INICIAR SESIÓNA few hours later, I’ve searched every inch of my room, where someone could hide, including the back of my closet. I’ve locked every window and drawn the curtains, leaving the lights on so I can see.There are a few light knocks on my door, “Aeliana? Baby, are you awake?” Kingston asks, knocking a few more times.I squeeze my pillow, watching the door with an aching heart. How do I tell him, where do I begin? How do I not ruin his life too? I wanted to run to him, I wanted the safety of his arms, but I wasn’t going to ruin Rowan and Danielle’s night for that.“How is she?” I hear someone ask, Danielle. That’s her voice.“I think she’s asleep,” he sighs. “The door is locked from the inside.”“She looked pretty tired and shaken up when I saw her in the hallway,” Danielle tells him. “She might be tipsy and still nursing the hangover from those celebratory shots she had with Rowan after dinner yesterday.”I hear Kingston hum his agreement. “I hope that’s it, Damien told me she had him sea
The moment I see an opportunity to flee, I take it. I escape to the one place no one is, the hallway. I take a drink with me, needing a moment of peace but the lights start flickering, and by the time I look up, they turn off completely. “For fucks sake.” I groan. Why would this happen in the middle of Danielle’s party? I reach into my bra for my phone, but the moment I have it in my hand, it slips.The worst thing that could have happened tonight happens when I lean down to pick it up. I touch someone’s hand, and I pull back instantly. “We meet again, little tease.”No. The monster.His voice sends a chill down my spine, I can’t see anything. I feel the floor with my foot for my phone, but I don’t find it. He is standing in front of me, and I can feel him breathing, I can scent him. “What are you doing?”“Catching up with my favourite toy,” he says, his voice grating against my sanity. “Tell me, how’s life treating you?”“I’m not your toy,” I snap, backing away but with each step I t
AELIANAI finally did it.I submitted my application to VU this morning, and I had the opportunity to sit in on a few lectures. My favourite was Noah’s, of course. She’s doing great, when she’s in the lecture theatre, she acts like she’s been doing this her whole life, something I can learn from if I do get the job. When I dropped off my application, the secretary was excited and wanted me to instantly meet the Dean, but I insisted that they treat me like the rest of the applicants. I even applied as Aeliana Hartley, which won’t be helping my case but it’s worth a shot.Noah and I had lunch together, and she gave me a tour around campus, convinced that we’ll be working together soon, and honestly, I’d like that. Not having any free time gives me no time to drown in my head. I also sat in on another lecture, an ethics class, just so I didn’t distract Professor Fren in her element.By the time we left VU, Kingston had sent me a dozen texts, most of them rumbling about his day, but one o
“Excuse me,” I say, walking away from her. She just ruined a perfectly good day for me because she couldn’t mind her own business. Aeliana and I haven't discussed children yet, but I think it’s about time we started.“What did I do wrong?” She gasps, obviously asking Rowan because he stays.“Nothing, he’d rather be mad at you than her.” He tells her, “Choose a lighter approach next time or stay out of it.”“I was just trying to—”I don’t hear the rest of her explanation and I don't need to, the intent was good, but I would have preferred she kept it from me. My wolf is raging. Today started perfectly great with Aeliana in my arms. Even with how badly she kicked my ass at War Veteran, I was going into the rest of my day with a good mood.But it’s okay, to hell with it.I don't have to go to the mini clinic to find Aeliana, she’s in the passenger seat of Noah’s car. I stop when I’m within earshot. “Aeliana,” I call, my voice softer than it was a minute ago, despite how unsettled I am by
“You.”Me? “Nope,” I snort out a laugh.“Why not?” She raises an eyebrow. “You have a more active sex life than I do. You and Alpha Kingston are always at it. Don’t think I didn’t notice you last night, Luna Aeliana.”“My noah,” I gasp, my cheeks heating up from embarrassment as I look behind me, thankfully everyone seems to be busy with their own thing.“You came in flushed, drenched in perfume, and then you disappeared for like thirty minutes in the middle of it all.”I shrug, the memory enough to make me laugh. “That means nothing.”“You should take one of those shifters tests,” she casually says. “There’s only so much the birth control can handle. Didn’t you just have your heat cycles?”“Yes?” I frown, it's not meant to be a question but it comes off as just that.“That messes with stuff,” she shrugs.“No.”“Yes,” she confidently says. “You know how seriously I take birth control, so trust me. My dad would kill me if I sprang a mini Noah.”She’s right.Noah is on top of her birth
AELIANAThe fundraiser was a hit.I haven't been this happy about something in a long time. I found the kind of fulfilment I do from teaching in it, it felt good to do something that benefited so many kids not just for a day but for a long time. Pack activities might just be my favourite thing about being Luna, and I hate to admit it, but Mom was right. It is an honour, all I had to do was stop viewing it as a weapon, and I was set.Around nine yesterday, we called it a night, dropped off a few kids in the limo we hired, and came back home. Kingston and I were past our drunk in the cinema until four in the morning when Maddox found us. He woke us up and scolded us to commemorate his return.We’ve been up since then, sprawled in the living room where others joined us and left us. Now it’s just Rowan, Noah, Kingston, and me, playing a stimulating game of war veteran. Kingston and Rowan are quizzing us on war tactics in an attempt to prove their academy prepared them for any possible sit
When five seconds are up, she remains watching me through hooded eyes. I let go of her wrist and let my hands slide down her back, her skin still feels a little too warm to the touch.She stares at me through hooded eyes and reaches for my bottoms, I lift my hips to help her out, and she tugs
She nods, fiddling with her fingers. Again. Her gaze lowers, “Forgive me, but I only say this because I worry and care, but she’s been unusual.”“Unusual how?” I ask, the words coming out so fast I nearly bite my tongue.She shrugs, “I don’t know how to explain it, but she’s different.”Oh good.I
AELIANAMy hands are tied behind my back with a scarf, the sting painfully biting into my wrists. Why does this keep happening to me?“Why didn’t you speak up?” Seraphine barks, her fingers threaded so tightly in my hair that it hurts.“I didn’t want to get involved,” I confess. Seraphine and her f
I swallow, “Don’t do that again.” I tell him, looking up at the sky for any sign of a lotus, or anything moderately similar but there’s nothing.Kingston puts a hand on my forehead, “Are you feeling alright? You’re warm, you should have Maddox check you.”“I’m fine,” I groan, sitting up. “I’m under







