But then, just as things intensified, a distant sound pulled me away.“Mommy?”My eyes snapped open at the sound of someone knocking on the door. Morning light filtered through the curtains, and I realized that I was tangled in the sheets, the book still clutched in my hands. My heart pounded as the vivid remnants of the dream lingered.“Mommy!” Thea’s voice called from the other side of the door. “I’m hungry!”Panic surged through me. “J-Just a minute!” I scrambled to hide the book under the mattress again, smoothing out the covers hastily.Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to find Thea standing there with an expectant grin on her face. “Good morning,” I greeted, forcing a smile.“Good morning!” she chirped. “Can we please have pancakes again?”“Sure, sweetheart. Let’s go to the kitchen.”As we made our way downstairs, I tried to shake off the lingering feelings from the dream. That was all it was: a dream induced by late-night erotica.But every movement reminded me of the way
AgnesLater that day, I found myself walking alongside Elijah through the corridors of the pack’s administrative building yet again. I struggled to keep up with his quick pace, my heels clicking loudly on the marble floors.“Today, I’d like you to join me in several meetings,” Elijah said, glancing
AgnesI could feel Ava’s smirk burning into the side of my face as I plugged in my flash drive and set up the PowerPoint. She was seated directly across from me, arms folded, a glint of smug satisfaction in her eyes.She probably thought I was going to crash and burn. Well, she could think whatever
Mr. Reynold’s face went red. Around the table, I heard a few scattered chuckles at my quip. Even Elijah seemed to be hiding a tiny smirk behind his hand.But then Ava suddenly blurted out smugly, “Do you have projections to support this?”I knew she would ask that—trying to trip me up. But I had com
AgnesThe day of the charity gala had finally arrived, and I found myself standing in front of the mirror, adjusting the strap of my gown for what felt like the hundredth time. It was a stunning dress—a beautiful gold, hugging my figure in all the right places—but I couldn’t help the wave of nerves
Agnes & ElijahAgnesWe moved from the ballroom at the gala to the auction hall for the next part of the gala—the auction. I took in the elegant surroundings, the polished floors and glittering chandeliers, feeling a bit more relaxed now that Elijah had solidified my place at his side to everyone. W
“I didn’t, Agnes. I thought about you every single day. I wanted to reach out, but I didn’t know how. And Ava… she kept pushing the lie, making it sound like I’d ruin your life if I showed up again.”I felt a wave of nausea hit me. Years of pain, confusion, and heartache—because of one person’s mani
ElijahAs the night wound down and the energy of the event began to fade, I slipped away from the mingling crowd. The conversation I’d just had with Mason lingered in my mind, like an echo I couldn’t quite shake. He had been warm, even kind—an unexpected balm to the tension that had gripped me all e
The moment he stepped out, Thea launched herself at him. He caught her effortlessly, spinning her around before setting her back on her feet. I approached more slowly, although I couldn’t help but grin. I’d missed him, even though it was just a few days. It seemed that the scraps of my wolf returnin
AgnesThe silence in my living room was deafening.I had told Evelyn and Gertrude everything—about my elemental abilities, about Thea being my biological daughter, about Olivia’s deception and my father’s machinations. The story had taken longer than I expected, and now the clock was ticking well pa
The elevator was at the far end of the lobby, requiring me to walk past the entrance to the hotel. As I approached, I noticed the guy from the bar, the one who had been with the woman, hurrying after me. He wore a blue hoodie and had a pair of glasses on.“Excuse me,” he called, “Alpha Elijah? Sir?”
ElijahHotel rooms always felt the same to me: sterile, impersonal, and far too quiet. This one was nicer than most—the pack I was visiting had surprisingly put me up in their territory’s best accommodations despite our trade disagreement—but it still felt wrong. The bed was too soft, the air condit
As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Thea bounded down the stairs, racing me to the door.“I got it!” she cried, yanking it open before I could reach her. “Miss Evelyn!”Evelyn swept in like a hurricane, bringing with her the scent of expensive perfume and a veritable horde of what looked like gifts in
AgnesI was buried in sketches for the next season’s line when a knock at my office door pulled me from my concentration. I glanced up, surprised to see Elijah standing in the doorway. He hadn’t mentioned stopping by my office today.“This is unexpected,” I said, setting my pencil down. “I thought y
“What do you think it was like for her?” I said after a moment. “My mother, I mean. Living her whole life afraid that someone would find out what she was.”Elijah’s thumb traced circles on the back of my hand beneath the water. “Lonely, I imagine.”“She never told me,” I whispered. “My own mother, a
AgnesThe saltwater felt like heaven against my overheated skin. I’d been soaking in my in-ground pool for nearly an hour now, but the heat that had built in my body still hadn’t completely subsided.Honestly, I was surprised that I hadn’t burned down the entire bar earlier. My finger had certainly
“Yes,” he insisted. “Because Elemental Enterprises is owned by your stepmother’s family.”The world seemed to tilt beneath me. I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself. “What?”“I’ve been keeping your true nature from your stepmother all this time,” he continued, the words coming out of him