Novels by Queenquil

Chapter 26SelenaI watched Damon disappear through the glass doors with his shoulders tight and his pride in tatters, and I couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped me.He’d planned so carefully, had set everything up so precisely, and it had fallen apart so completely that he couldn’t even understand how.I turned back to Lucien and smoothed my expression into something more appropriate.“I owe you an apology,” I said, keeping my voice soft and slightly sheepish. “For earlier tonight, the way I was behaving was strange and unprofessional and I’m sorry for that.”“You don’t need to apologize,” Lucien said, studying me with those sharp eyes. “You said you hit your head and needed rest.”“I did,” I said carefully, “and I think it affected me more than I realized.”“After a fall like that, you shouldn’t have even come tonight,” Lucien said, and the genuine concern in his voice made my chest warm. “You should have called me and told me what happened.”I blinked, genuinely surprised.

Chapter 25LucienThe contract signing with Alpha Kieran went smoothly and quickly, and we shook hands firmly as his representatives collected the signed documents.“This alliance will serve both our packs well,” Kieran said with a satisfied nod.“Agreed,” I replied, already moving toward the door.I had a question that needed answering, and I needed to find Selena immediately.I was barely three steps out of the signing room when Damon appeared in front of me, stepping directly into my path.“Father,” he said. “I need to show you something.”“Not now, Damon,” I said, trying to move around him.“It’s about Selena,” he said.I stopped.“Five minutes,” Damon said, and there was something in his voice—a barely concealed eagerness that immediately made me suspicious of his motives. “Just come with me and see for yourself what she actually thinks of you, and then you can decide if she’s still worth your time.”I studied my son’s face for a moment, weighing my options, and then I decided th

Chapter 24SelenaAfter what felt like forever of banging and screaming into the empty darkness, my fist finally connected with Serena’s window at the right angle and the glass cracked and gave way.I used Serena’s pillow to clear the sharp edges, then looked down at the drop below.It wasn’t too far—maybe eight feet to the side yard—and I’d climbed worse when we were children sneaking out past curfew.I grabbed Serena’s clothes from the styling rack her stylist had left behind—a fitted silver dress that was nothing like my gown but would have to do—and changed quickly, then lowered myself through the window and dropped to the ground below.My ankles protested the impact but I didn’t stop, and I was already moving around the side of the house and onto the street before the pain even registered.I pulled out my phone and called Chelsea.She picked up on the first ring. “How’re you?”“Chelsea, listen to me carefully,” I said, already walking fast. “Serena knocked me out and locked me in

Chapter 23LucienI stared at her, my mind racing with suspicion, and I was about to demand an answer when I felt a familiar presence at my elbow.“Alpha.” Rowan’s voice was low and discreet beside me. “I apologize for the interruption, but Alpha Kieran is ready to sign the final contracts and he’s asking for you specifically—he won’t sign without your presence.”I held up one finger without looking at Rowan. “Give me a minute.”Rowan stepped back discreetly.I turned back to the woman beside me, studying her face carefully and looking for something I couldn’t quite name.She looked exactly like Selena, every feature, every curve, every detail of the gown perfectly in place—and yet something kept nagging at the back of my mind, a whisper I couldn’t ignore.But then she tilted her head and looked up at me with those eyes, and the doubt wavered.Maybe I was overthinking this. Maybe the head injury had genuinely affected her behavior, making her more impulsive and erratic than usual.I p

Chapter 22LucienI checked my watch for the fourth time.7:18 PM.Selena was late, and she wasn’t picking up her phone, and the car was waiting outside and the Gala was starting in less than an hour.I stood by the entrance of the mansion, my jaw tight with irritation, and I was just about to tell the driver to go ahead without her when I heard hurried footsteps approaching.Selena appeared around the corner, slightly breathless, her hair perfectly styled and the green gown hugging her body in a way that made my mouth go dry.“Alpha Lucien!” she said brightly, her smile wide and her energy unusually high. “I’m so sorry I’m late…i got a bit caught up getting ready!”I studied her for a moment, something at the back of my mind registering that something felt slightly off, but I dismissed it quickly because she looked absolutely stunning and I couldn’t think clearly when she looked like that.“Let’s go,” I said. “We’re already behind schedule.”During the ride to the venue, Selena was

Chapter 21SelenaI rushed through the front door, my heart already pounding with a bad feeling I couldn’t shake.“Evan!” I called out, heading straight for the living room.Evan appeared from the kitchen, looking completely unbothered. “Hey, you’re home early—”“The dress,” I said, cutting him off. “Where is it? Did you pick it up from Chelsea’s place?”“Yeah, I picked it up hours ago,” Evan said, frowning. “Someone called me and said you dismissed early and needed it brought home urgently, so I went and got it.”My blood ran cold. “I never called you, Evan.”Evan’s face went blank. “What?”“I never told you to pick it up early,” I said slowly, watching the realization dawn on his face. “Someone called you pretending to be me.”Evan’s mouth fell open. “I… I thought it sounded a bit off but I just assumed it was bad reception and…” He looked genuinely horrified. “Selena, I’m so sorry, I never thought it was actually Serena….”“Where is she?” I asked, already heading for the stairs.“

EMILY'S POVI sat back down on the chair as I let out a sigh of relief, I had been holding my breath since I walked out of Jace's office. I hated the fact that I felt like my heart was being pricked by a bunch of needles because he didn't chase after me, a part of me wanted him too. Immediately I reached my office I had asked Diane to inform anyone who asked about me that I had already gone home."Diane" I called out from behind her, I watched her jerk in shock as she turned to me with wide eyes she was probably absent minded, I gave her an apology look "Would you like to go clubbing tonight, just me and you?" I asked. "Sure, of course" she replied as she kept nodding in approval, I couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. "Cool, I'll go grab my things then" I said immediately as I walked back into my office without waiting for her reply.I and Diane stepped into the club, the music was so loud I could feel the vibration on my chest, loud laughter, glasses clinking kept resounding i

JACE'S POVI watched Emily leave my office, her curvy hips swaying as she walked out, closing the door with a loud bang. My fingers ran through my hair in exhaustion. I knew this would happen one day and I thought that by then I'd be ready to tell and face her when that day came, but now I have no idea what to say or even do.She clearly misunderstood me. I took two steps forward, wanting to rush over and grab her to explain myself, but I stopped by the door, my gaze boring into it like it was Emily herself. If I were to rush over to her now, what would I say… after all, she was right before me a while ago but I couldn't even bring myself to come up with a reasonable explanation.I ended up pacing around my office for a complete thirty minutes, with sighs leaving my throat every ticking second.I sat back in my chair, leaning backwards, my hands on my face as I let out a muffled sound, and then I picked up a file, deciding to distract myself with something.It took me long enough to r

EMILY’S POV Inside my office, I sat at my desk staring blankly at my computer screen without seeing anything on it. The words blurred together into meaningless shapes as my mind kept replaying the scene from earlier over and over again. The man I’d slept with. Not once but twice. The man I’d argued with in meetings, the man I’d corrected and assigned tasks to like he was just another junior analyst. The man whose hands had been on my waist just yesterday, whose lips had been on mine, whose fingers had made me come apart in a hotel bathroom. That man was the CEO of the entire company. The CEO. Jace Callahan. How had I not known? How had no one known? And more importantly, what the hell was going to happen now? My stomach churned with a mixture of humiliation and dread. I couldn’t even bring myself to leave my office since the scene in the main workspace this morning. Every time I thought about walking out there and facing all those employees who’d witnessed everything, I

EMILY’S POV I grabbed Jace’s arm and pulled him slightly aside, dropping my voice to an urgent whisper. “Shut the fuck up. What are you doing? We’re both going to lose our jobs if you keep this up.” But Jace didn’t even look at me. His eyes remained fixed on Miranda with an intensity that made the air feel heavy. Miranda let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “Oh, I see what this is. You must think because you have a pretty face you can sleep your way around here just like Emily did. Is that it? Did she promise you something in exchange for defending her?” Jace’s jaw tightened and when he spoke, his voice was dangerously calm. “That’s rich coming from you, Miranda. I think you’re confusing me with someone else. Someone who showed up at my office uninvited last night and threw herself at me despite being told no.” Miranda’s face went scarlet and several people around us exchanged shocked glances. “Consider yourself fired,” Jace said flatly. “Effective immediately.” The murmurs

CHAPTER SIX EMILY’S POV I woke up to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar curtains and an immediate, pounding headache that made me wince. My body felt heavy and sore in places that made heat creep up my neck as I slowly became aware of my surroundings. I was naked. Completely naked. I turned my head carefully on the pillow and my breath caught in my throat. Jace lay beside me, his chest rising and falling in steady rhythm, one arm thrown across his forehead as he slept. The sheet was pulled low on his hips, exposing the defined muscles of his abdomen. And then the memories came rushing back like a tidal wave crashing over me. The hotel room after we’d left the gala. His hands sliding up my dress as he pressed me against the door. The way I’d dropped to my knees and take his cock in my mouth while he groaned my name and tangled his fingers in my hair. How he’d laid me on the bed afterward and buried his face between my legs until I was begging, actually begging him fo

CHAPTER FIVE JACE’S POV I leaned back in my office chair, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension that had been building there all afternoon. The Callahan reports were finally done, formatted and ready for Monday’s presentation. I glanced at my watch and realized most of the office had already cleared out, everyone rushing home to get ready for tonight’s gala. I should have left an hour ago myself. I was about to shut down my computer when I heard a knock at my door. I looked up, expecting maybe the janitor or security doing their rounds, but instead Miranda stood in my doorway wearing a dress that left very little to the imagination and a smile that made my stomach turn. “Ma’am,” I said carefully, keeping my tone professional. “What are you doing here? Everyone’s supposed to be getting ready for the party.” She stepped inside without invitation, her heels clicking against the floor as she closed the door behind her. “I could ask you the same thing. Still working while