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
Cora “I haven’t touched that report,” I said, my voice sharp, slicing through the heavy tension in Kingston’s office. “That’s not my work.”Amy’s arms were folded across her ample chest, mouth twisted into a smirk that made my blood boil. “You handed it off to me the day before you left the departm
Together, we started picking through the damage. The medical equipment report had impacted supplier negotiations. Rock began working on projections to try and salvage a new deal. It wasn’t perfect—but it was something.And I still had connections. “Let me reach out to the medical equipment supplier
Tonight was supposed to be one of those rare nights when I could finally relax.Ethan, the company’s Head of Technology, had invited me out to Howl for Singles’ Night. He’d heard that I was considering getting married to Daisy soon, and he wanted me to enjoy my final nights of freedom.As I walked i
At her apartment, she took me to the bathroom, grabbing a new towel for me. Her hands shook slightly, but I tried to ignore it, stepping into the bathroom to shower.The hot water felt good, at least. The whole night had been a mess, and at least there was this brief reprieve.When I stepped out of
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.
KingstonIt was a perfectly choreographed evening—until Daisy approached me. She was wearing a new pink dress over a tiny string bikini, both of which she had undoubtedly purchased on my card.“Kingston,” she said, looping her arm around mine like it belonged there, “I just had the most unfortunate
“Oh, I—” I hesitated. “I’m not really the pool party type.”Ethan tilted his head, his smile gentle. “If you’re worried about werewolves, don’t be. A lot of us bring human friends. It’s totally normal.”I opened my mouth to protest, but Rock jumped in first. “She’d love to come.”“I would—wait, what
Rock insisted on paying.“No arguments,” he said, jabbing a fork in my direction. “If it weren’t for you, we never even would have had a problem to solve.”We were at a fancy restaurant late into the evening. The restaurant choice and the dinner hangout had all been at Rock’s suggestion as a thank-y
All this time, I thought Kingston was just a grumpy, stiff corporate beast. But he was gunning for Alpha King? And that drug project I helped salvage? That wasn’t just about sales. It was part of a much bigger picture. As the future potential Alpha King, he needed that project to succeed.And I had