All Chapters of THE CHOSEN ONE: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

AIYANAThe day dawned in shades of gold and rose, but the tension in the air seemed to tint it with something darker. The grand event of the evening cast a shadow over every glance and gesture from my cousin and aunt. They were radiant, and I tried to feel at least a little happy for them.The village had been buzzing since early morning. Isabela’s friends came and went from the small wooden room, carrying dresses, glittering jewelry, and jars of fragrant ointments. The sweet scent of jasmine and vanilla hung thick in the air, making everything feel even more suffocating. I leaned against the doorframe, watching my cousin sit before a cracked mirror, smiling smugly as one of her friends braided her long, silky black hair that flowed like a dark river down to her waist. Every move she made was precise, rehearsed. She had always known how to captivate an entire room, and today would be no different.“You’re especially quiet today, Aiyana.” Isabela’s voice carried a teasing tone, but I c

AIYANAThe warmth in my chest that uncontrollable fire dancing inside me, was still there, as if the ancestral flame had taken root in my body. But what once felt like a privilege now only brought agony.With every step I took, I could feel the eyes of the pack weighing down on me cold, harsh, relentless. The disdain on their faces cut deeper than any words. They saw me as an intruder, a threat. Not one of them. And if that wasn’t enough, I had to face Isabela’s hatred and the rejection in Maxim’s gaze.Isabela approached with a venomous smile on her lips, her eyes gleaming with latent hatred. I could almost feel the tension pulsing in the air."You really think you can just be the 'chosen one,' Aiyana?" she said, her voice low and sharp, as if each syllable was meant to wound. "Your mother was a witch, and now you think the flame chose you by chance? Don’t believe that lie. I know what you are. I know you did something to alter the result.""W-what? I didn’t..."My throat tightened a

AIYANAA soft knock on the door woke me, and I lifted my head, dazed and still feeling like the entire night had been a battle. The knock came again, firmer this time.It’s been a year since the flame revealed that Maxim and I are fated mates, and things have only gotten worse. Isabela has grown more cruel with each passing day, making it her mission to turn every moment I spent near her into pure hell. There wasn’t a single instance where she didn’t rub it in my face how she and Maxim were together and happy, constantly touching him, kissing him right in front of me, or forcing him to say he loved her. He, on the other hand, mostly ignored me. But he never stopped her, never did anything to prevent her mean-spirited attacks.Sometimes, I’d catch him looking at me. A gaze that seemed to pierce through me, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw something there. But it was always gone in an instant. Maxim remained distant, cold like I meant nothing to him.“Aiyana?”I lifted my head

AIYANAAs soon as I reach the parking lot, the cold air hits my warm skin. My eyes find his truck. It’s blue like the sky right before dawn, actually, exactly like the sky at three in the morning. It looks just as out of place as he does, rugged and brooding.Maxim is already standing by the truck, fists still stained with blood, muscles taut like he's holding himself back from exploding again. He nods toward the truck and looks at me.“Get in,” he orders.My instincts tell me to back away. I can still feel the electricity in the air between us the same raw energy I saw in his eyes when he was punching Seth. But I cross my arms and lift my chin, trying to hide the fact that my hands are still shaking.“And Isabela? She won’t be too thrilled to see me in your truck,” I provoke.Maxim just lets out a dark laugh.“Get in. Now.”“I’m waiting for Alyssa,” I say.“Here? In the middle of an empty parking lot, with your dress torn and bloodstained?”I huff, but walk to the truck and pull the

AIYANAMy damp hair clung to my skin, a drop sliding slowly down my collarbone before disappearing beneath the towel wrapped tightly around me.And there he was, standing in the middle of the room, his gaze dark and unreadable.My eyes dropped to his hands stained with dried blood. Seth. The memory of what happened at the dance flashed through my mind, but I pushed it away.“I know I’m being an idiot,” he broke the silence, voice heavy with frustration. “But I can’t help it. Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I wanted to feel this shit every time I look at you?”A dry, bitter laugh escaped me.“Oh, sure. Because I’m your big problem now.” I crossed my arms, feeling the moisture drip from my hair in tiny drops. “The Ancestral Flame threw us into this mess, Maxim, but the difference is I never blamed you.”He ran a hand over his face, like trying to sort out his thoughts.“It’s not that simple…”“Isn’t it?” I took a step forward, and realized too late he did the same, like our bod