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 didn’t need Kingston’s over-the-top apology gift, but Riley’s birthday was on the line. And between the toy’s designer, the five brand reps, and a flurry of assistants, I was presented with a plethora of options to choose from.Finally, after much thinking, I picked something I knew Riley would lo
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
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
“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
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.