로그인“You lied to me,” she says, her voice breaking. “Everyone saw you kiss her and you're making a fool out of me.”“I didn’t lie to you, please try to understand Ellie. I can't tell you what happened, I promised her I wouldn’t tell anyone.”“Great,” she nods. Slowly sinking into a fetal position again. “I’m done.”I kneel in front of her too, “Are you okay?” “Yeah, I just need to stay here for a while.” She whimpers. “Could you please leave? You’re making it worse, the water is getting warm.”It isn't, the water is fuckkng freezing still.I feel someone reaching me through the pack link. “Any luck?” Rowan asks,“Found her,” I say, closing all pack links, I can do without the disturbance for the next few hours. “Aeliana,” I coo, lifting her chin so she’s looking at me.She blinks, glaring at me. “I don’t want to be touched out of obligation, King.”“Okay,” I nod, lifting her from the water. I spent Aeliana’s first heat with her, she was home alone with the servants and their housekeeper
KINGSTONFrom the moment I pull up in the driveway, I know something is wrong. My father’s car is parked recklessly, the man values orders so that itself is enough to set off alarms.Several patrol teams are gathered, surrounding my father, and I can hear him barking out orders even before I take a step out of the car. People part for me to pass, “Is this a takeover?” I jest.Mom turns towards me, “Hi son.” She smiles, placing a hand on my father’s back.“What’s going on?”“It’s Aeliana,” Mom hisses. “She didn’t show up at the house this morning when she was supposed to, and no one has seen her. I think she’s missing.”I pause, my chest sinking. I knew leaving her behind was a bad idea, and that calm she demonstrated wasn’t like her. I just knew something was wrong. “What do you mean my wife is missing?”“We can’t find her,” Mom repeats. “I came here for her yesterday, and no one has seen her since yesterday afternoon.”“What?” I pause. “Did anyone see her leave the house? How does yo
“She’s not good at retelling stories,” her brother snorts out a laugh.“She’s doing just fine,” Danielle says. “She has minimal details and snippets to work with, but what she's trying to tell us is that people thought one of them or both of them killed this drat guy.”“Drayton, but yes, thank you.” Wendy nods, “The case was closed and ruled as suicide, but who stabs themselves in the back and neck as suicide?” She asks, an eyebrow raised. “Makes no sense, but then again, Aeliana Hartley is the sweetest girl around and very honest.”Alpha Blackthorn hums in approval, “She’s honest indeed.”“The administrative board wanted nothing to tarnish the reputation of the school and as I said, she wouldn’t hurt anyone, and even though Noah was questioned, being with Aeliana was a solid way out.”“So no one knows who killed this guy?” I ask, my tone low and shaky almost. I thought it knew everything about Aeliana and I had tabs on her, but nothing of this sort ever reached me. I requested that n
KINGSTONA road trip with a couple has never been this annoying. I miss Aeliana just like I had anticipated, but she didn't want to come with me, and that should have been my first alarm. She has not responded to a single message of mine telling her how I miss her already, and it’s well over a day since I left.I could barely focus with Alpha Blackthorn but thankfully, all negotiations were handled over virtual meetings and this arrangement was purely a formality. He welcomed us into his home and has been a good host, as good a host as you’d expect an old geyser stuck in his ways to be. His two sons didn't sit in on our meeting, but his daughter did, Wendy Blackthorn appears to be his pride and joy. I didn’t expect that from him, but I kid you not, this man was being used as a cameraman when we arrived.Formalising the alliance legally took us about thirty minutes, after which Alpha Blackthorn invited us to lunch. I would rather have been back on the road by now, but we stayed, becaus
“You think you’re so smug, don’t you?” Her head tilts. “Our love is greater than anything you could ever dream of building. Our bond is stronger, that’s why he runs to me, it’s a choice, unlike the bond you forced on him. You are nothing but duty to him, don’t confuse his kindness and fidelity for anything more because that’s it.”“Are you done now?”“No,” she barks, looking back to see if anyone is listening before she continues. Still scared even when she's been a bitter bitch. “I want you to know that every time he kisses you, he does it because it's expected of him, because he is trying to be his best self. Every time he touches you is duty, but me? That was desire, something you’ll never know.”I roll my eyes, I can accept the fact that he doesn't love me, but assuming he isn't attracted to me? Like hell he isn’t. “You’re not in my bedroom, Audrey so keep those notes to yourself.”“You think he doesn't tell me about it?” She laughs. “Oh please, I had to give him a pep talk to con
“I’m squirming in my seat, trying to hold my scent. Yeah.” I yawn, “Just feeling a little tired, I was up drawing on a cast all night.”“You’re good with kids,” he says with a smile.“Am I?” I frown. Kids don’t usually gravitate towards me until I put in some effort.“Yes, the kids at the foundation love you. They’re always asking where you are when we show up.”“Oh, that's because they take me in small doses.”“Don’t sell yourself short, Ellie.” He says, his tone laced with disappointment. “You’d be great even if they spent a whole week with you.”“I’d die, I love them but…” I pause, a sharp pain piercing my stomach, accompanied by a strong wave of warmth spreading around my body. “Kids are a lot of work, Rowan.”“You’ll change your mind when you have your first.” He confidently says.“Do you know something I don’t?” I ask, an eyebrow raised at him.“No,” he laughs. “It's just a thought. I’ve seen how you interact with children, and you're good with them. You’d be even better with o
KINGSTONSometimes instinct overrides logic.That’s the only explanation I can find for what happened this morning. Seeing Aeliana up close after so long stirred up some memories, memories that she ruined when she decided to show me her true colours.It’s been roughly eight hours since I left Aelia
AELIANAI’ve set a timer from the time I came into this room until now. I cleaned up after the fight, and I’ve had enough time to reflect on it. However, my viewpoint remains the same, with only one regret, I should have hit harder, not just for Lexie, but for every other person she ever abused tha
“AELIANAWhen it comes to being an idiot, I take the cup.Only an idiot would want to spar a trainer who happens to be her arch-nemesis friend. I knew it was a trap the moment I stepped into the ring, I saw it in her smile before they joined me in the ring. It was clear that Audrey planned it all,
“Sidekick,” She pouts. “He punched my date and dragged me here.”I pause, that scenario is entirely odd, but surely Noah must have done something that warranted his intervention. “Forget that,” she waves me off. “You are needed downstairs, they’ve started to talk shit already, so you need to hurry







