The Beast Within The Greenhouse Novels & Stories

"She's not wrong to be scared. Those three have been hunting new students for years. They're not going to stop until they expose you." "Then I'll give them something to see." Raven grabbed my wrist. "Cressida. What are you going to do?" "Win," I said. After lunch, Raven dragged me to the greenhouse. The glass dome was warm and humid, a sharp contrast to the frozen world outside. Morwenna's plants thrived here; ferns, orchids, a tree I didn't recognize growing from the center of the floor. The air smelled of soil and green things. Raven sat on a stone bench and pulled me down beside her.

I gasped. With a loud, metallic clunk, a series of heavy steel security shutters slammed down over the exit doors, trapping us inside the room. At the same time, the sickly gold light inside the glass vats began to shift, turning into a bright, toxic green. The liquid inside began to bubbles violently, and the heavy glass cylinders hissed as they started to slide open, releasing the foul chemical fog into the air. "Stay behind me, Elena!" Silas growled, his body expanding as his inner beast pushed forward. His sharp claws slid out to their full length, catching the green light as he stepped into a defensive stance.

When they reach the greenhouse, Juniper gasps. The rare, shimmering orchids she brought from her shop are no longer blue. They have turned a sickly, translucent grey. But that isn't what made Torin scream. In the center of the greenhouse, the stone floor has cracked open. Thick, black vines—looking more like veins than plants—are crawling out of the earth. They are dripping with a foul-smelling black liquid that smokes when it touches the wooden benches. "It’s the Rot," Torin whispers, backing away. "It’s inside the estate walls. It’s never come this close before."

Leo asked, scanning our surroundings with the vigilance of a predator protecting his territory. The key fit perfectly into a nearly invisible keyhole. When I turned it, the door swung open silently, revealing a hidden greenhouse I never knew existed. Unlike the manicured perfection of the main garden, this space was wild, almost jungle-like in its lushness. Vines crawled across glass walls that were nearly opaque with greenery. Strange flowers I'd never seen before bloomed in impossible colors—blues that shifted to purple when I moved, whites that sparkled like captured starlight.

They treated him with distant reserve like he was either royalty or a bomb. Zane hated both. He wandered until he found the greenhouse. He was still mapping out the enormous estate, still finding his way around while taking mental notes of every entrance, exit, corner hidden away from the ever watching cameras. The greenhouse was glass-paned and overgrown, it jutted off the east wing like an extra limb. Inside, the air was heavy with damp soil and blooming jasmine. Heat clung to his skin as he stepped through, the scent almost too sweet. The quiet too loud.

He's always trailing at a distance, pretending he isn't concerned, but never far enough that I don't hear him. "I'm not alone," I say, glancing back with a smile. "You're here, aren't you?" He grunts like he regrets it but still follows me. The greenhouse looms ahead, its glass panels fogged and cracked in places. Ivy crawls up the structure like nature trying to reclaim what was once hers. I push open the creaky door and step inside. The air is thick with damp earth and something nostalgic–like rose petals and ash. Casimir follows, brushing dust from a bench before leaning against it with crossed arms. "So this is where dead plants come to rot? Is this like a graveyard for plant life or som

No, this was about losing something that he thought he owned. Drake growled, and Samantha turned her head sharply in his direction. "All right, My Beast, don't start breathing fire. Cool heads need to prevail here." "Your Beast, huh?" Drake smirked. "Yeah. You're name is Drake. That's a dragon, you sounded like your were about to roar, you were definitely growling, I think if you get mad enough, you might just breathe fire. So, My Beast." Vulcan watched this by-play with a great deal of humor. The woman shouldn't know his friend that well. But, it seemed that she did, indeed know him, and know him well.

Plus, my doctor said my hormones were out of balance, and I needed a way to relieve the stress. However, I already had a wolfhound at home. Salem Tarr would definitely have taken issue with it. Sensing my hesitation, the vendor kicked the beastkin. "Get up and show the lady your muscles." The beastkin rose to his feet slowly. Chains bound his body, and he could only remove his black T-shirt with one hand, instantly revealing his lean, pale muscles. However, his skin was covered in bruises and scars.

She wasn’t asking questions anymore, she simply watched, heart fluttering with a strange, beautiful anticipation. After a few more turns, the path opened up into a clearing. Aurora’s lips parted in awe. Before them stood a stunning glass greenhouse, tucked away like a hidden gem in the heart of nature. Surrounded by trees and nestled beside a still, moonlit lake, the greenhouse shimmered under a blanket of tiny fairy lights that draped across its arched roof and glittered like stars coming down to earth. Inside, she could already see flickers of candles casting a soft, golden hue.

Iris. Lightning. Blinding lightning cracks across the sky, and that’s when I see it. A monstrosity. A towering werewolf, drenched in rain, muscles taut and rippling with barely restrained rage. Each limb looks sculpted for violence. Its fur is slick, dark, and matted from blood and storm. Its breath steams in the cold air. Plumes spiral around its snout. Its eyes, blazing gold. My heart stops. God… I just fell into another creature’s war. All of them, beasts of the moon. Beasts of the night. Oh no!