Valerie:“Did you like the school today?” I asked Adrian, knowing that the last school was the best option.Holloway clearly knew what she was saying. When she told me that I was going to like her at school, it had everything that I was looking for, for my son, and also knowing the past when it came
Caspian:Valerie's words as she spoke to Adrian played in my head as I walked back to the house.I had to ignore the pain that I felt with each step that I took, knowing that I was going to need to go and face Eva, the exact opposite to Valerie, the person who was anything but as kind as the woman t
Valerie:It was late night when I decided to finally leave the villa, knowing that everyone, aside from those keeping the pack safe, would be asleep at this point.I ran my fingers through my hair, getting lost in my thoughts only to frown when my phone vibrated in my pocket once again. It was my br
Caspian:The estate was quiet when I stepped inside the house, the air thick with something I couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was exhaustion, or maybe it was the lingering presence of her.Maybe it was my anger with everything that was going on whenever I thought of everything that I was going to hav
Valerie:A week.Seven days of meticulously planned avoidance. Seven days of stepping carefully around the estate, keeping my routines tight and predictable, all to ensure I wouldn’t cross paths with him.Caspian.The one person that I currently loathed more than anything in the world, and the one p
Caspian took a step closer, his voice dropping to a quieter tone meant for my ears alone. “You’ve been avoiding me. And I believe that had I not been here now, you would have done your best to do it again.”I tensed, my lips pressing into a thin line. "I’ve been busy. You do realize that you are not
Caspian:I knew that the day was not going to come to a good ending when I saw the way that it started.Then again, lately, most of my days have been cold and void of all emotions or feelings. I have been trying my best to keep myself grounded, but I had to admit, as much as I didn’t want to, her pr
Valerie:The garden was bathed in the soft morning light, casting a golden hue over the dew-kissed grass. I sat on the stone bench, my eyes fixed on Adrian as he played among the flowers. His laughter rang through the air, a melody that made the world seem a little less heavy.I smiled as I looked a
Caspian:One Year LaterThe breeze was warmer today.Softer.Gentler in a way I hadn’t felt in years.More peaceful and more contenting, More calm and even happier.I stood at the edge of the gardens, the same gardens where so much had been taken from us, and so much had been given back, watching Ad
Valerie:The sun was rising over the horizon, golden streaks splitting the sky wide open, like a promise finally fulfilled.I stood at the highest point of the estate grounds, the wind tugging at my hair, the scent of fresh earth and morning dew wrapping around me like a cloak.It was over.Giovanni
“Impressive,” Giovanni called, his voice carrying easily across the clearing. His smile was cold, razor sharp. “I knew there was more to you, Valerie. I knew it from the second I laid eyes on you. I did say that I had more respect to you than I had for others, but it seems to me that I did not expec
Valerie:The boy's cries ripped through me like claws.My heart raced with each passing moment and I did my best not to harm that child. I did my best not to dirty my hands with his blood, to save him out of this, to get him out of this before the man played the game that I was not willing to handle
Caspian:The air was too still.It was the kind of stillness that came after the fight, when the blood had dried and the bodies were cleared, but before the real danger revealed itself.I didn’t like it. Not one damn bit.Because I knew that stillness was one that only told me that more danger was
Valerie:The earth still smelled of blood.I smelled of blood. People's blood the blood of our enemies the people who had dared invade our territory.The ground beneath our feet was turned upside down. We were going to need to fix that later, but I knew that the vines that worked their way from the
Caspian:The moment my boots hit the dirt at the border, I knew it was going to be a bloodbath.The trees were alive with tension, the air so thick with rage and power it was almost suffocating. All around me, my men stood ready, rows of wolves shifted into their full forms, low growls vibrating th
Valerie:The sound of war drums echoed faintly in the distance.I stood on the balcony of Caspian’s estate, the crisp night air sharp against my skin. Below, the pack was preparing, shadows moving with purpose, weapons flashing under the moonlight, wolves shifting and howling into the night. It wa
Caspian:The great hall buzzed with low conversation, tension coiling in every corner like a living thing. They were all here, my warriors, my council, the elders, even some of the civilians who had asked to stay and fight if it came to it.Ryan was right when he said that the bastard had more enem