The door clicked shut behind me, the weight of Lexi's presence still hanging in the air. I leaned back against the door, exhaling a ragged breath I hadn't known I was holding. My hand closed around the paper bag, right where her fingers had gripped it. Bringing it closer, I inhaled deeply, her scent mingling with the food she'd delivered.
A startling torrent of emotions tore through me. Desire so potent it nearly crippled me, a protectiveness that surged like a storm. Feelings so intense, they were fit for kin, for the pack, for... a mate. But that was the rub, wasn't it? That girl was human, not a werewolf. How could she elicit such a visceral reaction in me?
I moved to the nightstand, tearing the top off the bag, laying it there as if preserving a precious relic. The food remained untouched, its allure dwarfed by the mysterious pull of the woman who'd brought it. That night, I went to bed wrestling with conflicting feelings, but one thought was clear: I needed to see her again.
The sky was still dipped in pre-dawn darkness when I woke. I went through my workout routine, my mind still plagued by the enigma that was Lexi Ray. Compelled to see her again, I pre-ordered from the same restaurant. If you time it right, these apps have a way of giving you the same delivery driver, especially early in the day. My fingers practically flew over the screen, securing the order. Now, all I had to do was wait.Evening arrived, my senses keenly tuned to every sound from the corridor. I was restless so I started working out again.
When I heard footsteps, I moved silently to the door. Through the peephole, I watched her knock on another door. Luke's door. Anger and confusion over took my senses as I watched him accept the bag she handed over. What game was he playing?
Moments later, she was at my door. "Hello again Clay, your order is—oh, shoot, I think I accidentally gave your order to your neighbor. This is his. Let me just switch them for you."
I reached out, gripping the bag in her hand. "No need, I'll handle it. He did tip you, right?"
Her eyes widened a fraction before she nodded. "Yes, he did."
I also handed her a tip, watching her eyes for any sign of... something. But she simply thanked me and left. Once she was gone, my pent-up agitation found its target. I crossed the hallway in two strides, banging on Luke's door until he opened it, a shit-eating grin on his face.
I pushed past him into his apartment, throwing the bag on his kitchen counter. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Luke feigned innocence. "What am I doing what, exactly?"
"Don't play dumb. Do you think I didn't sense you in the hall last night? You think I don't know you deliberately crossed paths with her after that?"
Luke shrugged, leaning against the counter. "I'll do as I damn well please, Clay. Get over yourself."
"Maybe if you spent half the time you do watching me on something productive, you'd actually move forward in life," I sneered.
Luke's eyes flashed red before returning to their orginal almost black hue. "Well, you spent enough time watching me. I figure I can return the favor."
I took a step closer, my voice dropping to a growl. "Stay the hell away from her, Luke."
Our eyes locked, as we began to circle each other. We were two raging infernos in a high-stakes showdown. The tension sizzled, volatile, and combustible. Our eyes flickered rapidly between human and wolf, flashing hues of brown and gold for me, and black and red for him, signaling just how close we were to losing control.
It was a delicate dance on the knife's edge of self-restraint. The pressure in the room escalated like a ticking time bomb, each second pushing us closer to an explosive climax that neither of us wanted. Realizing the grave risk, I forcefully broke the intense stare, stepping back cautiously.
Both of us knew that if our wolves were unleashed here, in this confined space, the destruction would be catastrophic. Impossible to explain away in the human world. The unspoken acknowledgment of that destructive potential hung heavy between us as I retreated, each step weighed down by the fraught tension that remained.
The torn bag on my nightstand caught my eye as I closed my door. Something significant had begun, something neither Luke nor I could easily escape. And at the heart of it was Lexi, the human girl who had unwittingly stumbled into a world far more complicated than she could imagine.
But one thing was clear... I couldn't let Luke entangle her in whatever twisted game he was planning to play.
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The next day, it was hard to concentrate. Meetings, phone calls, paperwork, all the responsibilities that normally engrossed me now felt like pesky flies buzzing around my head. Lexi’s presence had insinuated itself into my thoughts, causing an unprecedented distraction. Her scent seemed to linger around me, a ghostly imprint teasing my senses.
My father’s words from a recent conversation echoed in my mind: “The longer you refrain from shifting, the more restless you’ll become.”
We Carmichaels are wolves as much as men, and the balance must be maintained, especially when the full moon nears. A primal part of me yearned for the freedom only the shift could provide. Maybe, just maybe, if I gave in to that part of myself, this mental disarray would subside.
Decision made, I found myself driving back to the pack lands. The city skyline grew smaller in my rearview mirror, replaced by the sprawling wilderness that was home. As I got closer, I felt a sense of ease seep into my bones; it was as if the very land called to the wolf inside me.
Parking the car at the edge of our territory, I stepped out, the earthy aroma of the forest filling my lungs. It was time. Removing my clothes and folding them neatly on the car seat, I focused inward, tapping into the dormant yet ever-present part of my soul. My body tensed, preparing for the transformation—a process as natural to me as breathing but no less extraordinary each time it happened.
Skin stretched, bones reconfigured, fur sprouted, all in a moment that was both agony and ecstasy. My field of vision changed, now tinged with the unique clarity of a wolf’s eyes. I had shifted.
I looked down at my paws. My fur was as white as fresh snow, a Carmichael trademark, and my eyes were a dark brown so deep they were almost black. This was me in my most primal form, manifesting ancestral power and natural instinct.
I breathed in deeply, tasting the scents of the forest, each one a distinct note in a complex symphony. But hidden beneath them all was the faintest trace of something—or someone—else. Lexi. She haunted me even here, though the feeling was more bittersweet than unwelcome.
Shaking off the distraction, I darted through the forest. Each leap and bound unleashed a little more of the tension that had been winding tighter and tighter within me. The freedom was intoxicating, like taking a long, satisfying drink after days of thirst.
Yet even as my limbs relished the movement, my mind drifted to the purpose of this trip. My mother. A sagacious alpha female who not only ruled beside my father but also held her own court of wisdom. I needed her insight, perhaps now more than ever.
After a vigorous run and some training—taking down imaginary foes and scaling the steepest hills—I felt somewhat rejuvenated, but still not whole. The unease settled back in as I made my way to where my mother would be. I was an Alpha heir, plagued by doubts and unsettled by a human girl. And that reality would not change, whether in man’s clothing or a wolf’s fur.
I paused at the edge of a clearing, my dark eyes catching sight of my mother. Even as a wolf, I felt a son’s yearning for maternal wisdom.
With a low whine, I padded softly toward the porch where my mother sat, her gaze serene as she sipped red wine from a crystal glass. She looked up, and her eyes softened. She leaned up to pet my head with a grace that defied her age. I nuzzled against her hand, an unspoken language of affection passing between us.
"Oops," she chuckled as her wine splashed on my white fur. "Hold on a second."
I retreated a few steps, allowing her to fetch a towel from inside. Shifting back to my human form was second nature. Another flexing of muscles, another reconfiguration of bone and tendons. In seconds, I stood upright, grasping the towel she handed me. I wiped the wine off my skin and wrapped the towel around my waist before sitting beside her.
"Mom, how has the pack been lately? Any new developments?" I ventured, my gaze not quite meeting her eyes as I sat down.
"Oh, you know, the usual," she replied, sipping her wine. "We've had a couple of new pups born, so that's always good news. Brings life and energy to the community."
"Ah, that's good to hear," I nodded, fidgeting slightly with the towel wrapped around my waist. "What about the full moon? I assume everything is in place for the ceremony?"
She chuckled, "You know your father. He's always well-prepared for these occasions. It's going to be a significant one since you'll be there."
"Yeah, speaking of that," I said, hesitating a bit, "I was going over some reports on our territory boundaries. It looks like everything is secure?"
My mom set her wine glass on the table, narrowing her eyes at me. "Clay, you're stalling, aren't you? Son, just ask me what you want to ask me."
I sighed deeply, the questions I'd been avoiding now too heavy to keep inside. "Mom, there's this girl—Lexi. She's... different. I can't seem to get her out of my mind, or my senses for that matter. It's like she's seeped into my very core. I can even smell her right now, which I know sounds... fucking bizarre."
"Watch your language, young man," she cautioned, but her eyes were softer, more understanding now. "And honestly, I'm not surprised. I can smell her on you, too."
I looked at her, wide-eyed. "Is it even possible, Mom? To feel this intensely for a human? It feels like she's my... mate."
My mom's expression turned somber. "In your grandparents' generation, it wasn't uncommon at all. My own mother was human. But times have changed, dear. Technology and constant surveillance have made it riskier for our kind to interact with humans. It's a shifting world, and I'm afraid your generation might be the last to have the privilege of living so openly among them."
I clenched my fists. "Not if I have anything to do with it when I'm Alpha."
She smiled, although her eyes were tinged with sadness. "I know you'll do your best, Clay, but it's not just our pack moving in this direction, it's all of them. However, if this girl stirs such strong feelings in you, you should follow your heart. To hell with what the rest of the world thinks."
"Thanks, Mom," I said, relieved yet still somewhat overwhelmed. I'll head over to training now; it'll help me clear my head."
"Good," she nodded. "Your father will be pleased. And you should go back to this girl soon, sweetheart. If you feel this way, she's likely experiencing similar emotions and has no context to understand them."
My mother's words echoed in my mind as I stood up, feeling both validated and burdened. There was so much to consider, but for the first time, I felt like I was walking a path that made sense, even if it was complex.
As I rose, wrapping the towel tighter around my waist, the magnitude of my mother's words echoed in me. Lexi, unknowing as she was, would be grappling with feelings she couldn't understand. And that thought propelled me with a newfound urgency, toward the training grounds for now, but ultimately back to her.
Because if my mother's intuition was correct, and it usually was, Lexi and I were both standing on the precipice of something life-changing. And the only way to understand it was to take the leap. Together.
Sitting in the dim light of my apartment, I heard the distinctive sound of a door closing from across the hall. A sinister smile crept over my face. Clay was leaving. I slid the glass door to my balcony open and peered down to see his black car pull out of the parking garage, heading north. He's going home, I thought, how convenient.I returned inside, my fingers itching to pry open the book that lay on my coffee table. It wasn't any ordinary book—it was an old folklore tome filled with rituals, spells, and hidden amidst cryptic language, and dark magic. Just as I prepared to delve into its pages, my phone dinged. A Facebook notification.Curious, I opened the app and hesitated for a moment. Then, with a swift decision, I typed Lexi's name into the search bar. There she was, her face filling my screen. I sat back, a malevolent grin spreading on my face. I didn't even need dark magic; everything I wanted to know was right here in the palm of my hand.I clicked on her profile, scrolli
I descended the porch stairs, then tossed the towel back up to the porch without looking. "Thanks, Mom!""Anytime, son. Could you let your dad know I'll be sitting out this training session?" "Will do," I nodded, before shifting back into my wolf form. The familiar rush of senses greeted me as I dashed through the trees toward the training grounds. In the distance, I could already hear my father's mental grumbling, a cacophony of complaints and expletives that only I had the privilege—or curse—of hearing. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if it was possible to roll my eyes in wolf form. His scent wafted toward me as I approached, a mix of earth and something distinctly him. He turned, his eyes locking onto my approaching form. "Ah, the prodigal son returns," he quipped, his voice filled with sarcasm yet tinged with an unmistakable relief. Shifting back to my human form, I countered, "Good to see you haven't lost your sense of humor, Dad." For a moment, we locked eyes, the unspoken
As I stood before my full-length mirror, adjusting the elegant ballet-inspired dress, Moro, my best friend and roommate, sat on my bed, scrolling through her phone. "I don't know, Moro. When I first met him, there was something off. But when I saw him again, it was like he was a completely different person. Maybe I was just having an off day or something." Moro looked up and grinned, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Girl, it's about time you jumped back into the dating pool. Besides, think of it this way. If one guy as hot as him is into you, just imagine your other choices! You could be dating royalty next!" I chuckled, brushing a stray curl behind my ear. "Wow, you have such a refreshing approach to love," I said, sarcasm tinting my voice. "Hey, you're too young to tie yourself down," Moro advised earnestly. "Don't end up like my parents, okay? Allow yourself to experience life from different angles. Live a little!" I rolled my eyes, but a smile crept onto my face. "Thank yo
My fists clenched around the barbell as I drove it into the air for another overhead press. Sweat dripped down my forehead, stinging my eyes, but I didn't care. I was too lost in the storm inside my head, a storm I couldn't seem to escape. I'd been working out on my balcony for hours, pushing my body to its absolute limit, partly because I wanted to distract myself, but mostly because I needed something to hit, even if it was just the air around me.Luke. The name was like a splinter in my mind. I couldn't believe he'd taken her out on a date. My muscles tightened further as I lowered the weights back down to my chest. The sheer audacity of that man was beyond comprehension. We were supposed to be friends once, but friends don't pull stunts like this.And then there was Lexi. My Luna. The thought of her possibly giving herself to Luke made my blood boil in a way I'd never felt before. If she slept with him, it wouldn't matter if she was fated to be with me; she would have to stay with
The knot of conflicting emotions I'd been nursing since my date with Luke tightened as I slipped into my party outfit. Moro, my ever-loyal confidante, caught my gaze in the mirror."Spill it, Lexi. You've been brooding since you returned from your date with Luke. Was it that bad?"I grimaced. "No, that's the thing. It wasn't bad, it was actually...nice. But something's bugging me, gnawing at me from the inside. I can't shake the feeling that I should keep my distance, but simultaneously, there's this magnetic pull."Moro shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "Girl, you're a mess of contradictions. But you know, sometimes our instincts pick up on things our conscious minds can't. Maybe you should listen to your gut.""You're probably right," I sighed, "but for now, let's just focus on tonight."The party was in full swing when we arrived—cups overflowing, music pounding, bodies moving in a chaotic dance of youthful recklessness. It was a place to forget, and forgetting was what I
After dropping Lexi off, I gripped the steering wheel hard, feeling the leather indent beneath my fingers. I was fuming, not just at Luke, but at myself, for cutting the night short after she took the chance and left the party with me. The air in the car was thick with tension, the remnant of emotions held at bay. My wolf was agitated, scratching at the inner walls of my consciousness, begging to be let loose. I knew I had to get away from Lexi before I did something that would be difficult to explain, especially since she was still in the dark about my true nature.And then there was Luke. Watching him in that club tonight, high and reckless, I could feel that something was dangerously off in my gut. He was spiraling, but into what? That was the gnawing question. My instincts screamed that it was more than just the drugs. He's always had a penchant for self-destruction, but this felt different, more sinister in a way I couldn't yet pinpoint. It was as if he were not just playing wi
I sighed, staring at the delivery app on my phone. Luke Rendon's name flashed for the third time tonight. "You've got to be kidding me," I muttered under my breath, tapping to decline the order. There was no way I was setting foot in that man's apartment again, not after what I saw last night.I woke up this morning feeling like I'd been hit by a freight train of realization. My whole body seemed to vibrate with a blend of anger and repulsion. How could I have been so naive? The image of him snorting coke, so brazen and unashamed, replayed in my mind repeatedly. I felt disgusted, with him and myself for ever considering him attractive or alluring.My mood didn't improve much in class, even though I should have been excited about Professor Gray's announcement. "Alright, everyone, for the next few weeks, we'll be doing special projects and have various guest speakers on various mythologies and folklore." A murmur of excitement hummed through the room. My hand shot up when the professor
A sense of dread washed over me when we parked just inside the pack land borders. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, no guideline for how you tell someone you've been lying about who you are. Well, I'm not lying exactly, but I definitely omit a crucial part of my identity. And not just my identity, but the essence of everyone who lived on this land."Promise me something?" I looked over at her, fidgeting with the car keys in my hands. "Keep an open mind about all of this, and if you don't want to be here anymore at any point, just say so. I'll take you back to the city, no questions asked."She stared back at me, bewildered. "Open mind? Clay, what's going on? Why are you acting so strange?"I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Just...promise me, okay?""Fine, I promise. Now, tell me what's happening."My heart pounding in my ears, I killed the engine. "Let's get out of the car. There's something I need to show you."She followed me out, her brows furrowing, eyes filled