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If I hadn't happened to walk by, I would never have seen this absurd scene. I was watching a baby welcome party through the hotel's glass windows. And there in the middle of the crowd was none other than my husband. He was carefully holding a small infant in his arms, smiling with tenderness and affection. "Baby, I'm your daddy. Say 'Daddy'! Oh, you are so pretty just like your mom." The woman sitting next to him playfully tapped his shoulder, her face flushed with happiness. All around them were the familiar faces of our friends, all smiling brightly. Apparently, I was the only one who didn't know. It felt like a knife had pierced my heart. It hurts so much. Fine. Since he has a new family now, it's time for me to step away. "Mom, please help me arrange immigration papers for me and my unborn baby. I'm getting a divorce." ———————— Through the hotel's glass windows, Olivia could see a baby welcome party in full swing. And there in the middle of the crowd was none other than her husband. He was carefully holding a small infant in his arms, smiling with tenderness and affection. "Baby, I'm your daddy. Say 'Daddy'! Oh, you are so pretty just like your mom." The woman sitting next to him playfully tapped his shoulder, her face flushed with happiness. All around them were the familiar faces of Olivia and her husband’s friends, all smiling brightly. Apparently, Olivia was the only one who hadn't known. If she hadn't had an interview scheduled upstairs today, she would never have seen this absurd scene. The fury in Olivia's heart gradually calmed until she felt a strange sense of acceptance. Fine. Since he had a new family now, it was time for her to step away. She took out her phone and called her mother. "Mom, please help me arrange immigration papers for me and my unborn baby. I'm getting a divorce." ... "Hey Benjamin, Olivia doesn't know about today, right?" his friend asked worriedly. Benjamin barely looked up as he played with the baby in his arms. "She has no idea, and there's no reason for her to find out. If she did, she'd probably overthink everything again. She's been showing a lot of hostility toward Stella lately." "None of you better breathe a word of this to her," he warned. "Relax, we all know the drill. Our lips are sealed. But she's four months pregnant too. What if she finds out someday? Don't you think the shock might be too much for her?" "The longer we can keep this quiet, the better. And if she can't accept it, then we might as well get divorced." Standing by the doorway, Olivia felt ice spreading from her heart to her toes as she watched her husband's cold, indifferent expression. Stella had been five months pregnant when her boyfriend died before they could get married. Just because she was the widow of his fellow soldier, Benjamin had started taking care of her and her unborn baby non-stop. He rented her an apartment, accompanied her to prenatal checkups, and would rush over at any hour—even in the middle of the night—with just one phone call from her. For Stella, he had abandoned Olivia countless times. He'd leave her alone at the movies, ditch her during dinner, and even cut their vacations short to fly back the moment Stella called. He always had time for Stella's doctor appointments but never for hers. Still, Olivia never complained, thinking it was just Benjamin being kind-hearted. That is, until she accidentally caught them cuddling intimately in the apartment he rented for Stella. Only then did she realize how terribly wrong she had been. All that "taking care" of Stella was just an excuse for their affair. Hearing Benjamin mention divorce, Stella curled her sensual red lips into a smile. "Olivia's just being childish. She's jealous of how you treats me and my baby with Jake, that's all. I've lost Jake, and I have no one to depend on. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have survived." Stella's voice broke as she started crying. Benjamin wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "Stella, I promised I'd take care of you and baby, and I meant it. Don't worry about Olivia—worst case, we'll keep this from her forever!" "Looks like Benjamin's living the dream—two families at once! Man, I'm jealous." "Let's hope Olivia isn't stupid enough to leave. Men as amazing as Benjamin are rare these days!" "I bet even if she finds out Benjamin has another family, she'll never leave him!" Benjamin raised an eyebrow, looking smug. Stella playfully swatted the guys. "Come on, stop betting on the poor girl. That's just cruel!" Olivia smiled sadly. Yes, it was cruel, but it would all be over soon. After finishing her interview upstairs, she stepped out of the elevator and ran into Stella coming out of the restroom. Stella froze when she saw her. "Olivia? What are you doing here?" Stella feigned surprise. "Don't tell me you found out Benjamin was hosting our baby's welcome party and came running?" Olivia laughed coldly. "Is that so? Thanks for letting me know." "Wait, you didn't know?" Stella smirked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I didn't want to hide it from you, but Benjamin said today was special and didn't want you ruining it. You know how much he cares about me and the baby." "..." Olivia stared at her coldly, saying nothing. Stella continued brazenly: "By the way, you probably don't know this, but to give my baby proper legal status, Benjamin's decided to divorce you and marry me, so my baby can legitimately be his child!" Olivia's eyes widened in shock. She never imagined Benjamin could be this shameless—he'd actually been planning to divorce her and be with Stella all along. Her fingers clenched at her sides as pain shot through her heart, nearly making her knees buckle. "Move," she said. She tried to leave, but Stella blocked her way. "What's wrong? Upset already? If you can't handle it, why don't you sign those divorce papers right away?" Spotting Benjamin coming out of the banquet hall looking for her, Stella deliberately screamed and fell to the floor. "I'm so sorry, Olivia! Don't be angry—we didn't mean to hide this from you! But today is my daughter's welcome party. Could you please just hold your temper and not make a scene?" She was sobbing dramatically when Benjamin walked over. "Liv, what are you doing here?" Panic flashed across his face as he worried Olivia might have discovered something. "Benjamin, Olivia found out about our celebration and got upset. Don't blame her—she's young, and getting physical is just her way of expressing herself." After Stella's tearful explanation, Benjamin frowned and looked at Olivia. "Liv, you know Stella's situation. I'm just hosting this party as the baby's uncle. Go home for now, and I'll come back to you when this is over, okay?" "Uncle? Are you sure that's all you are?" Olivia laughed bitterly. She'd just heard him teaching the baby to call him daddy. "Whatever the relationship is, this child lost her father, which is tragic. From now on, I'll be her father. You're about to be a mother yourself—you should understand how terrible it is for a child to grow up without a father. Stop making a scene and go home." Olivia looked at him expressionlessly. When had the once gentle and caring man turned into this? "Benjamin, if you had to choose between my baby and Stella's, who would you pick?" "Stop playing games, Liv." Benjamin took a deep breath, softening his tone. "Just go home. I'll bring you a gift tonight." "Yeah, stop causing trouble. There are so many people here—you don't want to embarrass Benjamin, do you?" "Olivia, you're just not as reasonable as Stella. That's why we kept this from you today." His friends had all rushed out to see what was happening and started criticizing Olivia. She knew they wouldn't believe anything she said, so she didn't bother explaining. "Benjamin, remember this: I gave you a chance, and you didn't take it." With that, she walked away without looking back. Watching her leave, Benjamin's friends exchanged glances. "What did she mean by that? Is she planning to divorce Benjamin?" "It'd be great if she actually wanted a divorce. Then Benjamin could marry Stella like he wants. But I bet she's just playing hard to get." "Exactly, she's just playing games. Don't worry, Benjamin." "What am I worried about? She's acting like a child." Benjamin looked away from Olivia's retreating figure. "It's fine. I'll smooth things over with her tonight." When Olivia got home, she started clearing out the trash—everything related to Benjamin went into the garbage. Since she'd decided to leave, all their memories needed to go too. As she carried bags downstairs, she saw Benjamin parking his car and rushing to help Stella out of the passenger seat.

My mother just passed away, leaving me a letter filled with more than just her goodbyes. It dropped a bombshell. I now know where my father is. That's how I ended up here - the Rebel Vipers MC clubhouse. But my dad isn't the only thing I found when I got here. Now, there are two hot bikers vying for my attention and I find myself falling for both of them. What do I do when they say I don't have to choose because they want to share me? _________ STEEL Two Years Ago "You did what?" Whiskey yells so loud, these cinder block walls might crumble. We're in an interrogation room in the back halls of the county courthouse. There are no windows to the outside and the floor's a concrete slab. The room's brightly lit by four large, fluorescent tube lights and I'd normally be super annoyed by the buzzing they're making, but I won't be in this room much longer. "I took the deal." "You took the deal?" Is he deaf? Maybe all the yelling has affected his own hearing. "Yes." I had to. His energy instantly deflates, and he drops back into the chair on the other side of the table I'm handcuffed to. "Why the heck would you do that?" "I couldn't let this go to trial and drag the club's name through the mud. That's not how things work." He knows this. It's the reason I did things the way I did. "But you—" I interrupt him before he can say something to make life worse for the both of us. "Stop. You can't say shiit like that here. We've got ears." I tilt my head back, nodding toward the two-way mirror behind me. I know there's at least three people in the room behind the glass. "Fine," he huffs and runs a hand over his beard. "What's the deal?" I lean forward and fold my hands on top of the table. "Twenty-four to thirty-six months. Possibility for early release with good behavior." That gets Whiskey's hackles right back up. If he's not careful, he'll give himself a heart attack. "What the heck? You could be in prison for three years? What kind of idiot lawyer did we hire?" "Dude, calm the heck down. I need you alive on the outside of these walls when I get out. And it could only be two years total. That's better than the twenty I'd get if we go to trial. You know those idiot feds would lock me up for longer if they could. Doing it this way, I get the say on my time." "Fine. Where you being held?" "In state, at New Lisbon Correctional. I made it part of my agreement that I picked a place close to home. It's just over an hour away from the clubhouse." Not that I want any of my Brothers to visit me in prison, because no one needs the problems that could cause. I simply wanted the peace of mind of being in an area I know. "So, will you have a felony on your record?" I think this incarceration's going to bother Whiskey more than it will me. I get why, but he really needs to take a chill pill. I nod. "I'll be on parole when I get out early, then yes, I'll have a felony." "If you only would've—" I cut him off again. "Stop. Not here." "But what about Opal?" That's the worst part of all this. Opal, my two-year-old daughter. I won't be able to see her while I'm locked away. I won't let her come here to see me through a piece of plexiglass or behind metal bars. She's too young to understand why we won't be able to hug or that there's a time limit on our visit. "Ring said he'll watch over her and do stuff with her, and he promised to bring her to family functions at the club. Just because her mother's a prick, don't mean Opal can't be around everyone while I'm gone." "Sydney won't be a problem. We'll make sure Opal gets whatever she wants and needs. You too. We'll keep your account full, but if you need anything, just call Mountain or Ring." "Thank you." This is why I'm proud to be part of the Rebel Vipers MC. We watch out for each other when someone needs a helping hand. And I'll need it the most over these next two years. "I should be thanking you." Whiskey meets my eyes, dead on. I bust a chuckle, trying to break the tension. "When I get out, I expect one of a welcome home party. There better be lots of heckin' hot club girls waiting for me." That gets him smiling. "It's a deal. I'm sure all the girls will be happy to lend you a hand . . . or two." Knock knock. I guess the guys in the monkey suits didn't like us talking about club girls and me getting laid. The door opens and FBI Agent Emanuelle walks in, followed by my lawyer. "Alright, gentlemen, time's up." If Whiskey could kill someone with just a look, Agent Emanuelle would be dead. He really doesn't like anyone in uniform, especially those who go back on their word. And Luke Emanuelle has turned out to be one of those people. He put up a big stink about how he thought I should be let go, but once he was assigned as the head agent in charge of my case, his protests stopped. His attitude did a full one-eighty and he was all on board with locking me behind bars. What a jackass. "Time for me to go?" I ask. "Yes, it is, Mr. James," my lawyer answers. Now, this man has been a saint. After I laid everything out and told him what I wanted to do, he worked a miracle. In an effort to avoid the long process of arraignment, a trial, and sentencing, he managed to get me the deal I wanted in two days. I hold up my wrists and Agent Emanuelle unlocks my cuffs from the chain attached to the table. I stand up, wrists still cuffed in the front, and turn to look at my Brother. "Look after my little girl and I'll see you in two years." He stands. "You got it." I walk out the door and head toward my life for the next twenty-four months. Orange jumpsuits and three-hots-and-a-cot . . . here I come. STEEL End of February Clang. The sound of my cell door opening wakes me up. I roll over on my cot and see one of the day shift guards standing in the open doorway. "Rise and shine, James. You've got a meeting with your P.O. this morning." I swing my legs over the side of the shiitty mattress and jump down to the floor. "Can a guy get some privacy to take a leak?" I chuckle, knowing I won't be given time to do anything. I just like to push buttons to test what someone's attitude is like. "No time. You know the drill. Turn around, hands behind your back." He holds up the handcuff chain and shakes it in my direction. This guard is one I've only seen recently, so my guess is that he's super new to the job and wants to do everything by the book. I know my time here is counting down, so having an issue with someone like him isn't worth it for me. I turn and he snaps the cuffs around my wrists. I back out of my cell and turn to head for the stairs. My cell is on the second level of the cell block, all the way in the furthest corner. We meet a second guard at the end of the mezzanine and head down the stairs, then through the empty rec room. Once outside the secured area, we make a bunch of left and right turns, almost like going through a maze. If someone was stupid enough to try and escape this place, they'd probably get lost in these halls. We stop in front of an open office and I see my parole officer sitting at his desk. "Come on in. Have a seat." I drop down into the single plastic chair, and the guards back out into the hall. "Sorry to have you brought in so early, Colt, but I've got some good news for you." He grabs a file folder off the pile on the corner of his desk and opens it up. "Good news? What's that? I'm still in here, ain't I?" I laugh at my own joke, but this time, the guy I'm talking to laughs back with me. "Not for long. That's why I wanted to meet with you, to inform you that your release has been scheduled for sixty days from now. That'll be the end of April." He lifts the top piece of paper in the file, flips it around, and slides it across the desk so I can read it. There's a whole shiitload of words typed all formally, but the thing that catches my eye is the circle of yellow highlighter at the bottom. The words 'Date of Release' are in bold font and underlined, then circled with the bright fluorescent ink. Holy shiit! I knew the time was coming, but seeing it with my own eyes is shocking. "This for real?" I look up and ask. In a place like this, I know it won't be real until I'm on the outside of the block walls, riding away into the sunset. "Oh, it's real. The judge and warden signed off last night. I would've pulled you in then, but I didn't get the email until thirty minutes ago. I've got some paperwork for you to look over and sign, then we'll meet again in a week." He grabs the paper back and starts separating everything in the file into two different piles. "Why a week?" "You get a week in case you want to schedule a meeting with your lawyer. Because you had a plea deal, I suggest you don't sign your formal release papers without showing them to your lawyer first. Something I recommend just to cross your t's and dot your i's." Makes sense, I guess. "I'll call him this afternoon. Is there an exact date yet? I noticed the date says April, but the number is blank." "Due to scheduling purposes, the exact date won't be determined until the week before. I do know that it'll be the end of the month. Sixty days from today is April twenty-seventh, so it'll be anytime in that seven-day window." He puts the smaller pile of papers into a large manilla envelope, then slides it across the table. "These are your copies. Show them to your lawyer. When you're ready to sign, let a guard know and they'll get you in front of a notary to make everything official. Any questions?" "I don't think so." I shake my head, still a little unbelieving of everything happening so quick. "Alright. Guards," he calls out, "he's all yours." The two men appear back in the doorway as I stand up and walk their way. "Let's get you back to your block." The nicer guard leads the way. I get back to my cell block just in time for all the other cell doors to start rolling open. The block I live in has an open-door policy during the day. We're allowed to walk around the open rec room with everyone. We can watch television, play cards, read books, and make phone calls. From nine in the morning until seven at night, twenty-three other men and I are nothing more than mice in a bulletproof glass cage. The guards get me back to my cell and unlock my cuffs. I walk straight to the shelf above the desk and pull down the cardboard box I keep all my court papers in. While inside this place, I like to have all my paperwork within reach. I drop the folder in the box and slide it back onto the shelf. "Howdy ho, neighbor." I turn to see my cell neighbor, Ray, standing in the doorway. "What'd they pull you out so early for?" I step toward him and we fist bump before heading for the stairs. "I had a meeting with my P.O. He gave me my release paperwork." "No shiit? That's awesome, man. When you heading out?" "Sixty days, give or take. I gotta call the club and get them to send my lawyer for the paperwork." We jog down the stairs and head for the payphones in the corner. "You still serious about me coming to visit the club when I get out? I've got about six months left myself, so I won't be out long after you." I met Ray the day I got here. He's a few years younger than me and has been my cell neighbor since day one. He's three and a half years into his four-year sentence for armed robbery. We got to talking one day about where we're from and how we got here, and we instantly clicked. Talking to him felt like I was back home with my Brothers. "When you get out, you bring your wife and kid and come to the clubhouse. I already told Whiskey that I invited you to visit, and he's open to meeting with you. After that, it's all on you. I can only get you as far as the door, getting in the club is determined by your actions." "Sounds good to me. I'll leave you to your call." He heads to talk to some of the other guys. I pick up the payphone and dial the numbers I need to make the collect call. The line buzzes a few times, until I hear the click that someone picked up on the other end. "Hey, Steel. How's it goin' in there?" It didn't take Ring long to answer. It never does. No matter what he's doing, whether it's something for the club or when he's at the brewery, he picks up. "It's going really good actually. That's why I'm calling. I need you to do a favor for me." "A favor because of something good? That sounds kinda fishy. What'd you need?" "Call my lawyer and get him to come down here to look over some paperwork. I just found out I'm getting out in two months." "TWO MONTHS! Holy shiit, man! That's not good, that's great!" I can tell he's happy for me. "Yea?" I can hear him talking to someone on his end. "Hey, Whiskey. It's Steel . . . He says he's getting out in two months . . . I'll tell him." "Dude, can't you tell him that when we're off the phone?" I jest. It feels good to be razzing and joking with my best friend. "He approached me, so no, it couldn't wait, ya prick," he mocks back. "Fine, fine. Tell me how things have been there. What kind of shenanigans have you guys gotten yourselves into?" I haven't actually seen any of my Brothers since I got here, but I talk to someone at least once a week. "Whiskey went and got Duchess knocked up. She dropped the bomb on him on Valentine's day." Whoa! That's something I didn't see coming. I was shocked enough when I heard he took an Old Lady, but a baby? That brings things to a whole other level. "How's he handling everything? Babies change things big time." "He's been a papa bear on the prowl ever since. He won't let her go anywhere without him and she's about to lose her mind. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen." "I bet he has. If Duchess is anything like you say, I bet she'll keep his as$ in line." From what I've heard about her, and how she handled being kidnapped, I have no doubt she's the perfect woman for our President. "She sasses back at him when he needs it. It's great," he laughs. "Oh, and speaking of Duchess, you should've seen her with Opal last weekend. I took her to the bakery for a cupcake and Duchess let her into the back to decorate her own. By the time we left, her cheeks were tinted pink from all the frosting she ate. Then, she was so hyped from all the sugar, she was up way past her bedtime." That cracks me up even more. God, I miss my little girl. Opal is four years old now and I hate that I've missed all this time with her. When I get home, I'll be spending all the time I can with her, no matter what her bimbo of a mother says. "You spoil her rotten, Ring. You bring all that trouble on yourself." "It's all worth it for the little girl cuddles, just you wait and see. She's so excited for you to get home. I wish she was here so you could tell her the good news yourself." "It's alright. Let's wait to tell her 'til after I meet with the lawyer and get the ball rolling. I don't wanna get her hopes up, just in case something happens to delay it." The last thing I need to do is lie to Opal when coming home is so close. "I'll wait to tell her. But listen, I've gotta get going. A new distributor just walked in the door and I need to give him a tour. I'll call the lawyer when I'm done. Is that alright?" "All's good here. I'll call again when I know more." "Stay safe, Brother." Ring says the same thing at the end of every call. "Always" is always my reply back, then the line goes dead. Now, it's time to wait. Sixty days and I'll be on my way back home. PENELOPE End of March "I still can't believe she's gone. What do I do now?" "I'm going to miss her too, honey. But I'll help you with anything you need." I look at my aunt and can see this is eating her inside, just as much as it is me. My mother is dead. We're standing in the open hallway of the cemetery's mausoleum, watching as the funeral home attendant talks with the groundskeeper, getting ready to slide her coffin into the block wall. I had originally thought about burying my mom like people usually do, but when I met with the funeral director to make plans, something about this area spoke to me. Knowing she won't be under the ground when I come to visit her made me feel a lot better about the whole process. My mom and Aunt Jane are the only family that I had. I'm twenty-six years old and now it's just my aunt left. I grew up not knowing who my dad is. When I was younger and asked my mom about him, she would say she didn't know his name and to never bring it up again, so I eventually stopped asking. "Let's let the gentlemen do their work and head back to the house. People will be coming soon to pay their respects and I want to freshen up before they arrive." I don't want to leave Mom here alone. I haven't been away from her since she got sick two years ago. "But . . ." "Don't give me no sass, little lady. It's time to go." She loops her arm through mine and pulls me toward the parking lot. We get into my minivan and I drive away before I chicken out and run back to the building. It takes about twenty minutes to get home, and as soon as we park in the garage, Aunt Jane gets out and practically runs into the house. What's the big hurry? No one's here yet. We chose not to have anyone else with us at the cemetery, but put in the obituary that everyone was welcome at the house afterward. I shut the garage door and head into the house. When I walk in, she's coming down the hall, holding an envelope in her hand. "What's that?" "It's a letter from your mom. She wanted me to give it to you when the timing felt right. I'm giving it to you now, but don't open it until everyone leaves." She holds the envelope out, but I'm afraid to take it from her. "Then why give it to me now?" I finally grow some balls and grab it. My name's written on the front in a swirly script. Toward the end, the cancer made her muscles weak, but somehow, her handwriting never changed. "Well, partially so I don't forget, but mostly because I wanted you to know she left you something. Everything she did was for you." How cryptic. I walk into my office and put the letter in the desk drawer. I don't know what it says, so I'll read it when I'm alone. A few hours later, the last guests leave and I head for my office. I pull the envelope out and decide to sit on the extra wide chaise lounge chair in the corner. Something tells me I'm going to need comfort when I read this. I carefully rip the envelope open and pull out the folded pieces of paper. Whatever she had to say took two pages. My Penelope, If you're reading this, that means God decided it was time to call me home. The cancer has been ruling our lives for the last few years, but now we're both finally free. Now you can spread your wings and get back to living your life, instead of being stuck under my dark shadow. It also means your aunt thought you were ready to read what this letter says. Please don't be mad at her for saying she didn't know. I only recently told her and I made her promise to keep my secret. I'm not really sure there's a right way to say this, so I'll just drop the bomb and come back to explain after. I lied to you. I do know who your father is. I didn't realize I was pregnant with you until after I'd moved away to college and I struggled with what to do. To put it simply, I was scared. By the time I built the courage to tell him, you were almost a year old, and then I chickened out. I thought that if I just kept pushing it under the rug, I could raise you all by myself. I had your aunt to help me and we were doing just fine. Holy hecking shiit! She lied to me? I never saw this coming. I thought this letter might've been her saying what she wanted me to do with the house, not to drop my birth father on me. Who is he? If you're still reading, I can imagine that you've probably said a few choice swear words. And I can say I don't blame you one bit. I'd hate me, if I was in your shoes. Nothing will make up for my mistakes, but hopefully one day you'll forgive me. Even if it's in the distant future. So dear Penelope, please be mad at me. I honestly want you to be upset. What I did was so very wrong and it crushed my soul a little bit every day for keeping this from you. If you'd like to know who he is, go into my closet and find the black shoebox on the top shelf. It's tucked in the back corner, way up high, somewhere I hoped you'd never go searching. You were always such a good little girl. You never argued with me, never peeked at Christmas presents early, and always told me when you snuck in after curfew. I should've trusted you with this information a long time ago, but it was my own issues holding me back. If you find him, and he wants to get to know you, please give him a chance. His lifestyle may be a bit unorthodox, but for the short time he was in my life, he was an amazing man. I'm sorry, again, for not being there to tell you this myself, but know that I'm watching over you as you take this next journey in your life. I love you to the moon and past the stars. Mom I throw down the letter and take off running down the hall. My socks slip on the hardwood and I almost bust my behind when I try to turn into her bedroom. I need to know what she's been hiding in this shoebox. I swing the closet door open, pull the chain to turn the light on, and freeze. I came running in here on a mission, but seeing all her things right where she left them hits me hard. Am I going to do this? Is this the right thing to do? Should I go looking for a man I know absolutely nothing about? What if he's really an ax murderer or something? She said he was an amazing man, but then why didn't she say anything before now? What is an 'unorthodox lifestyle'? Finally getting over myself, I take a few steps into the closet and reach up for the box. It's not heavy at all. It almost feels empty, but I give it a quick shake and hear things sliding around inside. Turning off the light and shutting the closet, I crawl onto my mom's bed. Maybe being in her space will make it feel like she's here with me. I lift the lid and peek inside, almost like something's going to pop out at me. All that's inside is two ticket stubs for a county fair and a picture tucked inside of a plastic sleeve. It's like the ones you usually find inside a photo album, but this is just one picture. I pick up the picture and first notice a very young version of my mother smiling bright. She looks so happy. She was always so happy, though, no matter how much pain she was in. Next, I turn my attention to the very tall man standing next to her with his arm around her shoulder. They look mighty comfortable being all up in each other's bubbles. What he's wearing is what really draws me in. He's got on what looks like black boots, some really dark-colored jeans, a bright white t-shirt, and a black leather vest with patches on it. The picture isn't clear enough to show what they say on the front of his vest, but someone standing just to his side has their back turned to the camera. The vest has a giant skull and snake patch in the middle and I recognize it immediately. Anyone who lives within a hundred-mile radius knows what that patch means. My father's a biker in the Rebel Vipers Motorcycle Club. Their clubhouse is in a town thirty minutes from where I've lived since I was five years old. My father has been this close for most of my life and I never had a clue. I flip the picture over and see my mom's handwriting again. Me and Jethro. County fair. There's no year, but I'm going to guess it was the summer before she left for college. What if she was pregnant with me in this picture? I guess there's only one way to find out. I know where I'm going to visit this weekend. Jethro, whoever you are, you're about to be in for the shock of your life.

"I, Amelia Lovecraft, reject you, Lincoln Hunters as my mate and Alpha. You already have a lover, you don't respect our mate bond, so you don't deserve me." Letting out a breath I stepped back and in a second Alpha Lincoln abruptly stood up, almost pushing his futile girlfriend to the ground. My mate never needed me. "We don't need him either Mia." Heera was back. Heera was always a strong female wolf, so did I. ———————— Amelia Lovecraft I'm Amelia Lovecraft, a member of the Blood Hunters Pack of Northern America. I always adored the pack doctors and it was my dream to be one. I feel so proud of myself to be able to go back home and train with my chief doctor there. It's been three years since I've been away from home and family due to my studies and thankfully with very encouraging parents I've come this far. As you know it life is never perfect. Though I've found my path to lead a good life in the future, I haven't still met my mate. Since I turned eighteen, I was hopeful that I'll meet him at some point of my life but now after all these years of travelling back and forth to my pack and back to my university, I began to learn that "maybe" the moon goddess didn't bless me with a mate. As time went on I learnt to live with that. With the help of Selena I did date a few but, I never really found someone who'd make Heera my wolf and myself happy. "I feel so excited to be going back home!" My wolf Heera spoke brightly. "I know, it's been more than six months since we've been home.." "Running through the fields... oh Mia, I can't wait!" She exclaimed. "You can run all you want babe, now let's get to Selena." With that I drove to the club to meet my friend. I reached the club, where the music was blasting in your ears and luckily Selena had already arrived and reserved a place for us. She waved towards me from the corner of the club so I walked up to her. The club was mixed with us werewolves and humans. The humankind were completely oblivious of our existence, which made it easier for us to mingle in their world. After meeting up with Selena and Connor, we had a few drinks and laughed at the silly jokes Connor was making. About an hour after that Connor excused himself to the washroom, Selena shifted closer to me... "So Mia I know it's a sensitive topic, umm.. are you hoping to find your mate once you get home?" Selena asked with a slight pitiful gaze. She hardly talked about the topic in order to not make me feel down. Now that she asked I realized she was concerned with my future so I gave a reassuring smile. "You could only hope Selena. I waited way too long for him." I sighed stirring my lemon drop martini. Even though I've travelled back to my pack twice every year, I never really had the luck. "I'm sorry to bring it up Mia." She squeezed my hand. "I'm fine.. really." I simply replied. "No matter how much you tell yourself that Mia, I know a part of you longs to meet our mate. Let's hope he's out there somewhere." Heera pondered. - Lincoln Hunters "I, Elijah Hunters, alpha of The Blood Hunters Pack would like to announce that my son Lincoln Hunters as your future alpha from this minute on." I stepped up on the rock where my father stood as he commenced the ceremony earning cheers and howls from our pack and a few other packs who were also invited. I'm Lincoln Hunters, son of Elijah Hunters. The current alpha of The Blood Hunters Pack the most fierce and powerful pack ever known. No one and I mean no one messes with our territory. After years of training by the borders of Canada, I'm finally back home to take my duties as alpha. Once the ceremony was over I walked down to be met by my beta, the second in command Benjamin and along with Matt and Tyler, the pack's top ranked warriors and also known as my good friends. They stood up tall and bowed their heads by addressing me as their alpha, giving them a curt nod I tapped them on the shoulder as they followed me through the crowd. Everyone bowed down and showed me their respects and I asked them all to head to the banquet and begin the feast. At the end of the crowd I was met with the two lovely ladies and the only reason to make me smile. It was my mother and girlfriend Sarah, I gave my mother a hug and pecked her forehead as she laid her head on my chest. "Bend down Linc!" She ordered. I chuckled and bent down to meet my mum's eyes. She pecked me on the cheek. "You should smile more often son. It looks good on you." She said straightening the wrinkles on my shoulders of the shirt. "Sure mum!" I nodded. Then my eyes directed to the love of my life, she stood there looking at me all the while, as I walked up to her, I lifted her up and our lips connected. She let out a moan as her arms held on to my neck. From the side I eyed my mother just walk away, she wasn't very pleased when I told her about my relationship with Sarah. I felt down and depressed when I never had a chance to meet my mate, that's when Sarah came along she was Benjamin's little sister. She trained a few times with Benjamin and that's when she caught my attention. She helped through my vulnerable stages without a mate and from then on Sarah has been a very special girl in my life, probably something more than a mate. Right now I pray to the goddess, that my mate never shows up because Sarah is all I want. My wolf Kai has been really quiet when it concerns Sarah, compared to the domineering wolf that he is, he hasn't even made an effort to communicate with her wolf. I do see the part where he still longs for a mate but I'm done waiting for a mate who'll never show up. "That's what you think!" Kai snapped inside my head. I chose to not argue with him now so I joined my pack for dinner. - Amelia Lovecraft It's been more than a week that I've been training with the chief doctor here at the pack, Dr. Alex Thornton. He's been amazing with helping me learn so much, the perfect mentor I could have asked for. Parking my car in the nearest spot to the hospital, I walked in greeting the guards and other colleagues. With Alex taking care of the older werewolves, I was appointed for the pups. They come to me with tear stained sad faces from bruises to broken bones. It was definitely a task to bring up a smile upon their innocent faces. As for what the nurses and other doctors told me, I have been doing a good job. Taming a child throwing a tantrum, obviously wasn't my strongest points but I still tried. "Morning Mia!" Alex spoke up with a bright smile as I entered the chief doctor's office. "Hey morning Alex.." I replied. While I finished consulting my third patient of the day, I remembered leaving my coat at Alex's office. As soon as I got a break I left to his office to retrieve it. Walking a few doors down the corridor, a very powerful scent hit me. Heera purred as she sniffed the air and I felt so hypnotized by it. "Mia, hurry up... he's here!" Heera howled. A wave of excitement hit me as I glided through the hospital with scent of spruce and mint guiding me to its rightful owner. Oh goddess, I have a mate. My mate! I have waited for you for years, and here you are. A small smile caught my lips and I clutched on to my file really tight. Feeling impatient and nervous I walked down the corridors wondering why this hospital had to be so big. "Just run!" Heera growled. I can't when the nurses and patients were watching me of course. Doing courtesy nods to a few familiar faces I rushed to the office. Stopping a few steps away from the entrance I let out a deep breath to calm my nerves and to not let them know I had been in a rush. This could be it, the day my life changes for good or for bad. "What nonsense, it's changing for the good." Heera hopped, pushing me to open the doors. I smiled at her excitement and opened the door. I gasped at the presence of Alpha Lincoln himself, his greyish green eyes staring right into my hazel eyes for answers. He was my... "Mate?" Heera stepped back. Narrowing my eyes at her reaction, I broke away from the daze and noticed the female on his lap. A sensation that made my blood boil, the excitement was now replaced with pain. Pain that I hadn't felt before, like something pierced through my heart. She laid on him like she owned him. They weren't mates. We were mates. But still, here she was claiming to the world that she possessed what was mine. Remembering dad's words about the Alpha and Sarah... his girlfriend. After all these years I rather be mateless, than watch this sickening sight in front of me. I tried to sense Heera for mental support but she has already blocked me out. I guess she's in more pain than I am. Letting out a breath I stepped back and in a second Alpha Lincoln abruptly stood up, almost pushing his futile girlfriend to the ground. His eyes gleamed in sliver as they stared at me as if challenging me to walk away, and I sensed his tension building up. It felt like his wolf wanted to break out. On the other hand his mother helped Sarah compose her posture, while Alex stood up from his seat, making his way to me. "About time." Alex spoke cheerfully. I looked at him in confusion, only to realize a nurse handed him a bag of medication from behind me. I looked to ground for a moment mentally thanking the nurse for the intrusion. "Ouch Lincoln!" I heard a screech. It was Sarah, never hated a person before I knew them. This was definitely a first. "I'm sorry!" He spoke, and there for a second I thought I would melt into a puddle. The sound of his voice so manly and confident. Swallowing my stupid feelings I looked up, he placed one of his hands in his pockets as he stared out the office with his jaw clenched. He wasn't looking the happiest and neither was I. His eyes had turned back to the greyish green as the sun reflected through them. "Let's go!" Sarah huffed as she walked past all of us without a glance. The pain I felt turned to rage when I caught whiff of his scent on her. Nibbling on my lip I fiddled with the file I had in my hand. "Want something Mia?" Alex inquired. I almost forgot. Thinking further for a second and unable to form a sentence, feeling the Alpha's eyes staring right into my soul, "I.. I forgot my lab coat.." I replied to Alex with a small fake smile. "Yes, I saw it somewhere.." he walked to his desk. Giving the Luna her medicines, he began searching for my coat. Luna Catherine walked towards me, "my Luna." I bowed. She lifted me up by my chin and greeted me with a beautiful smile. "I remember you when you were little." She spoke softly. "I guess I'll see you around darling." She embraced me into hug and left. My heart began thumping harder as I noticed him walking towards me, more over to the entrance to leave. As his steps got closer, I moved close to the wall so that I'll give him the space to walk out. I needed to be strong and let him know that his little lover situation hadn't affected me one bit. Straightening my back I looked away from him. His footsteps stopped right in front of me, holding the poor file tighter than I already had I gave him a questioning look, with no other expression. We stood quite close to each other, only then I observed his height, he was surely very much taller than my father and thanks to my heels I was a little close to his shoulder. His broad shoulders and well toned body were sculpted through his shirt that clad him perfectly. He looked very menacing and serious. Intimidating enough to let anyone run the opposite direction. And here I was standing right in front of him, looking at him in the eye. He stood accessing my face as if looking for something that I didn't express. What did he want? Is he going to reject me in front Alex? Oh goddess no! My thoughts were halted when he held up my lab coat in front of my face. So he had it all this while. Glancing at my coat I looked at him one last time before taking it from him. I carefully took the coat from his hand without making any contact with his hands, remembering very well about the sparks Serena used to tell me about. I didn't want to feel it with him, not with another woman's lover. His grip on my coat was firm for a second so I pulled it out of his grasp. He drew his hands down while still looking into my eyes, in the process his knuckles brushed on my fingers. There it was the spark. I felt alive, but did he feel the same? My eyes widened at the sudden contact and he stood there like a rock. The roller coaster of emotions I'm feeling the last few minutes are definitely going to make me feel dizzy. "Oh Mia, this is our Alpha."Alex came back after noticing my coat was found. "Alpha." I bowed greeting him. This is how it shall be from now. "Amelia Lovecraft." He spoke softly, nodding towards myself and Alex as he walked out. I felt pain, a real heartbreak even before I knew how to love. Will I be able to live through this? I shouldn't have come back. My mate never needed me. "We don't need him either Mia." Heera was back. "I'm sorry." I replied to my poor wolf. She longed for this day. And what a nightmare it was. "No I'm sorry, I blocked you out when you needed me the most. His wolf tried to connect to me. I can't accept it. They're not ours." She huffed. Heera was always a strong female wolf, physically I knew about her. But today she proved to be just as strong when it came to the mate bond. When everything came crumbling down, she surely lifted up my spirits. Throwing all the drama that happened away, I resumed to what I love doing, my job.

"Charlotte and I have been together for two years." Two years. My vision blurred for a moment. Two years. While I had been waiting for him to come home, while I had been raising their children,he had been with her. My throat felt raw. "Richard, this is our anniversary." "I know." His tone was indifferent, detached. "That’s why I thought it was the perfect time to tell you." The perfect time. Not an accident. Not a drunken mistake. A choice. Deliberate and cruel. "Why are you doing this?" My voice cracked. "Because I love her," Richard said. Charlotte smiled, her fingers brushing over his knuckles. "We didn’t mean for it to happen, but sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it." "You're really doing this?"I was furious Richard said coldly. "It’s already done. Your things are packed. The house belongs to Charlotte now." "You will regret it!" ———————— Amelia Carter had spent the entire day making sure everything was perfect. The dinner reservation, the gift, the small speech she had rehearsed in her mind. She wanted tonight to be special. It was their Twentieth wedding anniversary, a milestone that symbolized love, endurance, and commitment. She had given up her dreams, her ambitions, even her youth to build a home, raise their children, and support her husband’s career. Through financial struggles, sleepless nights with sick babies, and long years of playing the role of the perfect wife, she had endured it all. But she believed it was worth it. Because love meant sacrifice, didn’t it? She checked the time again. 8:30 PM. Richard was late. Her fingers curled around the edge of the table, her stomach twisting with unease. She had texted him earlier, reminding him about their dinner plans. He had responded with a short, "Busy. Will try to make it." She told herself he would come. He had to. The restaurant was elegant and dimly lit, the soft glow of candles reflecting off the polished wine glasses. A waiter hovered nearby, casting her a sympathetic glance. She smiled politely, hiding the growing discomfort crawling up her spine. Then, just as she was about to reach for her phone again, she saw him. Relief flooded through her, until she noticed he wasn’t alone. Her breath caught in her throat as Richard walked toward her with a woman beside him. Amelia’s world tilted. The woman was young. Tall. A cascade of golden hair framed her delicate features. She wore a red dress, the kind that clung to every curve, the kind Amelia hadn’t worn in years. People turned to look as they passed. The woman’s arm was hooked through Richard’s, her body pressed close, her lips curved into a knowing smile. Amelia felt her pulse pound in her ears. This couldn’t be real. Richard stopped in front of her table, his expression unreadable. "Amelia," he said, as if greeting a colleague, not his wife of nearly two decades. "Meet Charlotte." Her fingers trembled as they gripped the edge of the table. She searched his face, waiting for the punchline, the explanation. It didn’t come. Charlotte extended a manicured hand, her voice light. "It’s so nice to finally meet you." Finally? Amelia’s chest tightened. "What is this?" she whispered, her voice barely carrying over the soft clatter of silverware and hushed conversations around them. Richard exhaled, as if he was the one burdened. "I wanted to do this properly." "Do what properly?" His gaze remained cold, distant. "Charlotte and I have been together for two years." Two years. Amelia’s vision blurred for a moment. Two years. While she had been waiting for him to come home, while she had been raising their children, while she had been celebrating his successes and picking up the pieces of his failures, he had been with her. Her throat felt raw. "Richard, this is our anniversary." "I know." His tone was indifferent, detached. "That’s why I thought it was the perfect time to tell you." A slow, creeping horror settled into her bones. The perfect time. Not an accident. Not a drunken mistake. A choice. Deliberate and cruel. Amelia’s fingers curled into her lap, her nails digging into her palm to keep from breaking down in front of them. "You’re leaving me," she stated, her voice eerily calm. Richard pulled out a chair, sitting down as if this was a casual dinner and not the destruction of her entire life. Charlotte sat beside him, her hand resting on his. He didn’t even hesitate. "Yes." A sharp breath hitched in her throat. "Why are you doing this?" Her voice cracked. "Because I love her," Richard said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Charlotte smiled, her fingers brushing over his knuckles. "We didn’t mean for it to happen, but sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it." Amelia swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "You're really doing this?" she whispered. Richard leaned back, studying her with something that resembled boredom. "It’s already done. Your things are packed. The house belongs to Charlotte now." A sharp, suffocating silence settled between them. Amelia couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. "You packed my things?" The words barely made it past her lips. Richard nodded, completely unaffected. "The driver is outside. He’ll take you wherever you need to go." Her stomach twisted painfully. She wasn’t even worth a conversation. A warning. Nothing. The betrayal ran so deep it was unbearable. Then her phone vibrated. A message. "Mom, please don’t make a scene. Dad deserves to be happy." Julia. Her eldest. Her fingers trembled as she read the words again. Another message popped up. "We talked about it. We’re happy for Dad. Please don’t make this difficult." Ethan. Tears stung her eyes. She scrolled, her heart pounding. Mia. Her youngest. "Charlotte is really nice. Maybe you should just let this go." The restaurant walls blurred. Her hands went numb. Her children had sided with them. Her own flesh and blood, the ones she had carried, raised, nurtured, they had thrown her away as easily as Richard had. Something inside her cracked. She looked up, and for the first time in her life, she saw Richard for who he truly was. Not the man she had loved. Not the man she had sacrificed for. A stranger. A selfish, ruthless man who had taken everything from her without a second thought. Her gaze flickered to Charlotte, who watched her with that same amused, pitying smile. "Amelia," Richard said, checking his watch. "Let’s not drag this out. The driver’s waiting." Something inside her snapped. She stood slowly, her chair scraping against the floor. Every muscle in her body ached from the sheer weight of betrayal, but she refused to fall apart here. She turned, walking away without another word. Richard called after her, but she didn’t stop. Not when she stepped out into the cold night. Not when she reached the waiting car. Not even when she sank into the backseat, her hands curled into fists on her lap. The driver turned. "Where to, ma’am?" She had no home. No husband. No children. She had nothing. A single tear slipped down her cheek. "Drive," she whispered. As the car pulled away, Amelia stared out at the city lights. One thought burned through the agony consuming her. One day, they would regret this. And when that day came, she wouldn’t be the one begging.

[Jace, let's get a divorce.] It had been for three years. Today, she saw the news: [Rising Dancing Queen Sienna injured, found embracing CEO of Yuriel Group in the ward—suspected to rekindle their relationship.] A car accident that occurred ten years ago had nearly claimed her life, and it was Jace who rescued her. To her, he was not only the person she deeply loved, but also her savior. Now that the protagonist, Sienna had returned, it was Sage's time to conclude this page and rediscover her true self. “Jace, this will be the last time that I’ll be crying for you.” ———————— “Let’s get a divorce.” They had been married for three years yet nothing had changed. He was cold as he enunciated each word. Each frigid word was delivered without a hint of warmth in his voice. Sage stood behind Jace Yuriel, and her eyes were fixed on his back. Catching a glimpse of his cold, hard, expressionless face, Sage felt her heart sink. With her fists clenched tightly, Sage trembled. The day she had dreaded had finally arrived. He turned around, and Sage saw his face. It was a perfectly sculpted, distinctive face. He still took her breath away, despite standing next to him for three years. “Can we… not get a divorce?” Sage uttered the words with all the strength that was left in her as she looked at Jace with a glint of hope in her eyes. Furrowing his brows, Jace glanced over to look at her face. His brows furrowed deeper at the sight of her red-rimmed eyes. Sage still looked gorgeous even without her makeup. She had clear, fair skin and was never the type to cake on makeup. Sage was pretty in a sweet and soft kind of way. Sage pleaded with him, as she stared beseechingly at him with her big, clear eyes. With tears staining the corner of her right eye and her long hair tucked behind her ears, she looked guileless. However, in Jace’s eyes, Sage was a soft but dull woman. As his wife, Sage was perfect, but he did not love her. Three years ago, Jace had been in a car accident that had left him a paraplegic. He had been bed-bound, and the doctor had warned him that he might not be able to stand up straight anymore. This accident had also caused him to leave his lover. After that, his mom had forced him on plenty of blind dates, so that he might acquire a wife with a medical background. She would then be able to take care of him for the rest of his life. Thus, Jace had settled for Sage Luz, a nurse. Her humble background and quiet nature were the other reasons for his choice. “We’ve been together for three years, and you’ve taken care of me all this time. These ten million dollars will serve as compensation.” Jace was unfazed when he said those words, and his face remained emotionless. He then added, “Or, if there’s anything else that you want—” “Why?” This was the first time Sage had ever interrupted him. Her red-rimmed eyes reflected her last grasp on hope, and… resentment. She then added, “Why must we get a divorce now?” The next day would mark their three-year wedding anniversary. She had had everything planned out. She had even thought to herself that there would be another three years and another twenty to thirty years, and eventually, they would stay together for the rest of their lives. “You know more than anyone else that you are not the person that I love.” He replied in a cold and indifferent tone. He even took away her last glimmer of hope when he added, “Sienna is back. I want to marry her.” Sage felt as if she was struck by thunder. She stumbled, as she could not bear the heaviness of the news. The marriage that she had faithfully guarded for three years was reduced to nothing in the face of Sienna’s return. “Sir!” The butler strode in. “Miss Zelda threw up what she had just eaten, and there are even hints of blood!” he said urgently. A slight crack appeared in Jace’s cold expression. Rushing past Sage, he exited the room and headed for the guest room. “Get the car ready! We’re leaving for the hospital,” he said in a deep voice. Not long after, Jace walked out of the guest room with a frail and weak woman in his arms. The woman was covered with a thin embroidered blanket with floral motifs. That blanket had been embroidered by Sage. The woman looked pale and sickly. It was as if she would soon disappear from this world. She lay in Jace’s arms as she said in a soft and weak voice, “Jace, she… Miss Luz…” At the corner of the staircase, Jace stopped, turned to look at Sage, and said, “I’ll have the lawyer go through the divorce procedure with you. Please move out within three days.” He then adjusted the woman in his arms and walked down the stairs without sparing a second glance at Sage. Sage was standing at the staircase while Sienna, who was in Jace’s arms, looked at Sage. Her eyes were filled with victory. Just an hour ago, the sickly woman had been chuckling as she said to Sage, “I am even freely allowed to enter your house, so shouldn’t you just return him to me?” As soon as their backs were out of her sight, Sage finally crumpled to the floor. With tears streaming down her face, she wrapped her arms around herself. All she could feel was cold. Ten years. From the moment he had saved her from that she was in till this day, she had eyes only for him. Her eyes had followed him for ten years, and she had been in love with him for ten years. However, he did not love her. Even if she were to give away all her dignity, there was nothing that she could do to make him love her. “Jace, this will be the last time that I’ll be crying for you.” Sage wiped away the tears on her face with the back of her hands and got to her feet. The once soft and weak Sage had now transformed into a cold but determined woman. It was time for her to leave. The papers were left prominently sitting on the bedside table of the master bedroom. Sage flipped to the last page and saw a signature that she was familiar with. There was a flicker in her eyes. She traced her fingers carefully across Jace’s signature as she felt tears well up in her eyes once more. She sniffled and tried to keep the tears from falling. Sage did not allow herself to have any lingering feelings. She grabbed a pen and signed her name— Sage Luz. Since everything had started with this name, everything should end with this name too. Sage placed the seal on the bedside table. She had spent a year choosing the materials and the design that would be carved onto the seal. It was to be his third-year anniversary present. In fact, throughout the three years of marriage, she had showered him with plenty of gifts. All of which she had poured her heart into. However, all of them wound up either in the closet, if not the dumpster. It reflected his treatment of her love and feelings. Walking out of the mansion, Sage got into a black limo that was parked by the roadside. She then announced faintly, “We’re divorced.” In the driver’s seat sat a man with a pair of sunglasses. He smirked as he congratulated her, “Congratulations, you’re finally back to your carefree days.” He then passed a laptop to Sage and said, “It’s time for you to be yourself again. We’re all waiting for your comeback.” Sage collected herself before turning on the laptop. Her fingers swiftly moved across the keyboard, as she hacked into the surveillance system, erasing all traces of her. Like the day she arrived at Jace’s place, she left without a trace. “Sir, madam is gone!” Early the next morning, Jace, who had heard the news, returned from the hospital to the mansion. The moment he entered the room, his nose was filled with the fresh scent of roses. It was Sage’s scent. After three years, he had grown used to her scent. Rarely did he enter the master bedroom which Sage had decorated. The room bore a different style and atmosphere to the other rooms in the mansion. With its pale yellow bedding, the room was warm and calm. It was neat and tidy just like her. Jace did not stay to admire the room but walked straight to the bedside table. Sage had signed the divorce papers, but the ten million dollar cheque was left untouched. He noticed the refined rose engraved seal on the bedside table. His name had been carved into its face. Jace was astounded by the technique it took to carve the rose. He ran his fingers across the seal, discovering that the seal was made out of the finest jade. What was even more amazing was that when the red ink from the stamp pad touched the face of the seal, it trickled into the rose, giving the impression that the rose was blooming. Jace found this piece of seal exquisite and fascinating. He was aware that she loved roses and had planted a bed of roses in the garden. Yet, he had never gifted her any roses. Beneath the seal was a card. He picked it up, opened it, and read it. ‘Happy third-year anniversary. Goodbye, jace.’ Staring at the words, Jace glanced toward the calendar on the bedside table. It only then did he realize that today was the day they had officiated their marriage. Three years and had quickly flown by. Holding the seal made out of expensive jade, Jace suddenly thought to himself, “Where did she get the money?” Jace had given her a monthly allowance, but Sage had rarely touched the money. She said that she was already eating and living well at home, hence she did not have anything to spend the money on. Listening to his assistant’s report on Sage, Jace looked pensive. “Track her recent and past movements. If she is indeed a spy planted by our rivals, make sure you bring her back by whatever means.” Sage Luz claimed to be an orphan from a farming village, but was she really who she said she was? … Three days later at Salem City. It was chaos at the headquarters of the Norah Group which was located in the central business district. All the employees were moving around frantically, and the directors of the upper management had all gathered on the first floor to welcome the new CEO. Yesterday, the plummeting stocks of the Norah Group had suddenly stabilized. A mysterious figure had purchased all their stocks. While the employees’ jobs were secure, they were undergoing a different type of crisis. “Who exactly is this new CEO? A man or a woman? What’s their background? Do none of you know anything?” “Not only do we not know, but management too does not have a clue as to who the new CEO is! Isn't it mysterious? Well, I sure hope he is handsome. I need some eye candy!” “You and your darn dreams! What if our CEO is a lady?” “What! You know it’s impossible, right? You might as well hope that the eldest daughter of the Norah family comes back alive…” “They’re here! Quiet now!” Feeling nervous, everyone held their breath while their eyes were fixed on the entrance. A black Wrolls-Royse pulled up at the main entrance. Their vice CEO opened the door, and someone got out of the car. It was a woman! Clad in a pair of ten-inch black heels and a white suit, a woman with short, neat hair alighted the vehicle. She had a perfectly sculpted face The upper management— especially those who had been working at the Norah Group for more than ten years— gasped in shock. The woman had a face they were all familiar with. “Miss… Miss Norah” Sage Norah stood tall and firm in front of the Norah Group’s building. A smile curved her lips, and she said, “Hello, it's been such a long time.” Sage, who was surrounded by the group of seniors from upper management, turned to look at the vice CEO and asked, “There are a few who aren’t here right now, right?” “Yes.” Finn Janssen, the vice CEO, approached her. He was polite in his reply, but the tone of his voice betrayed a subtle casualness. “The old guard led by Braxton Norah planned to intimidate you by not showing up to greet you today.” “Oh really?” Sage looked unfazed. She exuded a cold and indifferent vibe. She then said, “Times have changed, and why is it that my dear uncles are still so clueless?” Braxton and five other directors of the board of managers were in the waiting room. They were all seated with one leg slung across the other while they sipped on cups of hot tea. At first glance, all of them looked calm and resolute, but in truth, they were all secretly panicking. “Where is the new CEO?” asked Braxton who was seated in the seat reserved for the chairman of the board. There was a look of anxiousness on his big, chubby face. “Go and have a look,” he told his secretary. “Braxton, there’s no need to be worried. The CEO is bound to end up here. In any case, we are the board of directors. It is only right that we intimidate the new CEO a little so he or she would get a grip of themselves.” Dressed from head to toe in black, Zane Norah had his hands clasped together like he was about to attend a funeral. Braxton shook his head and continued, “Kids these days have no idea of the importance of being punctual. All of you should not hold your tongues, just say what you want to. At the end of the day, the Norah Group still belongs to the Norah family, and I have the last say.” As the den of wily old foxes was forming a plan on how to intimidate their latest shareholder, Braxton’s secretary stumbled into the meeting room. Her face was as white as a sheet. “I’ve got bad news, Sir! The new CEO has gathered everyone from the management department and is holding a meeting in a separate meeting room, and the meeting is about to end soon!” “What did you say?!” Almost everyone in the room got to their feet, and some even slammed the table angrily as they bellowed, “We are all the senior members and have been in this company since day one! How could the new blood ignore and disrespect us this way!” The group of men thought that the youth these days were extremely disrespectful. With her pale face, the secretary whimpered softly, “It’s not a he… It’s a… she.” The old men were taken aback, and they exclaimed, “A lady?!” As Sage ended the meeting, Braxton and Zane barged into the meeting room followed by a group of old men. They all looked furious. However, when they caught sight of Sage, the looks of anger disappeared and were replaced by one of shock. “Sage?” they murmured. “What are you doing here?!”. Braxton and Zane had physically and mentally prepared themselves for the new CEO. However, they could have never predicted that the person who had saved Norah Group from the ditches by purchasing over 51% of the group’s shares would be their niece. She was supposed to be dead. Three years ago, Sage Norah, the inheritor of Norah Group, had fallen off a cliff during a mountain hike, and her body had never been found. Braxton and Zane had both been heartbroken by the news and had organized a grand and solemn funeral for their niece. The brothers had also taken over the management of Norah Group. They had split her shares and assets amongst themselves. None had expected the dead to rise, and yet, here she was standing before them, well and alive. Admiring the look of horror on their faces, Sage leaned lazily into the chair and said, “Uncle Braxton, Uncle Zane, I'm home. Well and alive. Now, isn't this a surprise?”. Braxton and Zane finally came back to their senses and quickly traded the look on their faces for ones filled with tears. They rushed over to Sage, trying to hug her. “Oh, Sage! Thank goodness you’re still alive. Your parents would be so happy to know that you’re well and alive…” Pushing her chair backward, Sage inched away from them as she furrowed her brows in disdain. She then looked at them with a straight face and said coldly, “I too believe that they will be really happy.” Under Sage’s cold stare, both Braxton and Zane suddenly found themselves speechless. Sage had no intentions of enjoying a warm reunion with her uncles. Instead, she turned to the people from management and said, “Everyone here has been working with Norah Group since the beginning, and all of you should know how I operate. Now that I have returned, I will not allow Norah Group to suffer further losses. This company is the blood, sweat, and tears of my parents. Therefore, it is only right that I protect the company. Get your head in the game and give your best with what you have. I will make sure to reward your efforts.” … Meanwhile in Nadeem City. Jace was on the phone while on his way back from picking Sienna up from the hospital. “You're telling me that you can’t find a single trace of her? Can't you even do your job right?” he hissed. The assistant on the other end of the call was cowering in fear. He too found it strange that there were no signs or traces of Sage Luz, despite checking the CCTVs throughout the mansion. It was as if Sage had disappeared into thin air. He gulped before carefully saying, “However, Miss Luz is indeed from a farming village, and her biological parents had passed away due to an illness.” Tapping his long fingers on his knee, Jace’s expression softened a little as he comforted himself with the fact that he must have been overthinking things. Sienna was sitting next to Jace, and she sighed in empathy, “A girl from a farming village is willing to give up everything and walk away. Isn’t Miss Luz a special one, Jace?” Furrowing his brows tightly together, Jace scoffed silently as he thought of the quiet and silent woman. He guessed that perhaps it was her plan to make him think of her as the special one. “Sir, I've sent someone to Medina City. It might be possible that Miss Luz had returned to her hometown.” “It’s fine, leave it.” Jace’s expression darkened as he added faintly, “There’s no need for it since we’re divorced. As she had chosen to leave with dignity, I’ll gladly fulfill her wish.” “…Okay. Oh, and one more thing. It’s work-related!” The assistant could sense the annoyance in Jace’s tone, hence he quickly emphasized that the matter pertained to work. “Go on,” replied Jace. “Something seemed to have happened to the Norah family from Salem City. The mysterious person who had saved the Norah Group had finally shown up. And from the rumors, it seemed as if Miss Norah, the eldest daughter of the Norah Group has returned.” “Miss Norah? Didn’t she die three years ago?” Jace raised his brows as he thought to himself.

Growing up, I’d expected my bio father military-like, not a president of Mc. When my mother was in danger, she revealed his identity. Daddio married another woman when my mom was pregnant with Blaze and me. They had two sons and a daughter. But he never said he was coming to see us. Never once did. When I learned all this, it really made me complicated and painful. I’m the estranged daughter of the President of the Mother Chapter of Lucifer’s Saints MC. Now with everything in hand, I’m ready. Ready to meet the man who is my father? the president of MC? ———————— BELLAMY Stop right there. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Let me explain this sanely… Sanely, is that a word? Whatever. It is today. I know what you’re thinking. You want me to hurry up and get to the meat and potatoes of my story time? And to that, I say don’t worry, bish, I’m getting to it, and it’s going to be good. Okay, okay… let's get to the good part. Waaa wa wa waaaaaa! Getting to the point of how this is my life. And why I won’t calm my things until I get the answers I need. Okay, maybe I’ve been touchy lately…loopy and all over the place. But excitement, dread, and frustration have been my constant moods. And now you’re confused. Hard sigh. Okay, let me explain this nonsense. Here’s the thing. Mom knows who my father is, obviously. If she didn’t, well… that would be a different conversation. Not a bad one, just… different. Hennyways, since she’s always known who and where he is, she’s kept an eye on him. It's a bit stalkery for my liking, but if she likes it, I love it. We don’t judge in this household. The problem with her stalkerish behavior is that she’s kept Blaze, my twin brother, and me in the dark, lying to us our entire lives, which is not cool. And boy did Blaze and I let her have it. That conversation was when Blaze and I discovered she only came clean because she needed my team's help. Our task is to clean up a two-decade-old screw up. In one of her check-ins with her secret squirrel club, our mother dearest received intel about a douchebag mafia heir and the fuckery he’s been getting up to. That information led her to involve me in this secret squirrel mission. Since receiving the assignment, my team has been digging into places she would much rather we didn’t. And oh boy, has she hidden a lot, which has had my butt itching after uncovering the truth of what she’s kept from us. After we uncovered the information about the mafia douche, I recognized why my mother was so touchy about the situation, which had me asking the hard questions. Naturally, those questions came with more revelations than she was ready to divulge, which was too bad for the little liar, liar pants on fire, because neither Blaze nor I were going to let her off the hook. Our relentlessness had her coming clean about our sperms donor and the life he led, which wasn’t much different from our own. Watching our mother explain her past has sent Blaze’s protective instincts over the edge. The emotions he exuded almost crippled us both. We’ve always known things weren’t cut and dry regarding our sperms donor, but to hear the words. To understand what transpired was a little too much to take in logically and without wanting to rip someone's throat out, which is why Blaze has been walking around like a bull in a china shop. The boy is big mad. Getting to the nitty gritty of it all. We found out that things weren’t simple between our parents. According to our mother, choices had to be made with no real time to think them through. She claims she understood our father's choices and why he made them. Despite him knowing she was pregnant. As she tells it, his reasoning for leaving her high and dry was his lifestyle and that it was too dangerous for us, so they separated amicably. My mother was left to raise us without him. No cards, no calls, no Christmas, and no birthdays. It was just the family and us against the world. Literally. Andwhen I tell you my brother doesn’t agree with either of their decision-making skills, that’s an understatement. But I get it. I do. That time in her life was tragically painful. She wanted to let it go, forget, and focus on raising Blaze and me. And mostly, she did that. But from hearing her talk about that time with our sperms donor, I think our mother still holds a lit candle for the baby abandoner. The way she speaks of him makes it obvious. I’ve always known, or at least felt, a certain amount of longing in her while we were growing up. It wasn’t much, and when we asked about our dad, she quickly changed the subject. But, even then, with the limited knowledge of my mother and father's relationship, I know this to be true. My mother still loves him. I’ve had a hard time with the claim that his lifestyle was why he wasn’t a part of our lives. I called bulshit on that and said as much to my mother. How can his lifestyle be too dangerous for us? As if we weren’t trained to be killers? Like we weren’t raised in the underbelly of society. Make it make sense? You can’t, and that is precisely my point. None of it makes sense, hence the questions that have had my butt itching. Because something ain’t smelling right. When the thread pulled, I went to work. Researching Daddy Dearest was enlightening. One, because it’s my job, and two, I’m nosy. In my research, I found he has or had a wife or an ol’ lady. A term used by bikers for the women they claim. Daddio married her when my mom was pregnant with Blaze and me. He stayed married to her for quite some time, only divorcing a few years ago. During their marriage, they had a few spawns. Two sons and a daughter. I could only get so far in my research before having to turn to my brother, who was not an enthusiastic participant. Blaze, meticulous in his research, had to dig deeper than usual to find everything worth finding. When Blaze is on a mission, he is a bloodhound and will find anything and everything, including all the hidden bits. And there were a lot of hidden and manipulated bits. Thanks, Mom. The annoyance at our mother for burying so much information so deep was irritating to both of us. Our research painted the picture that Daddio was a rolling stone, and our mother missed some pretty critical facts in the story she wove for my brother and me. He has treated the kids he raised like royalty. They were and are his goddamned everything. He was at every significant event in their lives. To see the truth of who our father is and what he did for them is fury-inducing. Being a glutton for punishment, I wanted to know… No! I needed to see if he ever looked for us, and he never once did. I should hate him. I should say screw this job. But something in me says I can’t. Knows I can’t. After our discovery, she had no choice but to tell us everything she held back. I wasn’t having any stones left unturned. I needed to know everything, even the painful bits. And cornering her was the only way to get it out of her. What I found to be very interesting is that, Mister, “I don’t want my baby to be raised in this life. You're too weak to deal with this lifestyle.” Had no issues and no problem claiming and marrying that woman and raising their kids to be a part of his biker family. It didn’t take long for me to come to the conclusion that maybe he didn’t want us. At least, that’s how I feel. Logically, I know there is more to it than that. As the child in the situation, I still think it’s screwed up. This whole situation is insane. And I know that even though my mother claims she’s told me everything, the lie detector determines that it’s a bold-faced lie. Blaze and my team consider my need for a deep dive into every aspect of the sperms donor's life going overboard. I’ve received side eyes and eye rolls from my them because of the resources I’ve used. My excuse for it is simple. I need the information because it’s critical to our mission. No one can say a thing about me being prepared to do my job because this research is just that–me doing my job. Another thing my brother graciously informed me of while I was being a stalker, as Sin lovingly calls me. Daddio is not just a member of a one percenter motorcycle club, but the mother national president. And not only that, but they are a club deep in illegal, although the word on the street is they are working toward legitimacy. That’s not even the actual issue. The issue they have that can bring their club to war isn’t even one they know, which is where we come in. Learning about our actual target is my least favorite part of this. She isn’t shy about sharing more than she should on social media once we figured out who and what we were looking for. I was floored. Paisley, the MC princess and my apparent half-sister, is an idiot, especially with her need to over-share, which includes sharing her location. She documents everything everywhere she goes. Sin says she does it because she’s a, and I quote, bad girl biker influencer or some dumb like that. I don’t much care. But from what was explained to me, it’s a real thing. To have it strategically placed in her photos makes her money, and people love that. My sister from another miss is a beautiful girl. I’ll give her that. Princess is living her best life, and I don’t begrudge her for that. But I can tell that she and I are complete and utter opposites in all ways. She’s tall, blonde, skinny, and very clears throat, melanin deficient. And she's perky, too perky. You’d think with the club's lifestyle and their illegal dealings, they’d stop letting the club's Princess photograph everything everywhere she goes. I’ve tracked her movements and some of the club's major players because of her. I’ve even gotten a good look at the clubhouse layout and grounds. It may not be a big deal to some, but with the gravity of this situation, it’s a big deal to have that much access. With everything she shares, I’m surprised she doesn’t share when she takes it. From what I can tell, they don't seem worried about or care what anyone thinks about them or their lifestyle. And if I’m honest, it is why they need us. That girl will put herself and her father's club in a situation by unknowingly providing information to enemies she and the club may not be prepared for. With everything in hand, I’m ready. Ready to meet the man who is my father. Am I nervous?

"Charlotte and I have been together for two years." Two years. My vision blurred for a moment. Two years. While I had been waiting for him to come home, while I had been raising their children,he had been with her. My throat felt raw. "Richard, this is our anniversary." "I know." His tone was indifferent, detached. "That’s why I thought it was the perfect time to tell you." The perfect time. Not an accident. Not a drunken mistake. A choice. Deliberate and cruel. "Why are you doing this?" My voice cracked. "Because I love her," Richard said. Charlotte smiled, her fingers brushing over his knuckles. "We didn’t mean for it to happen, but sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it." "You're really doing this?"I was furious Richard said coldly. "It’s already done. Your things are packed. The house belongs to Charlotte now." "You will regret it!" ———————— Amelia Carter had spent the entire day making sure everything was perfect. The dinner reservation, the gift, the small speech she had rehearsed in her mind. She wanted tonight to be special. It was their Twentieth wedding anniversary, a milestone that symbolized love, endurance, and commitment. She had given up her dreams, her ambitions, even her youth to build a home, raise their children, and support her husband’s career. Through financial struggles, sleepless nights with sick babies, and long years of playing the role of the perfect wife, she had endured it all. But she believed it was worth it. Because love meant sacrifice, didn’t it? She checked the time again. 8:30 PM. Richard was late. Her fingers curled around the edge of the table, her stomach twisting with unease. She had texted him earlier, reminding him about their dinner plans. He had responded with a short, "Busy. Will try to make it." She told herself he would come. He had to. The restaurant was elegant and dimly lit, the soft glow of candles reflecting off the polished wine glasses. A waiter hovered nearby, casting her a sympathetic glance. She smiled politely, hiding the growing discomfort crawling up her spine. Then, just as she was about to reach for her phone again, she saw him. Relief flooded through her, until she noticed he wasn’t alone. Her breath caught in her throat as Richard walked toward her with a woman beside him. Amelia’s world tilted. The woman was young. Tall. A cascade of golden hair framed her delicate features. She wore a red dress, the kind that clung to every curve, the kind Amelia hadn’t worn in years. People turned to look as they passed. The woman’s arm was hooked through Richard’s, her body pressed close, her lips curved into a knowing smile. Amelia felt her pulse pound in her ears. This couldn’t be real. Richard stopped in front of her table, his expression unreadable. "Amelia," he said, as if greeting a colleague, not his wife of nearly two decades. "Meet Charlotte." Her fingers trembled as they gripped the edge of the table. She searched his face, waiting for the punchline, the explanation. It didn’t come. Charlotte extended a manicured hand, her voice light. "It’s so nice to finally meet you." Finally? Amelia’s chest tightened. "What is this?" she whispered, her voice barely carrying over the soft clatter of silverware and hushed conversations around them. Richard exhaled, as if he was the one burdened. "I wanted to do this properly." "Do what properly?" His gaze remained cold, distant. "Charlotte and I have been together for two years." Two years. Amelia’s vision blurred for a moment. Two years. While she had been waiting for him to come home, while she had been raising their children, while she had been celebrating his successes and picking up the pieces of his failures, he had been with her. Her throat felt raw. "Richard, this is our anniversary." "I know." His tone was indifferent, detached. "That’s why I thought it was the perfect time to tell you." A slow, creeping horror settled into her bones. The perfect time. Not an accident. Not a drunken mistake. A choice. Deliberate and cruel. Amelia’s fingers curled into her lap, her nails digging into her palm to keep from breaking down in front of them. "You’re leaving me," she stated, her voice eerily calm. Richard pulled out a chair, sitting down as if this was a casual dinner and not the destruction of her entire life. Charlotte sat beside him, her hand resting on his. He didn’t even hesitate. "Yes." A sharp breath hitched in her throat. "Why are you doing this?" Her voice cracked. "Because I love her," Richard said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Charlotte smiled, her fingers brushing over his knuckles. "We didn’t mean for it to happen, but sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it." Amelia swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "You're really doing this?" she whispered. Richard leaned back, studying her with something that resembled boredom. "It’s already done. Your things are packed. The house belongs to Charlotte now." A sharp, suffocating silence settled between them. Amelia couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. "You packed my things?" The words barely made it past her lips. Richard nodded, completely unaffected. "The driver is outside. He’ll take you wherever you need to go." Her stomach twisted painfully. She wasn’t even worth a conversation. A warning. Nothing. The betrayal ran so deep it was unbearable. Then her phone vibrated. A message. "Mom, please don’t make a scene. Dad deserves to be happy." Julia. Her eldest. Her fingers trembled as she read the words again. Another message popped up. "We talked about it. We’re happy for Dad. Please don’t make this difficult." Ethan. Tears stung her eyes. She scrolled, her heart pounding. Mia. Her youngest. "Charlotte is really nice. Maybe you should just let this go." The restaurant walls blurred. Her hands went numb. Her children had sided with them. Her own flesh and blood, the ones she had carried, raised, nurtured, they had thrown her away as easily as Richard had. Something inside her cracked. She looked up, and for the first time in her life, she saw Richard for who he truly was. Not the man she had loved. Not the man she had sacrificed for. A stranger. A selfish, ruthless man who had taken everything from her without a second thought. Her gaze flickered to Charlotte, who watched her with that same amused, pitying smile. "Amelia," Richard said, checking his watch. "Let’s not drag this out. The driver’s waiting." Something inside her snapped. She stood slowly, her chair scraping against the floor. Every muscle in her body ached from the sheer weight of betrayal, but she refused to fall apart here. She turned, walking away without another word. Richard called after her, but she didn’t stop. Not when she stepped out into the cold night. Not when she reached the waiting car. Not even when she sank into the backseat, her hands curled into fists on her lap. The driver turned. "Where to, ma’am?" She had no home. No husband. No children. She had nothing. A single tear slipped down her cheek. "Drive," she whispered. As the car pulled away, Amelia stared out at the city lights. One thought burned through the agony consuming her. One day, they would regret this. And when that day came, she wouldn’t be the one begging.

"Cade's just using you.It was all a game. A bet.” Megan had a smile of victory on her face."The person he really loves is me." “You're lying. He wouldn't…” “See for yourself.” she said and pulled out her phone and hit play on a video. "You all owe me. I came inside her," Cade laughed, holding Megan in his arms. "Last night" "That's a virgin butt, isn't it? I bet she's tight," Mason said lewdly. "She's a bet, yes, she's tight, so that makes up for... you know, her looks," he scoffed. "Now, pay up. USD 100 per person." My heart broke, and my blood ran cold like ice. He never loved me. The time I spent with him was all a lie. None of it was real. Just a bet. "Lying, cheating jerk!" I swore to make him pay! ———————— Taylors POV It's been a couple of weeks since our suspension. I still haven't gotten Cade to tell me what it is he's keeping from me. He seems to be acting more nervous, more skittish. He still holds me, smooches me, and hugs me, but there's another feeling behind it all. A different emotion. It's almost like fear on him. But what is he so afraid of? Could what he is hiding really be that bad? “What do you think about this one?” Amanda asked, holding up an emerald green dress. We were all out shopping today. Trinity, Amanda, Micah and me are all looking for dresses and Micah is here for fashion support, the guys are walking around the mall doing whatever it is that guys do. Who knows. “Too bright for your skin tone. You need something with a bit more pizazz! How about like a scarlet red? Make that fiery hair stand out!” This is why we brought Micah. We all chuckled while he ran off to look for a dress for Amanda. Trinity found a beautiful lavender dress. “I don't know what to do. I've never been to a dance before. Like do I wear shorts or long ones? What color would I even wear?” I snorted. I was really starting to hate shopping. “Well, I would do a pastel color on you. Your skin tone and your eyes would pop with that.” Trinity offered. Micah was too busy arguing over a dress with Amanda. We tried on dress after dress. I was ready to rip them all apart. They were either too big, too small, too bright, too dark, didn't look right, and didn't fit my boobs. I was ready to give up. I was ready to just say f**k it and I wouldn't go to homecoming. But I wouldn't do that to Cade. He has wanted to go and truthfully I have too. I have never been to a school dance in my entire highschool career, but that was going to change. My dad had always told me that I wasn't allowed to dress up and look pretty. That I would turn into a bimbo like my mother had. But it was just a tactic used to keep me in line. I sighed and browsed a couple more racks. It was then that my eyes got caught on a two piece dress. It was beautiful. “I'm going to try this one on!” her face was shining bright with a smile when she saw the one I picked. We headed to the dressing room again and I looked at the dress. The bottom skirt was long and flowy, almost like a chiffon or tulle material. It was Mint green. The waistband had crystals lining it. The stop was connected by a thin sheet of sheer fabric. The top half however was silver with a high neckline and the cuff of the sleeves draped off the shoulder. I didn't know if homecoming dresses were supposed to be long or short, but I tried it on anyway. It fits like a glove. I felt amazing in it. “Alright, lovely, come out! Let me see you!” Micah called and I could hear Amanda and Trinity chuckling in the background. I slipped on a n-u-d-e pair of pumps that I had from the last dress and opened the door. I was looking down making sure I didn't trip, but I heard my group of friends gasp. “What? Does it look bad? I should just go change!” I looked up and they were looking at me with their jaws on the floor. “Don't you dare move! YOU LOOK FLAWLESS!” Amanda shrieked. Trinity smirked. “My brother is going to s**t himself when he sees you in this dress” I couldn't help but hope she was right. He's been acting so weird the past couple of weeks. “Alright, go change so we can pay. I'm sure those hunks are wondering where my fine a-s-s is at” Amanda smacked Micah's arm and he just skipped off. We paid for our dresses and went to find the guys. Cade was in the food court sitting at a table with Nick and Mason. He looked nervous again. As if sensing my presence he raised his head and his eyes met mine. He smiled though. It was a real smile. That's my Cade. That's the Cade that I know. He got up and met me halfway while the rest of our group went to the table. “Hey...Can we talk? I know I've been acting off and I know you are worried about it but there is something I want to talk to you about.” I sighed with a smile. “It's about time. I've been feeling like something is wrong. You've been distant and acting nervous and scared for the past couple of weeks.” he cupped my cheek and I turned my head and smooched the inside of his palm. “I know. And I'm sorry for being such a d**k. I will tell you everything tonight. I don't want to do it here. But tonight. I promise.” What could he possibly need to tell me though? I couldn't help but get a bit nervous. “Is it bad? Are you breaking up with me? Should I be worried?” I kept rattling off questions and he put his fingers over my mouth to shush me. “No, I'm not breaking up with you. Is it bad? Well, kind of but I can only hope you'll forgive me for my idiotic mistake. Well, talk. I promise. As soon as we leave the mall, okay?” I was still nervous, but I managed to relax myself. I can handle and forgive just about everything. But how bad could this so-called secret be? “Okay. Hey, can you take my bags to the table? I've got to go to the restroom.” he nodded and grabbed my bags while I walked to the bathroom. After doing my business, I went to wash my hands. I was actually excited about homecoming. I got the perfect dress, I had the perfect friends, and I had Cade. My life was finally on the uphill climb. A stall door opened behind me and I heard a snicker. I knew that voice. I raised my head and looked behind me in the mirror. “Megan…” I breathed out. “That's my name.” She had a malicious look in her eyes and I knew she wasn't here to play nice. She was here for revenge. My eyes met the door and I knew I needed to get out of there. “Oh, don't leave yet, Taylor. I just got here. It's time you and I had a little chat.” she purred. She put her hands on her hips and propped herself up against the sink. “What could you possibly have to say to me, Megan? In fact, you're not even supposed to be near me or talking to me.” Her face turned red with anger. “There is no physical restraining order. Only words and promises. But we all know promises can be broken, don't we?” I quirked a brow at her. “No, I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't know what you mean.” She slammed her hand on the counter of the sink and I flinched. “Don't play stupid with me b***h. I'm not in the mood. Don't you want to know what secret Cade has been hiding?” I froze. How does she know? Cade said he would tell me right after we left the mall. Does that mean the secret has to do with Megan? I decided to play it off. “We don't have secrets from each other.” She scoffed but patted my cheek like someone would a child. “You're so naive. But you and I both know he's been keeping a secret from you. Now if you want to keep playing dumb and denying it the door is right there. But if you actually want to know what EVERYONE out there knows and has been hiding from you, then you'll stay and hear me out.” Everyone? So my friends know the secret too? “I see that look. You're thinking about your friends. How do they know and you don't? Well, honey they were in on the secret. They helped Cade keep the secret.” I backed up, shaking my head. “No. They wouldn't. They wouldn't lie to me. How do I even know you would tell the truth?” Her maniacal laugh filled the restroom. “You don't. But what do I have to lose?” I don't know why I'm doing this but I walked to the door and flipped the lock. “Talk. Now.” I ordered. “Well, since you want to know. Do you think Cade really loves you? He's using you. There is no love. Cade doesn't know how to love. I'm sure you've heard about his reputation. He's slept with over half of the school. So what could he possibly want with the shy, weirdo who never talked to anyone? The girl who got beat up by her daddy and had no one to turn to. Why do you think he would want you?” she started. I hate to admit it, but I've thought about all of this before. I've always thought, why me? Why did he choose me? I was a nobody and he was Mr Popular. I was about to interrupt when she started talking again. “None of it was real. It was all a game. A bet.” she had a smile of victory on her face and I just shook my head. “A bet?” She sighed. “Every year the guys would always mess around and either make bets or play pranks on people. Cade this year I guess chose a bet. You caught his eye. You intrigued him. He found out you were a loner. The guy said he would never be able to sleep with you. He challenged them. He said and if I remember correctly I quote ‘I can do it. I can get her to fall in love with me by homecoming’ so you see, none of it was real. He doesn't love you. It was all a lie. He played you. He played you like he does everyone.” I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt like the walls were closing in on me. “You're lying. He wouldn't…” I said almost as if to convince myself. “See for yourself.” she said and pulled out her phone and hit play on a video. She laid it on the counter and backed away. I snatched it up and watched. I listened to every word. Sure enough it was in the cafeteria and Mason, Nick, and Cade were there. Trinity was there, and Megan was there. They were talking about me. About my looks, about my personality, about how I'm weird, a loner. The camera panned to me. I remember that day. It was the first day of school. But Megan was right. Cade used me. Cade lied to me. Cade doesn't love me, he only said he did to get in my pants. I threw her phone at her and ran. “You're welcome.” she laughed victoriously. Megan won. I opened the bathroom door and saw everyone standing there in the hallway. “Hey, we were wondering what was taking so long. We ordered you food. Ready to g- what's wrong? Why are you crying?” Megan walked away waving her fingers like a perfect princess that just won the lottery. As much as I wanted to hate her at this moment I couldn't. She told me the truth. She's the only one who has been honest with me. She may not like me and she may be a b***h but at least she didn't lie to me. “Taylor...w-what happened? What's wrong?” Cade asked stuttering. He was fearful Of course he saw Megan leaving behind me. He reached his hand out for me and I slapped it away. I was so mad, so upset. I can't believe I trusted him. I can't believe I trusted them. They were all in on it. They all knew. Accept maybe Amanda. “Don't you dare f*****g touch me!” I spit out backing away from him. He seemed to realize that I now know. He was shaking his head. “Taylor, let's talk about this. Let me explain.” I guess this is what he wanted to talk to me about. He had good reason to be afraid. What hurts the most is I had to hear it from someone else. He didn't even have the balls to tell me. “Don't even bother. Megan told me everything.” Trinity, Mason and Nick's face paled. Amanda was biting her lip. “Taylor hears them out…” she whispered. “You knew! You all knew about it and didn't tell me! You just let me walk around making a fool of myself. I trusted all of you! I thought….I thought we were friends. God, I was so wrong. God, I'm such an i***t. All of you are just as bad at him!” She stepped back and shuddered almost as if I slapped her. Trinity was crying, Cade looked like he was in fight or flight mode, Nick and Mason looked worried but were not saying anything. “Baby, it's not what it looks like…” he pleaded. “Oh really? So you're not with me because of a bet? It was all a lie. It was all a game to you. I let you in, I trusted you. I gave you everything. Literally.” I couldn't stop the tears from falling. It was all too much. There were too many emotions, too many people, too much happening or should I say unraveling. “Everything I thought was real was a lie. I thought I was hurt before. I thought that what my family did broke me, but no. You broke me. You all broke me. I would rather spend my life with my father than this...I...I have to go. I need to go.” I started to back away and Cade grabbed my wrist. I raised my free hand and gave him a right hook right in his jaw. I'm not very strong but it was enough to take him by surprise. “Leave me alone. All of you.” I said and bolted. I heard everyone calling my name but I didn't care. I didn't listen, I only ran. I got to my car and got in and locked the door. “Taylor please…” he rested his head on the window. “I can't lose you, baby. Please!” I sobbed a bit and tried to catch my breath. I felt a bit dizzy, but I will be fine. “I'm sorry, Taylor. I love you. Please!” my eyes met him and he looked like he was being honest. But I couldn't be sure. I fell for his lies before and it's very clear he's a good liar.

You see my dear, you are a Timekeeper wolf. I know that you have learned about them in your history classes, and that you learned about the death of the Timekeeper line, of how it ended in the death of the infant Princess Genevieve, but that is not the truth my love. You reading this letter is proof that line is still alive and well. You, sweetheart, are Princess Genevieve, the heir to the title of Timekeeper Alpha Queen of the Royal Hidden Stream Pack. Your birth father, King Felix, the Timekeeper Alpha died protecting you in the battle of Hidden Stream when you were only 6 months old, the battle that you have read about in your history classes. You learned that the infant Princess died in that battle, but I assure you, that is not the truth. Your mother, Luna Priestess Cecelia, and your older brother, Prince Gavin, decided that it was in your best interest to allow the packs and the Alpha King to believe you were dead. Many believed that as the first female Timekeeper to be born into the line in over 600 years, that your power would exceed that of the Alpha King's. ———————— "Maeva!" The Headmaster called her name happily as he walked towards her. She lifted her eyes to find him quickly closing the distance between them with a bright smile on his face. "He looks impressed!" Gia giggled. She nodded inwardly acknowledging her wolf. "Wow Maeva, Alpha Maxwell wasn't kidding! You are quite impressive! You just took down one of our senior warriors, and in only 2 moves!" He laughed as he glanced at the unconscious warrior laying behind her. "Maeva it would be my honor to offer you a scholarship to the acedmy, a full scholarship if your even half as bright as the Alpha says. I would just need you to complete some entrance assessment exams if your interested." He beamed brightly. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she nodded at him. The entrance assessment exams would be easy for her and then she would finally be free of this place that hadn't felt like home since her father died. Just as she had predicted, the entrance assessment exams were a cakewalk. She had breezed through them, which had only left the Headmaster even more impressed. He had offered her a full scholarship to the International Werewolf Academy, so she would be going for free, an option that was usually only reserved for Omegas or the children of the Deltas that worked at the academy or within the Royal Court. Though she was incredibly proud of herself for managing to get a scholarship to the academy, she was also confused. She had never heard of anyone getting a scholarship to attend before. Usually only the children of high-ranking, high-class, or service-ranked wolves attended the academy. Nonetheless, she would be attending this year, and the Headmaster had said her scholarship would be for 4 years, which was the usual length of time that students attended. She was packed and ready to go, just waiting for the bus that would be arriving in an hour. It was a 30 hr trip to the academy from their pack territory in Georgia, and they would drive it straight through, only stopping for food breaks. The only thing she needed to do now was open the thin rectangular box that her father had left her when he died in the rogue attack three years ago. She looked at the box sitting on the desk to her left, debating on opening it. She had been putting this moment off for 3yrs, not wanting to know what he had left behind for her. She let out a long breath that she hadn't even realized she was hold as she sat down on the desk chair. The pad of her thumb brushed over her father's writing "Maeva." With shaky hands she flipped the envelope over and slid her finger under the lip, opening the letter. She took the folded sheets of paper out of the envelope, unfolded them, and began reading... My Dearest Maeva, If you are reading this, then I am no longer with you. Trust that I have left you with the invaluable and necessary skills you will need to protect yourself, but mostly my dear, trust yourself. You are so much stronger and more powerful than you could ever imagine. Always trust your instincts. They will never lead you astray. As you know my dear, you are no ordinary wolf. You my Dearest Maeva, are one of the strongest and most powerful wolves in the world, with a power that is only comparable and even possibly more extensive than the Alpha King himself. It is for that reason that you had to be hidden from the world. As your guardian and protector, it has been my greatest privilege and honor to raise you, but sweetheart, I am not your true father. Your birth father died when you were just an infant, protecting you from a large scale attack on your true pack after forces of darkness conspired to murder you. The reason for this conspiracy was that your power was predicted to be unlike that of any that came before you. You see my dear, you are a Timekeeper wolf. I know that you have learned about them in your history classes, and that you learned about the death of the Timekeeper line, of how it ended in the death of the infant Princess Genevieve, but that is not the truth my love. You reading this letter is proof that line is still alive and well. You, sweetheart, are Princess Genevieve, the heir to the title of Timekeeper Alpha Queen of the Royal Hidden Stream Pack. Your birth father, King Felix, the Timekeeper Alpha died protecting you in the battle of Hidden Stream when you were only 6 months old, the battle that you have read about in your history classes. You learned that the infant Princess died in that battle, but I assure you, that is not the truth. Your mother, Luna Priestess Cecelia, and your older brother, Prince Gavin, decided that it was in your best interest to allow the packs and the Alpha King to believe you were dead. Many believed that as the first female Timekeeper to be born into the line in over 600 years, that your power would exceed that of the Alpha King's. Rumor spread that you were created with great power, specifically for you to overthrow him. This made your mother fearful that King Rayan would send his men to take your life, especially after we lost Alpha King Felix and many of our best warriors in the battle. So as the powerful Priestess that Luna Cecelia was, she bound your power so that you could be hidden away. Your brother and mother selflessly put the protection of your life in my hands and sent you away to me, to raise as my own in a new pack, far from your birth pack. They led everyone to believe that you had died as a result of losing the battle, and that the Timekeeper line died with you, so that those who wished you harm would stop looking for you. This is why you first shifted at only 12 years old, and why I have insisted that you never shift in front of anyone but me, even after your 16th birthday. As with all wolves of the Royal bloodline, you first shifted just before puberty, and as you have seen with my own wolf, Gia is larger than any other wolf. Though you may have never noticed, Gia bears the Timekeeper markings, 1 of the 3 Royal Markings a wolf born into the Timekeeper line can bear. Furthermore, her eyes glow of the sparkling silver sands of time that only the Timekeeper wolf is known to have. For that reason, as I have stressed to you since your first shift, it is imperative to your safety that you keep her contained at all costs, unless absolutely necessary. Now that you know who you are Princess, I have enclosed a gift to help you protect yourself from those who would wish you harm. As you know, the Royal Timekeeper line is known for its immunity to silver, and high tolerance to wolfsbane. You were trained to fight in your human form, so I had a special set of daggers made for you. Made of silver and enchanted by a powerful High Priest, the daggers will help to protect you, and because they are made completely of silver, only your or your immediate family will ever be able to wield them. I pray to the Goddess that they serve you well my dear Princess, for you have a great and beautiful destiny ahead. All My Love, Daniel, aka, Dad She couldn't fight the tears that escaped her eyes as she folded the letter back up, folding it in half so that she could tuck it into her bra. Perhaps she should burn it, she thought, but even still, she couldn't do that here. No, she would need to keep it close until she had the necessary time to dispose of it properly. She lifted the lid of the velvet box to see the daggers that he had spoke of. Completely silver with gemstones embedded into the handles. She recognized the gems aligned on the top and bottom of the handle as Sapphires, along with some moonstones throughout, but she had no clue what the others were. Enchanted silver daggers. She closed the black velvet box as she stood up and carried it to the bed, tucking it safely into the backpack she would carry on the bus with her. Taking a deep breath and pushing the new information to the back of her mind to process on the bus, she pulled her backpack over her shoulders. She grabbed the 3 duffels, her blanket and a pillow from the bed and headed for the stairs. She had learned about the Timekeeper wolves in her history classes at school. They were the first royals among the wolves. The line began as the very first of the wolves. The Timekeeper wolf helped keep the forces of good and evil among the wolves in balance. They were gifted with the power of time, and subsequently the ability to manipulate it. Not only did they have the ability to manipulate time, but they essentially kept the history of the wolves, it was embedded in their DNA, she had read. The Timekeeper line was magnificent and unique in that not only was it a known royal bloodline through its immunity to silver and high tolerance for wolfsbane, but the Alphaship of the bloodline passed differently too. In normal wolf Alpha lines, the oldest child, usually a son, received all of, or nearly 100% of the Alpha genetics, and then it tapered down with each additional child. In the Royal Timekeeper line however, the 1st and 2nd child received 60-80% of the Alpha genetics, whereas the 3rd child received 100%, thus, making them the Alpha and the most powerful wolf of the family. So that would mean she had 2 older siblings. The letter had spoken of an older brother, but hadn't mentioned her other sibling. Perhaps that was because her other sibling was too young to comprehend the severity of the situation at the time. The Timekeeper family was known to have active powers as well. The Timekeeper of course, could manipulate time, but the first and second born's of a Timekeeper were known to have telekinetic and/or empathetic powers of their own. She wondered which of her siblings held which of the other powers that ran in the family. The history books at the pack school had never been specific on which child received which powers, so she wasn't really sure. When she got to the academy she would be sure to explore the library and find out all she could about the Timekeeper line. Until then, all could do was wonder what the extent of her powers would be when she finally decided to track her family down so her mom could unbind her power. She wondered if she would have witch powers as well, since her mother was a witch. That meant that she was a hybrid. She had never heard of another hybrid wolf before, but she and her siblings would technically be hybrids. There was the Alpha King, of course; technically he was a Demi-God wolf. According to all the books she had read, he was the child of the Moon Goddess herself, and no one truly knew his exact age, so he was assumed to be immortal. She made a mental note to research Timekeeper wolves, hybrids, and the Alpha King when she got to the academy. They traveled for hours through the mountainous terrain and thick forests before they finally reached the gates. It was late morning by the time the bus pulled to a stop in the large circle driveway to the academy entrance. The other students quickly vacated the bus, as they all had been enrolled the previous year. She was the only 1st year student from her pack and though she was nervous to begin this journey she refused to let it show. She took her time packing up her belongings from the bus before exiting the vehicle. Stepping off the bus she took in a deep inhale of the fresh mountain air. Sure, she could smell the other wolves throughout the territory, but she had always had a knack for being able to filter scents. She would only smell what she chose to smell in this moment, and the mountain air was not only refreshing, but also incredibly exhilarating. "Hey Maeva, your things have already been taken in by the Deltas, they'll get them to your room. If you want, I can go with you to the main hall so you can get your program and room assignment." David smiled kindly at her. "Yes, please, lead the way," she laughed. She had no idea where to go once inside the large wooden doors, so she was happy to have a kind face to help her navigate through today. He led her through a series of hallways until they came to a set of open double doors. Inside were 4 long tables on each wall of the room, with students standing in lines in front of them. Above the tables read A-G, H-M, N-S, and T-Z. "Your over there. You just tell them your name and they'll hand you your envelope with all the information you need. I'll take this stuff and wait here for you." David pointed to the table labeled T-Z before grabbing her pillow and blanket from her arms. She smiled and nodded at him before heading over to stand in the line. When it was finally her turn she made her way to a older woman with blonde hair and glasses sitting behind the large table. "Maeva Thompson," she told the woman before she had a chance to ask. The woman nodded and got up to go dig through the folders in boxes along the wall. She pulled out an envelope and checked its contents before returning to her seat. "Well Maeva, it looks like your enrolled in a hybrid program, your the only 1st year student I've ever seen accomplish such a task. Hybrid programs are normally only available AFTER the 1st year. Your room number and keycard are in the folder inside this packet, along with the date, time and room number for you to have your ID picture taken. There's also a map of the grounds, student handbook, rules and regulations, student clubs and organizations information, and general information on the academy inside as well. Goodluck and have a great year." The woman told her as she handed her the envelope with a smile. "Thank you." She smiled back before turning around and walking back towards David. The woman had told her she was enrolled in a hybrid program, but she wasn't quite sure what that meant. She also had said those were usually only available to students after their first year. But, here she was, attending the academy for free and enrolled in a hybrid program in her 1st year. She knew she had impressed the Headmaster, but he must have REALLY been impressed. She waited until she was standing back with David before opening the envelope and pulling out the folder. As the woman had told her, inside the folder the was a card insert that held her keycard, and stuck to the folder underneath the keycard was a sticker with print on it that read "Rhodes Hall, Room #S415." There were several papers and pamphlets inside the folder as well, but she would have to read through those later. She put the keycard in her pocket and closed the folder before sliding it back into the envelope. "Rhodes Hall is a scholars hall. I thought you said you impressed the Headmaster with your fighting skills?" David said as he motioned for her to follow him and began leading the way. "I did, but I did really well on the entrance exams too. The lady said I was in a hybrid program," she shrugged. "As a first year? That's impressive. It's hard to get in a hybrid program as a second year so you definitely did something right." He told her as they walked out of a side door. They stepped into a beautiful large courtyard. It was perfectly crafted with flowers, trees, bushes and benches in the perfect locations and Maeva knew she would spend a lot of time in this courtyard. David led the way through the mazes of pathways that held a slight incline and through the large, gorgeous gazebo that sat atop the incline and had a few decently sized tables inside. "Some of the Alphas like to eat meals out here when the weather is decent." David told her as they walked through it. She could certainly see why. The view it offered was nice. In the 360° view you could see the courtyard and a large portion of the building she walked out of, a dirt road and the training fields behind it (complete with sweaty muscular guys training) and a few of the buildings that sat behind them, as well as the other side of the court yard and another large building. "That's Rhodes Hall directly infront of us. There's a courtyard on the other other side that connects to the Alpha, Beta and Gamma halls. Warrior, Omega, Delta and Mid-Rank halls are on the other side of the building." He told her as they walked through the courtyard. "The building we just walked out of is called the Packhouse. Aside from the ballroom, that's the room we were in, a few lounges, a game room, a multi-media room, a few different sized dining rooms and the cafeteria, it's administrative. The buildings that house classrooms are located behind the dorm halls. She nodded at him, thankful to have him explaining things to her. They stopped on the wide cobblestone walkway at the end of the path. She looked up at the large building infront of her. This would be her home for the next 9months. She looked over at David who was watching her and smiled. "I joined a hybrid program this year too, so I've been upgraded to Rhodes Hall as well. Shall we go find our rooms?" He asked glancing up at the building. "What room are you in?" She asked him as she started walking towards the stairs. "238," he told her. They walked up the steps, passing a few groups of girls. They stepped inside to a gorgeous foyer. There was a desk where an Omega girl was sitting listening to room assignment complaints under a large grand staircase that circled up to a second floor loft that semi-overlook the first floor. There were door frames on either side that had overhead flaggers telling you what was located through it. She started walking towards the stairs and he followed. Neither of them said anything as they looked around while they walked. When they reached the loft on the 2nd floor there were directions to room sections painted on the far wall. 200-240 rooms were to their left, 240-280 rooms on the right. There was a staircase behind them that went to the 3rd floor. "I'll walk you up to your room before I find mine," David told her. "Thank you." She smiled to him before turning and heading in the direction that the wall indicated. She walked past 2 lounges and into an open lounge that sat at the bottom of another grand staircase. They walked up the stairs and continued to follow the directions on the walls. When they reached the 4th floor staircase she couldn't help but notice the differences. The first 2 staircases were large, open, and showy, but this staircase was not only smaller, it was secluded and private. They reached the top of the stairs and walked into an open, cozy lounge and kitchenette area. There weren't numbers painted on the walls, but instead, written in chalk, on a chalkboard that sat on an easel there were numbers and arrows. It said "Welcome!" at the top, 400-415 with an arrow pointing left, and 415-430 with an arrow to the right. Below that it said "Floor meeting HERE at 8 p.m." She noticed that there were less than half as many rooms on this floor than the others and realized that the S in her room number must have meant suite. She looked around at the girls in the lounge and knew that each of them came from a high ranked family. She internally groaned, copping a giggle from Gia. She looked over at David and could see that he knew how she was feeling. She internally rolled her eyes as she started down the hall in search of her room. She was going to spend the next 9 months surrounded by Alpha, Beta and Gamma females. Well, if that was the case then she would definitely have to show them that she wasn't going to be bullied if it came to it. She knew that the mean girl behavior of she-wolves was only enhanced when there were more people around and part of starting fresh was no longer accepting or ignoring their bully behavior. After walking down the hall past 2 large lounges and 12 suite doors they came to the end of the hall which opened up into another large lounge area. It held floor to ceiling windows with French doors that opened up to a stone, ivy covered balcony. They stopped a few feet from the archway to the lounge, and on the right was the door to her room. It was a solid oak door with the numbers 415 in simple white blocks. Maeva pulled the keycard from her pocket and held it infront of the scanner. The door made a clicking noise that told her it unlocked. So, she pushed down on the handle before pushing it open and walking inside. The inside of the room was decorated in hues of purple and white, and hosted 2 large windows on the far wall. A full sized bed sat under each window with a white wooden night stand on each side. There was a desk on the wall to the left of her, and a sitting area with a plush lavender couch to her right. On the far right wall sat another desk between 2 of the 3 doors. "This is nice." David said as walked over to lay her pillow and blanket on the bed that hadn't been claimed. Her roommate had already been here and she wondered if they had passed her in the hall. A laptop sat on the desk on the right, and a bag, a pillow and a blanket sat on the bed to the right. Her designer luggage sat at the foot of the bed, showing that she had been here long enough for her luggage to be brought up already. "Well, I suppose I'll go find my room and let you get settled in. Don't let them get to you, Maeva." David said as he motioned towards the hall. As an Omega he also knew all about the bullying of high ranked teenage wolves. "I'll see you at dinner. I usually sit at the picnic tables on the far side of the courtyard near the training fields." He told her as he walked to the door. She nodded to him as he walked out the door, leaving her to her own devices. When she finished putting her belongings away, she decided to check out whatever was behind the 3 doors. She walked over to the far right of the room and opened the door closest to the window to reveal a bathroom with a double sink. It had a shower/bathtub combo along with a toilet. It wasn't huge, but both of them would be able to get ready in there comfortably. She heard the bedroom door click open and the footsteps as they came into the room, so she made her way out of the bathroom. She was greeted by a pretty blonde girl with grey-blue eyes. She stood around 5'7" and her golden blonde hair hung just past her shoulders. "Why hello there! I'm Stella. I suppose we're to be roomies this school year." She spoke in a cheery accent that Maeva couldn't place as she walked over to her bed. "I'm Maeva, it's nice to meet you." Maeva told her with a smile. "It's a pleasure Maeva. I hope you don't mind I've taken this bed. I have a habit of needing to use the loo late at night, so I figured if I was close to it I may not wake you when I go. The closet on the left is mine as well. I didn't choose it though, so whoever made the room assignments must have," she started as she lifted a suitcase onto the bed and began unpacking it, "I only know because I had a peek inside. School uniforms and athletic wear are already inside them and labeled with our names if you haven't seen yet." She said with a smile as she began carrying clothes to the closet door on the left. "So what year are you Maeva? I don't think I've seen you around before," Stella asked her from the bedroom. "You haven't. This is my first year." Maeva replied walking out of the closet. "Huh. I tried to join a hybrid program my first year and the Headmaster said that I would have to wait until the end of first year to apply for one in my second year. Hence why I'm just now joining. How did you manage to get one? Special connections to the King?" Stella asked genuinely curious. "Something like that." Gia giggled in her mind. Had she not spent her entire life not knowing who she really was, she would have surmised that the Headmaster had figured it out. But that was impossible. She hadn't even known of her true identity until yesterday morning. She shrugged her shoulders towards Stella because the truth was, she had no idea how she had managed to get so much special attention.