MasukARIAMy eyelids fluttered open. I blinked and stretched, and it refreshed in my memory. Two days. Two whole days since… that morning.I remembered it clearly. He had asked me, “Are you enjoying the view?”I had tilted my head, pretending to be coy with a teasing smile curling my lips. “Yes,” I had said, just to see if I could get under his skin.And well, I haven't laid my eyes on him for the past forty-eight hours. I had even snuck back to the training grounds but it was empty. I had scoffed at the thought of him changing the training grounds so I couldn't feed my eyes.I sat up, stretching slowly. It was still dawn as the view outside was still foggy. Mason had said he was at the pack office. Well for what ever reason I felt he was wrong. Wrong to leave me like this. I was still a newbie in the pack for crying out loud. If it weren’t for Kora’s company, I would have been the epitome of loneliness and boredom.Suddenly my nose caught whiff of a scent. Knox. But it was coming from the
WRITER’S POVDaphne stepped into Grey Enterprise with her eyes scanning the place and her heels announcing her arrival. The lobby lights gleamed off the black midi fitted off shoulder gown she wore alongside gloves with a black hat and extremely out of place in a corporate building full of suits.The gloves alone made her look like she was going to a gala, not a business office. People looked at her, some longer than they should, but she ignored them. Her bangs covered the bandage at her temple, and she hoped it stayed hidden.She wasn’t here to impress anyone. Rather she was looking for one person.Her eyes drifted around the lobby until an unfamiliar voice came from the side.“Good morning,” Tasha said as she walked over. She recognized Daphne immediately. Who wouldn't know the face behind Luxe Mane Studio?“Are you looking for someone?” Tasha asked.“Is Aria around?” Daphne asked instead.“You mean Miss Lane?” Tasha blinked and Daphne nodded once while crossing her arms.“No, she’s
ARIAThe first thing I noticed when I woke up was the empty space beside me. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Great. So much for waking up before him. I had planned to wake up early—before him—just so I could return to my makeshift bed. But clearly, that didn’t work out. Instead, I’d slept like a baby. Like I hadn’t in… forever.Dragging myself out of bed, I brushed my teeth and stepped into the shower. The warm water helped chase away the sleepiness. Afterward, I pulled on my underwear—it had dried overnight—and then slipped into one of Knox’s shirts again. A blue long-sleeved one this time.I was still adjusting the sleeves when I heard the door opening.“Hello”I froze. My first thought was ‘That's certainly not Knox's voice’So who—?I stepped out of the room and stopped. A girl stood there, holding a small woven basket in both hands. She looked about my age, maybe younger. Her brown hair was tied back, and she blinked at me, wide-eyed, like I’d just walked out of her TV screen.“Uh…”
KNOX I had run a long mile this morning to shake off the tension that the cold bath couldn't. But presently, I was headed to the council hall. I saw Mason waiting at the entrance of the pack house and I combed my hair with my hand “Morning runs before council meetings now?” Mason muttered beside me, his tone halfway between a joke and concern. “Helps me think. Let’s get this over with.” The heavy doors of the council chamber opened as we entered, and the noise of voices fell into silence. The seven elders turned toward us. Elder Ronan, Hale, and Greta stood as I approached. The others—Edric, Harrow, Varyn, and Morric—followed though not willingly I took my seat at the head. Mason moved to sit at my right. “Alpha,” Ronan greeted with a small bow. “We thank you for coming on such short notice.” “Speak,” I said simply. He exchanged a look with Hale before beginning. “The matter of the missing wolf. Ronnie. His scent trail vanished beyond the western ridge.” Hale’s de
KNOXHer entire face turned tomato red. The corners of my mouth twitched. ‘Damn, she was easy to read — even without the bond, her emotions rolled off her in waves.’I stretched lazily, reaching for the can of peaches but she bent her back slightly on reflex and closed her eyes.My brows lifted. ‘What exactly are you expecting, shorty?’‘A kiss. She’s hoping for a kiss.’ Fenris jumped happily.‘Shut it,’ but Fenris gave me images of her panting and breathless in my mind.I exhaled, shaking my head. “Relax,” I murmured. My fingers wrapped around the can she’d been reaching for. “You’ll starve before you actually eat something.”Her lashes lifted slowly, and I caught that wide, embarrassed look. I ignored the pull it sent through my chest and handed her the peaches. “Here.”She took them, her fingers brushing mine and that small contact did more damage than I wanted to admit. It sent sparks down my body.“Eat,” I ordered quietly.She obeyed, sitting down with the can and spoon, taking s
ARIAThe journey is a blur as trees rushed by so fast I could barely breathe. I held on tightly to Knox’s fur. The wind hit my face, and well, I didn’t care. Mason ran beside us in his ash wolf form. Sometimes he looked my way, like he was checking if I was still holding on. I wanted to tell him I was fine, but my voice would only get lost in the wind.At times Knox slowed down, his pace dropping into a steady run. That was when I could finally lift my head and look around. The forest was beautiful. The sunlight fell through the trees giving it a mesmerizing view. A river flowed by our side for a while, and I could see the colorful fishes swimming about.It was strange, how peaceful everything looked when my whole life had been nothing but chaos these past few days.We ran for what felt like.... I don't really know, until the trees opened up into a wide valley surrounded by tall pines. The air was thick with fog. It looked hidden from the rest of the world.Knox slowed even more, his







