Mag-log inElenaAs Monica stood there at the doorstep, for a single second the world seemed to suspend itself — and then my body caught up, and I moved to get off Jax's lap. His hand slid around my waist before I could, pulling me back, locking me in place without a word.A soft gasp slipped past my lips.Ashton was already on his feet, already turning, his voice dropping to something quiet and dangerous, "What do you want, Monica?"Monica smiled. Not a nervous smile. Not an apologetic one. The kind that meant she had already decided how this would go before she even walked through the door. She stepped inside, moving with the slow, deliberate ease of someone who knew exactly the kind of room she was walking into — and didn't care. She stopped right at the corner we'd made with the sofas, our little pocket of the world, and suddenly it didn't feel so safe anymore. Something cold slid down my spine."Nothing actually," She crossed her arms over her chest.The smile didn't move. Not even a fracti
ElenaI did not know how long I’d cried. However, when I looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes were red and swollen, the skin beneath them puffy and raw. That alone told me it had been a while—maybe hours. But that wasn’t enough confirmation, so I crossed the room and pushed open the window.The sky was painted in shades of gold and amber.It was nearly evening.No one had bothered to disturb me, except for the maids who had quietly left food outside my door throughout the day.I hadn’t bothered opening it.Hadn’t bothered checking.Not until this recent knock.Slow.Careful.It came only once before it was followed by Jax’s voice.“Little wolf, open the door.”A sigh slipped past my lips. I had almost convinced myself that I didn’t want to open it, but my body betrayed me. Before I knew it, I was brushing my fingers through my tangled hair, pushing it behind my ear as I slid off the bed and made my way toward the door.The moment I opened it, my eyes met Jax’s.And surprisingly, th
ElenaThe gasp that left my mouth echoed through the room as Henry hit the floor. The crack of his head against the hardwood made me wince, a groan slipping from his lips as he lay there for a moment, not even attempting to get back up.God. All that bravado, all those threats, only to end up sprawled across the floor after a single punch.But Ashton wasn't done.He bent down, grabbed Henry by the collar, and yanked him upright. Blood immediately streamed from Henry's nose, staining his mouth and dripping onto his shirt. My eyes widened.Fuck.That was a lot of blood."You've gotten too used to raising your hands on women," Ashton said, his voice low and controlled as he hauled Henry to his feet. The calmness in it was somehow worse than shouting. "You've forgotten how to handle it when it's a man your own size standing in front of you." His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "It's about time somebody put you in your place."Before anyone could react, his fist slamm
ElenaThe air in the room changed.It didn't just grow heavy — it thickened, like something invisible had wrapped its hands around the space and begun to squeeze. Tension poured off Henry in waves I could almost see. And Jax's smirk hadn't moved. Not an inch. That quiet amusement still burned in his eyes.Ashton was no different.That was what frightened me."What surprise are you talking about?" Henry's voice came out controlled. Measured. He even cocked an eyebrow like a man entirely unbothered. But his shoulders had gone rigid, and I'd spent enough time watching him to know — Henry never held tension in his face. He held it in his body.Ashton tilted his head, something slow and almost lazy in his smile. "Then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, would it?"God.They were toying with him. Deliberately. Surgically.Henry's jaw shifted. "Well—" he let out a short breath, glancing between them with an ease that didn't quite reach his eyes, "—as long as I leave here with my bride, I don'
ElenaThe room crackled with tension so thick it felt difficult to breathe. For a second, none of the men spoke. The silence stretched between them like a wire pulled too tight, ready to snap at any moment. I found myself holding my breath without even realizing it.I looked at Ashton and Jax, shaking my head ever so slightly, silently pleading for them not to push this any further. Not because Henry didn't deserve it—he absolutely did—but because every second this conversation continued, the atmosphere grew more dangerous. Unfortunately, the warning was wasted.The very next moment, Jax opened his mouth."Well, you want us to say it on your face?" He pushed himself off the sofa and stalked toward Henry without the slightest hesitation, stopping directly in front of him. There was no fear in his expression, no caution, only blunt irritation. "You're a fucking pussy if you think you're going to win Elena over with flowers, jewelry, and some pathetic display of money. That's not how it
ElenaThe argument at the breakfast table still echoed inside my head.Mom had looked Dad straight in the eye before saying a single word.“Fine.”That was it.One word.But there had been nothing soft about it. No emotion. No anger. No sadness. Just cold, empty finality. Then she'd turned around and walked upstairs without another glance.Ever since then, she hadn't come out of her room.Not once.And Dad hadn't bothered to check on her.Not once.I'd retreated back to my room afterward. Ashton and Jax had stayed downstairs in the hall, planted on the sofa in front of the TV. They couldn't exactly follow me into my room, no matter how much their expressions seemed to suggest they wanted to.The silence in the house felt wrong.Heavy.Like something terrible was waiting around the corner.And sitting there alone, I couldn't stop thinking about Henry.That piece of shit.No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out how I was supposed to interact with him. Dad had made sure avoidin







