LOGINChris shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Unbelievable,” he hissed as I smirked with satisfaction.The trip to the clinic went by a lot faster on wheels than on foot. Chris remained glued to my side, his hair falling into his eyes as he repeatedly checked on me. I simply smiled in the backseat, and w
Epilogue — Part IIAvaAs the balloon hit me square in the face, I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance. Chris’s strong arm caught me, steadying me as a chorus of “Surprise!” filled the air.Our living room had been transformed, covered with balloons and streamers in shades of blue and silver. A
Her imprisonment in New Moon was coming to an end, and soon she would be returning to Moonstone on parole. The thought filled me with a mixture of apprehension and hope, as it did all of us.But that was not coming for another month.As the Elders filed out, I leaned back in my chair, unable to keep
Before I could comment, the Elders finally filed in, their usual robes swishing around them as they moved. Fatima was now the Eldest since Elise was gone, and so she took the end of the table opposite Chris.Claire hobbled in after her; she had been leaning on a cane lately due to a sudden onset of
Epilogue — Part IAvaMy hand rested on my belly as I waddled through the doors, half-ignoring Chris’s presence. He sighed, letting the door fall shut behind me.“What’s wrong?” he asked, following me to the circular council table in the center of the room.“Nothing.”That was a lie.It was my 40th
For a moment, Chris was silent, his gaze intense as he searched my face. Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees, burying his face in my skirt. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close.“Goddess, I can’t wait to marry you,” he murmured, his voice muffled by the fabric.I smiled, run
ChrisDespite everything—despite the search party, the dead Omega girl, the ball, the bachelorettes—I couldn’t seem to get Degas’s proposal out of my head. It kept swirling around in my mind like a dark storm cloud, taunting me relentlessly. It slipped into my dreams, left my head spinning, made me
I didn’t answer. Instead, my gaze drifted over to where Chris now stood with Amelia, the two of them engaged in what looked like an intimate conversation. As I watched, Chris threw his head back with laughter at something she said, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that always made my he
AvaI stepped into the ballroom, my heart pounding in my chest. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes and the low thrum of music drifting in from the adjoining room. Everywhere I looked, beautiful women in extravagant dresses milled about with glasses of champagne in their hands, ch
I glanced at the others, then nodded hesitantly. “Of course,” I said, standing. As we stepped out into the hall, I couldn’t help but notice the curious looks Ophelia and Leonard exchanged. But they didn’t say anything, and I was grateful for that.Once we were alone, Chris turned to me, his brow cre







