She is back

Tamara’s POVThe morning sun was streaming through the classroom windows as Elena and I walked through the door.I was so tired.Elena was rambling about the group project disaster from yesterday as we made our way to our usual seats in the back row, but I barely heard her. My mind was elsewhere on Mara about exposing my secret, about tearing apart everything I cared about. Elena was still talking, settling into her seat next to mine with an exasperated sigh. “Can you believe that? The nerve of some people. Like, if you’re going to be part of a group, at least contribute something….”She stopped abruptly mid-sentence.I looked up from my notebook to see what had caught her attention so completely.And my blood went cold.Mara was sitting three rows ahead of us, near the middle of the classroom.She was dressed immaculately a cream-colored blouse paired with a designer blazer, her blonde hair perfectly styled in loose waves that caught the morning light, her makeup flawless and refine

Last Updated : 2026-08-08

Garrett

Tamara’s POVThe moment Professor Mitchell finished the lecture, I was out of my seat.Elena grabbed my arm, her eyes wide with concern, but I shook my head at her. I couldn’t sit there for another second watching Mara with that smile, that confidence, that absolute certainty that she’d already won.I needed to know what was happening. I needed to confront her.Mara was gathering her things slowly, deliberately, clearly enjoying the attention I was giving her. The other students were packing up around us, the classroom slowly emptying as Professor Mitchell dismissed the class.Without thinking, without planning, I walked straight to her and grabbed her wrist.“Come with me,” I said, my voice low and controlled aware of the other students still milling around. I didn’t want an audience for this.To my surprise Mara didn’t resist. She simply smiled and allowed me to pull her up and lead her toward the door.I dragged her into the hallway, away from the classroom and into a more secluded

Last Updated : 2026-08-08

Fury’s name

Tamara’s POV The hallway seemed to empty as Mara walked away, her heels clicking against the floor until she disappeared around the corner. Garrett didn’t release me. His arm was still wrapped around my waist, his body tense beside mine. His eyes were fixed on the spot where Mara had disappeared, as if he could will her to come back and finish what she’d started. When he finally looked down at me, I could see the concern in his expression. The need to make sure I was safe. “Are you okay?” he asked softly, his hand brushing a strand of hair away from my face. The question was so gentle, so full of genuine care, that it almost broke me. “Yes,” I said, and I tried to make it sound convincing. “I’m fine.” It wasn’t entirely a lie. I wasn’t hurt. Mara hadn’t laid a hand on me but the fine wasn’t exactly accurate either. I was terrified. I was confused. I was caught between wanting to tell Garrett everything and knowing that keeping secrets was somehow becoming necessary.

Last Updated : 2026-08-10

My concern

Tamara’s POVFor a long moment, I simply stood there in Garrett’s embrace, letting myself exist in the space between what was happening and what I needed to do.The hallway had long since emptied of other students. The confrontation with Mara felt like it had happened hours ago, though it was probably only minutes. My heart was still racing from the intensity of it all from Mara’s cryptic statements, from Garrett’s protective presence, from Lucas’s bitter words.But I couldn’t stay here forever.“I need to go back to class,” I said quietly, pulling slightly away from Garrett.He was reluctant to let me go. I could feel the hesitation in his grip, the way his arms tightened for just a moment before he released me. He was trying to protect me by keeping me close, but he also understood that I had a life outside of him. That I had classes to attend. That I couldn’t hide forever.“Okay,” he said, his hand lingering on my face for a moment. His thumb brushed across my cheekbone in a gestu

Last Updated : 2026-08-13

The warning

Garrett’s POVThe fluorescent lights cast harsh shadows across the pristine white ice, creating an arena for those who understood the game of hockey a sport that required speed, precision, and an absolute willingness to dominate.I loved this place. We trained here constantly, pushing ourselves to the limits of human endurance. Hockey wasn’t just a sport for us it was a proving ground. It was where we showed our strength, our strategy, our ability to outthink and outmaneuver our opponents.It was where we proved we were superior.I laced up my skates with practiced efficiency, my team moving around me with the kind of synchronized precision that only came from months of training together. The ice called to me that slick, unforgiving surface where one wrong move could mean the difference between victory and defeat.Lucas was already on the ice when I arrived.He was in full uniform, his Ashford Pack colors a stark contrast to mine. The two of us had been playing against each other fo