A'S
the one who started this. Three years ago, he was my boyfriend. Then he found out and
why was he standing between me and Bella like a shield? Why did
this was a new game. Break the toy, the
n Alpha uses when he's about to bite. "And listen to me, Bella. You don't touch h
could hear her sharp intake of breath. She wasn't used to being sp
t-" she started, h
e doing," he cut her off."
s a long
ered. She sounded
e hate. She looked like she wanted to kill me. She nodded at Maddox, and then she spun ar
t was
r click
at me. I was still on the floor, looking l
e reached
ribs. Don't take it, my brain screamed. Thi
was shaking. His fingers closed around mine. His gri
't letting go. He pulled me closer, just a step, so I had to look
to my cheeks. He looked at the red marks on my neck whe
this means, r
ly. I couldn't speak.
and, but he didn't step back. He crowded me against the s
d. "I... I didn
touched the corner of his mouth. "You ow
locked up
money, power, an army behind him. I was nothing. I wa
ind of
e me steal for him. He would make me hurt someone. Or... my
llecting the re
kind of favour
d smell mint on his breath. "I haven't decided yet," he said softly.
epped
urning his back to me to check
there,
It echoed off the ti
about to be full of people. I couldn'
I blurted out. M
r him to answer.
exit. My wet shoes squeaked on the floor. I kept
____
thighs were burning, the wet denim of my uniform was sticking to the open
e wet hair plastered to my forehead, the dark stains on my shirt where the mop water had soaked thro
t happened. She just stopped packing and looked
to the class. Th
dn't look at me, but I felt the weight of her words. "We are wolves. We are predators. We are not... scavengers. If you look like you've be
ked up
ars. I kept my head down, staring at my w
he third row. A snicke
used. She caught my eye, held it, and let out a little laugh, covering her mouth
down at the empty desk in the back, the
drag
or the trip in the hallway. I wait
at me. It was like I was a ghost. The girls with her didn'
dox's threa
t them, but the absence was loud. They were top scholars. Alphas in training. They didn't need to be
ted co
d at th
moon came up. Nine hours until my birthday off
n the back of my mind. She was angry. If I cou
eeth and claws and speed. I could run. I could fight. I could tear out throat of anyone who came near m
d in my mind. I had stolen it from his study
. if I'm str
kept my head down.
the final
re shaking, not from fear thi
The courtyard was full of students, laughing, shouti
I could see the street o
hadows fel
the sun. They were tall. Broad. The air pressure
t didn't just sink; it
knew the way they stood. Legs apart, t
lifted
jeans. Matching cold, predat
ere waiting. They were standi
ock was leaning against the gate, blocking the only
"We know it's your birthday. We'r
g in my lap. My father wasn't home. If I took them there, I was leading wolve
my pillow. If I could get to it..
ce sounded dea
___
aint was peeling off the porch. The yard was a mess of we
out of the car. He stretched, his
ke lead. I unlocked the door. The house s
e living room. He kicked a pile of laundry with his b
my throat tight. "
el their eyes on my back, burning holes through my s
ed with books. The sheets were gray and thin. There were no posters on the
e mattress with his toe. "Je
ed out my underwear that was worn thin from too many washes. H
ne likes your body, Isla. You dress like a nu
I stared at the pillow. The gun was r
ing the door. He wa
turned to me, and the playfulness was gone. His face was hard, cruel.
stumbled back onto the bed. The m
" he o
My brain was screaming run,
er and stood at the foot of
at's boring. We n
e," Slade
s were dark, dilated, foc
ng closer until his thighs brushed my knees
e just pulled it down, hard. The fabric strained against my throat, then gave way, exposin
I whispered, my
ut
up and pressed the rough cotton directly against m
rt. It should hav
betrayed m
ectricity straight to my core.
lm and be a good g
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