FORBIDDEN MATE

Isabella’s POV The cold hit me first. I stumbled off the bus with my hoodie pulled tight, the ocean air clawing at my cheeks like it wanted me gone. Silver Hollow wasn’t what I expected. The sky hung heavy and gray, and the coastal breeze smelled like seaweed and something older, something feral. I dragged my suitcase down the cracked pavement of my new driveway, glaring at the massive stone house at the top of the hill. Great. My new prison. Mom married Robert Blackwood three months ago. I’d met him exactly twice—once over awkward brunch, the second time at a rushed courthouse ceremony in Vegas. Now I was being shipped across the country to live with my new stepfather, and worse, his son. Ethan Blackwood. Captain of Silver Hollow University’s hockey team. The guy everyone either feared or fantasized about. I hadn’t even met him yet. The front door creaked open before I reached it. A tall woman with dark hair pulled into a tight bun stepped out. “You’re late,” she said sharply. “Hi to you, too.” I tried not to sound annoyed, but I was freezing and exhausted. “You must be Ms. Hill?” “Housekeeper,” she corrected. “Mr. Blackwood is away. Your room’s upstairs. Third door on the left. And don’t wander.” She turned and walked off before I could answer. “Charming,” I muttered, dragging my suitcase behind me. Inside, the house was all hardwood, stone walls, and dim lighting. Old money style. It felt like stepping into a gothic horror film. My footsteps echoed as I climbed the stairs. When I opened the door to my room, I froze. There was already someone inside. Tall. Dark hair tousled like he just rolled out of bed. Lean build in a black hoodie. His back was to me as he stood by the window, looking out toward the sea. “Uh... hi?” He turned slowly, and my breath caught. Grey eyes locked on mine like a magnet. For a second, everything around me dropped into silence. My heart skipped—no, crashed. He didn’t speak. “Are you... Ethan?” “Yeah.” His voice was rough. Low. Dangerous. “I thought this was my room.” “It is. I was just checking something.” He brushed past me, his shoulder barely grazing mine. Heat exploded through me from the contact. “See you around... Isabella.” He knew my name. I stood frozen for a second, watching him disappear down the hall. What the hell just happened? I unpacked slowly, my skin still tingling. Something about him felt... wrong. Like he was hiding something. He hadn’t even looked surprised to see me. In fact, he looked like he’d been waiting. Later that night, I wandered downstairs to the kitchen to get some water. The house was too quiet. No TV. No music. Just shadows and the soft creak of wood. I heard it then. A low growl. I froze, heart thumping. It came from the back patio. I crept toward the door, peeking through the glass. Outside, in the pale moonlight, Ethan stood shirtless in the yard. His muscles were tense, his fists clenched. Steam rose off his bare skin despite the cold. He was panting, like he’d just run a marathon. Then his head jerked up. His eyes—no longer gray but glowing gold—locked onto me. I gasped and stepped back. The door creaked. “Isabella?” His voice was darker now. Guttural. I stumbled back into the kitchen, nearly dropping the glass. “I... I was just getting water.” He stepped inside, eyes still glowing faintly. His chest rose and fell rapidly. “You shouldn’t sneak around at night.” “I wasn’t sneaking. I heard something.” His jaw clenched. “This house... isn’t always safe.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” He didn’t answer. He stepped closer. I backed up. He stopped just inches away, his eyes flicking down to my lips, then back up. “You smell different,” he said. “Excuse me?” I pressed my back to the fridge. His fingers grazed my wrist. “You smell like... moonlight.” I shoved his hand off. “Okay, you’re officially weird.” His lips twitched like he was amused. “And you’re officially in danger.” “What does that mean?” “You’ll find out soon enough.” He turned and walked away, his shadow melting into the hallway. I stood there, heart pounding. Something wasn’t right about Ethan Blackwood. And for some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. The next day at school didn’t go any better. Silver Hollow High was tucked against the cliffs, modern and sleek but filled with the kind of students who smelled money and power. I barely made it through first period before the whispering started. “That’s the new girl, right? Ethan’s stepsister?” “She’s kind of plain. I don’t see what the fuss is about.” I kept my head down and found an empty seat in the back of chemistry. Someone dropped their backpack next to mine. “You’re in my seat.” I looked up into the sneering face of a blond guy with a hockey letterman jacket. “Pretty sure it’s not assigned.” “It is now. Move.” I didn’t move. “Why don’t you sit somewhere else?” He leaned closer. “You don’t know who you’re messing with, princess.” “Back off, Fletcher.” Ethan’s voice cracked through the room like thunder. Fletcher stiffened. “She’s in my spot.” Ethan stepped forward slowly, eyes cold. “Now it’s hers. Sit somewhere else.” Fletcher grumbled and stormed off. I stared up at Ethan. “Thanks.” He didn’t smile. “Don’t give people like him a reason.” “Excuse me?” “You act weak, they’ll treat you like prey.” “So you think I’m weak?” He leaned down, voice low. “I think you don’t know what you’re walking into.” He walked out before I could respond. I didn’t understand him. One second he was scaring me, the next he was protecting me. And then he acted like I was a threat to myself. Something about this place—about Ethan—was messing with my head. That night, I had the dream. I was in the woods. Trees bent toward me like claws. The moon burned above, and I was running barefoot over moss and stone. Something was chasing me. Then I stopped. Because it wasn’t chasing me. It was waiting. A massive wolf, eyes like Ethan’s, stood in the clearing. And it bowed its head. I woke up gasping, sweat slick on my skin. From down the hall, I heard a single, echoing howl. And somehow... I knew it was meant for me.