All Chapters of THE CHOSEN ONE: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

AIYANAHer hands were clawed into his arm, as if trying to stop the inevitable."You promised, Max! You promised me!" Her eyes were full of tears, ruining all the makeup she’d so carefully applied. "You said you’d marry me! That it would be me!"Scott stepped closer, this time saying nothing, just watching.I could tell by the way he looked at his son that he was both disappointed and deeply concerned.Max remained still.His jaw was clenched tight, his eyes fixed on the ground, as if every word Isabela spoke brought him shame."Say it, Max!" Isabela pl

AIYANAThe river's water ran cold beneath my feet as we finally knelt by the bank. The surrounding forest held its breath, as if it knew it was still too early to let down its guard.Carefully, I helped my grandmother sit on a moss-covered rock. She was breathing heavily, her face tense but still clear. I crouched in front of her and dipped a cloth into the icy current, gently cleaning the dried blood around the wound on her shoulder."This is going to sting a little, Grandma," I warned.She nodded, steady as always. I remembered when she used to teach me how to identify herbs, read the sky before storms, listen to the forest before the pack sensed anything. Now, it was my turn to care for her.

AIYANAMorning arrived gray, with the kind of cold that settles in your chest before it ever touches your skin.The fire’s embers crackled softly, sending lazy sparks into the damp air. A few flakes of snow danced between the bare branches. The scent of the grilled fish Icarus and I had caught mixed with smoke and wet wood. Everything was so quiet, even the crackling fire sounded too loud.Everyone ate in silence. Or pretended to.Alyssa carefully fed the youngest of the two orphans, breaking the fish apart with her hands. The other boy sat between Luca’s knees, and he had barely touched his food. Grief made everyone slow, cautious, half-deaf. Like any sudden movement could shatter the last fragile bubble of safety stil

AIYANA"You owe obedience."That was too much. I didn’t know what to do with the growing rage inside me, and the words came out before I could think."Go fuck yourself, asshole. Eat a dick," I spat without filter, my voice sharp and full of contempt.Maxim laughed, a low, cruel sound, with no trace of remorse in his eyes. Like it was all just a joke to him."Such class. My decision isn’t going to change," he said, still smiling, though his words were laced with growing hardness.That only made me even angrier. I wasn’t going to let him treat me like a weak, submissive girl anymore."You