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
The car rumbled over the uneven terrain, and my fingers tightened around the edge of the seat. I took a deep breath, trying to slow the rapid pulse of my heart. Everything felt overwhelming, from the revelation about werewolves to my inexplicable connection with Clay."Lexi, you don't have to worry," Clay said, his voice tender as his hand reached over to rest on mine. The warmth of his touch sent a calming wave through me, but my brain stubbornly clung to its state of alert."I want to believe you, Clay, but it's just—everything's changing so fast. I have to worry a little, right?" I squeezed my eyes shut momentarily, grappling with the maze of thoughts crowding my head.He chuckled softly. "You're not wrong to worry. But I promise, you've got nothing to fear."The vehicle finally came to a halt, and I opened my eyes to see a grand mansion silhouetted by the setting sun. It looked like something out of a fairy tale but also seemed intimidating. Before I could gather my thoughts, Clay
I nodded, taking in her words like a lifeline. If she could navigate these bewildering waters, then I could too.Clay's fingers gently interlocked with mine, as if silently saying, 'We're in this together.' That simple touch stirred a blend of emotions within me, churning like colors on an artist's palette. Excitement, trepidation, and, strangely enough, a newfound sense of peace."So," his mother broke the contemplative silence, "I think we've had enough heavy conversation for one day. How about something lighter?"She rose and opened a cabinet, pulling out a large tin filled with cookies. "These are my famous chocolate chip cookies," she said, offering the container to us. "Nothing solves life's problems like homemade cookies."As Clay eagerly grabbed a cookie, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, if this is part of the Luna training program, count me in."He winked at me as he took a satisfying bite, the chocolate melting and mixing with the emotions that colored the moment. "Trust
My heart was pounding as I looked at Lexi. The conversation had already left her shaken, yet something else was even more challenging for me to say. I could feel my wolf circling restlessly at the edge of my consciousness. "There's... there's more, Lexi," I finally blurted out, my voice tinged with a note of desperation. She looked at me, her eyes searching my face as if trying to read the words I hadn't yet spoken. "Okay, Clay, just say it. Please." Taking a shuddering breath, I forced the next sentences out. "When Luke bound his energy to yours, he inadvertently connected you to the energy of all Alphas, myself included. You weren't just more attracted to him, but theoretically, to me as well." My wolf was stirring violently now, pacing and growling within me. The gold in my eyes started to override the brown without my control, a sign that my wolf was getting too close to the surface. I was losing my composure. Lexi reached over and grabbed my hand. I looked down at her hand en
As we drove back toward the city, a quiet unease settled within me, an unspoken acknowledgment that things were going to change for Lexi, and in a way that was far from subtle. The shimmering skyline grew more prominent in the windshield, and with it came a flurry of questions I had yet to ask."How long before you graduate?" I broke the silence, flicking my eyes briefly from the road to her face.She seemed to come back from wherever her thoughts had taken her. "I only have two classes left after the one I'm in now.""Ah, the end is near then," I said, grinning. "I actually graduated from there, too."Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? I had no idea.""Yeah," I chuckled. "I have a Masters in art history.""And what do you do with a Master's in art history?" Her eyes sparkled, teasing yet genuinely curious."I own the contemporary art gallery in Radenfield.""Wow, I had no idea." She looked both surprised and impressed.I laughed, a genuine, hearty sound that echoed my wolf's