Just then, a soft rustling sound came from the bed, drawing my attention. There was a small form under the covers, quivering slightly. Like she was hiding under the blankets, scared. Or maybe holding in laughter. It was hard to tell.“Thea?” I said, relief flooding through me. “You scared me, honey.
AgnesSunlight streamed through the bedroom window, illuminating Elijah’s dark eyes. It was morning. I was in bed, safe although terrified, and the house was just as it always was. Warm and cozy, embers still glowing in the fireplace, and not a cobweb or a skeleton to be seen.Elijah’s face hovered
“Agnes?” Elijah squeezed my hand gently. “Are you okay? You look pale.”I forced a smile, pushing aside my suspicions for now. “I’m fine. Just shocked about the witch. And thank you, for waking me up from that nightmare. It was…” I shuddered, remembering the little skeleton in Thea’s bed. “It was ho
AgnesMy fingers trembled as I attached another crystal bead to the bodice of the gown. I’d been sewing for hours, but my mind refused to settle down no matter how much I tried. The same questions kept circling like vultures, picking at my flesh until it was raw.Could it really be true? Was Mason m
Eventually, Thea’s boundless energy drew her away to chase a butterfly, leaving Elijah and me sitting beneath the cherry tree. Petals drifted down around us like pale pink snow, catching in my hair and on Elijah’s shoulders. We sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, watching Thea run between
AgnesI woke to a gentle knock on my bedroom door. Blinking away sleep, I glanced at the clock. 7:30 in the morning. The gala wasn’t until later that evening, but my stomach fluttered with anticipation anyway. Today was the day I’d finally wear my creation, against all odds.“Come in,” I called out,
I looked up at him, puzzled. “Why not?”“It’s a surprise,” he said simply. “Trust me on this.”As I turned the locket in my hand, I thought I heard something rattle inside. Curious, I shook it gently, and there it was again—a tiny clinking sound, like something hidden inside.“What did you put in he
AgnesAll eyes turned toward us.I felt my face heat under their collective gaze. Looking around at the other women in attendance, I realized with a start that my gown was by far the most elaborate in the room. The structured bodice with its window to my heart, the crystal beadwork catching every fl
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
AgnesI fidgeted in the passenger seat as Elijah pulled into the dive bar’s parking lot. The place looked exactly as I remembered it from my past life—grimy windows with neon beer signs, chipped paint on the exterior, and a crooked sign hanging above the door.Years ago, I’d spent many nights here t
“Elijah, wait.”I froze, expecting to feel the tug of the mate bond, that infuriating compulsion she’d used so many times to force me to listen to her, to stay when I wanted to go. But it never came. For the first time, she hadn’t used the bond to control me. Today was full of surprises, wasn’t it?