THEM || 18+ (Monsters #1) (complete)

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods was Olivia’s sanctuary, a stark contrast to the sterile, accusing air of her mother’s phone calls. Today, it was the persistent pinging of Georgia’s messages that finally dragged her out of bed, scattering books and paintbrushes across her already chaotic apartment floor.

“I’m coming,” she’d typed, a sigh escaping her lips as she considered the endless cycle of her life: classes, cafe shifts, and the relentless pursuit of an independence her mother seemed determined to deny her. Her bunny slippers, a defiant statement of comfort over pretense, squeaked softly as she padded across the room, the painted constellations on her ceiling a silent comfort.

Later, at the cafe, the simple act of taking orders became a battle against her own stutter, a vulnerability she hated exposing. But then they walked in—the Creeds. Three men who moved with the quiet power of kings, their presence instantly transforming the cozy cafe into a high-stakes arena. They ordered their 'Red Eyes,' and Olivia, her heart hammering against her ribs, knew that her world, already precariously balanced, was about to tilt on its axis.