LOGINJake raised the glass to his lips and took a deep, heavy swallow.Three seconds passed in absolute, agonizing silence. Then, the glass slipped from Jake’s fingers.CRASH.The heavy crystal shattered against the hardwood floor, spilling the remaining alcohol across the rug. Jake staggered backward, his large hand flying to his throat as his eyes widened in sudden, violent shock. The vibrant emerald fire in his gaze flared aggressively before instantly fracturing, the brilliant green light dimming into a dull, lifeless gray."Avery..." Jake choked out, his voice a raspy, broken gasp. His knees buckled beneath him, his massive frame slamming heavily against the side of the oak bar. He tried to call upon the monstrous beast inside his chest to fight off the paralysis, but his inner wolf was violently dragged down into a forced coma. The neural block was absolute. His Lycan power was completely gone.He looked up at her from the floor, his hands shaking as he reached for her dress. And the
The tension in the grand ballroom was thick enough to suffocate a human. Jake stood with his large hand extended toward Avery, his piercing green eyes burning with an unyielding command. The midnight-blue silk of the gown he had bought her seemed to ripple like deep water under the crystal chandeliers, a direct defiance against the sleek navy tuxedo of Cole Sterling, whose hand was still locked firmly around Avery's waist.Cole’s blue eyes flashed a sharp, territorial shade of amber. "She’s my guest tonight, Crescent," Cole said, his voice dropping into a low, menacing register. "You don't get to march in here and dictate where she goes."Jake didn't even look at him. His focus remained entirely anchored on Avery. "Dance with me."Avery looked at Jake’s open palm, her mind a chaotic storm. Inside her silk evening clutch, the small glass vial containing Alpha King Magnus's neural block felt like a block of burning ice. She knew she had to isolate him. If she let Cole and Jake clash rig
"Thank you, Jake," she choked out, her voice cracking as she forced a small, tragic smile onto her face. "It's beautiful."Friday night arrived, cloaked in a freezing, heavy downpour that slicked the long, winding driveway of the Sterling Estate. The massive, neoclassical mansion was ablaze with thousands of golden lights, its grand stone pillars flanked by a fleet of luxury towncars and black SUVs.Inside the grand ballroom, the atmosphere was a masterclass in high-society illusion. Hundreds of wealthy human trustees, politicians, and university board members drifted across the polished marble floors, sipping champagne beneath massive crystal chandeliers. But beneath the surface of the classical orchestra music, the air was vibrating with a different kind of energy. Avery could feel it the moment she walked through the double doors—the sharp, territorial tension of dozens of high-ranking Lycan pack members disguised in custom tuxedos and evening gowns."You look absolutely spectac
The glass vial felt like a block of solid ice inside the pocket of Avery’s gray hoodie. She stood in the center of her small dorm room, her eyes fixed on the folded piece of heavy parchment lying on her desk. The ruthless handwriting of Alpha King Magnus seemed to burn through the paper, projecting an invisible clock that was ticking down the seconds of her brother’s life.“Bring my son home, Avery. If he is not in the vehicle when the gala ends... Leo’s head will be delivered to your dorm room by midnight.”A shuddering breath escaped her lips. She had no choice. She had never had a choice. To save Leo, she had to play her part in this deadly theater perfectly. She reached out, her fingers wrapping around the cold glass of the neural block before sliding it into the hidden inner pocket of her small evening clutch.She had already texted Cole, formally accepting his invitation to the Sterling charity gala. It was the perfect human cover. Escorting the rival pack’s son would place h
On Tuesday morning, the reality of the outside world caught up with her. Avery was walking down the stone arches of the quad, her backpack slung over her shoulder, when a tall figure stepped out from behind a concrete pillar, blocking her path."You're a hard woman to find these days, Avery."Cole Sterling stood before her, his hands shoved casually into the pockets of his dark leather jacket. The morning sun caught his blonde hair, and his piercing blue eyes locked onto her face. He still believed she was entirely human, but his inner Alpha beast was pacing beneath his skin, intensely drawn to the hidden, fierce fire he felt radiating from her.Avery stopped, her instincts immediately going on high alert. "Cole. I thought I made myself clear after the courtyard. I don't want to get involved.""I'm not here to start a fight," Cole said quietly, stepping a polite half-step closer. He studied her features, trying to decode the mysterious pull she had on him. "I know Jake’s been kee
The world inside the dimly lit apartment came to an absolute, terrifying standstill.Jake’s massive hands were clamped around Avery’s shoulders like twin vices, his grip firm but careful not to crush her. His bare chest heaved with a ragged, uneven breath, the heat radiating from his skin so intense it felt like a furnace. His green eyes were entirely gone, replaced by two glowing, hypnotic pools of emerald fire that burned straight through the darkness, anchoring her to the floor."You're not human," Jake breathed, his voice dropping into a low, rumbles that vibrated directly against her ribcage. The ancient, possessive authority of his Alpha lineage bled into every single syllable. "Avery... what the hell are you?"Avery’s heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. Her mind was racing at a mile a minute, frantically scrambling for a solution. She looked down at his chest, realizing that her scent masker had temporarily failed under the sheer, suffocating pressure of the







