AgnesI stepped into Elijah’s office, and was immediately hit with the familiar scent of his cologne. He was sitting at his desk, flipping through a stack of papers. His head lifted when the door clicked shut behind me, and his eyes found mine instantly.“You called?” I asked.He gestured toward the
“Yeah, and maybe some better lighting? These fluorescents give me migraines every day. It’s awful.”“Don’t even get me started on the coffee machine,” another chimed in. “It’s been broken for months! I don’t want to traipse halfway across the building to the marketing department just to refill my cu
AgnesWithin a few days, everything I had ordered finally arrived: new cushions, a couple of armchairs, plants, lamps, ergonomic desk supplies, and more. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to shift the design department from a cluttered chaos to something cozier and more conducive to work.Once ever
“Don’t worry, Agnes,” she purred. “It’s official.”I took a step closer, snatching the papers from her to read them. Sure enough, the transfer from her original department to this one was legitimate. Signed off by one of Ava’s superiors.“I see,” I said evenly, handing the papers back to her.Inside
AgnesWhen Ava handed me the folder, I didn’t expect much. If anything, I thought it might be a blatant attempt to one-up me or prove that she had some hidden edge in the department. But when I flipped open the cover of the folder and caught sight of the first sketch, I froze.These drawings weren’t
For a while, the only sounds were the clink of silverware and Thea’s occasional chatter about school projects. But as soon as Thea finished her meal and excused herself to go color in the living room, I took a deep breath and looked across the table at Elijah.“Did you move Ava to the design departm
AgnesThe clouds shifted slightly in the sky, casting a pale blue shaft of moonlight across the room that revealed Elijah standing in the doorway.He was leaning against the door frame, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his tie missing, revealing the strong lines of his forearms. His hair was
Was everything okay, I wondered? Was something stressing him out? If I asked what it was, would he even admit to it?Sighing softly, I finally said, “Is there anything I can do to help you?”He was silent again for a long time. I honestly thought he was too drunk to know what he was doing, that he m
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