CoraI was halfway through Riley’s bedtime story when my phone buzzed. I glanced at it quickly, trying not to lose my spot.It was a message from Kingston. “Arrange tomorrow’s lab inspection,” the message said. “Have the schedule finalized by morning.”No greeting. No "please." Just a cold directiv
“Uh, ma’am? There’s someone downstairs asking for you. He says it’s urgent.”I blinked. I couldn’t think of anyone who would want to see me. Not even my own sister seemed to anymore. “Did he give a name?”The receptionist hesitated. “No, but uh… He’s a little… loud. And possibly intoxicated.”Oh n
CoraDespite how sharp Kingston's words had been, I couldn’t bring myself to be upset. His tone might’ve been cold—maybe even mocking—but he’d stepped in when I needed him most.He’d saved me from Zach.When Zach had grabbed me, when the whole office stood watching in hushed judgment, it was Kingsto
When we arrived, I straightened my blouse, checked my makeup again in the car mirror, and stepped into the building with Kingston beside me.I introduced the staff to him, matching every name with the right face and title. Hours of over-preparing had paid off. I caught the slight raise of Kingston’s
KingstonWhen I heard Cora’s sharp intake of breath and the crack in her voice as she asked, “Is Riley hurt?” something twisted in my chest.The feeling in me was instinctive, too forceful to ignore. I had to help.The Beta driving us—a younger wolf whose name I didn’t know—chuckled lightly as he sp
Riley nodded.The warmth between them was… unsettling.No.It was comforting.The kind of comforting I hadn’t felt in years. Maybe ever. It reminded me of something I couldn’t name.A pack? A family.Before I could stop myself, I walked toward them and crouched at Riley’s eye level. He looked at me
CoraRock had offered to watch Riley for a couple of hours while I went out for groceries. At first, I hesitated, but Rock had waved it off with a grin and insisted that he didn’t mind.So I left them with strict instructions and my phone volume turned all the way up, just in case.When I returned a
That was all he gave me. No age range, no teaching style, no timeline. Just a simple, terse instruction.But I had tutored during college to pay my rent, and I knew how to screen people. So I took it seriously. I reviewed dozens of resumes, set up virtual interviews, and even asked Riley what kind o
At first I thought it was someone unsuccessfully burning leaves behind the fence, which in itself seemed foolish. Then I saw the crowd.The lab was on fire.I froze, heart lurching.The drug research lab—Kingston’s main project. The one we’d toured together. The one that held months of work, was the
CoraI found Ethan by the vending machines, surveying an array of werewolf snacks. He was squinting at the labels with great interest until I walked in."Hey," I said.“Hey, stranger,” he greeted, flashing a grin. “Aren’t you supposed to be glued to a spreadsheet right now?”“Not today. I was lookin
CoraFor the first time in a long while, I forgot the chaos of work, the heaviness of single motherhood, and the sharp edges of everything that had happened lately. Shopping with Daisy felt… normal. It felt like before.Before the distance between Daisy and me.Before Zach and the warehouse and all
KingstonI approved Cora’s salary advance without pressing further. She’d hesitated when I asked why she needed the money, and her silence said more than words ever could. Something was wrong, but she clearly didn’t want to share it.I respected that. For now.Still, as she walked out of my office,
I looked up at her. “Daisy… this is so generous.” And unlike her, but I did not admit to that.“I know,” she said. “It’s everything I have. And I want you to have it.”My heart twisted. For all the mistakes she’d made—her selfishness, her schemes, her jealousy—this gesture was unexpectedly kind. And
CoraEven hours later, I could still feel Kingston’s arms around me—warm, steady, unshakable. Panic attacks were something I’d lived with most of my life, especially when I was confined to small spaces, but that one had been brutal. I couldn’t shake the memory of the cold air, the locked door, the d
I checked my messages. A file she was supposed to send still hadn’t come in. The last messages I’d sent her were marked “unread.”A slow, uneasy feeling settled into my gut.“Your mom said she’d pick you up after work, right?” I asked Riley.He nodded and bit his lip.Then he pulled a small smartwat
KingstonI returned to the office after a board meeting that had dragged on an hour too long. My patience was hanging by a thread, and all I wanted was five minutes of silence to reset before the next round of chaos. As I neared my office, I caught voices through the partially open door—one low and
Her lips parted slightly, her breath catching.“You’re not on his level,” I added, each word precise and brutal. “You’re not on mine. Know your place.”The silence between us thickened.And for the first time, I saw something flicker in her eyes—hurt, yes, but beneath it, something stronger. Anger.