All Chapters of Broken by One, Desired by All : Chapter 191 - Chapter 200

Zane's Point Of ViewIt was finally time for the students to return to the Academy. The excursion, the long and tense days away, the lingering anxiety that had settled like a second skin over everyone, was ending. The woods had left marks on all of us, in ways small and large, and as the early morning sun began to filter through the canopy, I could feel the shift in mood. Relief, exhaustion, anticipation—everything coiled together into a single, taut string of energy.Ronan was driving. His hands on the wheel were steady, precise, the calm focus I had come to expect from him in nearly every circumstance. I sat beside him, strapped in, legs folded neatly, chest still lingering with the memory of pain, of the wolfsbane, of the chains. Caroline and Charlie were ahead of us, following Miles and the rest of the students on foot, keeping pace with the main group. The Academy’s bus carried the remaining students and teachers, its rumble a distant reminder of structure and order that contras

Zane's Point Of ViewThe car hummed beneath us, a steady, rhythmic vibration that lulled me into a false sense of security. The engine’s purr was a familiar lullaby, the kind that seeped into my bones and made my eyelids heavy. Ronan drove with that effortless control of his, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gearshift, his knuckles occasionally brushing against my thigh when he shifted gears.The road stretched out ahead, a winding ribbon of asphalt cutting through the dense forest, the trees blurring into streaks of green and gold as we moved. The sun had begun its slow descent, casting long, lazy shadows across the dashboard, painting Ronan’s profile in warm, amber hues.His jaw was set, his focus sharp, but every so often, his eyes would flicker toward me, just for a second, before returning to the road. It was those glances... brief, intense, loaded with something unspoken—that kept me from fully surrendering to the pull of sleep.But exhaustion was a stubborn thing

Zane's Point Of ViewI laughed, the sound hollow, bitter, nothing like the laughter we'd once shared. It tasted of ashes and regret. "She has everything to do with it." The words tasted like ash in my mouth, appropriate given his name, given everything he'd reduced me to. "She's the reason I'm here. The reason I'm alive… and not dead" The truth of that statement settled over us both. Without Lily, without her intervention, I might not have survived what came after Ash, and I might not have activated my mother's pocket watch that night and be here. Ash's expression darkened, his jaw clenching so hard I could see the muscle jump beneath his skin. Something flickered in his eyes… concern? Guilt? I couldn't tell, and I told myself I didn't care. "What the hell does that mean?"Before I could answer, Ronan stepped forward, his body shifting so he was partially in front of me, a wall of muscle and tension. His voice was a low growl, a warning. “I asked you a question.” His words were slo

Zane's Point Of ViewI turned fully toward him. Ash. The boy who had once been my everything. The boy who had whispered promises in the dark, who had traced the lines of my scars like they were sacred, who had sworn on his life that he would never let anyone hurt me. The boy who had then stood by, silent and complicit, as his father's men dragged me into the light and broke me piece by piece. The boy who had denied me. My lips curled into a sneer as I crossed my arms over my chest, fingers digging into my biceps hard enough to leave crescent-shaped marks. The morning air kissed my heated skin, but it did nothing to temper the fire burning in my veins.Ash stood there, his back still pressed against the stone wall, his dark eyes wide with something between shock and horror. His breath came in sharp, uneven bursts. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. Good. Let him see what he'd created. "Yes," I said, my voice low and steady, each word a blade. "It's the truth." Ash staggered back

Ash's Point Of View The morning sun filtered through the heavy curtains of my father's study, casting long, jagged shadows across the dark wood floors. The scent of aged leather and burning cedar filled the air, thick and suffocating, like the weight of his expectations pressing down on my shoulders. I had stood in this room countless times before, but today the familiar space felt smaller, more oppressive, as though the walls themselves were closing in.I stood rigid, my fists clenched at my sides, my nails digging into my palms hard enough to draw half-moons of blood. The pain offered a distraction, something to focus on other than the way my stomach twisted at the words hanging in the air. My wolf stirred restlessly beneath my skin, agitated by my tension, by the wrongness of everything about to unfold."It's time for you to leave for the Magic Academy with your mate."My jaw locked. Mate. The word tasted like poison, bitter and burning on my tongue. I didn't look at Lily. I did