TESSAAtlas turned his attention from me to someone standing behind me. Gabe. “What’s your problem with her?” Gabe asked as he stood next to me. “Come on, Gabe. We all know that Frederick's decision will ultimately be pointless. I just suggested a better option she could have taken.""What you just said to her doesn't come off as a suggestion; instead you're putting her down," Gabe said. I blinked, surprised to hear he would stand up for me. Especially against his own friend.Atlas' face was marked by displeasure. Yet, he didn't say a word to deny it. "Since when did we stop giving people the opportunity to learn?"Atlas stepped forward, the tension between him and Gabe was palpable. "You don't get it." He shot me a quick look for a second. "You know perfectly well that Frederick won't care if she dies. I tried what I could to stop it. After all, she's a Fox, just like Bridget, she's my sister. I was trying to keep her safe."Sister? I stared at Atlas in disbelief.Sister. Why o
TESSAI was given a cozy room to stay in. It comes with all the essentials; a room heater, a closet, and a vanity. I spotted some paper bags on the bed, and when I opened them, I found a bunch of new clothes for women. "Did Frederick buy all these?" Who else could it be if not him? I didn't pack any clothes from home, and I'm pretty sure he noticed. I felt sticky and sore all over, so I rushed to the bathroom and took a nice, refreshing shower. It was thirty minutes later that I emerged from the bathroom. I pulled out a set of clothes from the paperback and slipped them on. Once I finished getting dressed, I took a quick look at myself in the mirror before stepping out of the room.I had asked Gabe if we could squeeze in another sparring session tonight. I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail. Even with it tied up, the length still cascaded down my back. I was surprised to see how long it had grown.As I gazed at my reflection, I noticed the subtle shifts in my face; I had lo
TESSAI saw a flash of anger in Frederick's eyes. It was almost as if he didn't want me to head into battle and face the enemy. Almost as if he genuinely cared about my well-being."Fuck. I should've thought of another way." He cursed under his breath.And it nearly made me laugh. "Don't worry Frederick. I will be alright. You have seen for yourself what I can do with this power.""But still. You've never been to a real battle before." His voice was stern.I fell silent, humbled by his words. He was right.My only asset was this power cause my strategic expertise was lacking compared to any of them. Yet, despite my doubts, I couldn't shake the conviction that I could still make a difference.When I looked back at him, he was already staring at me.His gaze was intense, and I felt as if I could lose myself in those stormy gray eyes. "You wouldn't listen if I asked you to back off, would you?" He's asking. "No. I said I would follow through with this, no matter what. This is my choic
FREDERICKOdette’s stubbornness has really gotten to me. No matter how many times I’ve told her that we can’t have sex here she just won’t listen. Earlier just after my meeting finished, she came rushing into my study. She wore a white fitted blouse and a mini skirt, her scent, mixed with expensive perfume, overwhelmed me. Under her sheer blouse, the tantalizing red bra was visible. The sight would usually arouse my sexual desire in no time. But this time, it didn't."What’s going on with you, baby? Since when are you immune to my body, hmm?" She purred, rubbing her delicate fingers over my hard abs. Just as she was about to undo my shirt's button, I caught her hand."There are people outside. This isn't appropriate." I spoke in a firm tone. The words sound odd to me. Since when do I even care about what's appropriate or not when I'm with her?With an eye roll, Odette seized my collarbone and kissed me. A wild and needy kiss. Grinding her chest against mine. Her hand explored, mo
TESSA"Oh, Tessa? What a surprise to see you here," Odette said, a slow deliberate smirk spreading across her lips. "Frederick called you, didn't he? Sorry for the inconvenience that caused you to wait. We just... haven't seen each other in days, and you know how tough that can be, right? We just had to let it out." She giggled without a hint of embarrassment.I can feel the warmth rising in my cheeks. I just gave a single nod to her and she didn't seem pleased with the response."Can I come in now?" I ask.Odette's fake smile faded away when I didn't react the way she hoped. Honestly, I’m not sure what she thought I would say when she shared what she and Frederick just did.Odette walked away without saying a word, deliberately bumped her shoulder into mine as she passed.I let out a sigh and gazed at the door to the study for a moment. Then I gave it a push and walked in. The room smelled like old leather, oud, and a fresh diffuser. Frederick sat at his desk. His gaze fixed on t
TESSAWhen I stepped out of the training building, I spotted a metallic grey Lexus parked and Gabe leaning against it. "Look. Your ride has been waiting for quite some time," The cutting, sarcastic tone drifted into the air from behind me.I turned around and saw Grace, my mentor, standing there with her arms crossed, wearing a not-so-pleased expression. She had a naturally grumpy expression and I can count on one hand how many times she smiled. But this time, she seemed really upset. "Is it really alright if I leave a bit early?" So I ask.This afternoon, my training should wrap up in about two hours from now. But I got a call from Gabe out of the blue. He said he’d come to pick me up because there’s something urgent that needs my presence."If that's Alpha Frederick's order then what can I do? Maybe he called you to see how much progress you made. Show him what you learned, don't embarrass me, Tessa." Grace said.I nodded.She had invested her time and energy in training me, I wo