Chapter 1
Piper
I have a party to attend.
A party I am probably already late to.
Then again, thinking about it properly, I actually have no idea what time it starts considering I have barely spoken to anyone all day.
I quickly wash my body and hair, though dealing with my curls properly is an entirely different matter.
If I want them to look perfect, it easily takes an hour. At the very least.
For years, I went back and forth between keratin treatments and wearing my hair naturally curly.
Recently, though, I decided to leave it as it is.
Because for the first time in a long while, I actually feel comfortable in my own skin.
There was a period where I hated my curls because they reminded me too much of my mother.
After we lost her, every resemblance felt unbearable. Looking in the mirror and seeing pieces of her reflected back at me only reopened wounds I was desperately trying to keep closed.
But now…
Now the resemblance feels different.
Now I find myself wanting those reminders of her instead of running from them.
I focus on finishing my shower, and after drying off quickly, I slip into a matching baby blue lingerie set.
I leave the bathroom and step back into my bedroom only to immediately feel eyes on me.
My head snaps towards the window.
The curtains are still open.
And there he is.
I meet his gaze instantly, like he had already been standing there watching my window.
And I suppose he was.
Doing exactly that.
One hand rests in the pocket of his trousers while the other holds a glass.
Even from this distance, I can see those eyes.
Amber eyes.
Locked directly onto me.
Those dark, possessive, hungry eyes.
Hungry for me.
For a second, I simply freeze, staring right back at him, completely unsure what I am even supposed to do.
He is still dressed the same as he was this morning.
Still looking unfairly good.
Which is definitely not something I should be noticing.
But his face really is beautiful in a rough sort of way. Rugged, masculine… and somehow it suits him perfectly.
Then reality comes crashing back into me and I quickly pull the curtains shut. I feel my face grow hotter by the second.
I press my hands over my eyes and groan.
I can’t believe this.
But then again, he has already seen me naked, so is it really that big of a deal?
My cheeks grow even hotter at the thought.
But then another problem hits me.
Not only is he here at the academy. He is living in the dormitory right next to ours.
And if that wasn’t enough, his window has a perfect view of mine.
Which is incredibly bad.
Very, very bad.
Like, so, so bad.
I start getting ready, connecting my phone to the music before moving to my hair.
I dry it carefully with a soft cotton shirt before working through my curls until they fall exactly the way I like them.
Once that is done, I move on to my makeup.
I never do much with my eyes. Usually not even mascara. My attention always goes to my lips instead.
I really love the contrast of fuller lips and softer eye makeup.
Then comes my favourite part.
Choosing the outfit.
I step into the wardrobe and begin scanning through my clothes until something catches my eye.
I choose a pair of low waisted jeans and a long sleeved silk corset top that cinches my waist perfectly and makes my C-cup breasts look closer to a D.
I put on a pair of high platform heels.
The party might be in the woods, but I am not about to show up wearing flats. It’s still a party after all.
Girls would wear stilettos, believe me.
So I go for the pair that best matches the surroundings.
When I finish, I take a moment to look at myself in the mirror.
I will probably freeze since the corset leaves my shoulders bare, but I am still not wearing a jacket over it.
I grab my phone and key card before making my way out.
For a brief moment, I consider stopping by one of the other girls’ rooms.
But I abandon the idea almost immediately.
Things between all of us have felt… off lately.
Especially with Eleanor still missing.
I hope that eventually we find our way back to each other.
But for now…
Perhaps it is better this way.
Because the truth is, there are things happening in my life right now that I can’t tell them about anyway.
And maybe it’s easier if they stay out of it, so I don’t have to feel guilty lying to them once they inevitably start asking questions.
It doesn’t take me long to reach the clearing.
The party is being held deeper in the woods on our side of the academy grounds, beside the lake where the Thirteen Circle cabin stands hidden between the trees.
Which is precisely why my presence here was unavoidable.
The party is hosted by the Thirteen Circle.
Even if every part of me would rather turn around and disappear back into my room, curl up in bed, and spend the night binge watching a show or reading one of my books.
But showing up is not really optional.
And father expects me to uphold the Ashthorne name.
I spot Adelaide nearby and nod at her before sitting down on one of the wooden chairs beside the fire.
At least the heat of it helps a little.
It is only the first day of September, but the air is already chilly.
Elaris Isle doesn’t really have much of a summer anyway. On a good day, temperatures barely reach the high sixties.
Instead of forcing myself into conversations that hold absolutely no appeal to me, I pull out my phone.
I open my reading app and focus on that instead.
I have no idea how much time passes before I feel the shift in the atmosphere around me.
A ripple moves through the crowd.
And I just know.
I know exactly who just arrived.
I swallow hard as my stomach twists.
I look up just as the Ferrum Syndicate steps into the clearing.
Everyone around me immediately seems more alert.
I still have no idea how Adelaide managed to make this happen. Or why she even wanted to.
They all wear their Ferrum Syndicate masks.
And yet I recognise him instantly.
Or I simply recognise the body beneath it.
Because even without seeing his face, I know it’s him.
Then he turns, and his eyes find mine immediately.
Those amber eyes burn through the openings of the mask. A wolf is sketched across it, which somehow only makes him look more dangerous.
His hands tighten at his sides, but he doesn’t look away from me for even a second.
I quickly break eye contact.
At that moment, two of the Thirteen Circle enforcers step onto the cabin porch with a boy dragged between them.
One of them announces the boy’s punishment and that the Ferrum Syndicate will be the ones carrying it out.
The second they let go of him, the boy takes off running straight into the woods.
Nobody reacts, and the music starts up again not even a minute later. People go back to drinking, laughing, dancing.
I pay no attention to any of it because I hate this sort of thing.
It is more Adelaide’s and Octavia’s world than mine.
I reread the same page at least five times before eventually giving up.
With a sigh, I stand, needing a little distance from the crowd for a moment.
I just need to clear my head.
I keep walking deeper into the woods until the music and voices dull into the background.
Eventually, I reach a quiet enough spot and stop.
Tilting my head back, I breathe in the cool night air and look up at the sky above me.
My skin prickles again, something that seems to be happening way too often lately.
I can feel the heat of his body as he moves closer and closer. His scent reaches me, and I hate how weak it makes me feel. A second later, his voice breaks through the darkness.
“You seem to do an awful lot of running.”
Before I can react, a hand circles my waist and yanks me back into him, his head dips to the side of my neck.
His breath skims my skin, and I fight the urge to press my thighs together to calm the ache forming there.
I can feel him growing harder at my back while his lips continue their maddening trail along my neck.
“But you’re forgetting something.” He bites my ear, and I bite down on my tongue to hold back a moan.
“I love the fucking chase.”