《Violets and Ash》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    They said it was raining when I stumbled into town, past the boarders so poorly protected even a


    critically wounded ten-year-old could slip through.


    I had been walking for hours. I was told my feet were blistered and bloody with wounds that reappeared


    faster than they could heal, but that they paled inparison to the thick slices covering my body.


    I couldn¡¯t remember the pain, or the song they had said I¡¯d been singing. I couldn¡¯t remember the


    feeling of the rain on my face, or the mud in between my toes.


    The widow who had taken me in while I was sick and healing, who had begged her Luna and Alpha to


    take me off her hands once the night terrors and outbursts became too much, I couldn¡¯t remember her


    either.


    My first memory began with him. The tender eyed doctor with the curly hair and friendly smile. I had


    giggled when his sses slid off his nose and fell into myp. Elijah was the first person who didn¡¯t


    treat me like a problem in need of solving. I told him my name that day, the only detail from my past life


    that I remembered.


    And just a few dayster, the small-pack doctor who had never wanted children of his own adopted me.


    The ce I had left¡ªthe ce I had no memory of it became a distant nightmare I would never be able


    to shake.


    All too soon the townspeople¡¯s stares went from sympathetic to wary. The near endless flood of


    casseroles and chocte chip cookies dwindled into long stares and whispered words. Instead of


    inviting me to y with their children, they would pull them away.


    Even with their beloved town doctor as my guardian, I was an outcast.


    In school the other children avoided me. They slowly made a game out of it, pretending I didn¡¯t exist.


    Even though I¡¯de home crying on numerous asions, it was nothingpared to what awaited


    me in high school.


    That summer was one of growth for all of us. Lanky baby-faced boys morphed into pimple-faced


    teenagers, swollen from the small amount of muscle they gained from their limited summer activities.


    Those same boys, who had squished their faces into looks of disgust whenever a she-wolf their age


    walked by, now chased them in flocks of strong-scented cologne and spearmint gum.


    When the other she-wolves realized the newfound power they acquired in addition to their growing


    chests and backsides, it was only a matter of time before the games of chase began.


    There would be many discoveries and realizations during those three long months, all of which marked


    the beginning of what would someday be adulthood. When high school rolled around, the children


    who once pretended I didn¡¯t exist were now infused with a newfound sense of courage that wouldn¡¯t


    cease.


    Teenage hormones and cruel curiosity were the instruments of my destruction¡ªand what a pretty


    picture they painted.


    Scarlet sshed against tile, fabric splitting in two again and again, the sounds of pricklingughter as


    they tore at my skin¡ªat the scars I tried so hard to keep hidden.


    I was swept away, plunged into darkness that stung like ice water. It poured into my open mouth, down


    my throat in waves that stung and forced me to sputter for breath. The water thickened to slush in my


    lungs, leaving me frozen and suspended in darkness while a ghost wearing my face smiled down at


    me.


    Thest thing I remembered were the screams.


    Voices that had deepened this past summer now rang out in shrill sopranos, only fading when the icy


    grasp of nothingness released its hold on me and sent me freefalling to earth¡ªto the mess I had made.


    Everything changed after my ckout.


    I was dangerous. A menace. A ticking time bomb that would burn our little pack from the map before


    long. It didn¡¯t matter that I couldn¡¯t remember anything, that I¡¯d been disconnected from my body like a


    hot air balloon thousands of feet above the ocean, desperate tond but destined to sumb to the


    vicious and violent waves far below.


    Even as Elijah sat me down for our first ever serious talk, he never looked at me the way the other


    parents did¡ªnever spoke to me in that syrupy sweet tone that reeked of disdain and ableism. He


    listened to me, gave me every ounce of his belief even though I¡¯d done nothing to earn it. Beginning


    home-schooling, that was a decision we made together¡ªone of our firsts.


    Within those first two months, my grades skyrocketed. I began baking, taking up different hobbies to


    pass the extra time on my hands. The little girl that longed for friends became used to herfy,


    padded prison.


    Even when the lock rusted and fell off, she stayed.


    We stayed.


    Still, there was this restlessness in my chest that I couldn¡¯t seem to shake. It only eased when I


    ventured outside, took deep breaths of the crisp mountain air, and listened to the dull chatter of people


    outside.


    It was this restlessness that led me to Jeb¡¯s Saloon.


    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


    I ducked just in time for the ss to shatter on the wall above my head, raining little crystalline pieces


    down into my hair. A sigh escaped my lips as the tiny pieces tangled themselves in my pale curls, the


    loose ones tumbling down my shoulders.


    Well, this was wonderful. Not only would it take forever to get out of my hair, but I¡¯d also get a bloody


    scalp.


    I groaned softly when some Jim Beam trickled off the counter and onto my shoulder, soaking into my


    A silent prayer of thanks left my lips because Jeb would skin me alive if it had been the top shelf stuff


    flung across the bar.


    The sound of grunting and cursing meshed with the AC/DC sting on the speakers, which


    overpowered tonight¡¯s football game. The subtitles were on, but most of the guys here were stopped


    being able to read them four hours ago.


    If they weren¡¯t piss drunk by 6pm, they¡¯d realize this was just a rerun fromst year¡¯s game. Not one


    person noticed how the date jumped from game to game, or how the yers seemed toe and go


    without reason.


    Most of our bar fights started this way, and I can¡¯t say I made things much better.


    Some sore loser would bet his entire paycheck that the Raven¡¯s would win this time around, only to


    forget that when the same game yedst week, they had lost miserably.


    Chiefs vs. Chargers, Raiders vs. Browns.


    Who knew who would win?


    It was sneaky and devious, two things I absolutely was not. Still, the cash I won dide in handy for


    thosete-night baking sessions and the asional tie for Elijah.


    I figured it was a little slice of revenge for the men¡¯s mates and children, who they¡¯din about


    endlessly once they stepped foot through the creaky cked-out door.


    All Billy Macon¡¯s kids did was whine, while Phil Crow¡¯s mate couldn¡¯t stop spending his hard-earned


    money on her ¡®scratchies¡¯ at the gas station down the block. Night after night they¡¯d punish themselves,


    drinking to forget the finality of their choices, the ones that led them to be where they are now.


    Most of our bar fights were over the football games, but not this one.


    ¡°Donny, you know he¡¯s been sleeping with your wife for two months now.¡± I said with gritted teeth,


    narrowly dodging a half-full shot ss as it soared through the air.


    Donny was all bark and no bite, especially since he had half his teeth removedst fall. He was one of


    our more friendly regrs, but his demeanor would change the moment his wife walked through the


    door¡ªwhich has happened a time or two.


    I cursed Tw for leaving me here alone tonight, even though I couldn¡¯t think of any ce I¡¯d rather be.


    Working at the bar, it was my little secret.


    Only Tw knew about it, her and Jeb, the owner of ¡®Jeb¡¯s Saloon.¡¯ He was the one who signed the


    paychecks, and Tw¡¯s the one who taught me how to defend myself against the drunken men that


    visit nightly.


    Surrounded by these men--they could hardly remember two days ago, let alone my twisted past.


    Tw had taken one look at my golden curls, curvy figure and scar riddled body and decided I was the


    only person in town, other than her older brother, who she could tolerate. Jeb didn¡¯t care either way, not


    while he could pay me a whopping five dors an hour under the table.


    She knew letting me run the bar by myself was a disaster waiting to happen. I was sweet honey,


    incapable of stopping a pesky bar fight, while Tw was harsh vinegar.


    Don¡¯t get me wrong, Tw was physically beautiful. At thirty-four years old, she had a slender physique


    that came from exercising and training with her brother. Her auburn hair was pin-straight and glossy,


    and looked killer with that shag cut she had gottenst month.


    Half of the men here trip over themselves for a chance with her, not that it¡¯s gotten them anywhere. It


    was her no-nonsense attitude, and tendency to throw the first punch that made her vinegar.


    She had broken up more bar fights than I could count. All while I watched, trembling like pup from the


    adrenaline, trying hard not to ck out.


    Which is exactly what I was doing now.


    My entire form vibrated softly as Donny stumbled drunkenly across the bar, right to where his cousin


    Ray sat. Both men were clueless. Pit stains and receding hairlines, an all-natural musk that smelled of


    cheap beer and cigarettes.


    I wrapped my hand around the thick base of Tw¡¯s ¡®pain stick,¡¯ which was really just the leg of an old


    bar stool that had broken. She had wrapped a fuchsia scarf around the base and named it as our bar¡¯s


    official bouncer.


    ncing down and readjusting my grip, I wondered how hard Tw had to swing to knock out a full-


    grown werewolf. Most of my strength came from kneading dough in the kitchen, and not from training


    all afternoon like she did.


    My breath halted as Donny shoved Ray backwards off his barstool, sending spittle flying as he snarled


    and shouted. Sounds of anger rang out from the surrounding people, who were now covered in beer or


    jostled from Ray¡¯s fall.


    I needed to hurry, before they pissed off anyone else. Two drunken men I could handle, but a bar full of


    them? I might as well set the ce on fire myself.


    Stifling an unhinged giggle at the irrational thought, I took a deep breath and counted to ten.


    ¡°Just a second, guys.¡± I called out to the college-aged men sitting along the bar, who had made a fuss


    as I untied my apron and threw it onto the back counter. The small door swung as I walked through,


    emerging onto the floor where the crowd of drunken men and women sat.


    ¡°Ooh, what¡¯re you gonna do with that Miss Violet?¡± Harold, one of our boozier regrs slurred, leaning


    back in his stool to give me a lopsided smile. ¡°Usin¡¯ Tw¡¯s pain stick all by yourself?¡±


    Heavy fumes of garlic and clove clung to Harold from the seasoning factory just outside of town. He


    and a few of the other men worked there during the seasons where the snow was light. It did wonders


    to hide the Fireball he often liked to sip, which was what he currently held in his calloused hand.


    The more drunk some of the regrs were, the nicer they could be.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t do something, they¡¯ll tear this bar to the ground. Besides, I don¡¯t see you helping me out.¡± I


    scolded him, cracking a smile when his raspy smokersugh filled the air.


    ¡°Can¡¯t risk spillin¡¯ my drink, paid too much for it.¡± Harold said solemnly, cradling the ss to his sweat-


    stained shirt.


    I gave him a look that told him he was full of it and said, ¡°Harold, you haven¡¯t paid your tab in seven


    years.¡±


    Hearing his slurred apology from behind, I clutched the pain stick in my hands and made my way


    through the crowded bar.


    Donny and Ray were throwing punches now, and while the regrs kept their attention on the football


    games, the neers were enamored with tonight¡¯s fight¡ªas if there weren¡¯t a new one in the


    parking lot every week.


    ¡®We¡¯ve got this, Vi. We¡¯re werewolves, remember?¡¯ My wolf, Lacey, chanted encouragingly. ¡®You¡¯ve


    been practicing for a reason. Breathe, and take control.


    ¡®Got it.¡¯ I nodded eagerly, hyping myself up before this optimism went straight out the window.


    I skirted along the gathering crowd, ncing back at the bar every few seconds. Thest thing I


    needed was Jeb chewing my ass out for letting the register get stolen again. I squeezed through a gap


    in the crowd, between two hulking masses of flesh and muscle, covered in leather jackets with thick


    patches.


    ¡°Oh, excuse me!¡± I eximed, tapping on the shoulder of one of therge men.


    He let out a grunt before turning my way, frowning when he had to crane his neck down to look at me.


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    A scruffy beard covered his chin, but there was something kind of pleasant about his dark eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re too young for me, darlin.¡¯ I prefer my women a good twenty years older.¡± He grunted.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m asking for your help!¡± I rified, smiling sweetly when he leaned down to listen. I went on my


    tiptoes, shouting over the music. ¡°Do you think you could push these people out of the way for me? I¡¯m


    not strong enough, and I need to hit Donny with the pain stick before he kills Ray.¡±


    The gruff man blinked a few times, scratched his beard, and then shrugged. He slid his meaty arms in


    between a group of people, forcing them apart with a surprising amount of human strength.


    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± I sang, slipping through the gap in the crowd.


    Donny¡¯s rage was steadily growing and was evident in the way he used barstools and sses as


    makeshift projectiles against Ray, who stood a good two feet taller than him.


    ¡°Violet, fuck you doin¡¯ in the fight?¡± I heard one of our regrs shout, a short and stocky wolf named


    Earl. He was kind to me, only because he had a massive thing for Tw. ¡°Gonna get yourself killed.


    Where the fuck is Tw?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you, Earl¡ª¡± I shouted above themotion, even though I could hear him clear as day. I


    waved and tried not to stare at his pit sweat stains, ¡°Maybe another time!¡±


    Lying was another thing I wasn¡¯t particrly good at, and Tw had specifically told me not to tell Earl


    she was on a date tonight. Escaping the clutches of Earl, that was the only way I wouldn¡¯t blurt the


    truth.


    I counted the number of times my heart hammered in my chest, taking deep breaths to calm the rush of


    adrenaline that spiked so easily in me. Whenever conflicts arose, and adrenaline coursed through my


    veins, I remembered that moment at school and how powerless I was to stop it.


    ¡®Square in the back, Vi.¡¯ Lacey reminded me, her tail swishing eagerly.


    I shifted my weight from foot to foot, like Tw had showed me a few times. It was to keep you


    moving¡­or it was a warm-up stretch, I wasn¡¯t sure which.


    A few guys in the crowd caught sight of the pain stick, and chuckled eagerly, cing their drunken bets


    on which man I¡¯d slug. Half of the men in the bar had the honor of feeling the pain stick, courtesy of


    Tw and her killer aim.


    I lifted the stick in my hands just as Donnynded a solid kick to Ray¡¯s stomach. As Ray doubled over


    and spewed foul smelling beer onto the floor, Donny readied himself for another kick. I brought the pain


    stick down at thest second, swinging with all the force I had, since it wasn¡¯t much to begin with. Ray


    took that moment to recover and charge at Donny, who was thrown backwards.


    I had missed Donny¡¯s backpletely, letting out a sheepish ¡®oops¡¯ when the stick bounded off his


    skull, sending him crumpling to the floor.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    I tossed my backpack on the kitchen table, the numerous pins attached rattled as they bumped into


    one another. There was always a small pang of disappointment when I made it back home from a


    hectic night at Jeb¡¯s to find Elijah¡¯s car still missing from the driveway.


    Most of the houses in town were styled after cabins, and all had massive fireces built for the harsh


    winters. The cold and I had a love hate rtionship, which is why Elijah made sure we were always


    stocked up on wood and I made sure we had plenty of hot cocoa.


    He spent a good portion of his time at the tiny clinic that was always understaffed and overpopted. I


    used to tag along when I was a kid, back when he would do house visits. It had taken one particrly


    nasty family, who refused to have the cursed child step into their home for me to realize how


    ufortable I made people.


    Elijah stopped taking house calls that day, and I stopped asking to see more of his job.


    He was the only one who didn¡¯t pester me about my past. He gave me time to process this new ce I


    was in, to process the fact that my old world¡ªthe memories of where I had been before, they were


    gone.


    I¡¯d been lost in the tune I was humming when I wandered past the kitchen, nearly missing thevender


    index card stuck to the fridge.


    I snagged the card off the fridge and shouted, ¡°Jackie! You here?¡±


    A headache throbbed at my temples as I stared down at his messy handwriting. He always tried to


    neaten it up for me by writing slow and steady. I had spent countless hours teasing him and his doctor


    friends, wondering how they could read a jagged line so easily.


    Violet ¨C Code blue at 1am. Come armed.


    ¡°Something wrong? I was finishing up Elijah¡¯sundry. Not that he wears anything other than those


    button downs and god-awful ties.¡± Jackie said, appearing from around the corner.


    She had worked as a nanny for the previous owners of the house, who had long ago moved out and


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    went elsewhere. Mind you, she wasn¡¯t a very good cook, but she had improved drastically in the two


    months I¡¯d been teaching her.


    Jacki¡¯s primary job was to keep the house clean and to provide me with some much-neededpany,


    not that she would admit to the second part.


    ¡°Another family meeting?¡± She chuckled, herughter warm andforting after a long night. ¡°You two


    and your secret notes.¡±


    Along the countertop sat a bunch of various cookbooks, all themed in some way. At the front was my


    favorite, the first book Elijah had ever gifted me. The antique looking cookbook, themed after witches


    and wizards, was what propelled me into my passion for baking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± I trailed off, pulling two from the shelf at random. Colorful pictures jumped out at me until I


    chose one from each book, as I did every night. ¡°¡­how does bacon jam burgers and a ck forest


    pudding cake sound?¡±


    ¡°Sounds like I need to start paying you instead of the other way around. You keep spoiling me like this,


    and I might not want to retire.¡± Jackie teased, the corners of her eyes crinkling. ¡°Next time you make


    some of them cheesecake bars, I¡¯ll take another pan. Phil went crazy over those things.¡±


    Iughed and promised her as many as her heart desired, even though that familiar ache started in my


    chest. Jackie¡¯s husband, he was like the rest of the adults in town.


    Still, I refused to let them turn me bitter and cold. I¡¯d smother them and shovel my kindness down their


    throats until they finally realized they were just mean people, hating and isting a child.


    ¡°How was the library?¡± Jackie asked, pulling out some of the things I¡¯d need for ourte-night dinner.


    Our towns library was open twenty-four hours, but only because the owner lived in a small apartment in


    the back. No one else in town felt the need to go past 5pm, which meant it was the perfect cover for my


    nights working the bar.


    ¡°Oh, it was fine. Quiet as always.¡± I lied effortlessly, having told this one enough times to memorize the


    soft smile and easy shrug it took to convince Jacki.


    Lying wasn¡¯t something I did, which is why neither suspected anything when I stopped frequenting the


    library at night and started bringing a backpack with a change of clothes inside. A hint of perfume


    before walking in the door covered the scent of stale beer long enough for me to start cooking or hop in


    the shower.


    Neither one ever looked deeper than that, but often I didn¡¯t mind. I wanted my job at the bar to be


    secret. Everything from the moment I was found had been seen and heard by everyone in town, and


    this¡ªthis was mine.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why you won¡¯t go earlier in the day, get some face-to-face interaction. You¡¯ve got to get


    tired of talking to this old bird all day.¡± She tittered, sounding just like some of the mothers in town.


    How could I possibly exin that somewhere along the way my need for control had be so strong


    that conquering my intolerance for adrenaline and conflict was a necessity?


    He¡¯d see the girl who cked out¡ªwho left five other wolves just as scarred and traumatized as me.


    ¡°I could never get tired of you, Jacki. You eat everything I cook, and neverin.¡± I kept myugh


    light, even though I felt the familiar tremor in my fingers urging me to check the locks and windows until


    that itch in my head was satisfied. I couldn¡¯t, though. Jackie would know something was up the moment


    I reached for the door.


    Grabbing the baby pink apron that hung on a hook by the pantry, I wandered over to the stove and


    flicked the burners on, then searched the pot rack above the ind counter for two pans. Using the little


    step stool Elijah had bought me, I grabbed what I needed and started cooking.


    I hummed as I worked, losing myself in the ingredients and scents of the kitchen. The sweet and


    savory aroma of bacon jam filled the air, followed by the buttered buns I left to toast. While I was


    rxed and in my element, the itch beneath my skin was still there, just momentarily forgotten.


    Jacki cleaned the kitchen and scrubbed the counters down after we had our fill, as she did every night.


    I had plenty of time to shower and rx before Elijah would be home for our ¡®code blue¡¯ meeting.


    Even in my bedroom, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from veering straight to the two windows to check the locks.


    They sat on either side of my bed, making it even more tedious to dart back and forth.


    On the bright side, Elijah had a tinted film put over the ss, blocking my bedroom from prying eyes.


    More than once I swore I could see eyes watching me from the forest, undoubtedly trying to catch a


    glimpse at the small town¡¯s spectacle.


    I counted under my breath, locking and unlocking, click after click. I¡¯d turn away, confident they were


    secure only to have to check again.


    When my fingers finally stilled and the itch faded, I managed to take a quick shower.


    Nearly an hourter, Elijah¡¯s car pulled into the driveway.


    ¡°This meeting must be important. You¡¯re on time for a change.¡± I teased, setting the romance novel I


    was reading down, albeit a bit reluctantly.


    I flipped the book over so Elijah couldn¡¯t see the cringe-worthy couple on the front, locked in a


    passionate embrace as their hair was blown back from an invisible wind.


    Even Jacki made fun of me, until I had her hooked on one, subsequently proving that the books with


    the cheesiest covers are often the best.


    ¡°Go on, make fun of me. We weren¡¯t all gifted with incredible time management skills.¡± Elijah¡¯s


    Todays tie was a sickly shade of mustard, with an emerald diamond pattern running down the front.


    Jackie was right, Elijah¡¯s tie collection was atrocious. Although, it did make him incredibly easy to buy


    gifts for.


    Elijah was one of those men who grew more handsome with age. The darkness of his curly hair, which


    was still free of greying, made his baby blue¡¯s stand out impressively. He¡¯d lost muscle from his college


    days after trading warrior training for a white coat and stethoscope, but it did nothing to diminish his


    sparkling personality.


    I never looked at Elijah in that way, not when he was the only father figure I had ever known, but I


    never missed the way the other she-wolves in town would drift closer to him, and how they would be


    nice to me.


    For a while, anyway.


    ¡°How was your day?¡± He asked, his voice fading as he ventured into the kitchen.


    I cocked an eyebrow when I heard the coffee maker start up. Elijah had no more than six coffee¡¯s a


    day. He med it on having a ¡®doctor¡¯s schedule,¡¯ but really, I just think he enjoys the dopamine it gives


    him. His words, not mine.


    ¡°Better than yours if you¡¯re drinking coffee at one in the morning.¡± I scrunched my nose at the bitter


    scent. ¡°And you¡¯re having it ck. Now you¡¯ve got me worried.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s decaf.¡± He said, a hint of mock offense within the smooth tone of his voice. I smirked and sank


    deeper into the couch. That was his usual defense, and never once did I buy it. ¡°You remember I¡¯ve


    been talking to Sylvia, right?¡±


    I blinked at him, surprised by the sudden question. He brought the mug to his lips and drank deeply,


    eyes honed on my face as they waited for my response.


    ¡°Of course, I remember.¡± I nodded, thinking back to the curly haired brte with the pearl ne


    and longshes. A frown ghosted across my face as I asked, ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    Elijah had met her at one of the numerous medical conventions he went to every year. I had seen


    pictures of her in his phone from when they would spend their free time together afterwards.


    ¡°Things are great. That¡¯s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.¡± He hesitated, rubbing a hand over


    the five o¡¯clock shadow along his jawline.


    Elijah hated facial hair, even though Jacki and I both agreed it made him look like a rugged lumberjack.


    I gave him an odd look, forcing my eyebrows together and tilting my head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me in suspense here.¡± I teased lightly, pleased when some of the tension faded from his


    shoulders.


    Elijah smiled softly, and I mentally braced myself.


    ¡°Sylvia left her husband awhile back. They weren¡¯t mates, but they do have two children together¡­¡± He


    exined, his jaw growing ck as his battle to find the right words yed out within his eyes. ¡°I¡ª


    things between us have gotten a bit more serious these past few months and living apart isn¡¯t


    something we want to do any longer.¡±


    His pause wasn¡¯t long enough for me to begin jumping to conclusions, even though I wracked my brain


    trying to remember when things had shifted between Elijah and Sylvia. When they had gone from the


    asional date to the nightly phone call phase that I had encountered in dozens of books. Now that I


    looked harder, he did have that spark of excitement in his eyes.


    ¡°I know how you feel about this town. You¡¯ve been more than gracious to some of the narrow-minded


    people here, so I wanted to give you a choice. I¡¯m going to be transferring to a new hospital, one of the


    I¡¯ve always been honest that children weren¡¯t something I wanted, but you¡¯ve changed my life for the


    better, even if you can¡¯t see that yet.¡± His smile was small but genuine, wrought with a hesitation that


    made my heart leap in my chest.


    It was rare that Elijah got like this. I was the sappy and emotional one, while he looked at things with


    logic and reason. He might high-tail it in the other direction when he¡¯d spot me weeping over a movie or


    novel, but I¡¯d always find a carton of my favorite ice cream on the counter, or outside my bedroom door


    shortly after.


    ¡°Wow, you sure know how to start off strong.¡± I giggled, sniffling as tears pooled in my eyes. ¡°And


    what¡¯s my other option?¡±


    Elijah¡¯s smile widened because he knew I had already made my decision. ¡°I¡¯ll have the cabin paid off in


    another year. If you want to stay here, the ce is yours. I¡¯d send you a monthly check, only because I


    know you¡¯d lose it without baking something. On the downside, though, you¡¯d have to collect your own


    firewood¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s my breaking point. I¡¯ming with you.¡± I shook my head, trying hard to fight the smile


    that threatened to form. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can gather my own firewood. It¡¯d take me hours, and I¡¯d


    freeze to death.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d feel that way.¡± He grinned, his eyes crinkling around the corners. ¡°Which is why I am


    happy to announce that thest time the Nightfall Pack received snow was five years ago.¡±


    ¡°No snow?¡± I gasped, the novel tumbling from myp as I sped my hands together.


    No more icy fingers and frost-kissed nose, just the undying warmth of sunlight and crisp air. Pics in


    the grass, hunting for wildflowers, and hiking through the forests. Excitement blossomed within me,


    sprouting seeds of hope that stretched into tall vines.


    I stood from the couch, already eager to rummage through my closet and chuck anything stuffed with


    down or made of that rough fleece material out the window.


    ¡°There is one more thing¡­¡± Elijah said, his voice trailing off in a way that made me freeze and sink


    back into the clutches of the couch. ¡°We would be living with Sylvia, and her two children.¡±


    A harsh jolt of nervousness pierced my chest, and not because I¡¯d be living with two children


    somewhere around my age. Rather than voicing my worries, I swallowed them back and nodded, ¡°¡­


    that doesn¡¯t sound so bad.¡±


    ¡°Also, I know I told you that Sylvia is a phnthropist, but that isn¡¯t all that she does¡­¡± He exined


    with a careful tone that didn¡¯t go unnoticed. ¡°Her ex-husband, the one she¡¯s separating from, he¡¯s the


    Alpha of the Nightfall pack.¡±


    I paused; my lips parted in surprise.


    ¡°So, she¡¯s¡­¡± I trailed off, my eyebrows inching higher and higher. I waspletely thrown, especially


    because he had never mentioned this until now. Still, I wasn¡¯t unhappy with him. Not when he had


    found the person who brought that ear-splitting smile to his face. ¡°Wow, Elijah. How did yound


    yourself a Luna?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s only acting Luna until the current Alpha remarries.¡± Heughed, but quickly his eyes darkened


    like storm clouds. ¡°Are you sure abouting with me, Violet? Thest thing I want to do is force you


    into anything.¡±


    For five months we¡¯d find ourselves snowed in, forced to make the trek into town for fresh food and


    gasoline for the generator, but leaving town¡ªventuring past the jagged mountains that acted as the


    iron bars of this prison, was all but impossible.


    I thought about the townspeople, who had once felt sorry for the little girl who wandered through their


    woods in the dead of winter, covered head to toe in slices that should have drained her dry of blood,


    and how that sympathy quickly turned to fear and disgust as she grew older.


    Giving Elijah a confident smile, I felt a rush of excitement mingle with my nerves.


    ¡°When should I start packing?¡±

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    The moment Sylvia¡¯s driver picked us up from the airport, I was determined to soak everything in.


    We drove through a bustling city, where the buildings were towers plucked from story books, so high


    that they kissed the clouds that surrounded them. People walked on pristine sidewalks free of cracks or


    holes, most with briefcases or cellphones pressed to their ears.


    Traffic thickened and thinned, bing smoother when the twones we drove down opened up into


    four. It was at this point the trees began to multiply into densely packed forests, and the magnificent


    buildings grew scarce. During the drive I snagged Elijah¡¯s phone and looked at the first map I could get


    my hands on.


    The Nightfall pack was named for the starry sky that overlooked the bowl-shaped valley it rested in,


    and was known for its Redwood trees, which stood taller than any other in the world.


    We drifted into a town where the buildings looked shiny and new. There were plenty of expensive


    looking boutiques, restaurants, and little cafes. Workers climbeddders to hang wreaths wrapped with


    ribbon on the light posts spaced every twenty feet. We hit a rough patch of traffic and slowed as we


    neared a crosswalk full of people.


    I leaned forward, positioning myself in between the front seats when I caught a glimpse of the small


    crowd crossing the road. Most had backpacks sagging with books, or purses clutched in their hands.


    Sprinkled in between them were a few men and women closer to Elijah¡¯s age.


    My eyes traveled to where they wereing from, widening as I took in the castle hundreds of feet


    across a giantwn. It wasn¡¯t exactly a castle, but the hundreds of windows, gable roofs, and stone


    exterior, made it look like something plucked right out of a fantasy novel. Shaped like a giant ¡®U,¡¯ it


    wrapped around a courtyard sprawling with pathways, benches, and flower speckled bushes.


    ¡°Darkling University.¡± The driver said, his unidentifiable ent thick as he tipped his head in the


    direction of the castle. ¡°The best in the country. The families here in town spend many years training


    their children for Darkling. Everyone else pays an arm and a leg to get in¡ªeven the humans.¡±


    There was this odd sensation in my stomach as I watched a group of girls exit through an ancient


    wooden door, their heels clicking against the cobblestone as they walked one of the many winding


    paths. The one at the lead, whose hair cascaded down her back in caramel waves, nudged another


    with her elbow. I couldn¡¯t make out what was said, but it had both girls erupting inughter.


    The crossing guard, who was a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair, openly gawked at the


    trickle of young women dressed in id skirts and crisp zers. He waved a few cars forwards until


    ours scooted up to the bold white line.


    As the group of she-wolves I¡¯d been staring at crossed, I was able to make out more of their features.


    The one with the caramel waves, who also had the longest legs I¡¯d ever seen, was clearly the head of


    the group. The one by her side whose ribcage she nudged with her elbow, was second-inmand.


    As though she could feel a set of probing eyes on her face, the girl at the lead turned her head and


    stared straight through the windshield of our car. I sucked in a harsh breath and turned my head, but


    the feel of her eyes remained on my face until the crossing guard waved us forwards and we drove out


    of sight.


    As Sylvia¡¯s driver spoke of the little boutiques and luxury restaurants that served as the crowned jewels


    of Darkling Street, I stared out the window and let the vibrant colors and coolness of the ss lull my


    anxious mind. We followed the road, which served as one of the arteries leading to the heart of town


    and slowed as we approached an intersection.


    To our left and right sat gatedmunities withrge wrought iron fences. Positioned out front where


    everyone on the main road could see, were signs with elegant cursive giving names to the pristine cul-


    de-sacs. The houses in each were shrouded by the bushy trees that served as the first line of defense,


    but I could make out a few private swimming pools and what looked to be a golf course.


    Hidden Hills was the name of the neighborhood Sylvia lived in. We pulled up to a guard shack, where


    thenky man inside slid open the ss window to peer at Sylvia¡¯s driver before waving him forward.


    In the background I could hear Elijah talking, but I couldn¡¯t tear my attention away from the houses¡ªif


    that¡¯s what they were even called. I¡¯d read about countless mansions, sprawling estates, and decrepit


    castles, but seeing one in person was a different experience entirely.


    There was a thread of sadness within the tapestry of excitement and hope I¡¯d spent thest week


    weaving. The people here lived in luxury, drowning in money and riches most of the world would never


    see. I couldn¡¯t imagine having so much while others had so little. There was something about it that


    didn¡¯t sit right with me, but I also wasn¡¯t one to look a gift horse in the mouth.


    The soothing hum ofwnmowers filled the air, still out even though back home the snow would soon


    be starting. The scent of freshly cut grass mingled with the sweetness of flowers, from the gardeners


    who were pruning the rose bushes around the driveway.


    The outside of the house was made of various tan brick, with arched windows that took up most of the


    walls. Four columns lead to a set of double doors, with hazy ss that gave just a glimpse inside.


    Attached to the side was a four-car garage, sparkly and new.


    I held back an eager giggle when I heard someone jump into a swimming pool. The subtle scent of


    chlorine hung in the air, giving me this hopeful optimism that tickled my insides.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Elijah murmured, a smile twitching on his face even though he kept his voice low.


    ¡°This ce is beautiful. It¡¯s so warm here, and all of the flowers--¡± I grinned, eyeing the windows that


    covered the house head to toe. ¡°Can you imagine how much natural sunlight this ce gets?¡±


    Natural light, it was the one and only thing I couldn¡¯t live without. I needed it more than I needed


    working the bar, which I¡¯d have to find a substitution for eventually. There was something about the


    harsh fluorescent lights that made me feel trapped¡ªustrophobic.


    Elijah steered me away from the car,ughing as I almost barreled into a middle-aged man wearing a


    dark colored suit. His salt and pepper hair was cropped short,bed over his head. I had opened my


    mouth in surprise and protest when he began pulling our bags from the trunk, not realizing he worked


    for Sylvia.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t mention she was rich.¡± I nced up at Elijah.


    ¡°The Nightfall pack¡¯s been around a long time. A lot of the families in towne from old money, so


    you¡¯ll notice they¡¯ve been raised a certain way.¡± He said with a kind smile, but his tone held a note of


    warning. ¡°Slyvia¡¯s always wanted a daughter, but I think you¡¯ll find her a bit different than the mothers in


    your books. She¡¯s not the most sensitive at times, but I promise you she means well.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t let him see my hesitation. Not when that sparkle of happiness danced in his eyes, and


    certainly not with that smile stered onto his face. I smothered those negative emotions, bottling them


    deep as I always had, and nced at the front doors.


    ¡°Can we go inside?¡± I asked, matching his grin with one of my own.


    I was open-mouthed by the exterior of the house but was rendered speechless as we walked inside.


    Another older gentleman in a dark colored suit opened the door for us, escorting us into the foyer.


    As the soles of my beat-up sneakers tapped against the spotless floors, I tilted my head upwards to


    stare at the massive light fixture hanging from the ceiling. The chandelier was dotted with thousands of


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    obsidian-colored crystals, cascading down a golden frame that was twisted and molded to look like


    branches. A wide, curved staircase sat a few feet away, revealing a glimpse of the second floor.


    ¡°Madam had a suite furnished for you. If you please, I can escort you there.¡± The older gentleman met


    my eyes unflinchingly, never once ncing at the thick scar along my neck, just inches below my chin.


    Elijah nced down at his phone before giving me an encouraging smile, ¡°Go on. Sylvia¡¯s on her way


    back from a meeting, she¡¯s just run into a bit of traffic. We¡¯re going to have dinner together when she


    gets back.¡±


    I opened my mouth, but Elijah cut me off with a knowing grin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about sneaking off to the kitchen. Sylvia¡¯s cook is making dinner tonight, and I heard


    she¡¯s amazing.¡±


    I sighed dramatically, ¡°I suppose I could take the day off.¡±


    The hallways weren¡¯t too hard to navigate, not with the golden framed paintings hung every few feet.


    An older man or woman posed on the canvas, their hands sped and face stern. Sconces sat in


    between each painting, lighting the halls and their sharp turns. Vases of blossoming flowers released a


    sugary sweet scent into the air that was easy enough to follow.


    A left and a right, five doors down, then stop. I was confident I could at least find my way to my


    bedroom, which brought me a sense offort. I turned to the middle-aged man who had so kindly


    escorted me all this way and smiled.


    ¡°Thank you, uh¡ª¡±


    ¡°Horace.¡± He nodded, his voice like gritty sandpaper. Still meeting my eyes, he smiled. ¡°You¡¯re


    wee, miss. Madam hopes the d¨¦cor is up to your standards, she picked everything herself. Dinner


    will be announced shortly after she arrives.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll love it.¡± I replied genuinely, my eyed widening as I opened the door and stepped


    inside.


    I swore I heard Horace chuckle under his breath as he walked away, leaving me to my own devices.


    The suite itself was incredible and was a kitchen short of being a small apartment. I threw my purse


    onto the small leather sofa, which sat in front of a white brick firece, and let my eyes absorb the


    plethora of color and fabric around me.


    ¡®You can definitely tell she wanted a daughter.¡¯ I hushed my wolf¡¯s snarkyment, even though no


    one could hear.


    The pink curtains that were cinched back from the arched windows with golden pins, were sheer and


    ruffled. They matched the decorative pillows that were scattered along the bed, couch, and various


    armchairs. The shag carpet in the small living area was pure white, matching the crisp sheets that lined


    the canopied bed. The pinkforter was the softest material I had ever felt and followed the pastel


    theme that Sylvia had been going for.


    I squealed when I opened a set of double doors, revealing a bathroom I knew I could spend the rest of


    my life in. Long showers and baths were something I had indulged in since I were a kid. There was


    something about the warm water and sweet-smelling bubbles that gave meser focus, making it all


    too easy to lose myself in a book.


    My suitcases and boxes were brought up a few minutester, and I set to unpacking everything. I


    realized how little I actually had when I ced my five favorite books on the nightstand beside the bed,


    stuffed my clothes in the gilded dresser, and turned to find myself with nothing left to do.


    Elijah always joked that I got into the most trouble when I was bored, which is exactly what I tried not to


    think about as I slipped from the bedroom and wandered down the hall.


    ¡®He can¡¯t really expect us to sit still. Not when we¡¯re in a mansion that needs exploring.¡¯ Lacey said,


    ever the bad influence.


    Once I found the curved staircase that led to the foyer, it was all too easy to make my way to the


    kitchens. I passed a wide entryway that led into arge dining room. Two bronze chandeliers,


    positioned above a long table, bathed the room in a warm glow.


    It was through a set of swinging double doors, the same kind you¡¯d find in a restaurant, that I found the


    kitchens. I let out a sound of excitement as I eyed the open pantry, stacked ovens, and prep tables full


    of appliances begging to be used.


    I homed in on the hearty scent of meat and spices and spotted a covered pot boiling away on the


    stove. Now that I was here, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what to do. The sound of something crinkling startled


    me, and I jumped back from where I stood against the prep tables.


    Past the pantry¡¯s open doors was a kid, his eyes locked on my own. A mop of curly brown hair sat on


    his head, the ends twisting in front of his hazel eyes. I had been so eager to use everything in the


    kitchen that I had scanned passed the pantry without looking any further. The kid in question stared at


    me with confused eyes, and if it weren¡¯t for the cookie in his mouth, I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve started off by


    asking who I was.


    ¡®That¡¯s the look of someone trying not to get caught.¡¯ Lacey snickered, forcing me to swallow myugh


    or else the kid would think I were crazy.


    ¡°I swear if I catch that boy in this kitchen¡­¡± The stern sound of a woman¡¯s voice floated through the


    kitchen doors. She huffed and muttered, ¡°¡­tells me to stop giving him cookies. I¡¯m not the one giving


    them to him!¡±


    ¡°Go. I¡¯ll cover for you.¡± I whispered, nodding towards a single door, one that was probably used by


    Sylvia¡¯s house staff.


    Wiping the chocte off his mouth with the back of his hand, he gave me a messy grin and darted out


    of sight. The woman who had been muttering to herself came through the main doors just seconds


    ¡°I can help you with that, if you¡¯d like.¡± I offered, feeling bad when she yelped and ced a hand


    against her chest.


    ¡°You just about scared me to death.¡± She sighed and brushed back the grey strands of hair that had


    fallen from her bun. Her expression was soft, but I could hear her backbone in the way she talked. She


    reminded me of Tw, using her words as weapons. ¡°You¡¯re Violet, Elijah¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± I nodded, only a little red in the face.


    No one had ever called me Elijah¡¯s daughter before, only the kid he had taken in.


    Since the woman was a good foot shorter than me, her eyes skimmed past the scar on my neck, while


    also taking in the one along my shoulder. I didn¡¯t stiffen or react, but instead waited until she drew her


    own conclusions.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. You can call me Norma.¡± I held in my relief when she gave me a quick smile.


    ¡°You see a little boy run up in here? About this high¡­¡± She raised her hand to shoulder height, ¡°¡­


    probably had a mouthful of cookies.¡±


    I shook my head, confusion ying across my face. ¡°There was no one in here when I came in.¡±


    Norma paused and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you start coverin¡¯ for that kid. Last thing he needs is


    another person in on his schemes. Already got that brother of his cleaning up his messes.¡± She


    snapped her lips shut like she had said too much and nced down at the watch on her wrist. ¡°Go on


    to the dining hall now, they should being down any minute.¡±


    On cue I heard the rich and woodsy sound of Elijah¡¯sughter, followed by a feminine giggle.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    I rounded the corner and appeared in the dining hall just in time to spot Elijah and the woman who I¡¯d


    only seen in photographs.


    For half a second, they were wrapped up in their own world. One of his hands came to rest on hers as


    he said something that made them bothugh. Elijah had been right when he said the camera didn¡¯t do


    her justice.


    His phone couldn¡¯t capture the bounciness of her glossy brown hair, or the beauty mark above her


    perfectly symmetrical lips. If it weren¡¯t for the charcoal pants suit that fit her slender figure as though it


    had been tailored for it¡ªwhich it probably had, I would¡¯ve thought she were a model and not the Luna


    of an entire pack.


    ¡°Ah, there she is.¡± Elijah¡¯s eyes lit up as he spotted me at the other end of the table, hovering just a few


    feet from the doorway. When Sylvia turned to face me, he gave me a look that said he knew exactly


    where I had been and what I¡¯d been up to. ¡°Sylvia this is Violet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting the girl Elijah¡¯s told me so much about, although¡ªyou¡¯re not a


    girl anymore, are you?¡± Her eyes settled on my face, and while they were firm and assessing, I was


    surprised at theck of intimidation I felt.


    She approached me and took in everything from my pinned back curls and tattered jeans with a single


    look. It was instinct for me to notice how long her eyes lingered on my scars, and I couldn¡¯t help but be


    taken aback when they flitted over them as though they weren¡¯t even there.


    ¡°I suppose not.¡± I shook my head, hoping my manners weren¡¯t too rusty from how much time I spent


    tucked away in the cabin. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to finally meet you, Luna.¡±


    ¡°Oh, call me Sylvia. That title will be useless to me once Xavier remarries in the spring.¡± She waved a


    hand, gesturing to the table in a silentmand. The diamond bracelet around her wrist twinkled from


    the movement. I took the seat to her right and Elijah her left, giving her my full attention as she spoke.


    ¡°Has he told you much of what I do for a living, Violet?¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know about the Luna part until today. Elijah has told me about your work with the


    hospitals in the area, and that you own a research center, but I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know much else.¡± I


    admitted somewhat reluctantly, already determined not to disappoint this woman.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s perfectly fine. It just gives me an excuse to exin, and I always take an opportunity to go into


    my work.¡± She said with a proud smile.


    I gave my undivided attention, nodding and making sounds of interest as she exined her life¡¯s work


    and passion. The fervor in her voice made it impossible not to get sucked in. The title of Luna was just


    another achievement under her belt, one that came with her marriage to Alpha Xavier. Science and all


    things unknown were her true passions.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind my asking, Violet. How much do you know about the rogue gene?¡± Sylvia¡¯s hands


    were sped together as she waited, and as I looked down at them I couldn¡¯t help but notice the very


    obvious tan line where her wedding ring once was.


    ¡°I know some things¡­¡± I told her, swallowing back the sour taste that filled my mouth and threatened to


    ruin my appetite. ¡°Like how it¡¯s caused by wolves reproducing with someone other than their mate.


    There¡¯s no way to test for it, and it can suddenly appear at any point during adolescence and make


    them go crazy. It¡¯s impossible to prevent and can¡¯t be stopped or slowed down. Well, not permanently


    anyway.¡±


    Only wolfsbane, a potent and addictive substance to our kind, had some semnce of an affect on the


    gene that made werewolves across the globe turn feral.


    Pride like golden fireworks filled her eyes, turning them a myriad of dazzling colors. Her lightly painted


    lips tilted up in a wry smile as she said, ¡°Elijah told me you can keep a secret. Is that true, Violet?¡±


    Thankfully, all she wanted was a nod because I wasn¡¯t sure I could trust my voice.


    Sylvia leaned forward in her seat, her voice taking on an excited tone. ¡°The scientists I employ have


    found a way to test for the rogue gene¡­¡± For a split second my heart threatened to break free from my


    chest. Its rapid beat was deafening in my ears, but subsided when she said, ¡°¡­but only after the


    patient haspleted their first shift. We¡¯re so much closer toing up with a way to determine how


    strong the gene is before it¡¯s activated.¡±


    Lost in surprise, I hardly noticed Horacee through the kitchen doors, pushing arge metal serving


    cart full of steaming tes of food.


    Only Alphas could reproduce with someone other than their mate, since they were required to have


    children that could take on the duties of the pack. Hundreds of years of history and research proved


    that an Alpha¡¯s gics were simply too strong to be affected by the rogue gene.


    ording to scientists like the ones Sylvia employs, the rogue gene had various levels of severity. The


    worst was what the warriors protected us from, the beasts no longer able to take form of a man,


    frothing at the mouth as they werewolf and human alike. A mild case might look like some severe anger


    issues and a disposition for trouble.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible to erase the rogue gene?¡± I asked, flushing at how clueless I sounded.


    The mountains that surrounded our town, the ones that provided endless snow and freezing winds,


    they were what protected us from the rogues who had lost their human forms.


    ¡°Erase? Unfortunately, no. Our goal is to eventually iste and neutralize the rogue gene entirely.¡±


    Sylvia sped her hands together. ¡°It¡¯s not that we want to encourage having children with another


    unmated wolf, but it¡¯s an option our kind deserve. Even with the find your mate programs, there are


    thousands of werewolves whose mates have passed or who are in engagements of their own.¡±


    ¡°What is the find your mate program?¡± I tried and failed not to sound too curious, but I had never heard


    of such a thing.


    ¡°I knew you would be interested; everyone is.¡± Sylviaughed. ¡°We get together with packs around the


    country, and have our unmated citizens meet in a safe environment. Over time affordability has


    increased exponentially. Even our low-ie citizens, students, and elderly, can apply for the


    program.¡± Her smile turned brittle and dry, ¡°Ask Xavier who was responsible and he¡¯ll tell you he


    backed my ¡®little program¡¯ for months. Only when he saw its sess did he even care to turn his head.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± I took care not to lie, because Sylvia seemed like the type of woman to see through


    that in a minute. ¡°You¡¯re going to change things for everyone.¡±


    Finding my mate was an innocent fantasy fueled by the daydreams of an outcast who wanted more. It¡¯s


    not that I¡¯ve given up hope, but with years came the understanding that not everyone was destined to


    find their mate in this life.


    What I now wanted waspanionship, a partner that could see past the scars marring my body, even


    if it didn¡¯te with a mate-bond attached.


    ¡°That is the n.¡± Sylvia nodded proudly, but then narrowed her eyes at the empty seat beside me.


    ¡°Where is that boy¡­Horace, have you seen¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, mother!¡± A young voice shouted from down the hall, followed by the fast patter of small feet.


    A head of curly brown hair rounded the corner, followed by hazel eyes, and flushed cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±


    It was the boy I had caught raiding the pantry, who I now knew was Sylvia¡¯s youngest son. He pulled


    out the chair beside me, his little huffs loud inparison to everything else, and sat down. In his


    haste, he had skipped over a button on the shirt he wore. The cuffs were undone as well, pping at


    his small wrists.


    ¡°Graham, I thought I told you to change as soon as you got home from school.¡± A frown twitched at the


    corners of Sylvia¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s impolite to show upte and half-dressed when we¡¯re expectingpany.


    We will talk about thister, once your brother gets back from his trip. It¡¯ll save me from giving the same


    lecture twice.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, mother.¡± Graham smiled sheepishly.


    I had no problem waiting a couple days to meet the future Alpha of this pack. The one in our old pack


    was only kind and empathetic when his Luna was within sniffing distance. It was her soft spot for me


    that kept him from tossing me back into the woods.


    Thick trails of steam curled and danced above each of our tes, forming faces that winked and smiled


    before dissipating. Sylvia took a small spoonful of soup in front of her and brought it to her lips.


    ¡°Norma is from Louisiana. She visits her family there asionally, and alwayses back with new


    recipes. She¡¯s incredibly stingy with them, but I think it¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t trust anyone to make it


    better than her.¡± Sylvia¡¯sughter was warm.


    It was impossible for me not to notice the small garden sds ced in front of Sylvia and I, or the


    heaping tes of jambya andck of sd Graham and Elijah received.


    ¡®Is that shrimp on Elijah¡¯s te?¡¯ Lacey whined, the sound a low whistle in my head.


    ¡®This isn¡¯t our house, Lacey. Let¡¯s not be ungrateful.¡¯ I scolded her.


    The salty and spicy taste of soup danced across my tongue, heavy with herbs and what I thought might


    be a dash of hot sauce. The thin broth warmed my mouth and soothed the snarling of my stomach.


    I forced myself to slow down and match Sylvia¡¯s pace as she turned to her son and said, ¡°This is Elijah,


    the man I¡¯ve been telling you about, and his adoptive daughter, Violet.¡±


    No matter how impervious I¡¯ve be to harsh words, some part of me always tensed when meeting


    new people¡ªespecially children. They had no filter; no problems voicing their curiosity and often


    disgust.


    His eyes flitted down to the thick scar along my neck, and to the one across my shoulder, ending just


    above my cor bone. The long sleeves and jeans I wore covered the rest. Even though I vowed not to


    hide the evidence of my forgotten past, I wanted to make a good impression this one time.


    I didn¡¯t look away from Graham, even though I could feel Sylvia open her mouth to scold him for


    staring. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Elijah ce a hand on hers and shake his head softly.


    ¡°Like the color?¡± Graham inquired, the same curious expression on his face as he had in the pantry.


    ¡°Just like the color.¡± I nodded, an amused smile blossoming across my face. ¡°You¡¯re Graham, right?


    Like the cracker?¡± I swallowed a nervous giggle at my own horrible joke.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s what mother named me after.¡± He grinned proudly.


    ¡°Nice try, but you¡¯re named after your great-grandfather.¡± Sylvia smirked yfully and turned to me with


    remnants of humor dancing in her eyes. ¡°I apologize for my eldest son¡¯s absence. He and some of the


    others at the University are on ate summer break of sorts. They¡¯ll be returning within the next few


    days.¡±


    ¡°Oh, its alright.¡± I replied, eating thest few bites of soup, silently wishing it were something more


    substantial. ¡°I can¡¯t begin to imagine what all of that must be like, running a pack and going to


    college¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t suppose you could.¡± Sylvia said thoughtfully. Her words threw me off a bit, but I


    remembered what Elijah said about her meaning well. Sylvia moved on from her half-eaten soup to the


    garden sd that sat beside it. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind my asking, what are your ns for the future? I


    understand this pack and my family¡¯s wealth are foreign to you, but we aren¡¯t without our opportunities.¡±


    The spicy broth lodged itself in my throat, making me sputter and reach for a ss of water. Instead of


    guzzling the icy liquid, I forced myself to drink slowly, giving it time to cool the fire that stung my cheeks.


    ¡°I¡ªI finished homeschooling a few months ago, but I haven¡¯t exactly thought of what to do afterwards.¡±


    My voice was small, but Elijah¡¯s encouraging smile brought me the faintest shred of relief.


    After the assault that made me snap, I withdrew from school. I hid from the pack and the rest of the


    world. Feral was what they called me, like I was no better than the rogues that stalked this pack. They


    imed that was how I slipped past them at ten years old, because how else could a child venture


    miles through the mountainous wilderness and evade every single rogue she came across?


    It didn¡¯t matter that Elijah had been studying me the past nine years, looking for any hint of aggression


    that might lead to my having the rogue gene. Even when he found nothing, I was still condemned.


    ¡°I like to cook¡ªI¡¯ve thought about possibly having a restaurant someday¡­¡± I trailed off, feeling silly for


    spouting dreams I had never intended on working towards. ¡°I also love reading. I¡¯ve thought about


    writing, I just never seem to find the words once I sit down to try.¡±


    Sylvia gave me a long look, and I now understood why Graham squirmed under those intense hazel


    eyes, churning with splotches of emerald and honey. I had a strong feeling that even without the title of


    Luna, Sylvia was a force to be reckoned with.


    ¡°Everyone who steps foot into Darkling University bes something. It¡¯s the oldest and most prolific


    school in the world. The only way into Darkling is by knowing someone important who knows someone


    even more important.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I could never afford something like that, and I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m cut out for a school that


    prestigious¡­¡± I sounded breathless, even more so when I let out a nervousugh. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a


    ¡°I will not have a member of my household attending amunity college. It¡¯s in poor taste. I took the


    liberty of pulling your school records and as far as academics are concerned, you have what it takes to


    keep up with the workload at Darkling U. I hold a seat on the school board, so getting you in would take


    little effort.¡± Sylvia said, a satisfied look on her face as though she just solved aplex problem.


    Noticing the look of surprise on Elijah¡¯s face she tutted and said, ¡°I had her best interest in mind,


    darling. I didn¡¯t want to embarrass her if her grades weren¡¯t up to par. Really, I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t


    mind.¡±


    It took me a moment to realize she was waiting for a response. All I could do was shake my head and


    swallow back the taste of broth as it rose in my throat, covering the burn with a reassuring curve of my


    lips.


    ¡°See? She¡¯s much stronger than you let on.¡± She patted the top of Elijah¡¯s hand, and I felt my chest


    swell from thepliment. With a thousand-watt smile, Sylvia shook my hand and said, ¡°Without


    further adieu, I am honored to present you with Darkling University¡¯s first ever schrship. Wee


    aboard, Violet.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    ¡®We¡¯re actually doing this, Lacey. We¡¯re going to college. Did you see how proud Elijah looked?¡¯ I


    ¡®This is all he¡¯s ever wanted for us¡­but you know we can¡¯t back out now, right?¡¯ She replied, and her


    uncertainty caused the first crack in my giddy exterior.


    I sucked in a breath, held it for seven seconds and exhaled just like my old therapist taught me. Even


    now I could see his face, speckled with deep lines and pock marks, that p of greasy white hair over


    his head. Those long, drawn-out meetings where I talked about my feelings andck of memories were


    my primary motivation to act normal.


    So long as I took my daily cocktail of medication and went to my bi-weekly appointments there was no


    need for a grueling three sessions a week.


    ¡®We¡¯re not going to back out.¡¯ I insisted, determined to ride out this euphoric high for as long as


    possible.


    My romance novel infected brain conjured one scenario after another. The shy, awkward main


    character starting her first day at an elite boarding school after a whirlwind make-over, always running


    from some elusive past I couldn¡¯t wait to discover.


    She¡¯d turn heads the moment she walked through the doors, beautiful while never realizing it. There


    was usually a fifty percent chance she¡¯d catch the eye of the golden-haired jock or the asshole in


    ripped jeans.


    Personally, I always preferred the blue-eyed jock. There was something about arrogance topped with


    thick hair, dark eyes, and wrapped in leather jackets that made my blood boil.


    I wanted romance, not high blood pressure and a maximum life span of forty-three.


    ¡®Are you sure about this, Vi?¡¯ Lacey asked, ears ttening. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve been in a


    public school¡­it¡¯s not going to be like your novels.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m just trying to stay positive, Lacey. I know it¡¯s not going to be like a romance novel, and don¡¯t


    pretend you aren¡¯t listening in every time I read them. I could feel your presence in as day when I


    read End Zone.¡¯ I grinned and fell backwards onto my new bed, giggling as I slowly sunk into the


    nkets.


    ¡®Human sports are interesting.¡¯ She grumbled, narrowing her pale eyes.


    I contorted my face into a stern expression that made Lacey snort and nodded solemnly, ¡®¡­of course, it


    was the sports you stuck around for.¡¯


    ¡®Really, Ms. high and mighty? What drew you in?¡¯ She asked with a twitch of her bushy tail.


    ¡®You know exactly what drew me in. I¡¯ve never hid that.¡¯ I teased, seconds away from making her bristle


    when my stomach rumbled pitifully.


    It had been hours since dinner and instead of sunlight streaming past the billowing folds of silken


    curtains in my bedroom, it was now moonlight.


    I¡¯d talked to Sylvia a bit longer, going over potential sses and a major while devouring my side sd


    that consisted of mostly lettuce and a few cherry tomatoes.


    All werewolf schools, public and private, had warrior training. My heart quite literally skipped a beat


    when Sylvia assured me she¡¯d look into certain amodations that would allow me to skip training.


    It¡¯s been years since myst ckout, and thest thing I needed was to ruin my lucky streak in this


    new town.


    We agreed I¡¯d take the weekend to think things over, to make sure this was what I really wanted.


    Truthfully, my mind had been made up the moment I saw Elijah¡¯s encouraging smile.


    ¡®As tasty as that soup was, we need something more filling.¡¯ I groaned, a hand on my hungry stomach.


    It was soft and my belly poked out a little bit, but I was long past trying to starve myself to achieve the


    toned physique just about every she-wolf possessed. I had learned very young that if it wasn¡¯t my scars


    people whispered about, it was my weight.


    ¡®¡­could we maybe just pop on down to the kitchen?¡¯ Lacey suggested, her voice low even though no


    one but me could hear her.


    My lips twitched into a grin, ¡®aren¡¯t you the one who keeps us out of trouble?¡¯


    ¡®At one point, maybe. You kinda ruined that when you decided to work at the worst bar in town.¡¯ She


    guffawed.


    ¡®That¡¯s fair.¡¯ I nodded, leaping off the bed and onto my feet. ¡®Speaking of the bar, I¡¯ll need to find


    another while we¡¯re here¡­¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯ll probably have to travel out of town. The bars around here are probably more like nightclubs,


    which means we¡¯ll run into other students. We can figure it out after we get some food in our


    stomachs.¡¯ Lacey insisted, urging me out the door.


    The walls were lined with identical doors crafted from an expensive dark wood, but there wasn¡¯t so


    much as a peeping from any of them. I wondered if they were all bedrooms and tried to picture


    each one as I turned the corner, skimming my fingers along the trimming on the wall as I walked.


    There was one door that made me pause. I caught the faintest scent of cologne. The trail was so weak


    that I couldn¡¯t even tell what it smelled like, only that it was masculine. I leaned in close, my cheek


    almost pressed against the door as I strained my ears.


    ¡®Quit being nosy before someone catches us.¡¯ Lacey scolded me.


    Ignoring the little voice in my head that wondered if the door was locked, I continued down the hall.


    When I found the main staircases with minimal back tracking, my hope that I¡¯d learn my way around


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    this ce was renewed.


    Pausing on the balcony that overlooked the foyer and part of the living room, I wondered what it


    might¡¯ve been like to grow up in a house like this. Running through these massive, twisting hallways


    would¡¯ve been the first thing I did. Well, that and explore every single room.


    My stomach rumbled again, and as I spotted the front doors my fingers twitched with that familiar urge.


    There was no way I could do my usual routine of checking the locks. I¡¯d look insane if someone were to


    catch me.


    Through the dimly lit dining room, I could see the lights in the kitchen were off. The doors they were


    built into made a soft swishing sound as I pushed past them. The effort I made to keep silent was for


    naught because the second I walked into the kitchen; the lights flicked on.


    I was temporarily blinded, but still managed to spot Norma¡¯s short and slender frame standing in front


    of the pantry, her arms crossed over her chest. The severe look on her face that reminded me of a


    dragon protecting its loot, softened when she realized it was me.


    ¡°You look ready for battle.¡± I let out an anxiousugh that confirmed my guilt.


    I really couldn¡¯t lie to save my life. It¡¯s a wonder I managed working at the bar as long as I have.


    My sneaking suspicion she¡¯d been waiting on Graham was confirmed when she dropped her protective


    stance and said, ¡°If you knew how many packs of cookies I¡¯ve told Sylvia I ate just to cover for that doe-


    eyed thief, you¡¯d be ready to battle too. Justst month she gave me full ess to the gym on the first


    floor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how thoughtful.¡± I felt my cheeks heat up, confirming my lie just in case my wavering voice hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°Sylvia has a kind heart; she just fell victim to the same thing all these old-blooded families do.¡± Norma


    sighed and abandoned her battle station, wandering over to the industrial size refrigerators.


    Some of my embarrassment faded as curiosity took its ce. The word old-blooded rang in my head,


    familiar and just a little bit frightening. It practically oozed intimidation and wealth. She said it with a


    pack.


    ¡°What is it they fall victim to?¡± I asked, salivating when I caught the scent of leftover jambya, bold


    and smoky from the spices Norma used. I kept a healthy distance even though I wanted to snatch the


    ss bowl from her hands.


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s a good thing you don¡¯t know anything about them, but that¡¯ll change once you start


    school.¡± Norma trailed off as she began rummaging through the cabs, muttering about someone


    named Louis and how he needed to stop reorganizing her kitchen. ¡°Come here and eat while I give you


    a little history lesson and some good old-fashioned advice.¡±


    A sweat broke out over my face from the intense blush I had going on, and as if on cue, my stomach


    rumbled miserably. I half expected Norma to make a lewdment about my weight, but she was


    silent as I approached.


    She made a sound of impatience as I stared down at the bowl, watching the steam curl off the rice and


    sausage.


    ¡°Well, go on and try it. Can¡¯t remember thest time I¡¯ve gotten to break out some of my older recipes.¡±


    She said and leaned against the countertop with a disgruntled frown on her face. ¡°Sylvia¡¯s been on a


    diet of nothing but liquids and rabbit food since Imani Vanderbilt made thatment about her weight.


    I¡¯m so tired of making that meat vored water she calls soup. It¡¯s downright neglect to expect you to


    eat the same as she does. Only Sylvia could survive on a diet like that.¡±


    I gripped the spoon in my hand tighter to stifle the twitch of my fingers. Whoever this Imani person was,


    she didn¡¯t seem pleasant. Again, the word ¡°old-blooded¡± came to mind, along with the prestige that


    apanied it. A sense of dread curled in my stomach because it was just now dawning on me the


    situation I had gotten myself into.


    Changing the subject gave me a chance to push my fears down, but that infuriating itch remained.


    ¡°Graham seemed to like your jambya.¡± I pointed out, shoveling another spoonful into my mouth.


    Norma snorted and pulled out the pin that kept her grey-streaked hair at bay. It tumbled down her back,


    curled from the bun she had it twisted into.


    ¡°Graham will eat rocks if you tell him you have sweets for him afterwards.¡± She said with a voice full of


    dry humor, and a part of me worried she wasn¡¯t exaggerating.


    It was clear within the softness of her stern eyes and the way they crinkled at the corners that she


    cared about the youngest of Sylvia¡¯s sons, even though he regrly looted the pantry. Turns out his


    older brother wasn¡¯t the only one looking out for him.


    Feeling a bit more confident, I brought a spoonful of the jambya to my lips and tried not to inhale it


    when the spicy tang of cayenne pepper and garlic danced across my tongue. The expectant look on


    her face was the same one I had when I spent the afternoon trying out a new recipe, eager for Elijah to


    ¡°It¡¯s so good! The spices are just incredible.¡± I smiled warmly and took another bite. My stomach


    clenched painfully as it began to fill with actual food and not the meat-vored water Norma hated so


    much. ¡°¡­not that the soup wasn¡¯t delicious, but I¡¯d much rather have stuff like this from now on if you


    wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Course not, child. Come down here anytime you¡¯re hungry, the pantry is all yours. The only reason I


    chase Graham off is because he¡¯ll eat himself into a sugara, and I don¡¯t get paid enough to babysit


    him until three in the morning.¡± She replied, ¡°¡­don¡¯t let the crap people say around here get to you,


    they¡¯ll always find something to hate on.¡±


    ¡°My old pack was like that.¡± I nodded, ¡°It¡¯s alright, despite how I look I have some pretty thick skin.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need more than thick skin around these parts. The families around here are called old-blooded


    for a reason. Alpha Xavier himself is descended from the Original Pack, so are a few of the others in


    town. Those are the ones you avoid at all costs, child. Do not get in their way¡­¡± Norma¡¯s voice lowered


    and in the dim kitchen light, she looked absolutely haunting. This didn¡¯t feel like any advice I¡¯d ever


    gotten, what it felt like was a warning. The jambya no longer felt warm, but ice cold. ¡°¡­that goes for


    the Alpha¡¯s son as well.¡±


    ¡°The Original Pack?¡± I forced myself to swallow and tried not to think too hard on why Norma felt the


    need to include that bit about Sylvia¡¯s eldest son. A trickle of trepidation dripped down my spine, ice


    cold as it made the rm bells in my head ring with danger. ¡°¡­I thought they were all extinct.¡±


    Every werewolf child learned about the Original Pack. The Moon Goddess created the first werewolves,


    a group of men and women whose souls were bound to one another. When I first learned about the


    original pack, I was hooked. It felt like every fantasy novel I¡¯d ever read but brought into the real world.


    It was a slice of magic at times I wish I had. As a werewolf who¡¯s never shifted, I lost out on the wonder


    that was shedding my human form and trading it for that of a beast.


    You can imagine how disappointed I was to find out the original wolves, and their descendants didn¡¯t


    have any mystical otherworldly powers, just heightened senses, arger wolf, and a tremendous ego.


    The full story wasn¡¯t told to us children until we were well into high school. Much like the humans with


    their brutal, vicious history, the werewolves of the past did what they could to wipe the evil from the


    records. The sswork I did at home had readings that covered the original pack¡¯s travels and


    recorded their determination to grow their numbers.


    ¡°Is it true that they can¡­¡± I trailed off, the bowl of half-eaten jambya cold and forgotten.


    ¡°Bite a human and turn them into a werewolf?¡± Norma saved me from speaking the words myself. ¡°It¡¯s


    true, but now-a-days they all charge a small fortune to do it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t protest when she took the bowl of food from me and scraped the small amount left into the


    trash. Talking about the original pack was bound to put a bad taste in anyone¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°They had no problem doing it for free thousands of years ago.¡± I said quietly, thinking back to the


    gruesome details of the past.


    The original pack lived separate from the humans until the rise of hunters forced them to act. I couldn¡¯t


    remember how they discovered a bite to a human would turn them into a werewolf, but it was chaos


    and carnage from then on.


    Humans were turned into werewolves, forced to obey the Alpha of the original pack, and join his


    growing numbers. There was one silver lining the newly created werewolves discovered.


    If their soulmate, as the originals called it, were human then their offspring would be human too.


    The rogue gene hadn¡¯t existed back then. It wasn¡¯t until these unmated wolves began having children


    with one another that the rogue gene was bred into existence.


    ¡°They still don¡¯t, but only for special asions.¡± She muttered, but as the words fell from her lips she


    paused, eyebrows gnashing together as though this were a topic she hadn¡¯t meant to speak on. I


    opened my mouth to keep the ball rolling, but Norma beat me to it. ¡°Don¡¯t go repeating this, child. I


    mean it, you could get me into a world of trouble if you do.¡± Her stare was piercing, and only when I


    nodded did she finally continue. ¡°They¡¯ll turn a human for free, but its six years of your life they¡¯ll want


    in exchange¡ªsix years as a soldier in their armies.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    I carried the consequences of my past on my shoulders for years.


    I¡¯d tiptoe downstairs and to fumble with the lock on the front door for a couple minutes before curling up


    in bed. That was what I considered a good night, and thankfully they happened rather frequently.


    Last night, however, wasn¡¯t one of them.


    My stomach was full but the conversation I had with Norma left me feeling anxious and jittery. I needed


    to make sure the doors were locked, that the house was secure from the inside out. It was an urge I no


    longer questioned, and one I¡¯d stopped fighting years ago.


    The lock on my bedroom door was wrong.


    It felt too t between my fingers, nothing like the heavy thud of the deadbolt that was on the front door


    of our cabin¡ªthe same kind downstairs. This one was one of those cheap locks that stuck out from the


    doorknob like a button. Even the click it made was wrong.


    I face nted in my bed hourster, swallowed whole by exhaustion.


    A soft knock sounded on my bedroom door, and instantly my eyes opened. The sliver of moonlight that


    had bathed my room in an eerie glow was gone, reced by early morning rays. I stared at the dust


    particles hovering in the air before remembering someone was at the door.


    ¡°Sorry, you know I wouldn¡¯t wake you if it wasn¡¯t important.¡± Elijah stood in the doorway, two to-go cups


    in his hands. ¡°Ie bearing gifts¡ªcaffeinated gifts.¡±


    The earthy smell of his aftershave permeated my room, bringing on a wave of unexpected nostalgia


    that I had to shove down. It reminded me of pine trees and cold mountain air¡ªthe only two things I


    liked about home.


    I sighed and used my brattiest voice, ¡°¡­alright, I guess you cane in.¡±


    ¡°With a little more practice you¡¯ll fit in perfectly around here.¡± Elijah¡¯sugh was warm hearted and


    made his eyes crinkle behind the rim of his reading sses. ¡°The princess attitude doesn¡¯t look bad on


    you.¡±


    ¡°Well, we do live in a castle.¡±


    The heavier of the two cups was full of chocte milk, which I poured into the steaming espresso. It


    was the only way I¡¯d drink my coffee and started when I first began home-schooling.


    There had been a time were going outside felt paralyzing, and even the two-minute trip to the grocery


    mart was impossible. I couldn¡¯t stomach the bitterness of ck coffee, so I improvised and used what


    we had¡ªand what we had was chocte milk.


    ¡°Sylvia and I have to leave in a few hours. She has a meeting with some of the clinic¡¯s sponsors and


    asked that I tag along. It¡¯s supposed to be quick, but you know how these things can go.¡± His crinkled-


    eyed smile was apologetic as always, even though he knew I wasn¡¯t angry. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re eager to


    get out of yourfort zone¡ªbut Violet if you need to slow down, please let me know. Thest thing


    you need is to be overwhelmed, which is easy in a town like this. I¡¯m only saying, we can¡¯t have a


    repeat of what happened before¡­the people here, they won¡¯t take kindly to something like that.¡±


    It was the first time Elijah mentioned the incident that led to me dropping out of public school and


    removing myself from the general poption of the town.


    ¡°Believe me, that will never happen again.¡± I reassured him, lowering my eyes to the cup in my hand as


    I took another drink, using the choctey espresso to unwind my tangled nerves.


    The sh of surprise on Elijah¡¯s facested only seconds before heunched into what I hoped would


    be a heart-warming approval.


    ¡°Between running EleaCorp and holding seats on both the school board and medical board, Sylvia¡¯s


    influence here runs pretty deep. There¡¯s going to be events that I¡¯ll be attending with her, that her son¡¯s


    will also be expected to attend. People are going to expect the same of you as they would Sylvia¡¯s


    boys¡­only they won¡¯t put you on a pedestal the way they do with them.¡±


    I paused long enough for Elijah to shift his weight from left to right, ¡°¡­so what you¡¯re saying is this


    ce is exactly like that college mafia romance novel I told you aboutst month where everyone in


    town is super rich but also way deep in crime and all this other shady stuff. They¡¯re respectable and


    polite in public, but when the sun goes down they sell drugs and torture¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡ªno, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying at all¡­¡± His eyebrows creased with worry, and he loosened the


    neck of his tie, ¡°¡­who bought you this book?¡±


    ¡°Jackie.¡± I smiled behind the lid of my coffee cup.


    ¡°That figures.¡± He grumbled, unsurprised. ¡°¡­everyone is rich, and polite in public¡ªfor the most part¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you, Elijah.¡± I said, giggling as I let him off the hook. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say,


    and I think I¡¯d be open to it¡­as long as someone teaches me how not to embarrass myself. Sylvia


    must have a royal tutor somewhere in this mansion.¡±


    ¡°Not to worry, I¡¯ll have her procure the best one in thend. Dr. Maslin¡¯s going to be stunned at your


    progress.¡± He beamed at me, and the sight made my chest swell with pride. ¡°¡­you sure you¡¯re alright


    with all of this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m positive. I¡¯m actually looking forward to starting school Monday.¡± I smiled. ¡°Now if you don¡¯t mind,


    since you so rudely woke me from my sleep, I¡¯m going to take a bubble bath in the indoor swimming


    pool your girlfriend gifted me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back tomorrow, just in time for you to start school on Monday. Sylvia will make sure you have


    everything you need, and don¡¯t hesitate to ask her for anything.¡±


    Only after I spent the better half of the day driftingnguidly in the cooling salt-water did hunger force


    me to get out. Chilly air wrapped around my naked body and made goosebumps sprout along my arms.


    The sudden heat I felting off the tiled floor made me jump.


    ¡®¡­the floor is heated, how strange is that?¡¯ Iughed and ced a hand against the warm surface. ¡®¡­


    this ce really has everything.¡¯


    Trying to sleep on my second night in this modern fortress was even worse than the first.


    Tonight the wind refused to stop it¡¯s howling, seemingly intent on making the trees closest to the house


    groan and flex. With each passing minute, it¡¯s wail began to sound almost human-like.


    Before long I found myself wandering the halls, my brain on auto pilot as I padded down the stairs and


    through the swinging kitchen doors.


    Norma wasn¡¯t on guard duty tonight, which was encouragement enough as I raced to the pantry and


    pulled open the doors. My hands knew what to grab even though my mind hadn¡¯t yet figured out what I


    wanted to make. All my cookbooks were upstairs, and I hadn¡¯t thought to grab one sinceing down


    here wasn¡¯t exactly a conscious decision.


    About halfway through measuring out various amounts of flour, sugar, and milk, I finally figured out


    what I was going to make. The whole pineapple sitting on the counter, perfectly ripe and nearing itsst


    days, inspired me to make pineapple upside-down cupcakes.


    I was so absorbed in my task of sifting the flour into the wet mix that I hadn¡¯t heard Norma¡¯s soft


    footsteps enter the kitchen.


    ¡°You tryin¡¯ to run me out of a job, child?¡±


    I gasped and with the sifter full of flour in my hand, turned in the direction of Norma¡¯s voice. Some was


    flung against the wall and made little thud sounds on impact, but most exploded in a plume of white


    powder that clung to the dewy parts of my face.


    The second mistake I made was opening my mouth to apologize before the flour began to settle.


    Instead, I sucked in a deep breath and proceeded to cough and hack for the next three minutes.


    Norma stood silent until I finished, ¡°¡­you do know that flour is imported from out of the country, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t.¡± I looked at the wall where half the flour had sttered and wondered how many hundreds


    of dors I had just inhaled. My voice was an octave higher when I said, ¡°¡­it¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s not very


    expensive¡­is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure gonna liven things up around here, aren¡¯t you?¡± She asked, her eyebrow raised.


    I set the sifter on the counter, slowly.


    ¡°Um, I hope so?¡±


    Her lips twitched as she took in all the bowls and ingredients I had pulled out, ¡°what¡¯re you making?¡±


    ¡°Pineapple upside-down cupcakes?¡±


    ¡°Kind of hard to do that without flour, isn¡¯t it?¡± She chuckled, leaving me standing there speechless as


    she walked to the pantry and grabbed the container of flour I had just put back minutes ago.


    There was this look in her eye that reminded me of how the people back home stopped and stared.


    They too were curious about me and my scars, the only difference was they already decided that no


    matter who I was, I¡¯d always be damaged¡ªa threat. The way Norma looked at me, it¡¯s like she hadn¡¯t


    decided yet.


    Her eyes drifted to the scar along my neck, then to the one running down my shoulder, easily visible


    beneath the thin strap of my tank top. Without missing a beat she said, ¡°¡­my momma made a pretty


    good upside-down cake, made a banana foster one too when she was feeling nice¡­you putting any


    pecan¡¯s in?¡±


    ¡°No, should I?¡± I frowned, measuring out another two cups of flour. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never made an upside down


    anything before, so I¡¯m just winging it. I¡¯m open to suggestions though¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how my momma made it, but you don¡¯t have to. She baked when she couldn¡¯t sleep too.¡±


    Norma¡¯s smile was bittersweet.


    A nervous and excited tingle exploded in my stomach when she asked, ¡°¡­would you mind if I joined


    you? I was looking for a reason to sleep in, and this way I get to earn myself a cupcake¡ªor two.¡±


    ¡°Of course you can help! Actually, could you show me where I can find pecans?¡±


    After an hour and a half of baking, and one sinfully delicious cupcake, I passed out face first on top of


    my bed. My sleep schedule was officially screwed, because I slept through Horace knocking on my


    door not once, but twice.


    The four of us had dinner together just like the first night, and I was sure Graham managed to sneak a


    cookie or two beforehand because he couldn¡¯t stop fidgeting in his seat. Every time he kicked his short


    legs the curls on his head would bounce.


    When Norma ced Graham¡¯s bowl in front of him, I heard her whisper something in his ear.


    ¡°You eat this ¨¦touff¨¦e and I¡¯ll give you a cupcaketer.¡± Her hushed voice was stern, but the emotion


    didn¡¯t reach her eyes. Even her heavy ent seemed to soften as she spoke to the youngest of


    Sylvia¡¯s sons. ¡°¡­got it?¡±


    Graham didn¡¯t nod yes or respond, but quickly proceeded to shovel obscene amounts of rice and


    shrimp into his mouth. Small bits tumbled past his lips like sailors abandoning ship.


    ¡°Graham, what did I tell you about eating like your brother?¡± Sylvia paused her conversation with Elijah,


    which was the only reason she hadn¡¯t heard Norma whispering to Graham and gave him a


    disapproving look.


    Graham stared at his mother and shrugged, pointing to his full mouth.


    ¡°Oh, you can¡¯t answer since your mouth is full?¡± Sylvia deadpanned, and just when I thought she was


    ¨¦touff¨¦e, she leaned forward and smirked. ¡°¡­Graham Ashford, you eat that food like a well-mannered


    wolf, or you won¡¯t so much as get a whiff of that cupcake Norma was bribing you with.¡±


    Graham quickly swallowed his food, let out a long and very drawn-out groan, then said, ¡°¡­yes,


    mother.¡±


    As we resumed eating, I ended up sucked into Sylvia and Elijah¡¯s conversation.


    There was fierce determination in her eyes when she said, ¡°¡­let them try to slow things down for us,


    they¡¯ll see how quickly their supply of wolfsbane is cut off.¡±


    ¡°What about those potential clients you were telling me about? Have you heard anything back from


    them?¡± Elijah asked, and the sound of their voices faded as I lost myself in thought.


    No one knows when wolfsbane came into existence, but the writers of our history books assumed it


    appeared around the same time as the gene. The mention of it caught me by surprise since it was


    notoriously hard to find and also very illegal.


    Seconds before Sylvia¡¯s eyes lifted to meet my own, they were on the bowl of ¨¦touff¨¦e in front of me.


    ¡°Let me guess, Norma gave you the meat water and rabbit food speech, correct?¡± Her face was


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    smooth and blemish free, but also unamused.


    This was the end of Norma¡¯s career. I was sure of it, even more so when her voice sounded from the


    kitchen, ¡°¡­you¡¯re just mad she¡¯s not sufferin¡¯ with you!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes narrowed and I was positive she had the same thought, ¡°Remind me why I keep you


    employed when you talk to me like this, Norma?¡±


    I counted eight of her soft footsteps until she appeared behind the kitchen door, ¡°¡­you don¡¯t pay me


    nearly enough for the work I put in¡ªand there¡¯s not a single cook in this pack that can make the things


    you ask me for.¡±


    As Norma walked back into the kitchen, I could hear her grumbling about low calorie, zero carb, gluten


    free dinners.


    Before dinner came to an end, Sylvia gave me what must¡¯ve passed as a speech of encouragement.


    Truthfully, her words only gave me more anxiety. The entire town was eager to meet her partner and


    his adoptive daughter¡ªthe one with the scars and forgotten past.


    For the second time in my life, I found myself famous for all the wrong reasons.


    The night before my first day of school was undoubtedly the worst. Every pinch of giddy anticipation I¡¯d


    been feeling evaporated when Horace knocked on the door around eight o¡¯clock at night.


    The stack of clothing he handed me still sat untouched on the bed. I couldn¡¯t even bare to look at it. Not


    the id skirt or knee-high socks, which were folded and tucked beneath a button down top with the


    Academy¡¯s crest embroidered on the front, nor the crisp zer that looked as though it belonged on a


    runway and not on some random college student.


    For two hours, I stared at the raven on the breast until it¡¯s proud and elegant form was burned into my


    head. Every stitch on every obsidian feather, even the single branch it carried in its ws were burned


    into the deepest parts of my memory.


    Without once ncing towards the kitchens, I slipped into the foyer and made a beeline for the front


    door. The deadbolt was cold in between my fingers and gave no resistance as I unlocked it. Just to


    make sure, I gripped one of the handles and tugged. It slid open a crack, revealing a sliver of night sky


    and barren street.


    Now that I knew locked from unlocked, I let the door click shut and started counting.


    For some reason ten was the only number I could stop at, and only if I didn¡¯t lose count in between. Dr.


    Maslin had some long drawn-out name for my affliction.


    Obsessive Compulsive Disorder


    Even now I wrinkled my nose at the sound of it. Unfortunately, doing so made me lose count.


    Twenty or so minutester, I turned on my heel and felt my heart stop dead in its tracks. The rest of me


    had no choice but to follow, because standing twenty feet away with a head full of pink curlers was


    Norma.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Her frame seemed even smaller from a distance and was swimming in the billowing fabric of her


    muumuu. Even with Lacey shouting ¡®abandon ship¡¯ in my head as she urged me to flee like a gazelle,


    there was nowhere for me to run.


    Norma¡¯s face was impassive as she asked, ¡°¡­you do this kind of thing often, child?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not.¡± The lie came out much too fast and yanked my voice up an octave or two. Instead


    piecing together it¡¯s shattered remains, I went into damage control mode. ¡°I mean¡ªonly when I¡¯m


    stressed¡­or in a new ce.¡±


    ¡°Both of which you currently are.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± I swallowed as embarrassment heated my face. ¡°Look, I¡ª"


    ¡°This isn¡¯t you freaking out about going to the University is it?¡± She asked, and just a hint of ent


    peeked through.


    ¡°No, not at all.¡± I stammered. ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve done back at the old house. Look, Elijah knows about


    it. He and Sylvia have so much going on¡­I just didn¡¯t want him to worry about me, especially when I¡¯m


    doing good for a change.¡±


    ¡°Child, I¡¯m still not sure what that was, but I wouldn¡¯t walk around callin¡¯ it good.¡± Her voice had the


    same sternness as Tw¡¯s did when sheunched into one of her lectures.


    ¡°It¡¯s just something I do to calm down. I don¡¯t know why, but it makes me feel safe.¡± I admitted, hoping


    the uneasiness in my voice would prove I was telling the truth.


    This time her expression did change. The sight of her narrowed eyes and pursed lips made my skin


    feel sticky and warm. Half a second was all it took for her face to return to normal.


    She nodded at the front door. ¡°Horace and I are the only staff that live in the house. He¡¯s in bed by nine


    on the weekdays, and eleven on weekends.¡±


    Without another word, she turned around and shuffled back down the hall.


    Even though I checked the locksst night, my encounter with Norma left me frazzled. It took a few


    hours for the patter of my traitorous heart to stop echoing in my ears, so loud that I swore it filled every


    inch of the pitch-ck room.


    The dull glow of my phone screen lit a small patch of the room. I had a grand total of three contacts, so


    I knew it wasn¡¯t a text I¡¯d gotten. Sure enough, it turned on to let me know that not only was my battery


    dying, but it was also one in the morning.


    I intended to put it on the charger, but I blinked and the darkness that cloaked the room was reced


    by beams of sunlight.


    ¡®What time is it?¡¯ Lacey snarled.


    I tapped on the screen of my phone, which was now dead and went to plug it in when there was a light


    knock on my bedroom door. Norma nudged it open without looking my way, her focus fixed solely on


    the metal cart she wheeled into the room. She took one look at me and huffed, ¡°¡­did you not get any


    sleep, child?¡±


    Even though I¡¯m an avid morning person, my tumultuous sleep schedule made enjoying those early


    hours harder. Often I needed time to wake up and let the leftover exhaustion seep from my bones


    before getting anything done for the day.


    Jackie never woke up earlier than eleven, and Elijah often left well before the crack of dawn. Social


    interaction first thing in the morning, that was something I¡¯d have to get used to.


    It just wasn¡¯t today.


    My eyes narrowed instinctively, ¡°I slept fine, thank you.¡±


    Norma raised an eyebrow, but I refused to balk. Lacey goaded me on in the background. That was,


    until she smelled the coffee that drifted towards us in sensual, mouth-watering waves.


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll be damned; Elijah wasn¡¯t pullin¡¯ my leg when he said you¡¯re grumpy first thing in the morning.


    Guess it¡¯s a good thing he told me to bring this.¡±


    Norma¡¯s lips curved into a satisfied smile when I groaned and sat up in bed.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got an hour to eat and change into your uniform, then Sylvia is going to stop by with your


    schedule. Just push the cart into the hall when you¡¯re finished.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Norma.¡± I sighed.


    Once the door shut, I made a beeline for both the coffee and my uniform.


    I¡¯d been pacing when Sylvia knocked, tugging at the button-down blouse and id skirt, both of which


    fit me horribly. The top was made from a very un-stretchy material that cinched everything in. On the


    bright side, it highlighted my strong hourss shape Tw always said she envied¡ªeven if it was hard


    to breathe. The pleated skirt with it¡¯s ck, grey, and light blue lines was adorable, but it ended at my


    knees and squeezed my hips painfully.


    ¡°Come in.¡± I called out and held back a curse as my voice wavered.


    Even though this was the third time I had seen Sylvia, I was still awed by her sophistication and


    elegance. She walked into the bedroom wearing a pencil skirt and peplum top, her waist cinched with a


    dainty belt. Her heels clicked across the floor as she walked my way, her stride purposeful and


    businesslike.


    ¡°Good morning, Violet. I trust you slept well.¡± She said, her eyes quickly scanning the messy bedroom


    before returning to my face.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I blinked, realizing she was waiting for me to answer. ¡°I slept great! I¡¯ve never had a bed this big


    before, and the nkets are so soft, it was likeying on a cloud. I almost didn¡¯t want to get up this


    morning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re pleased with the room. The bedding is filled with eiderdown. Cultivating the feathers is


    a slow, meticulous process but it¡¯spletely ethical, and you¡¯ll never feel anything softer in your life.


    They¡¯re imported from d, and if only you knew how long that takes¡­¡± She shook her head softly


    but seemed genuinely pleased when I expressed my liking for the room she decorated. ¡°Anyhow, let


    me not forget why I¡¯m here.¡±


    I might¡¯ve never noticed the folder in her hand if she hadn¡¯t held it out to me. In her other was a small


    pink bag with silver foil lettering. The cursive script read, ¡®Sasha¡¯s Boutique¡¯ and what was in the bag


    gave off the light scent of expensive perfume.


    ¡°Your schedule, a list of all after-ss groups, and a map of the grounds.¡± She exined as I scanned


    through the documents. ¡°You¡¯ll get a chance to look them over on the way to the academy. Since you


    cannot drive, my driver will be out front every morning at seven thirty sharp to take you. A student will


    be showing you around for the week as your assigned escort. They¡¯ll make sure you find your sses


    and exin the various social circles and hierarchy at Darkling.¡±


    Panic rose in my throat, and I swallowed it back with a smile.


    ¡°Wonderful, I¡¯m so excited.¡± My cheeks ached, and I was suddenly d I¡¯d patted some blush on them


    this morning because without it I knew I¡¯d look like a ghost.


    ¡°I can see how important Elijah is to you, and even though I haven¡¯t known him as long, he¡¯s important


    to me as well. It¡¯s only natural you¡¯d go to him with your concerns, but I want you to know that I¡¯m


    always avable if you need me.¡± I held my breath as Sylvia spoke, scouring her face for any hint of


    deception. She held the dainty boutique bag out and said, ¡°I¡¯d like us to be friends, Violet. What do you


    say?¡±


    There was nothing in her eyes or within theyers of her voice that led me to believe she was being


    anything other than genuine. She even waited patiently as I scrambled to remove the look of surprise


    on my face ande up with a response.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d like that.¡±


    Her lips lifted in a beaming smile when I epted the bag from her outstretched hand.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°As friends, I¡¯d like there to be a certain amount of trust between us. Now I understand trust doesn¡¯t just


    miraculously appear, but I¡¯m willing to build on it if you are.¡± It was the way she spoke that revealed


    slivers of each one of her titles.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little inexperienced in the trust department.¡± I admitted reluctantly, absentmindedly tugging at the


    hem of the button-down.


    I tried not to physically react when she nced down at the uniform I wore.


    ¡°Understandably so, but I¡¯m incredibly tolerant I¡¯ve been told.¡± I blinked back the glimmer of surprise


    and gave her every ounce of my attention when she continued as though she hadn¡¯t just scanned me


    head-to-toe. ¡°I¡¯m aware Elijah¡¯s spoken to you about how things are in this pack, and I apologize you


    were told with such little notice. He worries like any parent would, but it was the thought of you staying


    behind that kept him from preparing you sooner.¡±


    The pieces clicked together in my head and the result made my lips turn down, ¡°He thought telling me


    would scare me away?¡±


    ¡°Life here can be stressful, Violet. There is a great amount of pressure being associated with the Alpha


    in any fashion and were at the top of the food chain. It¡¯s a valid worry given the hand you¡¯ve been dealt,


    which is why I told him to allow you more time process everything.¡± Her sharp expression was


    intimidating and twisted my stomach into painful knots.


    I didn¡¯t grimace or react, but instead did as I had thousands of times and pasted a charming smile onto


    my face. You¡¯d never be able to tell I practiced the expression in the mirror every morning and night for


    seven years.


    People didn¡¯t just expect me to be cruel and violent, they wanted me to be.


    Countless night¡¯s I¡¯d go to sleep with aching cheeks, lips still pulled into a cheerful smile as I sunk


    beneath the nkets and closed my eyes. It didn¡¯t matter that I could smile, it had to be believable. A


    single crack and everyone would see right through me.


    When others pile their expectations on your shoulders, there¡¯s nothing that makes them angrier then


    when you fail to meet them. It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re good or bad.


    I perfected my smile and stered it on my pretty face, all so no one would be able to see just how


    angry I truly was.


    Everyone wanted me to be a monster, so I made sure they knew I was just a little girl.


    ¡°When Elijah told me he was moving to be with you and asked if I woulde, it wasn¡¯t the first time I


    thought about a life away from the cabin.¡± A sour memory of our old pack made my eyebrows inch


    closer together. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until we got here, and I met you that I saw the amazing life he has, and I think


    I¡¯d like one for myself.¡±


    Trust wouldn¡¯t build if I didn¡¯t give up a piece of truth now and again, so I gave her something I could


    part with.


    ¡°I must admit, you¡¯re different than what I expected¡­¡± She mused, her eyes likesers as they mapped


    my face. I kept still under her gaze, but not too still to where I¡¯d look tense. Just when I thought I¡¯d have


    to ask her to borate, she continued. ¡°¡­you¡¯re stronger, and much surer of yourself than I was led to


    believe.¡±


    I tried not to let my chest dete as I dissected her words and the meaning behind them. Too easily I


    noticed how her words seemed to border on insult and praise, which fit the warning Elijah had given


    me.


    There wasn¡¯t a whisper of hesitationced within her words as she said, ¡°Could I ask you a bit of a


    personal question, Violet?¡±


    ¡°Sure, yeah.¡± I nodded a bit too eagerly, but if anything she seemed pleased with my enthusiasm and


    willingness. ¡°Ask away.¡±


    Sylvia paused and glided to the sitting area of the bedroom. She padded down the slim steps and


    perched herself on the arm of the sofa. A neurotic giggle bubbled in my throat when she nudged the


    throw pillow¡¯s I¡¯d tossed onto the floor with the toe of her red-bottomed heels.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware Elijah¡¯s told you I¡¯m blunt, forck of a better word. If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve learned from


    being a woman working in the STEM field is sugar coating only gets you ignored, and I loathe being


    ignored.¡± Irritation made her hazel eyes warm like melted toffee, and even though the emotion wasn¡¯t


    directed at me, I tucked her words away in my memory. ¡°The second most important lesson I¡¯ve


    learned is derived from simply being a woman. If there¡¯s something different about you, the world will


    not hesitate to let you know nor will they ever let you forget. I¡¯d like to know some of the things the


    citizens of your old pack have said about you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well¡ªthey¡¯ve said things about my scars, obviously. Usually it¡¯s the same thing, but there¡¯s always


    one or two who manage to get creative.¡±


    She nodded softly, and I shoved down the sliver of pain that rolled through me, brought on by the


    understanding in her eyes. ¡°What is it you would do when they said these things, Violet?¡±


    The answer was simple, and while it might¡¯ve sounded like cowardice, I thought of it a bit differently.


    ¡°I¡¯d turn in their direction and say nothing.¡± I replied and watched as disappointment danced across her


    face only to vanish as I continued exining, ¡°When I was younger, I¡¯d ignore them. Elijah taught me to


    turn my head and get as far away from them as I could. It took me awhile to realize I was letting them


    win.¡±


    ¡°I see, and how does walking away let them win?¡± There was no judgement woven within the


    sophisticated purr of her voice, only genuine curiosity.


    I swallowed the sliver of worry that threatened to drip into my voice and said, ¡°I used to think they held


    all the power, but the only power they had was what I¡¯d give them when I cowered or ran away. The


    day I realized the truth, they couldn¡¯t hurt me anymore.¡±


    Sylvia said nothing, but the weight of her stare made me shift ufortably on my feet. She wanted


    more, something undeniably authentic that would prove my strength and determination.


    ¡°They hated me, shunned me, bullied me. For awhile, I wondered what I did to deserve it. Then I


    learned it wasn¡¯t me making them do those things but fear.¡± I could feel my features smooth themselves


    out, my lips curling into a soft smile that hid every trace of what I was actually feeling. ¡°An entire pack,


    afraid of a child. Once I realized how much they feared me, how¡­ufortable I made them, I used it


    to my advantage.


    ¡°Was this before or after you began home-schooling?¡± She asked without breaking her gaze.


    Lacey and I cursed in tandem when my fingers gave an involuntary twitch. My expression didn¡¯t slip an


    inch, but I knew if she noticed my minute physical reaction, she¡¯d notice the light in my eyes that told


    her no more questions.


    She nodded her slender chin, as though she¡¯d gotten what she¡¯d been in search of and stood from the


    sofa.


    ¡°I want to thank you, Violet. Given your situation and the small parameters of your memory, I can¡¯t


    imagine revealing secrets to be an easy feat. The reason I¡¯m asking you these questions, is because


    what you¡¯ve endured at your old pack, you will face here.¡± Her face was serene, free of sympathy even


    though there was a softness in her eyes I couldn¡¯t quite ce. ¡°In many ways, it will be worse for you.


    Money and power breeds cruelty, and the people of this pack are bloated with both. What will keep you


    afloat are your ties to my family. I understand Elijah¡¯s already spoken to you about responsibilities and


    expectations, so I won¡¯t regurgitate what he¡¯s already said, but there¡¯s something I need from you and


    without it, you cannot be epted into this family.¡±


    There was a small part of me that hoped what Sylvia asked wasn¡¯t impossible.


    ¡°I need you to step out of yourfort zone and far away from the bubble you¡¯ve ced yourself in.


    Dedicating yourself to learning our ways won¡¯t be enough, you have to find a way in and it won¡¯t be


    easy. To do that you be someone new¡ªsomeone you might not recognize at the end of it all.¡±


    She said, the confidence in her voice almost awe-inspiring. ¡°If you can manage this, there won¡¯t be


    anything in life you can¡¯t handle.¡±

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    ¡°I suppose that leaves us with onest question. Is this something you can handle, Violet?¡±


    ¡°The Cedar Grove Pack has never been my home, and I¡¯m never going back.¡± I dropped my twinkling


    smile and let her see how serious I truly was. They¡¯d sooner find me packing a bag in the middle of the


    night than willingly stepping back into that ustrophobic nightmare.


    ¡°Good, then on that note if you could open the bag in your hands, please.¡±


    As it turns out, I¡¯d been wrong. Thecey bra within the boutique bag was my first official test.


    ¡°I had my assistant pick it out. She¡¯s an expert with this sort of thing. One look at you and that scrap of


    polyester you wear, and she knew your size. Elijah should be charged with neglect for allowing you to


    wear it a day longer, but as intelligent as the man is he truly is horrible with children¡ªand even worse


    with teenage girls, it seems.¡± Sylvia waved a hand dismissively, like having her assistant rummage


    through my clothes was normal. ¡°Asfortable as it may be, it¡¯s the reason your shirt isn¡¯t fitting


    correctly. If you¡¯d allow me, I can help with the rest of your uniform as well.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say no, even if I wanted to.


    It was more than awkward to have Sylvia¡¯s hands on me, tugging and tucking fabric while also doing


    her best not to leave me uncovered in any areas. Her fingers grazed the scar on my shoulder when she


    went to untwist one of the slender bra straps making me jump a foot off the floor.


    ¡°Apologies, cold hands are a curse all doctors and scientists must endure.¡± She tutted under her


    breath.


    It felt strange to say the least. After tearing off my sports-bra and changing into the padded


    masterpiece Sylvia¡¯s assistant picked out, I realized how horribly stretched my old one had be. I


    knew very little about actual bra sizes, but the C cups seemed to make my chest lookrger and my


    cleavage more pronounced.


    Sylvia purposefully left the top three buttons undone, and while I didn¡¯t mind the glimpse of skin, it


    peeked at something more. The jagged scar across my chest was by far my worst, raised and pink


    even though the others were now flush against my skin.


    She stepped back and eyed me from head to toe.


    ¡°There you are¡­a proper student at Darkling University.¡± Her smile was genuine andced with


    warmth that filled my veins with a lingering sense of confidence. The feeling was short-lived when she


    said, ¡°¡­now all you have to do is survive the other students and you¡¯ll be well on your way to a life of


    sess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be alright. I already love it here. There¡¯s so much sunlight and flowers¡­I never knew how


    beautiful nature could be when it¡¯s not covered in feet of ice and snow.¡± I gushed, threading confidence


    into my voice.


    Thest thing I expected was Sylvia¡¯s dry but amusedugh.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve yet to meet the Vanderbilt¡¯s. That family is this pack¡¯s equivalent to feet of ice


    and snow.¡± Shemented with a short shake of the head, her expression full of mirth. ¡°I¡¯ll admit


    they¡¯ve run me out of town a time or two, only I have the luxury of calling them ¡®business trips.¡¯¡±


    From the way she scoffed to the irritated wave of her hand, I gathered the Vanderbilt¡¯s¡ªwhoever they


    may be, weren¡¯t fans of Sylvia. Against my better judgement, I feltpelled to ask. ¡°Who are the


    Vanderbilts?¡±


    She lifted a sculpted eyebrow at me and scanned my face with her eyes before replying.


    ¡°I¡¯m trusting you won¡¯t repeat this¡ªnot that anyone would believe your word over my own I¡¯m afraid.


    The Vanderbilt¡¯s are one of the many families here descended from the original pack, and Imani


    Vanderbilt is the loveliest of them all.¡±


    ¡°Imani Vanderbilt?¡± I repeated, feeling each syble roll off my tongue.


    A blush ghosted across my face when Sylvia tutted and said, ¡°Poor thing, you know nothing about this


    pack.¡± A sh of annoyance settled in her eyes, yet somehow I knew it was geared towards this


    mystery woman. ¡°Imani Vanderbilt is as slimy as Lafont¡¯s new water-based concealer. Her loyalty cost


    twice the amount and onlysts half as long, and much to my dismay happens to be the doting fianc¨¦


    of Alpha Xavier¡ªmy ex-husband.¡±


    Understanding crossed my face in the form of an unattractive cringe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. You¡¯ll get wrinkles and ruin those pretty eyes of yours.¡± Sylvia scolded me gently


    before sping her hands together. ¡°Now, I¡¯d say were finished here. You have a few minutes left to


    yourself before my driver will be expecting you. I¡¯m not positive when I¡¯ll see you next, but I¡¯d like to


    hear about your first day when we do meet again.¡± She said with a closed-mouth smile, like two friends


    who met asionally for breakfast. ¡°Best of luck, Violet. I do n on checking in with your progress at


    the end of the week, so I hope you take what we talked about seriously.¡±


    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


    Every organ in my body seemed to seize the moment the cked-out Mercedes pulled into the


    University parking lot.


    I followed the throng of students down the sidewalk and across the very street we¡¯d stopped at on our


    way into town. There were eyes burning into my skin, but rather than seek them out, I kept my chin


    high and head forward.


    The only good thing about my pale blonde hair and patchwork of scars was how easy it made me to


    spot in a crowd. It was all too easy for my assigned escort to find me, and judging from the puckered


    pout on her face, she wasn¡¯t too happy to see me.


    ¡°Violet, right?¡± She said slowly, lifting a hand to shield herself from the oing sun. The second I


    nodded; she took off. After a rather impatient wave of her hand I followed, stumbling slightly in the


    clunky Mary Jane¡¯s I wore. ¡°I¡¯m Roselle D¡¯Marco. You probably know my sister, Naveah D¡¯Marco.


    Believe it or not, but I was in a few of her movies. Only as a background character, but clearly you have


    no clue how hard it is too secure one of those positions.¡±


    ¡°Movies aren¡¯t really my thing, but I love to read!¡± I eximed. ¡°Roselles are such beautiful flowers,


    simr to violets in some ways.¡±


    I¡¯d been rather fixated on flowers as a child and remembered a time when all I¡¯d ask for were books on


    the subject. Countless times I¡¯d scour the forests, collecting any unique nt I found¡ªwell, until one of


    those unique nts happened to be poison ivy.


    The rays of light bounced off her chocte hair, which was curled and gave off a faint scent of musky


    perfume. The ends of each ringlet seemed to lighten in color until they reached a warm shade of dirty


    blonde. Rather than venture inside or head down one of the many winding paths like some of the other


    students, she cut straight across thewn and veered towards the other wing of the castle-like building.


    ¡°Mmm, no. I don¡¯t think Roselle¡¯s and Violet¡¯s have anything inmon.¡± She chuckled through closed


    lips. ¡°Did you know Cambridge University is modeled after this ce? The humans were jealous that


    the eptance rate for werewolves was 8%, while only one or two humans were chosen as students


    every year. That¡¯s why my sister is so famous around here, and why one day I¡¯ll be as well. She got in


    first, and when she graduated four yearster, shepleted the final ceremony and was turned.¡±


    I tried not to pause but couldn¡¯t help it as surprise filled widened my eyes. ¡°Your sister was turned?¡±


    Roselle flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave me a slight nod. I wasn¡¯t positive, but I thought


    there might¡¯ve been the slightest hint of jealousy when she spoke of her sessful older sister. ¡°Sure


    was, and I¡¯ll be to in three years¡¯ time.¡±


    We stopped at the center of therge courtyard overlooking the entirety of Darkling University, and from


    there Roselle pointed out each wing of the castle-like building. There was the Dining Hall situated at the


    center, along with Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities and Social


    Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Technology.


    With every apologetic look she shed her friends as we passed, all but screaming ¡®I¡¯m only doing this


    because I have to,¡¯ Lacey¡¯s snarl rang louder in my ears.


    It became harder to listen as we ventured inside, veering towards a set of double doors at the center of


    the building. As we passed through, the scents of nature and sunlight shifted to that of old textbooks


    and mouthwatering foods.


    ¡°This is your Arts and Humanities ss, or as everyone else calls it: Werewolf 101. We all have to learn


    the history of werewolves when we first study at Darkling. It¡¯s actually not that bad, even though


    Professor Hopkins can be a real bitch at times.¡± Roselle sassed, raising an eyebrow at my pale face


    and glossy-eyed expression.


    Standing two feet behind her was a woman with greying hair and piercing emerald eyes.


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    ¡°Speaking of Professor Hopkins¡­¡± Roselle tittered, her giggle sharp and filled with a fake sort of


    sweetness that reminded me of pastries baked with Stevia instead of old-fashioned sugar. ¡°Seeya,


    fresh meat. Best of luck on your first day.¡±


    What startled me most was that Professor Hopkins hadn¡¯t even reprimanded Roselle. In fact, she


    hadn¡¯t even blinked.


    It dredged up all manner of questions, but there was one that stood out from the rest. Did the students


    here¡ªor their parents, really have that much power?


    The middle-aged professor with the tightly wound bun of greying hair wasn¡¯t afraid to speak her mind


    and scold the few students whispering or idly ying Zombie Crash on their cellphones, but her sharp


    tongue ended there.


    I knew what it looked like when someone was biting back their words, stuffing them deep down where


    they¡¯d never be seen again. That¡¯s exactly what Professor Hopkins was doing as she went over the


    tumultuous history of the Original Pack and how they came to discover the extraordinary gift of turning


    a human into a wolf.


    One student in particr, a sapphire-eyed jock with a head of chocte curls, was on the receiving end


    of every reprimand Professor Hopkins wanted to say. More than once she¡¯d open her mouth, eyes


    skewering him even though he was oblivious and scrolling through a social media app called the Link.


    ¡°Dax, did you ever connect to my profile? I just posted the pictures from this summer¡¯s vacay.¡± A


    nameless girl whined, her ruby red lips curling into a pout. She flicked her ridiculously long ponytail


    over her shoulder and giggled, but the flirty expression dampened to one of murder when she caught


    my curious gaze.


    I turned my head back to the professor, absorbing myself in her lecture about the original Alpha and


    Luna. Even as I listened to her recounting of Serafine Cromwell and Dominic Ashford¡¯s earth-shaking


    bond, I could feel the eyes of the students pricking my skin like needles¡ªthe worst of them all came


    from the girl I¡¯d been caught gawking at.


    ounting & Sustainable Investing was my next ss, which happened to be halfway across the


    campus and was taught by an elderly man that reminded me of a snail rather than a vicious wolf. His


    tuft of snowy hair wasbed over his head, which was speckled with pock marks. Despite his age


    and the horrendously slow and monotone way he¡¯d speak, the lines around his eyes and mouth told me


    he¡¯d had a long life of smiles andughter.


    With Archaeology and Business Fundamentals as myst two sses, I was relieved to say that I


    made it through half of the day.


    Roselle was a few minutes early when she approached the open door of my ounting ss and


    peeked her head inside.


    Initially I¡¯d been zoning out, listening to the Professor drone on and on about adequate note taking


    when I saw her waving out the corner of my eye. When she made a e here¡¯ motion with her hand, I


    shook my head sharply and nodded in the direction of the professor.


    A delicate powder-blue nail tapped on my shoulder and as I turned around, I found myself staring into a


    pair of eyes that held small traces of the sea. Upturned ever so slightly, the girl they belonged to almost


    appeared friendly as she directed my attention down to the sheet of paper on her desk.


    He¡¯s blind in his left eye, but you better be quiet if you leave because the old coot hears everything.


    I was momentarily lost in the perfection that was her handwriting, even though her eyes were dotted


    with little hearts. Looking in Roselle¡¯s direction a second time, her e here¡¯ was just a tad more


    impatient.


    As I stood from my seat, so slow that the chair was silent as it slid across the ground, all eyes turned


    towards me. Lacey coached me in the depths of my head, whispering even though no one could hear


    her.


    Left foot, then right. Hold your breath, count to ten, then exhale. Rinse and repeat.


    I¡¯d made it to the door, but as my hand fell on the cold metal handle I realized there was no way I¡¯d get


    out without the old professor hearing. It was wishful thinking to assume the ss was holding its breath


    with me, when in reality most of them were waiting for me to fail.


    A dainty and horribly fake sneeze echoed throughout the ssroom, down the tiered rows of desks that


    filled the room. I whipped my head around, locking eyes with the girl who¡¯d tapped on my shoulder. The


    thick French braid draped over her shoulder swished as she tilted her head in the direction of the door


    and sneezed a second time.


    ¡°Bless you, youngdy.¡± The Professor wheezed in his t voice.


    ¡°Oh, thank you Professor Jenkins. I must be allergic to this new perfume I¡¯m wearing; my nose is


    horribly itchy.¡± My mystery savior confessed, then unleashed a slew of sneezes that I took as my queue


    to get the hell out.


    ¡°Finally.¡± Roselleined, toying with one of her ombre curls. ¡°You move slower than grandpa in


    there.¡±


    My wonderfully cheery escort led me to the Dining Hall before pulling me into the nearest alcove, which


    many students used as a perch to read or eat under the warm beams of sunlight and lowered her voice


    to a sharp whisper.


    ¡°When we go in there, you¡¯re going to have to find your own table to sit at. I can¡¯t have you ruining my


    reputation, even if I did sign up for this. Besides, if the prince himself isn¡¯t here by lunch, he¡¯s not


    showing up at all¡ªwhich means I have no reason to waste the rest of my day showing you around.¡±


    She grumbled, swiping some of the gloss from her lips with the tip of her tongue.


    With jerky, frustrated movements she yanked aminated map from her binder and grabbed a pen from


    her zer pocket. Half a secondter she shoved the paper in my hands, with respective buildings and


    rooms circled in ck ink.


    ¡°There, jobpleted. See ya tomorrow.¡± She said, and glided into the Dining Hall, merging with the


    crowd without once looking back.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    As I waited within the lunch line, I couldn¡¯t help but scan the Dining Hall. There were rows upon rows of


    padded booths, each one pristine and new. Circr tables, much like the ones you¡¯d see in a public


    school, filled the empty spaces.


    From afar, close to the wall of spotless ss that overlooked the back half of the courtyard, I could


    make out a sd and fruit bar.


    With a tray in my hands, I steered past the busiest part of the Dining Hall and towards the one empty


    table nestled in the back of the room. The Lobster Risotto and Chipotle Garlic Seaweed Butter spewed


    an interesting assortment of scents into the air. Each one was a different colored shred of silk, weaving


    around one another until their shades muddied and turned into something new.


    As I approached the table, I realized I¡¯d been wrong. There was a single person perched on one of the


    round seats, an Asian girl with granite eyes and choppyyered hair. When she turned her head to


    stare me down, I noticed a few strips of green woven within the dark strands.


    ¡°Mind if I sit with¡ª¡± I began to ask, my voice warm and full.


    The one that cut me off was the opposite.


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± She said harshly, yanking the headphones back from one of her pierced ears.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I hummed, trailing off as I moved to the opposite side of the table and plopped down. Hurt


    swirled in the pits of my stomach,ced with enough embarrassment to make even the strongest of


    wolves¡¯ surrender.


    The light scent of pineapples and whipped icing floated up to reach my nose as I pulled out the little


    container Norma had given me and removed the cupcake inside. The perfect swirl of icing on top had


    settled a bit from the long day, but still looked presentable with its sugared pineapple perched on top. I


    could feel the mystery girl¡¯s eyes on my face as I licked some of the icing from the top and took a small


    sip of what the lunchdy called Dom Perignon champagne.


    I only had alcohol a total of two times, and each were miniscule sips of Jackie¡¯s fruity wine coolers. The


    dry and somewhat bitter vor raced across my tongue, coupling with the sting of alcohol, which was


    strong enough to make me gag.


    A soft but audible snort came from the granite-eyed girl, but when I turned and looked her way, she had


    her head tilted down at her sd.


    ¡°Might want toy off the cupcakes.¡± I heard a male voice say, followed by the raucousughter of his


    friends.


    When I turned my head and saw him, with his golden-blonde hair, crisp football jersey, and dimpled


    smile, I knew it couldn¡¯t have been him who tossed the callous insult my way. A sigh of relief lingered


    on my lips when his friend and obvious sidekick stepped forward with a smirk on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking diet advice from a guy who only eats boiled chicken.¡± I observed, pasting a sunny


    expression on my face.


    The rest of the guys surrounding the two, who also wore various football jerseys in shades of deep blue


    and ck, began to hoot and shove at their rude friend. I nced down at the rice and pale-looking


    chicken on his te before turning back to my cupcake.


    A tingling sensation raced along the back of my neck, and Lacey¡¯s warning that someone was staring


    at us had me turning around¡ªonly instead of another insult, I found a dimpled grin aimed my way.


    ¡°If you keep looking around like a confused idiot someone is going to get pissed off, and I really don¡¯t


    think you could survive a verbal battle on your first day, especially with someone smarter than Kota.¡±


    The girl with the headphones frowned, staring down at me past her slender nose.


    I ignored her rudeness, because other than Roselle, she was the first person to willingly talk to me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why everyone looks so tense. It was just a clich¨¦ fat-shaming insult.¡± I lifted a


    shoulder in a half shrug and took a bite of my cupcake, which tasted much better after sitting in the


    fridge all night.


    ¡°They looked tense because they didn¡¯t know how¡¯d you react. Not sure if you know this, but scars


    among our kind send a message.¡± She huffed, a look of disbelief on her face. ¡°¡­please tell me you¡¯re


    not this na?ve¡­or stupid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not na?ve or stupid.¡± I reassured her, even though most of my knowledge came in the form of


    books and not real-life experiences. Either way, she didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°I¡¯m actually really nice


    once you get to know me.¡±


    Ignoring my matter-of-fact tone, the girl fixed me with a nk stare. ¡°You might want to hold off on


    telling everyone how nice you are. Once they find out¡ªand they will, they¡¯ll take that niceness of yours


    and use it against you.¡±


    ¡°How else will I make friends around here?¡± I questioned, cing the balled-up cupcake wrapper on the


    edge of my tray.


    The girl simply stared at me; her eyes framed by dark liner that somehow made her gaze even more


    piercing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t make friends around here, and on the off chance you think you have, you better run in the


    opposite direction. That saying about keeping your enemies close¡­where do you think that originated


    from?¡±


    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


    I thought on what the mystery girl at lunch had said for the rest of the day. Switching between grim


    determination and the kind of anxiety that left your stomach in knots and the food within churning


    painfully, I somehow managed to survive myst two sses without Roselle¡¯s help.


    Mind you, I did get lost on the way to my Archeology ss, but only because it was located halfway


    across campus, nestled within the furthest corner of the building.


    I nearly seized up when I entered the dimly lit room, void of any windows and warm with the scent of


    stale air. Each thunderous beat my heart made against my ribcage left my teeth vibrating. I barely


    managed an answer when the curly-haired professor asked why I¡¯d beente, her dangly earrings


    distracting as they caught what little light filled the room and refracted it along the stone walls. Students


    snickered as I knew they would, and inevitably my face began to heat both with embarrassment and a


    crushing sense of ustrophobia.


    Thankfully, I didn¡¯t get the chance to sit down before Professor Sprout called the room to attendance


    and ushered us all outside. It was more than a relief to find out Archeology ss was typically held out


    in the sprawling field that made up the courtyard. The dingy ssroom was for rainy days and supply


    storage.


    As Professor Sprout flitted about, her curls a halo of sunshine that bounced around her shoulders, I


    nearly forgot I was new here. Each and every student was absorbed in her lecture, in the way she


    presented the dusty old relics and turned them into something fascinating and new. I wished the feeling


    wouldst and tried my all to hold onto it, but those ny minutes were fleeting.


    Only by running did I make it to myst ss on time. Not that anyone would¡¯ve noticed since every


    single student was too preupied gawking at the young, smooth-faced professor.


    I slipped inside the ssroom without drawing attention to myself, sinking into an empty chair at the


    back of the room. Absentmindedly, I listened to a group of girl¡¯s whisper about the sordid details of their


    darkest fantasies, all involving the newest addition to Darkling University¡¯s faculty.


    Professor Larkin paced the room as he began his lecture, taking long strides that briefly wrinkled the


    legs of his te grey suit. The booming voice that pounced from his full lips was fitting for a man of his


    size, which resembled a warrior rather than an everyday professor.


    His dark skin was nearly blemish free, apart from the small sliver of a scar I thought I¡¯d seen peeking


    from beneath the sleeve of his suit jacket. It was his grey eyes that sealed the deal, tying up thest


    threads of his intimidation until just a single look made each one of us squirm in our seats. It was


    painstakingly clear why this man taught Business Fundamentals.


    When myst ss of the day came to an end, I all but sprinted from the room. The sound of my name


    rang in my ears, too faint for me to figure out who had called out. Finding my locker, which Roselle


    circled in pink ink, was surprisingly easy. In fact, it was the only thing I hadn¡¯t struggled with.


    The first wave of students had been let out and were forming small packs,ughing, and gossiping as


    the hallways filled and became more crowded. Heels clicked against the ground and the whooping of


    over-excited males beat like a ceremonial drum in my ears.


    I tried not to cringe as I felt some of the more oblivious students brushing against me, clipping my


    shoulder as they walked. Silken perfumes, some floral and others unbearably musky, permeated the air


    in featherlike waves that brushed against my skin. With little hassle I wrenched the door open, shoved


    each achingly heavy textbook inside and mmed it shut.


    One step was all I took when the double doors at the end of the corridor were flung open. A gust of air


    rushed through, carrying a plethora of rich scents from outside. It was a momentary break from the


    clouds of perfume and cologne I¡¯d been walking through, or that¡¯s what I thought¡ªuntil I caught sight of


    him.


    The sapphire-eyed jock with the friendly grin stood at the end of the corridor, his hair swooshed over


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    his head from the sudden breeze. His scent obliterated that of the perfumes and colognes, silenced the


    chatter of voices and thud of feet tapping against stone.


    His eyes met mine before replicating the cheeky smile he¡¯d given me, the one I¡¯d been sure was tossed


    in my direction.


    Rather than hear, I felt Lacey¡¯s gasp of utter bewilderment.


    The flicker of surprise was short lived, bulldozed by a tidal wave of sensation¡ªof emotion that flooded


    the very depths of my being until I was sure I¡¯d burst from it all.


    This was nothing like the books described¡ªiparable to the dry and utterly nd exnation our


    textbooks gave on mating bonds. Every trace amount of oxygen left my lungs, fleeing from the room as


    it raced towards the guy whose scent filled my veins.


    The guy whose name I didn¡¯t even know.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    A feminine gasp to my left threatened to pull my attention away from him¡­away from my mate. Just


    hearing the words in my head, seeing them unravel in the way he smiled¡ªit was all so surreal, so


    idyllic.


    I should¡¯ve listened to the girl, maybe then I would¡¯ve been better prepared. The fact that I tuned into


    their hushed conversations seconds toote would forever weigh on my mind.


    ¡°Hael¡¯s back early?¡±


    ¡°Something must¡¯ve happened between him and Mykelle¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you believe it?¡±


    ¡°Does that mean he¡¯s finally single?¡±


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    Voices both male and female ovepped one another, growing steadily with excitement while my own


    seemed to falter and plummet.


    Cold realization took its ce.


    I¡¯d already caught his scent in the lunchroom, when his friend heckled me for eating a cupcake. It


    reminded me of salty waves, of the earth after a long, harsh rain.


    Before I could question why our bond hadn¡¯t snapped into ce back in the lunchroom, the guy I had


    eyes on moved to the side to let my worst nightmare through.


    No, this can¡¯t be happening. Not him, not here of all ces.


    His eyes were two shards of ckened coal, even darker than the unruly mop of tousled ck hair that


    hung over his forehead. Every single person in the hall grew quiet, talking in hushed tones that were all


    too easy to pick apart. Tall, dark, and most certainly not handsome didn¡¯t seem to notice them. No, he


    was scanning the crowd, running his eyes over the tops of their heads as he searched for something¡­


    for someone.


    Even as I clung to my disbelief, to the lie that sang itself into oblivion in my head, widening my eyes


    until the attraction that curled my toes faded into nothingness¡ªI knew it was me he was searching for.


    As the bottomless pits that sufficed as his eyes fell on my face, I was battered with the scent of sage


    and pine,ced with something spicy and purely male. There was no cologne clinging to the expensive


    fibers of his midnight Henley and torn jeans.


    The mouthwatering scent belonged to him, and him alone.


    Hael.


    Upon whispering his name in the deepest depths of my thoughts, his head tilted, and eyes narrowed.


    The sandy haired guy beside him, whose face was morphed into a supercilious smile, was oblivious to


    the exchange between his friend and me.


    What felt like hourssted only seconds, and as his attention slid down the curve of my cheek to the


    visible scar shed across my neck, a look of absolute murder caressed his face.


    Just like that the spell was broken, shattered as I felt the rage he directed towards me.


    I couldn¡¯t tell if it were the bond between us trembling or my legs, nor could I tell if the sheen on his


    leather jacket were from the fluorescent lights or the tears stinging the backs of my eyes.


    Only when he turned away to murmur something to his sprightly friend was I able to free myself.


    Everything I learned about the University vanished as I turned on my heel and stumbled over the


    clunky tform of the ridiculous Mary Jane¡¯s Sylvia forced onto my feet, hearing the vindictiveughter


    of students trickle from behind.


    Five heartbeatster I found myself sitting¡ªor rather hiding, inside of a stall within one of the many


    women¡¯s bathrooms. The breathing exercises Dr. Maslin taught me, which felt ridiculous at the time,


    were the only thing keeping me under control.


    Sylvia¡¯s driver was most likely outside waiting for me, but there was no chance in hell I¡¯d leave this stall


    anytime soon. These four walls were the only thing protecting me from the asshole I now had as a


    mate.


    As if things here weren¡¯t stressful enough¡­


    Why did it have to be the asshole and not the boy I locked eyes within the dining hall?


    I was thankful for the surplus of space within each stall and the illusion of privacy the doors gave. There


    was no gap between the bottom and the floor, yet I could hear the she-wolves that entered with


    painstaking rity.


    ¡°¡­can¡¯t believe Luna Sylvia had that beast for a son.¡± One tittered, her voice nasal and preening. The


    sound of rummaging could be heard, along with the ¡®pop¡¯ of a cap as it was pried off a tube of lipstick.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a shame he¡¯s never here. Bet you he¡¯ll still graduate with honors though.¡±


    When the second girl replied I noticed a twinge of nervousness in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s crazy busy


    with Alpha¡¯s new marriage and learning how to take over the pack.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. We all know this vacation the untouchables are on is just a ruse. They¡¯re out on business,


    and none of us are important enough to know what that business is.¡± A third sniffed indignantly, clearly


    unhappy with being in the dark.


    ¡°They call him the scarred prince for a reason¡­who knows what he¡¯s out there doing.¡± The second girl


    whispered, and I swore I heard the sound of her teeth ttering together. ¡°Goddess¡­I hope he gets


    back tomorrow.¡±


    I chose that moment to open the stall door, wincing when the toilet flushed loudly behind me.


    All three she-wolves, each one painfully beautiful¡ªa masterpiece in id skirts and luxury makeup,


    watched in silence.


    I washed my hands, which was more for show than anything else, when the one with the nasal voice


    leaned forward and demolished any semnce of personal space.


    The bleached strands of her hair grazed my shoulder, pale inparison to her dark eyebrows.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what they call him¡­¡± She sneered; her cinnamon-colored eyes narrowed on my face.


    ¡°¡­he¡¯s an untouchable and he knows it.¡±


    The three of them left shortly after, swishing their hips in tandem while the hidden meaning in the


    blonde¡¯s words swam in my head. I listened to the delicate tap of their heels, like a chisel and hammer


    against stone, gripping the porcin sink with both hands.


    I opened my eyes once the sound of their chatter faded and stared at the pale-faced girl until she


    began to look familiar again.


    ¡®I can¡¯t do this, Lacey.¡¯ Even in my head, my voice was quiet.


    Her refusal was instant, along with the red-hot sh of anger that lit my brain like a bundle of fireworks.


    ¡®You¡¯re really going to let that arrogant asshole chase us out of this pack?¡¯ When I remained silent,


    staring into the pale eyes that gued many of my nightmares as a child, she had no choice but to


    continue. ¡®¡­and where will we go, Violet? What will we do? Who will we be?¡¯


    They were all good questions, ones I didn¡¯t have an answer for.


    I slipped from the bathroom, instantly registering the eerie silence that had taken over the corridor.


    Even with sunlight streaming through thencet windows, painting the gothic architecture in shades of


    muted gold, there was an unsettling chill that hung in the air.


    My feet made no sound as I padded down the length of the hall, stifling my breathing so that even the


    faintest of exhales was untraceable. I¡¯d done this a thousand times, and not once had I been caught¡ª


    not until now, anyway.


    He mmed into me with enough force to make me open my mouth, a cry of outrage on the tip of my


    tongue. Before the venomous words could split and burn his skin like acid, arge hand was mped


    over my mouth.


    ¡®Who the hell does this asshole think he is?¡¯ Lacey snarled; hackles raised even though neither of us


    could follow through on the threat.


    Instinctively I shoved against his hold, snarling beneath his hand as I red into those uncaring


    soulless eyes. He puffed his chest and began to force me back, staring down at me the entire time. I


    stumbled over my two feet but managed to keep from falling over.


    Only when my back hit the cold metal lockers did he raise a single finger to his lips and hold it there.


    The messy strands of his hair hung precariously low, only inches from my face. A light shampoo scent


    clung to them but did nothing to overpower the aura of dominance and ferocity that flowed from his


    pores. With his finger against his lips, he tilted his head in question.


    Not a chance in hell would I lose myself to the sparkspping against my lips, pouring down my neck


    and shoulders in what could easily be described as pure bliss. His face was expressionless, his eyes


    void of the alluring sensations I knew we both felt.


    I nodded ever so slightly, answering the silent question he posed.


    Slowly, he lowered his hand from my mouth¡ªand boy did I n on making him regret it¡­just not


    today, it seemed.


    ¡°You¡ªyou have no clue who you¡¯re messing with.¡± I stammered, my throat constricting as his pupils


    widened, swallowing his iris whole.


    Before I could force out the remainder of my threat, a muscle deep in his jaw twitched and he asked, ¡°Is


    that so?¡±


    I swallowed heavily as he leaned in, towering over me with the height of a giant. The stubble that


    coated his jaw was thick and dark, nearly identical to the booming voice that emerged past his plush


    lips. ¡°And who exactly am I messing with?¡±


    The nonchnce in which he asked made me feel as though I were a bunny rabbit threatening a big,


    bad wolf.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying with Luna Sylvia, and she will hear about this if you don¡¯t let me go.¡± I choked out, my


    resolve slipping when the barest amount of interest shed within the sultry depths of those eyes.


    It didn¡¯t matter that my body was engulfed in sparks, that within the deepest parts of my twisted and


    tangled soul I knew this stranger wouldn¡¯t hurt me.


    None of it mattered because I knew who he was. I¡¯d met countless men just like him.


    Bullies.


    That¡¯s what they all were. Hovering over anyone weaker than them, using their height and mass to


    intimidate and demean.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, she won¡¯t be Luna for much longer.¡± He divulged, using the same hand that had


    been sped over my mouth to snare one of my pale curls. With a soft but menacing voice he asked,


    ¡°Who will protect you then? ¡°


    Fear tried it¡¯s best to sink into my skin, searching frantically for something¡ªanything totch onto.


    ¡°Just reject me and get it over with.¡± I breathed, my eyes falling shut as the instinct to shield myself tore


    through my nervous system.


    ¡°Run little rabbit,¡± was all he said.


    When I finally gained the courage to open my eyes, he was gone.


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