In between

ANNA

Sleep was impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Kael’s golden stare, Rylan’s commanding presence, and Damon’s dangerous smile.

They were three different storms, and I was the one foolish enough to stand in their center.

The next morning, the academy buzzed with talk about the flicker of light that had shaken the library. No one knew the cause. But whispers said it was tied to me. I felt their eyes follow me in the halls, curious, afraid, and enchanted all at once.

By the time I reached my locker, Lila was waiting with her arms folded.

“You missed breakfast again. Are you okay?”

I nodded, even though my heart was a restless drum.

“Just tired.”

“Tired looks different,” she said softly.

“You look like you saw the moon goddess herself.”

“Maybe I did.”

Before she could respond, the corridor filled with a low hum. The scent of pine and rain drifted through the air. I didn’t have to turn to know who it was.

Rylan.

He moved through the hallway like he owned it. His dark hair fell over his brow, his shoulders broad beneath the black uniform jacket that seemed tailored for him alone. Students parted for him without a word. And then his gaze found me.

Everything inside me went still.

He stopped in front of me, his voice low and smooth.

“Anna Morell.”

The way he said my name felt like a challenge and a promise all at once.

“Alpha Rylan,” I said, trying to sound composed.

“Come with me.”

There was no question in his tone, just quiet authority. My pulse quickened. Lila’s eyes widened in warning, but I followed him anyway.

He led me out of the main building, across the courtyard, and into the garden behind the northern wing.

The flowers glowed faintly beneath the morning light. I could hear the faint rustle of wind through the trees.

When he finally turned to face me, his expression had softened.

“You saw something in the library,” he said quietly.

I swallowed.

“How do you know?”

“Kael told me.” His eyes darkened a little at the name.

“He shouldn’t have.”

“So you’re angry at him.”

“I’m angry he’s getting too close.” His jaw tightened.

“You don’t know what he is capable of.”

“And what about you, Rylan?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“What are you capable of?”

For a moment, something flickered in his gaze; pain, maybe longing. Then he stepped closer until I could feel his breath against my skin.

“More than you think,” he said softly.

“But I don’t want to hurt you.”

My heart was beating so fast it felt like the ground was tilting. He lifted a hand, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

The warmth of his touch lingered, careful and forbidden. His fingers paused at my jaw, as if caught between restraint and desire.

“You should stay away from us,” he whispered.

“Then why can’t you?” I asked.

His lips curved faintly.

“Because every time I try, the moon pulls me back to you.”

I didn’t know who moved first. One second, we were standing inches apart, and the next, his lips brushed mine-soft, testing, full of heat that sent a shiver through me. It wasn’t a kiss meant to claim. It was one that warned of what could come if either of us stopped pretending.

When he finally stepped back, his breathing was uneven.

“Forget that happened.”

“I don’t think I can.”

His eyes met mine, full of something fierce and conflicted. Then he turned and walked away, leaving me trembling beneath the weight of something that didn’t feel like a mistake at all.

****************************************

By afternoon, I had almost convinced myself it hadn’t happened. Almost.

That was until I entered the practice hall for combat training and found Damon leaning against the far wall, arms crossed, watching me with a grin that was all danger and charm.

“Well, well,” he drawled.

“The little moon girl finally shows up.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You have a habit of giving people names they don’t want.”

“You look like you want this one.” His eyes glinted as he stepped forward, circling me slowly.

“You’ve got fire, Anna. I can feel it.”

He reached out suddenly, his hand closing around my wrist. Sparks shot through my veins. His skin was warm, his grip strong but not painful. I tried to pull back, but he didn’t let go.

“Let me go,” I said quietly.

“Say please.”

My heart skipped.

“Damon…”

He smiled.

“There it is. The sound of my name on your lips.”

For a brief, reckless second, the air between us thickened. I could feel the tension like a current, electric and sharp. Then he released me with a slow smirk.

“You should be careful,” he murmured.

“Not every alpha here plays fair.”

“And you do?”

He stepped closer again, his voice low.

“I never said that.”

He brushed past me as the instructor entered, his laughter soft and dangerous. My pulse didn’t calm until long after he was gone.

********************************

That evening, I found myself drawn back to the library. Maybe it was the quiet, or maybe it was the memory of the light that had burst to life in my hands.

I traced the edges of the book that had glowed before. It was cold now, lifeless. I wondered if I had imagined it all.

“Still searching for answers?” The voice behind me was soft, steady.

Kael.

I turned. He stood in the doorway, moonlight washing over him. His golden eyes caught the light in a way that made them look almost inhuman.

“I could ask the same of you,” I said.

He moved closer, each step slow and deliberate.

“I wasn’t lying about what I told you. Your power is waking; and with it comes danger.”

“And you’re the one who’s going to protect me?” I asked.

“If you’ll let me.”

There was no arrogance in his tone, only quiet conviction. When he stopped in front of me, the air grew warmer. His gaze dropped to my lips for the briefest moment before returning to my eyes.

“I don’t trust you,” I whispered.

“I don’t need your trust,” he said softly.

“I need your strength.”

Before I could respond, he lifted his hand and placed it over mine. His touch was steady, grounding, yet it sent a shiver through me that felt too alive to ignore. The mark on my back pulsed again, glowing faintly through the fabric of my shirt.

Kael’s eyes widened slightly.

“It reacts to me.”

“Why?”

“Because our destinies are intertwined,” he said simply.

“Yours, mine, Rylan’s, Damon’s. The moon chose all of us for a reason.”

My breath caught.

“You make it sound like fate.”

“Maybe it is.”

For a long moment, we just stood there, the silence heavy with things neither of us dared to say. When his fingers brushed against mine again, I didn’t pull away.

The pull between us was different from Rylan’s-less fire, more gravity. Deep, inevitable.

Then his expression changed, shadows passing through his eyes.

“You should go. If Rylan or Damon finds you here with me, it will only make things worse.”

“Worse how?”

His jaw tightened.

“Because none of us are supposed to want the same girl.”

My heart skipped.

“But you do.”

He looked at me for a long, aching second before turning away.

“That’s the problem.”

*

*

That night, I stood by my window again, looking out over the moonlit courtyard. My reflection in the glass looked like someone I didn’t know_someone with secrets burning under her skin.

I could still feel Rylan’s kiss, Damon’s touch, and Kael's steady warmth. Three alphas bound by power, rivalry, and something I didn’t understand. Each one dangerous in his own way. Each one pulling me closer.

The mark on my back pulsed again, brighter this time, and I whispered into the quiet.

“What are you doing to me?”

No answer came, only the distant sound of wolves howling under the full moon.

Somewhere inside me, something howled back.

TBC