A formal introduction.

XENA’S POVThe door swung open and my heart jumped as I saw him—my stepfather, that snake in a man’s skin. His eyes widened when he saw me standing there.He looked exactly the same. That thick jaw, the patchy beard, and the judgmental glare I had nightmares about. “Xena?” he croaked like the name was a curse, his face pale like he has just seen a ghost. I nodded, my voice caught in my throat.Before I could even speak, he grabbed me by the arm roughly. “You have no right to be here!” he hissed, trying to shove me off the porch like I was some stray dog.But before his push could even move me, Kael’s hand came out of nowhere and stopped him mid-motion.My stepfather froze. His mouth fell slightly open as he looked up at Kael.Kael walked between us. “Be careful what you touch,” he said calmly. “You could lose a hand.”My stepfather blinked at him, completely taken aback by the audacity od the stranger but luckily for him and unluckily for me, he didn't press further. He pulled his

Last Updated : 2025-07-14

Too close for comfort.

XENA’S POVI stared at the bed like it was some kind of trap. There was no way I was going to sleep here. This was my room, why do I have to share it with a stranger. Why do I have to share it with Kael?“We shouldn’t even be here,” I muttered, arms folded as I stood by the wooden bedpost.Kael leaned against the wall with that annoying smirk on his face, his arms crossed like he was enjoying my misery.“Well, plans change,” he said simply, kicking off his boots and stretching like he owned the place.I glared at him. “You promised we wouldn’t stay.”“I changed my mind.”I remained tense, my eyes watching him as he climbed the bed. He turned to me with a smile. *Relax, I'm not like your step father who can't control himself,” he smiled, adjusted his pillow, and faced the other side. “I hate you,” I muttered under my breath.He shrugged like he didn’t hear—or didn’t care.“You can sleep on that side,” he turned to me again. “You can sleep with a knife if it is going to help you calm

Last Updated : 2025-07-15

Caught in the act... sort of.

XENA’S POVKael was mad. Like, really mad. He didn’t say a word as we walked back into the house. Manure dripped off his hair, down his shirt, onto the floor with every step. He smelled like a dead cow soaked in expired eggs. I tried not to laugh—I really did—but when he caught a glimpse of himself in the hallway mirror and shook his head slowly in disbelief, I had to cover my mouth.“I look like a cursed scarecrow,” he said quietly, eyes narrowing at his reflection.“I'm sorry,” I muttered, trying my best not to laugh. He turned to me, and for a moment I thought he’d finally lose it. But then, to my surprise, his voice softened.“Are you sure you’re okay? That horse nearly crushed you.”I blinked. “Me?”“No one else is here,” he frowned. That's scary. Kael is thinking of me— or he is just a thinking of the baby. That would make more sense. I tilted my head, staring at the dirt running down his jaw. “I'm fine,” I forced a smile. “Thank you but you should go clean up.”He sighed an

Last Updated : 2025-07-16

I was handsome.

KAEL’S POV. I stared at the mirror like it was a death sentence. My reflection looked back at me—but it wasn’t me. No. This was some cursed, pimpled version of myself. A cruel joke. An evil twin from the acne realm.“What the hell is this?” I whispered, slowly leaning closer.My face was covered in acnes. one zit on my forehead. A red angry one. Another was seated on my left cheek—shiny, swollen, and filled of pride. And wait—was that a whitehead on my chin?!“Nooo!” I screamed and slammed the bathroom counter.Xena flinched behind me. “Kael, I’m so, so sorry—”“Shut up!” I spun around. “Don’t say a word! Not a single cursed word, Xena!”She blinked, her face pale, lips parted. “It was a mistake. I—I didn’t know it was foot wash. I thought it was body soap.”“Mistake? A mistake?” I pointed to my face. “This—This is not a mistake. This is sabotage! A crime against beauty!”I marched back to the mirror, rubbing my face like I could erase the zits just by touching them. Of course, I m

Last Updated : 2025-07-17

Our fate.

Xena's pov. “Hey mum, how's it going?” I chuckled between tears, standing at the foot of my mother's cold grave. The cold wind carrying whispers of her cheerful laugh. I didn't bother to hold back the tears, I knew she would understand. I wasn't weak, I was just tired. I stared at the flowers in my hands, unsure of what to do with them. Part of me felt I had no right to come back to her grave, I was the reason she was six feet deep in the soil. The other part wanted to join her there. She was my only source of comfort. “What should I do mum?” I asked with a faint chuckle. “Is it nice in there? Are you lonely? Or do you hate me for calling you late at night?”Silence. Except for the wind brushing through the dry leaves on the ground. “I'm sorry, mum,” I said, finally breaking down. “I know you said that I should always be strong and stand up against people who think that I'm just an impure wolf, I really tried but I couldn't. I will always be an impure where my fate will be decided