“OH MY GAWD!” Scarlett screams, stumbling back and staring at me like she's just seen a ghost. “Your face!” she exclaims, her voice shaking.Right at that moment, Winter and Chloe show up, looking all confused. “What is it, Scarlett? We heard you scream,” Winter asks, totally clueless about what's going on.“His face!” Scarlett blurts out again, her trembling finger pointing straight at me. Winter and Chloe step closer, examining my face with curious eyes.“There's nothing wrong with his face,” Winter says, shrugging her shoulders. I let out a huge sigh of relief, realizing that my face has gone back to its normal, human appearance.“But it was skeletally pale, his eyes were red, and… and…” Scarlett stammers, trying to find the right words.“You're just freaked out from Chloe's story,” Winter suggests, waving her hand dismissively.At this point, I'm super curious, so I chime in, “What did Chloe say, anyway?”Winter explains, “Chloe says she was viciously attacked on the neck by a rabi

SO, I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF MY DOOR with this goofy grin plastered on my face, thinking about the awesome time I had with Scarlett and Winter today. I get this weird tingly feeling when I remember the way Scarlett's eyes sparkled, and how soft her hands felt on my cheeks when she called me her hero. I'm just relieved that my little vampire incident at Chloe's place didn't totally screw up our friendship—if anything, it brought us closer together.But then, outta nowhere, I start thinking about Kylian, and his beef with Scarlett. Did she really dump his brother? I wanna know, but I don't wanna pry into her personal life, you know? It's none of my business. That's when I realize I'm still standing there like an idiot, clutching the doorknob and grinning to myself. I shake my head, take a deep breath, and finally open the door.And that's when I hear it—this beautiful, amazing melody that just fills the room. It's the Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem in D minor, and it's like pure bliss

I'M FROZEN, rooted to the spot like a statue, completely unsure of what to do. Part of me is screaming, “Run, you fool! Whatever did this to them might be right behind and might find you next!” So, I start to turn away, ready to hightail it outta there, but something makes me stop. I can't just be a coward, can I? I mean, this is the whole reason I've been training in the first place: to be brave, like my old man.I know I'm not the fearless beta that he is, but how am I ever gonna get there if I don't even try? So, with my heart hammering against my ribs like a wild animal trying to break free, I swallow my fear and take a few tentative steps towards the fallen figure. As I inch closer, my eyes go wide as saucers, and a gasp escapes my lips.It's the alpha—the strong, indestructible alpha—and he's in a real bad way. Blood oozes from multiple dagger wounds all over his body. His usually powerful frame is just crumpled on the ground, like a broken rag doll. The metallic scent of blood f

I STUMBLED TOWARD THE NEAREST VILLAGE, and the smell of food hit me like a ton of bricks—bread baking, meat cooking, the works. As I got closer, I saw these kids playing and having a blast. They were laughing and shouting, and it was like a totally different world from the pain and loneliness I'd been dealing with. For a second, I just wanted to be a part of that, you know? Like, to be a normal kid again.So, I got my hands on some bread, and it was all warm and crusty—just what I needed. But then, out of nowhere, this crazy thing happened. One of the kids threw a rock and hit another kid, and the poor thing started crying.The smell of blood just kinda exploded in the air. I mean, it should've grossed me out, but it was actually kinda... sweet? Like, it was this weird, enticing smell that just pulled me in. My heart started pounding, and all I could think about was that blood.I tried to act normal, you know? I went over to the hurt kid, trying to make them feel better. But even as I

THERE'S THIS GENTLE KNOCKING that cuts through the quiet evening, kind of like a woodpecker tapping away. Chloe's curiosity gets the better of her, and she gets up from her seat, walking towards the door all graceful-like. She wraps her hand around the cool doorknob, and as she opens the door, her eyes go wide with surprise, like she's staring at something out of a storybook.“Oh my gosh, Angel! Is that really you?” she exclaims, her voice all excited with a hint of disbelief. He smiles back at her, all warm and friendly.“Come on in,” she says, her voice bubbling with joy that practically hangs in the air. Angel hesitates, eyes locked on the doorway, looking a little unsure. It's like he's expecting something to stop him from going in. But he takes a deep breath, musters his courage, and steps forward. When nothing happens, a wave of relief washes over him, as refreshing as a cool breeze on a sweltering summer day.They hug, and as they touch, Angel's mouth waters, an instinctive rea