The garden shimmered beneath the soft silver hue of twilight, the last strokes of sun bowing out to the deepening night. Lights from the mansion spilled gently across the path, casting golden trails along the edges of stone, leaf, and water. The natural waterfall Arda had always admired now whispered soothingly in the background, its steady cascade sounding like a lullaby sung by the Earth itself.A breeze, cool and perfumed with the scent of wild jasmine and dew-laced roses, brushed past Arda’s cheek. Her hair danced in the wind. It felt as though the night wanted to touch her too, to press itself gently against her skin.She sat cross-legged on a cushioned bench under a canopy of moon-kissed trees. Her notepad lay open on her lap, half-filled with scribbles—notes she’d managed to take in between the moments her heart betrayed her and focused more on him than the work.Gillow was beside her, dangerously close. His voice—velvety and unhurried—filled the space between them like music.
Arda remained curled up on the edge of the bed, the weight of guilt pressing down on her like a shroud. Her heart ached—not for herself, but for the people she had dragged into her mess. Karina. Chester. She hadn’t meant for this to happen. She only wanted to protect them… but in the end, she’d betrayed them instead.A soft click echoed in the silence—the door. She didn’t flinch. Gillow was locking her in. Strangely, she was grateful. She hadn’t wanted to leave. She didn’t deserve freedom, not now. She wanted to be alone with her regret.The tears came slowly at first. Then violently. Her chest heaved with silent sobs until sleep overtook her like a thief in the night.---She awoke to a faint rustling. Movement. Distant, yet inside the room.She sat up, disoriented, blinking against the dim lighting. A glance at the clock told her it was nearly past midnight. Her stomach grumbled its own protest, making her wince.Curious and cautious, she stepped quietly toward the sound.There he w
Arda had stopped struggling by the time she was brought into the room. The fire of her protests had died, leaving only soft sniffling in its wake. Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks, her body trembling—not just from the alcohol wreaking havoc inside her but from something deeper, something raw.Gillow was already there, waiting. His sharp eyes took in the wrecked state she was in, and beneath the surface of his calm, his fury burned. Not at her—no, never at her—but at those who had let this happen. Yet he forced himself to swallow the rage. She needed care, not wrath.At his direction, they placed her gently onto the couch, close to the bed. The moment they stepped back, he moved forward, crouching beside her, his presence a solid force against her frailty.He carried the tea he had prepared. It wasn’t the best remedy, but it was something, and right now, something was better than nothing. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his warmth, his fingers brushing ag
Ignoring Arda's slurred curses, they lifted her into the car with little care for her protests. Her reluctance to return was irrelevant. What mattered was Gillow’s disapproval—a force far more terrifying than her drunken defiance.They secured her in the backseat, and the moment Chester and Karina took their places in the front, Arda lunged for the door handle. But Chester had anticipated this—he’d locked it. The soft click of her failed attempt was followed by a frustrated groan.With a smirk of defiance, she slumped back and declared, “I hate you both.” Then, inexplicably, she started to laugh—a drunken, eerie laughter that sent a chill up Karina’s spine.Neither Chester nor Karina responded. They simply exchanged glances, uneasy."Chester, what did you mean back there? That it’s just you?” Karina finally asked.“I, uh... kinda took the blame.”Karina whipped her head toward him. “What?”“You looked so happy, Karina. And you’ve been in so much trouble lately. I thought... maybe you
Chester hesitated, his pulse hammering against his ribs. If the Alpha was calling in this tone, it could only mean one thing—Arda had lied.His gaze darted toward her. She was blissfully unaware of the storm brewing on the other end of the call. A drink in her hand, laughter spilling from her lips, she swayed to the music with Karina, completely lost in the moment. She had no idea what she had just set into motion."I'm listening," Gillow's voice was sharp, the restrained fury evident in every syllable.Chester swallowed hard. His mind raced, torn between protecting Arda and Karina or saving himself."Alpha, I... I—" His voice faltered. What was the right move here? Take the blame and hope to minimize the damage? But then his eyes flicked back to Karina—her face alight with rare joy. She had suffered enough in recent times. And Arda... that reckless little minx. What had she been thinking? Dragging them into this mess? But then he recalled the way she had pleaded earlier—her voice thi
Arda watched the phone vibrate in her hand, Gillow’s name flashing across the screen. A small part of her knew she should answer, but she couldn't bring herself to. She let it ring.Karina and Chester noticed.“Who is it?” Karina asked from the passenger seat.“Alpha?” Chester added, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.Arda shrugged. “Yeah.”“Then why aren’t you answering?” Chester’s brows furrowed.“I’ll call him back when we get to the club,” she said, feigning nonchalance.Neither Karina nor Chester looked convinced, but they let it go. The car rolled smoothly through the city streets, neon lights reflecting against the windshield.Then Karina’s phone lit up.Gillow Rain.She turned in her seat, flashing the screen toward Arda. “It’s him. And I know it’s because you’re not picking up.”Arda’s stomach twisted. Her fingers clenched into the soft fabric of her dress. “Oh,” she said, forcing a casual tone. “I’ll call him back when we get there, I promise. Don’t answer.”Karina