Sophia The coffee cup burned gently between my hands, but the heat wasn’t uncomfortable. It was comforting. I snuggled a little closer to Bright, who had one firm arm wrapped around me while holding his own cup in the other hand. The silence in the living room was thick, but not awkward. It was just us, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a kind of peace amidst all the chaos.“That conversation was insane. God,” Bright murmured suddenly, breaking the silence. His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t spoken in days, though I knew it was exhaustion that gave it that raw edge. “The conversation with James was one of the tensest I’ve had in years.”I looked at him, frowning with concern. “What happened?” “I was alone with him because the others didn’t arrive on time like we did.”Bright lowered his gaze to the dark liquid in his cup, as if trying to find the right words there. “He did what I expected. He threatened to fire me. Said he doesn’t want me there, that my presence bo
Bright The wall clock read 10:27 a.m. Three minutes until the meeting started, and the room was still empty, except for James and me. The silence was thick, like a fog heavy with resentment. I sat on the edge of the table, hands clasped together, trying to maintain my composure, but I could feel the tension crawling up my spine like a persistent chill.James sat at the far end of the table, arms crossed over his chest, eyes fixed on me. He hadn't bothered to hide his disdain since we walked in. The fact that we now shared a professional space was, to him, a humiliation, and to me, a constant threat."If it were up to me, I would’ve already taken your place in this company," he said suddenly, his voice dry and sharp like a knife's edge.I didn’t look at him right away. I took a deep breath before answering."But it’s not up to you," I replied, finally meeting his eyes. "So here I am."James pressed his lips together, a vein pulsing at his temple. He was furious, though he was trying t
Bright I felt my jaw so tense it hurt. I looked at him with narrowed eyes, unable to hide the contempt he stirred in me. “You know what, Dante? Talking is what you do best. But if you were truly a respectful man, you would’ve called me. Period. There's no excuse for staying here with her when she has a boyfriend,” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest.Dante stood in front of me, still calm, as if my anger were some kind of overreaction. “Maybe. But if I were Sophia’s future husband, I wouldn’t have left her alone at home —not even for a meeting— knowing from the start that she wasn’t feeling well,” he replied with a calm that drove me insane. I took a step toward him, clenching my fists. “And who do you think you are to lecture me? A saint? You have no idea what's going on, and you come into my house thinking you can give me lessons? Seriously?” I stepped even closer, fists still tight. “Again, who the hell do you think you are? You don’t know what’s happening between Soph
SophiaThe sun barely filtered its light through the curtains when I decided to stay home. I had woken up feeling dizzy, with a strange tightness in my chest and a sense of imbalance I hadn’t been able to shake off since I opened my eyes. Bright had insisted I rest, and I reluctantly agreed. Even though I hated showing vulnerability, I knew pushing myself wouldn’t help.The house was quiet, though not completely silent. I knew there were werewolves from Dante’s pack guarding the place, following orders to protect me after what had happened. That intense protection made me feel strange. Not because I didn’t need it, but because I knew Bright wasn’t happy that they were the ones in charge. And I wasn’t sure if I should be either.I was sitting on the living room couch, a blanket over my legs and a half-finished cup of tea in my hands, when I heard a soft knock on the door. I frowned, thinking it might be one of the guards. But when I opened it, my heart skipped a beat.It was Dante.“Hi
BrightI didn’t like being here.They could smile, greet me enthusiastically, pat me on the back like they’d known me all my life, but something didn’t fit.Or maybe I was the one who didn’t fit.No matter how hard I tried to look relaxed, my body was tense, like I might have to go into defense mode at any second. It wasn’t really about them, at least not directly. It was the feeling of being surrounded by strangers, by a system that didn’t belong to me.This wasn’t my pack.Not really, even if it was officially now.The welcome had been loud, full of excitement. Voices, laughter, werewolves slapping each other on the back, joking around, forming an invisible web of bonds I wasn’t part of yet.They greeted me warmly, asked about my story, wanted to include me… but none of that could silence the emptiness in my chest.I missed my pack.I missed the forest where I grew up, the house that no longer existed, and the familiar faces. I even missed the arguments with Thomas, because they wer
Bright I didn’t like being here. They could smile, greet me enthusiastically, pat me on the back like they’d known me all my life, but something didn’t fit. Or maybe I was the one who didn’t fit.No matter how hard I tried to look relaxed, my body was tense, like I might have to go into defense mode at any second. It wasn’t really about them, at least not directly. It was the feeling of being surrounded by strangers, by a system that didn’t belong to me.This wasn’t my pack. Not really, even if it was officially now.The welcome had been loud, full of excitement. Voices, laughter, werewolves slapping each other on the back, joking around, forming an invisible web of bonds I wasn’t part of yet. They greeted me warmly, asked about my story, wanted to include me… but none of that could silence the emptiness in my chest. I missed my pack. I missed the forest where I grew up, the house that no longer existed, and the familiar faces. I even missed the arguments with Thomas, because t