LOGINElenaI’d contemplated everything Monica had told me.Over and over again, I’d replayed every single word in my head, searching for even the smallest inconsistency, some hidden motive, some reason she’d show up at my door only to feed me lies.But I couldn’t find one.I simply couldn’t.Maybe I wasn’t the best judge of character. After all, my own father had managed to fool me for years without me ever suspecting a thing. If the man who’d raised me could wear a mask so convincingly, then perhaps I really wasn’t qualified to decide who was telling the truth and who wasn’t.But there was one thing I knew with absolute certainty.Monica’s eyes today…They hadn’t lied.Not once.There had been fear in them.Regret.And something else I couldn’t quite put a name to—something heavy enough to dull the sharp confidence she’d always carried like a second skin.Everything she’d said…The words she’d chosen.The way she’d said them.The pauses between her sentences.The hesitation in her voice.
Elena“What do you want, Monica?” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as a dull ache settled behind my eyes. “I really don’t have the energy to listen to your nonsense right now after all the shit that’s happened.”“Don’t worry, I’m not here to talk shit,” she replied almost immediately, raising both hands slightly as if trying to prove she meant no harm. “It’s going to take ten minutes—not a second more than that. I promise.”I studied her for a long moment, searching her face for the smugness or sarcasm I had grown so accustomed to seeing whenever we crossed paths, but neither came. Instead, she simply stood there, looking strangely… uncertain. I let out another tired sigh, weighed my options for a few seconds, then stepped aside.“Come on in, then.”She gave me a small nod before stepping inside. I closed the door behind her, the click echoing through the quiet house, and motioned toward the living room.“Please, sit.”She thanked me with another quiet nod and lowered herself
ElenaI had no idea how long we’d spent in that sunflower field.Time had stopped meaning anything.Minutes could have become hours and I don’t think I would’ve noticed.All I remembered was running.Running until my lungs burned and laughter replaced every ugly thought that had been living inside my head since morning. Every single time Ashton or Jax caught me, they’d never keep me for long. They’d wrap their arms around me just long enough to steal a laugh out of me, press kisses across my cheeks and forehead, tickle me until I was squirming and begging them to stop, only to loosen their hold a second later and let me run again. It became a game neither of them seemed interested in winning. They wanted the chase to continue just as much as I did, and every time they let me escape with those amused smiles on their faces, I realized they were never trying to catch me because they wanted the game to end. They were catching me simply so they could hold me for another moment before setti
ElenaWhen Ashton had whispered that he’d help me, I’d gotten his hint straight away. Every last drop of doubt had vanished the moment his hand slid into my pants and found my heat. And the rest?It was history.I didn’t know how many times I’d come apart in his hands. He’d only stopped when every other thought had left my mind, and the only thing I could think about was his fingers against my folds.I breathed heavily, my head thrown back against Ashton’s shoulder, my body shaking, my hips like jelly, and sweat gliding down my neck while Ashton slid his fingers into his mouth.God—these were monsters.But fuck, I loved these monsters.I didn’t know how far we’d come, but we’d driven far enough that the number of houses had started to thin out. There were more open fields, more scattered cottages, and village-like structures stretching into the distance. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d come to this side of the pack, but fortunately, it seemed untouched by Dad and his idea o
ElenaWhen I stepped out of Stephen’s office, Ashton and Jax were still standing exactly where I’d left them.The moment their eyes landed on me, I saw it.The silent question.Are you okay?I wanted nothing more than to run to them. To tell them everything had worked. To thank them for trusting Stephen when I couldn’t.But I never got the chance.“Elena, dear, listen to me—”Dad’s voice stopped me before I had even taken three steps.I slowly turned around to face him.For a second, I simply stared.Then I let out a bitter laugh.“What’s there to listen to, Dad?” I asked, my voice quiet but edged with something sharp enough to cut. “Because let’s be honest for once. If Stephen had walked out of that room and told you I wasn’t a virgin, you would’ve seriously considered killing me right there. Don’t even try to deny it.”Monica stepped out of the office behind him.Unlike Dad, she didn’t speak.She simply leaned one shoulder against the hallway wall, folded her arms across her chest a
ElenaWhen Stephen and I stepped out of the examination room, Ashton and Jax were already waiting in the hallway.Neither of them looked the least bit anxious.Not even a little.Where I had spent the last several minutes convinced my world was about to come crashing down, they stood there with an almost infuriating calmness. Their shoulders were relaxed, their expressions composed, as though no matter how many storms came their way, they would simply weather them without breaking.I found myself staring at them for a moment.How?How were they this calm?Had they truly trusted Stephen this much… or were they only pretending to be fearless for my sake?Before I could think any further, Stephen stopped directly in front of them instead of continuing down the hallway.I blinked.God.This man really was impossible to understand.Even after agreeing to help us, he somehow still managed to look as though he was about to declare war on the two brothers.He tucked both hands into the pocket
ElenaThe thought was exciting. I’d admit that.Two Alphas—both devastatingly handsome, bodies carved by power, scents thick enough to make you want to sin and beg forgiveness later.“It’s not happening, Princess,” Ashton said flatly. “Forget it.”He turned to walk away.I caught his hand, gripping
ElenaI stood on the rooftop, staring down at the borders.Guards patrolled in relentless formation, eyes sharp, movements precise. No lazy pauses. No fifteen-minute breaks. Every shift was replaced seamlessly by another team.Fuck.There was no escaping the borders anymore.I swept my gaze north,
ElenaI was here. In my room.Back in my dad's grand fortress—the one I'd tried to escape this morning.Night closed in, thick and suffocating, swallowing everything whole. And my defeat? It sat heavy on my chest, bitter and sharp.They'd brought me back home in a ride I'd spent fighting the entire
ElenaI ran.Bare feet slapped against the rough earth, every stride slicing my skin open a little more. The ground was cold, cruel, and unyielding. My lungs burned; my heart felt like it was about to rupture. My wolf wanted to shift back—she was done, exhausted—but I couldn't stop. Not now. Not wh







