtful, degrading words played in my head like a broken cassette player in a loop.Last night, I was crushed, but this morning, I was just mad, and it pushed my legs forward as I marched down the hallway, looking for my curly-haired, skinny admirer.I wasn’t an aggressive person—not really. In fact, there were only a handful of times when I had actually lost my cool. But what that guy did, and the mess it caused? Yeah, I wasn’t letting it slide. I had to do something. At the very least, I had to vent.Reaching his locker, I found the space empty when another guy walked up to the one beside his—one of the jocks. "Excuse me. Do y







