Puckered Hearts

Puckered Hearts

GIGI TUBAMASI · Completed · 129.3k Words

818
Hot
5.7k
Views
395
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

• KAIA •

Failing a class was not on my college bingo card. Especially not English, of all things.

“You’re a bright student, Kaia,” Professor Mellark had said, “but this isn’t high school anymore.”

So now, thanks to my struggling essays and less-than-perfect grammar, I’ve been assigned a tutor.

What I didn’t expect? That tutor being a six-foot something, cocky-as-hell hockey player who looked like he belonged on the cover of a sports magazine—not across from me in a quiet study room.

Maybe I’m here to learn how to let someone in.

• ADRIAN •

Look, I deserved a punishment for that fight on the ice, but tutoring? That’s just cruel.

“Coach, come on. I can’t tutor freshmen.”

“Yes, you can. Her name’s Kaia. English isn't her first language.”

Now I’m stuck helping this stubborn, wide-eyed freshman who acts like I’m some sort of arrogant jerk—which, okay, maybe I am—but the way she looks at me like I’m a walking headache? Kind of hot.

Three weeks. That’s how long I’m supposed to tutor her. But at this rate? I’m not sure I’ll survive three days without kissing her—or getting punched.


Adrian Levont, a star hockey player at Ivywood College, finds himself in trouble after a fight during a crucial game. His coach's punishment is an unexpected one - three weeks of tutoring.

Kaia Lilian, a student in desperate need of academic help. Assigned to Adrian, their first tutoring session takes a disastrous turn, leading to Kaia harboring a deep resentment.

As fate keeps bringing them together on and off campus, the lines between hatred and something more complex blur, forcing them to confront unexpected emotions.

Chapter 1

•ADRIAN•

For fuck's sake.

Two golden rules to keep in mind while you're on the ice: First, never forget the goal. Second, go all out in the game, but keep it game-aggressive, not personally aggressive. Jesus.

It's like these guys never got the memo. They're so intense that they're turning this game into a personal issue to settle. Well, that's fine with me. If the opposite team has a beef with my team, then we're settling this right here, right now.

But this, this was way too personal.

As if he could read my mind, 22-Morris slams into my side, sending me sliding across the ice and thudding into the rink shield, surprising the spectators watching from behind.

I glared at him over my shoulder while using my hockey stick to help me stand upright and I didn't miss the smug look on the asshole's face when he skated away.

Oh, this is personal alright. They just asked for war.

I skated towards the side of the rink and signaled to Nate Donovan, our team captain, to skate over. A minute later, he appeared in front of me.

"Sup?"

"Notice how these dipshits are being brutal out here?" I gesture toward Morris and his crew on the opposite side of the rink.

"Yeah man, they're bringing their A-game today," Nate responds, and I scowl, grabbing his shoulder.

"No, dude. They've got beef with us and some score to settle. Morris might as well aim the puck in my fucking eye the next time we clash. I say we give them what they want and play their own game against them."

"No, Adrian, we-"

"Yeah?" I cut him off before he could finish. "Awesome, good talk."

I tapped the side of his arm twice before skating back to the center to get into position. The air was thick with anticipation, and I could feel the weight of the game on my shoulders.

Positioned as a forward, I took a deep breath and tightened the straps of my helmet, mentally preparing for the battle on the ice.

Our coach's last-minute pep talk echoed in my mind as I braced myself on the cold surface, feeling the chill seep through the layers of padding.

The referee's whistle pierced through the air, signaling the start of the game. The puck dropped, and the players clashed with a ferocity that set the tone for the match. The rink became a battleground, and every stride, every pass, and every shot carried the intensity of a do-or-die situation.

As the puck zipped across the ice, I positioned myself strategically, ready to receive the pass from my teammate. The opposing team's aggression was relentless, with players throwing body checks and sticks clashing like fucking swords in a medieval duel.

What are they, fighting for blood out here?

Just as the play unfolded in our favor, I received the puck, only to be blindsided by a thunderous hit from the opposition.

The force sent me sprawling to the icy surface, the puck slipping away to the waiting opponent's stick. The frustration surged within me, but I knew there was no time to dwell on the setback.

As the third period dwindled, and the seconds ticked away, our team needed that one crucial goal to win this game.

Determination ignited within me as I rose to my feet, shrugging off the ache from the collision. The game was far from over, and every stride I took was fueled by the desire to turn the tide.

Skating with purpose, I found myself beside Morris who suddenly chuckled upon seeing me.

"Gotta watch your back there Levont. You're getting blindsided often; are you losing your touch?" he teased. Annoyance flickered across my face, but I kept my focus on the game, ignoring his taunts.

With renewed determination, I stole the puck from Morris, weaving through defenders with a burst of speed.

The goal loomed ahead like a distant victory, and as I swung my hockey stick with precision, the puck sailed past the goaltender just as the siren blared. The crowd erupted, and my teammates swarmed me, celebrating the hard-fought win.

"Yeah, baby! Now that's what I'm talking about." I yelled at my team members before bumping our chests together.

I looked back at Morris, who looked pissed as hell and couldn't help but smirk. The scoreboard declared our triumph, and his team members' taunts were drowned out by the sweet symphony of victory.

"Pussy!" I called across the rink at him and his eyes shot lasers at me.

I slowly skated towards him just as a smirk spread across his face.

"The only pussy I'd gladly drown myself in is your mom's."

"The fuck did you just say?" I immediately lunged towards the asshole before he could react, while throwing my fist across his face.

Chaos unleashed but every noise drowned out of my ears as I got on top of Morris and repeatedly hit him across the face while delivering kicks to his ribs.

Red blinded my vision; The disrespectful comment he made towards my mother had triggered it and I don't care how many people were watching us right now. Rage had taken over my whole being.

I only stopped when several pairs of arms intervened, pulling me away from the fucker lying on the ice with a bloody face. I was still glaring at him when coach suddenly appeared in front of me, blocking my view.

"Hey, hey! Pull yourself together." He shouted at my face.

I clenched my jaw, breathing heavily, eventually yielding to my teammates who restrained me.

"Get him out of here now!" Coach ordered, and out of nowhere, Nate appeared at my side, guiding me outside the ice rink.

I knew I just screwed up my whole reputation but I wasn't done with Morris yet. If I ever see him around, that motherfucker is going to lose his ability to speak once I give him a dislocated jaw and a few broken teeth.

•KAIA•

"You're failing my class," Professor Mellark declared. My eyes widened in shock as I absorbed the disappointment etched across her face.

My heart sank at the news also.

"Look, I get that English isn't your first language, but when it comes to essays and creative writing, there are some basics you need to grasp. You're a bright student, Kaia. I appreciate your attentiveness in class and your passion for writing. But this isn't high school anymore. Our advanced learning program is more complex than what you encountered before."

I nodded slowly, avoiding her piercing gaze by looking away. She sighed and pulled out a paper from her desk.

"Here's what we're gonna do. I'll sign you up for our tutoring programs. We have some experienced students in their second and third years who help freshmen like you understand their courses better."

Tutoring? Someone is going to teach me what I love to do best? What, how does that even work?

"There you go. I've added your name to the list. Just take it easy over the weekend and come prepared on Monday. I'll give you a call to let you know who's willing to tutor you, alright?"

I forced a smile as I stood up. "Yes, thank you, professor."

"You're welcome," she replied with a warm smile.

I left her office, closed the door, and released a sigh, rolling my eyes before strolling back to my dorm room.

Great. Why did I think English would be easy just because I got straight A's in all of my English classes in high school?

She's right about English not being my first language though. But I've watched way too many movies, read way too many novels, and even started writing my own after learning the basics. So to be fair, my English is very well advanced, thank you very much.

So what other basics do I still need to learn?

Geez.

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

Goddess Of The Underworld

Goddess Of The Underworld

890.6k Views · Completed · Sheridan Hartin
Left at a pack border with a name and a stubborn heartbeat, Envy grows into the sharpest kind of survivor, an orphaned warrior who knows how to hold a line and keep moving. Love isn’t in the plan…until four alpha wolves with playboy reputations and inconveniently soft hands decide the girl who won’t bow is the only queen they’ll ever take. Their mate. The one they have waited for. Xavier, Haiden, Levi, and Noah are gorgeous, lethal, and anything but perfect and Envy isn’t either. She’s changing. First into hell hound, Layah at her heels and fire in her veins. Then into what the realm has been waiting for, a Goddess of the Underworld, dragging her mates down to hell with her.

When the veil between the Divine, the Living, and the Dead begins to crack, Envy is thrust beneath with a job she can’t drop: keep the worlds from bleeding together, shepherd the lost, and make ordinary into armour, breakfasts, bedtime, battle plans. Peace lasts exactly one lullaby. This is the story of an orphan pup who became a goddess by choosing her family; of four imperfect alphas learning how to be better. Steamy, fierce, and full of heart, Goddess of the Underworld is a reverse harem, found-family paranormal romance where love writes the rules and keeps three realms from falling apart.
Omega Bound

Omega Bound

2.4m Views · Completed · Veronica White
Ayla Frost is a beautiful, rare omega. Kidnapped, tortured, and trafficked to rogue clans and corrupt alphas to do with as they pleased.  Kept alive in her cage, broken and abandoned by her wolf, she becomes mute and has given up on hope for a better life until one explosion changes everything. 

Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life. 

Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
What the Heart Wants (Book 1 of the Alpha Faros Series)

What the Heart Wants (Book 1 of the Alpha Faros Series)

3.2k Views · Ongoing · FM Publishing
Loving him will cost them everything…

Not loving him will cost more.

Derek has one goal: survive high school without drawing too much attention or pissing off his pack’s alpha.

As the youngest son of the alpha, his life is governed by lycan hierarchy, tradition, and politics. With no signs of awakening a lycan spirit, his only value is what he can do for the pack’s image. He knows he’s only ever one misstep away from exile… or worse.

Then, he finds a boy trapped in a locker on orientation day, and everything changes.

Derek shouldn’t want Nikolias. He’s off-limits. A risk Derek can’t afford.

So why does it feel like he’s the only thing worth fighting for?

Nikolias has just lost everything: his parents, his home, and any sense of peace. Sent back to the town his family left years ago to live with his prejudiced and controlling uncle, who wants nothing to do with anything—or anyone—not human, he’s trying to do everything in his power to get out quickly.

But then he meets Derek again, and all of his plans vanish in the soft, yearning flecks of gold in Derek’s green-hazel eyes. He’s drawn to Derek in a way that’s impossible to deny, and he thinks Derek feels the same way, despite the danger their relationship holds for him.

As Moonshadow's politics turn deadly, Derek and Nikolai are caught in the crossfire of a war that had started long before they were born, and their bond becomes a threat and a lifeline that neither can afford to sever.

Because the heart wants what it wants….

And it never asks permission.

TW: Graphic Violence, Suicide Ideation, Suicide Attempt, Child Abuse, Cult-Like Behavior
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

2.8m Views · Ongoing · Harper Rivers
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother.

"What is wrong with me?

Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?

It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.

He’s my boyfirend’s brother.

This is Tyler’s family.

I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.

**

As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.

Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.

When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.

I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.

**

I hate girls like her.

Entitled.

Delicate.

And still—

Still.

The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.

Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.

I shouldn’t care.

I don’t care.

It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.

It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.

I’m not here to rescue anyone.

Especially not her.

Especially not someone like her.

She’s not my problem.

And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.

But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
The Vampire Prince's Hybrid Bride

The Vampire Prince's Hybrid Bride

51.4k Views · Ongoing · Riley Above Story
As a wolfless orphan, Joanne had been abused by Alpha Anthony ever since she was a child. She devoted her entire life to surviving in his pack—until one day, she returned home to find an injured vampire lying in her house, his whole existence luring her in. Taking the risk of bringing him in, Joanne never expected Alpha Anthony to discover it the very next day and finally seize the chance to kill her. Just as Joanne was about to be executed, the vampire she had saved arrived, with his army. And Joanne realized that he was the Prince Alexander, heir to the vampire throne…..
The Alpha's Stripper Mate

The Alpha's Stripper Mate

53.9k Views · Completed · Havilworth
"Come here."
"What?" It was out of my mouth before I could stop it. I did not wait for him to answer me, I walked toward him.
"Dance on my lap."
My head screamed at me to turn around and run. But my whole body responded to his command.
"Yes, Alpha," I pulled my dress over my body, it dropped over my head and fell to the ground behind me. I was left in nothing but my matching bra and thong. My hands covered my chest on reflex.
"Let me see."
My hands dropped to my sides.
I lowered myself into his lap, facing him. His eyes peered into mine, and I could feel his hot breath fan my face. His dick responded to all my moves, hardening against my now-moist vagina. I swallowed hard, allowing my lips to part in a ragged breath. His hands trailed up to my waist.
"No touching."


At the tender age of eleven, JoJo Wyatt was forced to grow up far sooner than she should have. Born to a cruel father and a weak mother, she quickly realized she had to become the breadwinner for herself and her sister. Nothing else mattered to her, not even the hottest men. In fact, she despised them. After one horrific night, she swore never to have any contact with the male species again. That was, until she started working for him as his stripper.
Meanwhile, Alpha Lake Rush, thirty, was the most feared Alpha in the country. Burdened by his own share of life's struggles, he had learned only to be cruel and reckless, rejecting not one but two mates. But what happens when he discovers yet another mate, and she turns out to be his stripper?
Let Them Kneel

Let Them Kneel

234.7k Views · Ongoing · My Fantasy Stories
Kaelani spent her life believing she was wolfless.
Cast out by her pack. Forgotten by the Lycans.
She lived among humans—quiet, invisible, tucked away in a town no one looked at twice.

But when her first heat comes without warning, everything changes.

Her body ignites. Her instincts scream. And something primal stirs beneath her skin—
summoning a big, bad Alpha who knows exactly how to quench her fire.

When he claims her, it’s ecstasy and ruin.

For the first time, she believes she’s been accepted.
Seen.
Chosen.

Until he leaves her the next morning—
like a secret never to be spoken.

But Kaelani is not what they thought.
Not wolfless. Not weak.
There is something ancient inside her. Something powerful. And it’s waking.

And when it does—
they’ll all remember the girl they tried to erase.

Especially him.

She’ll be the dream he keeps chasing… the one thing that ever made him feel alive.

Because secrets never stay buried.
And neither do dreams.
They'll Regret This

They'll Regret This

3.3k Views · Completed · Charlotte York
They traded me for their "real" daughter the day she showed up.

My fiancé didn't just dump me—he proposed to her that same night. My so-called family handed me bus fare and a one-way ticket to the countryside.

Perfect. Let them think they won.

They don't know who I really am. The anonymous genius surgeon who saves lives when elite hospitals give up. The legendary artist whose paintings sell for millions at auction. The undefeated shadow queen of the underground fighting circuit. And the true heiress to a fortune that makes theirs look like pocket change.

Now my ex-fiancé begs on his knees. My fake sister's jealousy is eating her alive. And that cold, arrogant CEO who once threw our engagement contract in my face? He's hunting me down like a man possessed, desperate for one more chance.

They threw me away like trash to upgrade their lives.

Joke's on them.

I was always the upgrade.
The Dragon's Last Fae Queen

The Dragon's Last Fae Queen

6.6k Views · Ongoing · Sylvia Sylvester
Hidden all her life in the slums of Emberveil, Aerith has one rule: never let the dragons see her eyes. Fae are extinct, hunted, burned, and erased from the kingdom. Or so everyone believes. But on the night of her eighteenth birthday, when her forbidden magic stirs awake and her grandmother falls deathly ill, Aerith breaks the one rule meant to keep her safe. She enters the royal dragon pharmacy… and collides with a werewolf princess who drags her straight to the dungeon. There, in the deepest shadows of the palace, the youngest dragon prince sees her glowing eyes and instantly knows what she is. A fae. A secret the entire kingdom would kill for. What would be her fate? Another dead Fae? Or the Last Dragon's Fae Queen?

“Prince? Dickhead? Asshole? Or stalker?” A slow, dangerous smile curved his lips. “Maybe I should show you the one title I want you to use.” Before I could react, his hand closed around my chin, tilting my face up. His lips crashed into mine, hard, claiming, breath-stealing. When he finally pulled back, his voice was a rough whisper against my lips. “You could call me yours… because you are mine.”
After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

1.5m Views · Ongoing · Louisa
Dear readers, this novel is coming to an end soon. I highly recommend another fantastic story of the same genre:


I’d appreciate all your support, thank you so much!
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.

On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...

Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.

George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.

His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"

Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.

When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.

"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"

George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"

"I'm afraid that's impossible."

Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."
Game of Destiny

Game of Destiny

1.2m Views · Completed · Dripping Creativity
Amie's wolf hasn't shown herself. But who cares? She has a good pack, best friends and a family who loves her. Everyone, including the Alpha, is telling her she is perfect just the way she is. That is until she finds her mate and he rejects her. Heartbroken Amie flees from everything and start over. No more werewolves, no more packs.

When Finlay finds her, she is living among humans. He is smitten by the stubborn wolf that refuse to acknowledge his existence. She may not be his mate, but he wants her to be a part of his pack, latent wolf or not.

Amie cant resist the Alpha that comes into her life and drags her back into pack life. Not only does she find herself happier than she has been in a long time, her wolf finally comes to her. Finlay isn't her mate, but he becomes her best friend. Together with the other top wolves in the pack, they work to create the best and strongest pack.

When it's time for the pack games, the event that decides the packs rank for the coming ten year, Amie needs to face her old pack. When she sees the man that rejected her for the first time in ten years, everything she thought she knew is turned around. Amie and Finlay need to adapt to the new reality and find a way forward for their pack. But will the curve ball split them apart?
Mates: Regrets and Redemption

Mates: Regrets and Redemption

2k Views · Completed · Oniella Lawrence
I thought I had it all figured out. I rejected my destined mate for the love of my high school sweetheart, Curtis. But everything shattered when Curtis met his mate and chose to lie to me instead of rejecting her.

With my heart in pieces, I sought solace in the last place I expected—my Alpha's arms. One night turned into a dangerous entanglement, and now my Alpha refuses to let me go. As the Alpha’s obsession grows, I'm caught in a web of desire and fear.

Curtis, the boy I once loved, still holds a promise I made, but the Alpha’s powerful presence pulls me deeper into his world. Should I forgive Curtis and keep my word, or should I risk everything for a chance at something wild and unpredictable with the Alpha who won’t take no for an answer?


“There are no limits between us,” he chuckled, the mirth sparkling in his gorgeous eyes. “And all of this stems from the night you gave me both pain and pleasure. I’m simply returning the favor.”

He took two steps forward, and I stepped back. “But…” The memory of what I had done filled me with fear, and I knew I had to get out of there. “I…”

“No, Firecat.” He placed an index finger on my lips. “This will take your mind off that son of a bitch.” His strong hands pulled me by the waist until I felt his hard manhood.