Haylie POV
I was beginning to accept the terms of the life I found myself in—not that I was happy about it, but I had no other choice.
Far from home, in a town full of wolves, I knew escape was impossible. My scent was covered, which gave me some safety, but what good was that? I had no money, no allies, and I was only sixteen. What could a young girl like me possibly do?
This was my life now, and I could only hope that, with time, I would find a way back home.
The thought of Liam and Melody made my stomach churn. The way she looked like me, acted like me... it disgusted me.
I tried not to dwell on the image of him kissing her or holding her because it made me physically ill. The betrayal gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside. If I let those thoughts consume me, I wouldn't survive here.
My focus shifted as I poured water into a mug, watching the steam rise as I prepared my tea.
Tea had become a small comfort—a piece of normalcy I clung to in this strange and suffocating situation. JC didn't drink much tea or coffee; he'd have a cup every now and then, but it wasn't like me. I liked having tea throughout the day. It grounded me, even if just for a moment.
But even those small comforts couldn't mask the growing unease inside me.
Over the past three months, my memories had begun to feel... different. Frayed. I couldn't remember certain details, like what Liam and I did in Paris on my birthday. I knew we went there, but when I tried to picture it, there was nothing—just a blank.
The same thing happened when I thought about how we first met in the woods.
Even memories of my mother, so precious to me, were beginning to blur. Her voice, her smile—things I once held onto so tightly were slipping away, like grains of sand through my fingers.
It terrified me. What was happening to me? Why was I losing pieces of my life?
Shaking off the growing dread, I finished making my tea and set the mug on the counter. I needed to focus.
I grabbed the plates and forks, moving to prepare the table for breakfast. This routine, as mundane as it was, kept me grounded. It gave me something to hold onto in a life that felt increasingly out of my control.
I was setting the table when JC's voice broke the morning silence. "Breakfast is ready," he called.
The delicious aroma of bacon and eggs filled the air, and my stomach let out an eager growl. I glanced over to see him carefully dishing up the plates. The sight of the scrambled eggs and crispy bacon made my mouth water.
It wasn't much, but I appreciated his efforts—he always tried his best to make things feel normal, even when nothing about our situation was.
"That looks delicious," I said, flashing him a small smile.
He smiled back, a warmth in his expression that I was starting to recognize. Once he finished plating, we both sat down at the table.
This routine had become a comforting rhythm over the past few months. Breakfast together in the morning, supper together at night. It was a fragile semblance of normalcy that I had come to rely on, even as everything else in my life felt like it was slipping through my fingers.
But as I lowered myself into the chair, it happened again.
A sharp pain shot through my head, so sudden and piercing that I grabbed at my temples, squeezing my eyes shut. It wasn't the first time—I'd been dealing with these episodes for weeks now and months.
And every time they struck, something seemed to vanish from my mind. A memory, a detail, a fragment of who I was.
I barely heard JC's voice over the ringing in my ears. "Haylie, are you okay?" he asked, his tone heavy with concern.
The pain didn't let up, and I could feel my pulse pounding in my skull. I opened my eyes briefly, only to see him rushing toward me. Then I felt his arms around me, pulling me close.
"Haylie, talk to me," he urged, his voice soft but firm.
I leaned into his chest, my head spinning. The sharpness of the pain began to ebb, replaced by a dull ache that left me feeling hollow.
JC's hand moved to stroke my hair, his touch soothing, and for a moment, I let myself sink into the comfort of his presence.
"I'm fine," I mumbled, though the words felt empty even to me.
"You're not," he said, his voice filled with quiet determination. "This has been happening too often."
I didn't have the strength to argue. I didn't know how to explain what was happening to me—or how terrifying it was to feel parts of myself disappearing, one by one.
As I sat there in JC's arms, I couldn't shake the thought that whoever I was, whoever I used to be, was slipping further away with each passing day.
"Haylie, talk to me. I'm worried about you," JC's voice broke through the fog in my mind, his words laced with genuine concern.
I hesitated, but the warmth of his embrace—the solid, grounding presence of him—made it impossible to keep it all bottled up. Slowly, I pulled away from the hug, meeting his gaze for just a moment before looking down at him.
He was kneeling on the floor next to my chair, his expression full of worry.
"It's not just the pain," I said softly, my voice trembling.
I could feel tears welling up, hot and heavy, threatening to spill over. My chest tightened as the words I had been too afraid to say finally forced their way out.
"I'm starting to forget… pieces of my life," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "My mother… who she was. Little things about Liam. And now… I'm losing parts of myself."
JC's brows furrowed, his blue eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that almost made me look away. But I couldn't stop now.
"I don't even know my last name anymore," I confessed, the realization hitting me like a tidal wave. "I can't remember where I went to school, who my friends were…" My voice cracked, and I swallowed hard, fighting the lump forming in my throat.
Saying it out loud made it feel more real—more terrifying.
JC's eyes softened as he listened, and I saw his hand twitch, as though he wanted to reach out but was unsure if it would help. "Haylie…" he began, his voice low, almost reverent, like he was afraid to hurt me further.
I met his gaze again, the tears I had been holding back finally spilling over. "It's like I'm fading," I said, the words trembling on my lips. "Like I'm being erased, piece by piece."
His jaw tightened, and I saw a flicker of anger pass through his eyes—not directed at me, but at whatever force was doing this to me. Slowly, he reached up, taking my hands in his, his touch firm but comforting.
"We'll figure this out," JC said, his voice steady despite the storm of emotion in his eyes. "I promise you, Haylie. You're not alone in this. Whatever's happening, we'll fight it. Together."
For a moment, the weight of his words, of his unwavering resolve, made the fear inside me ease, just a little. I nodded, even though the doubts still lingered. At least, for now, I wasn't facing this darkness alone.
Liam POV
It was a rare day when I had time for myself, but I wasn't going to waste it. The events of the past few months weighed heavily on me, especially after spending yesterday with her—the woman pretending to be Haylie. Everything about her was a performance, a well-rehearsed facade, but cracks were starting to show.
I couldn't shake the unease gnawing at my mind. Something was wrong.
Claudine had approached me view weeks ago, her usually carefree demeanor replaced by seriousness I hadn't seen before. "That's not Haylie," she'd said, her voice low and firm. "I know my friend better than anyone. Something's off, and I can feel it in my bones."
I trusted Claudine's instincts. She'd known Haylie her whole life and had the kind of bond that didn't lie. If she was saying this imposter wasn't her friend, I needed to listen.
Today was the day to act. Claudine had come up with a plan to lure her out of the house—some fabricated excuse about a shopping trip. She was confident the woman pretending to be Haylie wouldn't refuse.
That gave me the perfect opportunity to slip into her room and figure out what was going on.
As the morning stretched on, I watched from behind the bush of roses, hidden behind it in the garden, as Claudine and the imposter who claimed to be Haylie left the house.
She carried herself with an air of confidence, but there was something unnatural about her movements—too deliberate, too careful, as though she was mimicking rather than being.
The moment they were gone I sneak up on to the house. My heart pounded in my chest as I climbed up in the three near Haylie window, thank full she always leaves her window slide open. I clime through the window quietly making sure no one hear me or see me.
When I entered her room, I hesitated for a moment. What was I expecting to find? Evidence? A confession written in blood?
My breath catches as I scan the room for anything.
The room was un tidy and clothes was every were and the bed was not made up it was left just how it was. She was definitely not organized like Haylie, the room what I remember was need and tidy of Haylie.
Her old room had always felt lived-in—books packed away needy; a sweater draped over a chair. But this… this was something she was not, the woman I knew was need on her things and tidy and clean.
I moved slowly through the room, starting with the cupboard. The clothes inside needed to be hung back on their hangers, but nothing seemed unusual. I closed the cupboard and turned my attention to her bedside table.
Again, I found nothing—until something caught my eye. A corner of something was sticking out from under her pillow.
My heart raced, and I heard my wolf, Ace, in my mind.
"It looks like a book," he said.
"Well, let's see what kind of book it is," I replied.
I lifted the pillow carefully, revealing an old, weathered, brown book. Taking it into my hands, I immediately realized it wasn't just any book—it was a witchcraft book.
"I told you that woman isn't Haylie," Ace growled in my mind, his voice sharp with warning.
My eyes widened in disbelief as I realized what I was holding. It wasn't just any spell book; it was a book of dark magic—black magic. My legs felt weak, nearly giving out beneath me, and I sat down on the bed as the gravity of the discovery settled over me.
I heard my father's voice echo in my memory, warning me that such books were supposed to have been destroyed long ago.
They were forbidden, dangerous, and pure evil. My hands trembled as I opened the book's cover.
The first page revealed its owner, and I froze.
This book belongs to Melody.
I stared at the name, my mind spinning. Melody. The dark-haired girl I had met before. The one who had claimed to be my fated mate.
I set the book down beside me on the bed and ran my hands through my hair in frustration. Was this Melody pretending to be Haylie all along? If that were true, then I had been with Melody this entire time—and not with Haylie.
The question burned through me like fire.
Where is the woman I love? Where is Haylie?
My gaze shifted to the book beside me, and I noticed small tags marking certain pages. With trembling hands, I picked it up again and began flipping through the marked sections. Each one revealed old, ancient spells—dangerous ones.
There was a memory-stealing spell. Another for stripping someone of their power. My frown deepened with each page I turned, the markings revealing Melody's twisted intentions. Finally, I reached the last marked page and froze.
A lock of red hair lay pressed between the pages.
"Liam, I can smell it," Ace growled in my mind, his voice thick with urgency.
With shaky hands, I picked up the lock of hair. It was red—vivid and unmistakable. The moment it reached my fingers, the scent hit me. For the first time in months, I caught the unmistakable fragrance of daisies.
"I can smell it too, Ace," I whispered, my voice trembling as I brought the lock of hair closer to my nose. The scent confirmed what my heart already knew—it was Haylie's. My Haylie.
Tears stung my eyes as I inhaled the familiar fragrance of the woman I loved. But as my gaze dropped to the page beneath the lock of hair, my heart felt like it stopped.
The spell written there sent a wave of rage and despair through me. It was a spell to clone oneself, to mimic the appearance of someone else.
I slammed the book shut and stood abruptly, shaking with a volatile mix of anger and grief. My suspicions had been right—this woman was an imposter. She wasn't Haylie.
Clutching the lock of hair tightly in my fist, I fought to keep myself steady. Somewhere out there, my Haylie was waiting for me, while this deceiver had been taking her place all this time.
I had to find Haylie. My Haylie—the one I knew, the one who smelled like daisies. The thought fueled my determination, but before I could act, a mind link tried to push through into my thoughts.
I was already on the edge, anger threatening to consume me. Taking a heavy breath to steady myself, I reluctantly opened the link.
"What is it?" I snapped, my voice sharp with frustration.
My emotions were teetering on the edge of control. How could I have been such a fool? I knew now, without a doubt, that the woman wasn't Haylie.
"Liam, did you find something?" Claudine's voice came through the link, hesitant yet urgent.
I picked up the book from the bed, gripping it tightly. This book was coming with me—it held too many answers to leave behind.
"Yes, I did. That woman isn't who she claims to be," I said, my voice laced with anger. "Do not trust her, Claudine. She's a fraud. Her name is Melody, and she's a witch."
I could feel Ace, my wolf, pacing restlessly in the back of my mind, desperate to take control and act. But there wasn't time for that now. I needed to get to the bottom of this before making my next move.
"Liam," Claudine said, her tone cautious, "there's something you need to know before you confront her."
Her words made me pause, a frown forming on my face.
"What is it?" I asked through the link, and my patience was wearing thin.
"I can't tell you now," she replied, her voice hurried. "Let me meet you at the house, okay?"
Before I could respond, she severed the connection, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I hated when someone did that. Whatever it was I would have to find out late and for now, I need to get out of here.
Melody Pov
The morning started off better than I could have imagined. I never thought I'd have this much fun, especially since I don't have any close girlfriends. But being with Claudine felt like being with the sister I never had. I kind of understood why Haylie liked her so much.
We hopped from shop to shop, laughing and trying on clothes until we were so tired we had to find somewhere to rest.
On our way to the coffee shop, a strange smell hit me out of nowhere, making my stomach turn. I froze in my tracks, bringing my hand to my nose to block out the stench.
"What's wrong?" Claudine asked, noticing my reaction.
I looked at her, my voice tense. "Don't you smell that?"
She tilted her head, clearly confused. With her wolf senses, it seemed impossible she couldn't smell it too.
Instead of agreeing, Claudine started laughing. "What do you mean?" she asked, amusement dancing in her eyes.
I let go of my nose, thinking maybe I was just being paranoid. But as soon as I did, the stench hit me harder, making me gag. Quickly, I clamped my hand back over my nose and tried to breathe through my mouth instead.
"This is bad. Whatever it is, it's not cool," I said to Claudine, my voice muffled.
She chuckled and waved her hand dismissively. "All I can smell is the coffee from the shop and something delicious cooking," she said with a grin.
I rolled my eyes. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid," I muttered, though the smell lingered in my mind.
Claudine shook her head, still amused, and we continued walking toward the coffee shop. When we got there, a waitress greeted us warmly. Claudine, noticing my discomfort, asked if we could sit outside. I nodded in agreement, grateful for the fresh air.
The waitress led us to a table under a wide umbrella, offering a bit of shade from the glaring sun.
We took our seats, and I hesitantly uncovered my nose, relieved that the smell seemed to fade.
"What can I get you to drink?" the waitress asked, smiling politely.
"I'll have a blue milkshake," I said quickly.
"And I'll take a pink one," Claudine added.
As soon as the waitress walked away, I felt Claudine's eyes on me. Her gaze was sharp, almost probing.
"So," she said, leaning forward, "how long are you planning to keep this up?"
Her words made me frown. "Excuse me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though my insides churned. My mind raced with a thousand questions. Did she find out? Was she talking about that, or something else entirely?
Claudine leaned in closer, her voice quiet but firm. "I'm talking about you trying to be Haylie. Pretending to be... all this."
Her words hit me like a brick. I froze, my heart pounding in my ears as the chatter of the crowd faded into the background.
My eyes narrowed, turning serious as I leaned closer to the table, ensuring no one could overhear us. I could lie to Claudine; tell her it was me—Haylie—and even use black magic to make her believe it.
But the mark of my previous use of black magic had already spread, a dark stain creeping up my neck.
If I used it again, I wasn't sure how much time I'd have left before I completely lost myself and turned... evil.
Claudine's gaze was unrelenting. "I know Haylie," she said firmly. "And the Haylie I know loves chocolate. She'd have ordered a chocolate milkshake, not blue. You're not Haylie. You're not as innocent as she is. You might fool others, but not me. I can see right through you."
Her words were like a blade, slicing through any pretense I might have clung to. The intensity in her dark eyes left no room for denial. She had figured it out.
I exhaled shakily, my resolve faltering. "My name is Melody," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.
Her face turned ghostly pale, her lips slightly parted in shock. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice sharp and piercing, cutting through the weighty silence between us. I felt trapped, her question pinning me in place like a spotlight on a stage.
"My brothers are after Haylie," I began, my voice trembling. "They want to kill her because of the sin her mother, Olivia, committed. To save her... I need to be her." My hands shook as I clasped them together on the table. "I'm the only one who knows my brothers' weaknesses, and with my magic, I can defeat them."
Before Claudine could respond, the waitress returned, setting our drinks on the table with a polite smile. "Here you go—a blue milkshake and a pink milkshake," she said cheerily.
"Thank you," Claudine replied, her tone polite but clipped.
The moment the waitress walked away; Claudine's dark eyes locked onto mine again. The silence between us was suffocating, heavy like a storm about to break.
I drew in a deep breath, but nausea crept up my throat, making my stomach churn. Desperate to steady myself, I grabbed my blue milkshake and took a large sip, hoping it would calm the unease. It didn't.
"Are your brothers the rogue wolves?" Claudine asked, her voice sharp, her gaze piercing right through me.
I hesitated, then gave her a small nod. "Yes," I admitted. "To save Haylie, I needed her away from here. She's with my brother in Greenland, in a safe place."
Claudine's expression didn't soften. If anything, it hardened further. Her fingers clenched around her glass so tightly that her wolf claws extended, scraping against the surface. Her anger was palpable, and it sent a shiver down my spine.
I bit my lower lip, unsure of how to calm the rising tension. "Claudine," I said cautiously, "I would never hurt Haylie. I swear it. If you want, I can even take you to her." My voice trembled, and I hated how weak it sounded.
The tension between us was suffocating, a storm of emotions I couldn't control. My stomach lurched violently, and nausea swept over me like a tidal wave. I pushed my chair back abruptly, the screech of wood against pavement barely registering in my ears, and bolted.
I barely made it to the nearest tree before I started vomiting.
My entire body heaved, and everything in me came out. But then I saw it—the black, viscous blood mixed with my bile.
My eyes widened in shock. Something was terribly wrong. Panic surged through me, and my thoughts raced as I clutched the tree for support. Was it the black magic? Or something worse?
Once I finished, I wiped my mouth with the back of my arm, still trembling. When I turned around, Claudine was standing there, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her expression unreadable.
"I want you to show your true self," she said firmly, her voice laced with authority.
My eyes widened in disbelief. Was she serious? I glanced around, the sight of passersby fueling the rising panic within me. "Are you sure?" I asked, my voice trembling as I scanned the area nervously. "Here?"
Claudine stepped closer, her brown eyes shifting to a glowing purple hue as her wolf emerged.
Her nails elongated into sharp, claw-like points. "I said show yourself to me, witch," she growled, her voice resonating with the commanding tone of her wolf.
My heart pounded wildly in my chest.
There was no escaping now. Cornered and exposed, I whispered the ancient words to break the spell hiding my true self. A surge of magic coursed through me, and I felt the shift—the veil lifting.
My long brown hair fell around my shoulders, my deep brown eyes returned, and the intricate tattoos snaking along my arms reappeared. My black nails gleamed under the sunlight, matching the dark clothing I preferred.
Claudine's eyes widened in shock, her lips parting slightly as she took in my true form. "So this is the real you," she said, her voice heavy with disbelief.
I looked down at my arms, my gaze tracing the familiar tattoos, and felt the weight of my reality settle over me like a shroud.
Claudine's presence loomed closer until she stood directly in front of me. Her eyes returned to their normal shade, but they were filled with something far more intense: pain. Tears glistened on her lashes as she stared at me.
"Liam and Haylie didn't deserve this," Claudine said, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Guilt and regret churned inside me, tightening my throat. My own tears threatened to spill as I croaked, "I know." Nausea clawed at my insides, but it was nothing compared to the weight of her words.
"Then why did you let it go this far?" Claudine demanded; her voice thick with emotion. "You even took her life, and now... now you've gone so far that you let Liam give you a child."
Her words hit me like a thunderclap. My eyes widened, and I shook my head vigorously. "What do you mean?" I stammered. "I know what I did was wrong, but I didn't—"
Before I could finish, her trembling hand reached out and rested on my stomach. I froze, my gaze dropping to where her hand lay. The world seemed to tilt on its axis as her words fell like a hammer.
"You're carrying Liam's child," she said softly, her voice cracking under the weight of the revelation.
Shock rooted me to the spot as the air was stolen from my lungs. My mind reeled, and for a moment, I couldn't process what she had just said.
My entire body felt like it was shutting down, the weight of her words anchoring me in place. My legs felt like cement, refusing to move as I looked up at Claudine with wide, tear-filled eyes. "I didn't mean—" The words barely escaped my trembling lips, weak and hollow. It was all I could manage.
Claudine was sobbing, her breaths uneven as she looked at me with a mixture of heartbreak and fury.
Her hand slipped away from my stomach, and she took a deliberate step back, putting distance between us.
Her voice cracked as she spoke, raw and broken. "If I were you, I'd run—or end this—because..." She paused, her tears falling freely now, her anguish palpable. "The mark on your neck has already affected that unborn baby. If you let this child be born, you'll bring evil into this world, and it will all be your fault."
Her words pierced through me like a blade, sharp and merciless.
I gasped as the weight of realization crashed down on me. The mark—my use of black magic—it wasn't just destroying me; it was tainting the innocent life growing within me. My hands instinctively flew to my stomach as a tidal wave of horror and guilt washed over me. What have I done?
Tears spilled from my eyes, leaving streaks of mascara on my cheeks. My body turned ice-cold as the full gravity of my actions settled in. "Claudine, I never meant to—" My voice broke, desperate to explain, to plead for understanding, but she wouldn't let me finish.
"Save it," she spat, her voice laced with pain and betrayal. She shook her head, her dark eyes burning with disappointment. "You stole my best friend's life. You took everything that was hers. And now, you're carrying the child of the man she loved—and you're sorry?"
Her words hit me harder than any physical blow could have.
I felt my knees weaken, my heart splintering under the weight of her accusations. The truth was undeniable, and the reality of what I had done was staring me in the face. I had taken too much, crossed too many lines, and now, the consequences were unraveling before me.
I looked up at Claudine and she barely looked at me. I felted like I need to get away. she knew who I was and I was expose. I use my magic and teleport myself back to my room. Well Haylie room. I need to get my book and things and get out of here because I was in trouble and I was expose.