~Rhett~I miss Lucy like hell. The calls, the pictures, the teasing messages are just not enough. I crave her body pressed against mine, her sweet scent filling my lungs, the way she melts when I tease her… and the way I claim her until she forgets her own name.Tonight, I had it all planned out. I was going to surprise her. With my abilities, slipping between worlds and straight into her room would’ve been easy. After finishing up the youth clinic, I would be in her arms where I belong.But of course not, that plan crashed the moment they dragged me into another interview. I tried to excuse myself, I tried to leave, but no, apparently, I’m the face they can’t do without. So here I am, stuck, boiling in frustration while every damn second feels like an eternity.I was counting down the minutes to freedom when my phone buzzed. A notification from Lucy. A sharp breath escaped from my lungs when the video played. Thank fuck she muted it. She knew what she was doing. She always does.Her
~Lucy~As you can imagine, my night was absolutely wonderful, and so is my morning. I wake up refreshed, ready to embrace whatever the days ahead might bring. I’m in love with Rhett Lawson. I shouldn’t be. This was supposed to be fake, just a few months of pretending. Yet only weeks in, I’ve fallen for him.He warned me it would happen. He said I’d fall for him, and I laughed it off, denied it. When Freya hinted at it, I shut her down, refusing to even entertain the thought. But now, I can’t lie to myself. The way Rhett treats me, the way his eyes linger on me, the way he protects me, it leaves no room for doubt.A part of me, a huge part, believes I’m not making a mistake. I feel it in my bones that this will turn out right that our paths were meant to cross, that we were meant to find each other. What started as fake dating feels real in every way. Everything about Rhett is genuine, and even if he doesn’t love me yet, I believe with every bit of me that he will.The doorbell rings,
~Rhett~ “Rhett, you almost lost control earlier. What the fuck is wrong with you?” Khair’s growl rumbles through my head sharply, his voice is accusing but I don't care.“That was risky Rhett,” he repeats, but I don’t answer him. For the first time, I don’t even know what to say to my wolf.Because he’s right. I did almost lose control. I don’t know what came over me, but seeing Lucy scared, seeing those damn paparazzi getting too close to her, it lit something inside me I couldn’t leash.You might think it’s no big deal, using my Alpha aura to put them in their place. But it is a very big deal. Every time I let that power slip in the human world, I risk exposing my secret. There are werewolves hiding in plain sight, living disguised among humans. If one of them had been there tonight… they would have recognized me instantly.And not every Alpha can command humans. Only those born from certain clans. Only those special. That kind of power isn’t normal, it bends humans, makes them sub
Rhett doesn’t really like to talk much about himself. Truth is, we’ve never had a real conversation about each other until today. When I asked him, something flickered across his face, a shadow I couldn’t name, it was gone as quickly as it appeared.He didn’t say much, but now I know. Rhett, like me, is an orphan. Only… unlike me, who at least had an aunt to raise me, he had no one. He grew up in an orphanage. I can’t imagine how lonely that must have been, never knowing your parents, never having anyone to call family.He told me he never had friends either, only mingling with people in the line of his work. It makes sense now, his walls, his grumpiness, the way he’s kept women at arm’s length. He must be carrying so much weight, so much unspoken heartache.I want to ask him more. So many questions rest on the tip of my tongue. But I remember the flicker in his expression, the way his voice tightened. It’s clear he doesn’t want to linger on himself. Respecting that, I swallow my curi
The exclusive restaurant is full, yet calm and peaceful. The only sounds are the soft melody of music and the gentle murmur of conversations. Everywhere I look, couples are dressed elegantly; it feels as though I’ve stepped into a movie where the heroine is taken on a date by a wealthy man to an exotic, hidden gem of a restaurant. I’ve always loved simple, casual places, I've never imagined myself somewhere like this. Yet I must admit, it’s breathtaking, not only for its beauty but for the serenity and romance that fills the air. Being here feels timeless.“Hey, beautiful.” Rhett’s smile pulls my attention back to him. “I’m glad you love it here.”“I sure do.” I return his smile, trying not to look too dazzled. “Do you always come here?”“Yes.”That reply makes my heart skip. This part of the restaurant is designed only for couples, tables for two tucked away in quiet corners. Does that mean he brings girls here? “B-but… I thought you’ve never had a girlfriend,” I ask, shrugging like
~Lucy~ “Dude, are you gonna pull yourself together and just freaking tell me what I need to hear?” Freya asks for what feels like the billionth time.It’s Saturday, and we’re out for our usual girls’ night at the club, well, whenever Freya’s off duty, of course. My bestie is a surgeon at the Capital Hospital. She’s always in demand, always busy. Sometimes too busy for herself. Since she started that job, I’ve had to get used to seeing her only about four times a week. Still, she’s my only true friend, my hangout buddy, my everything, so I learned to make do with the days without her.“It’s… um…” I start, but the words die on my lips as my cheeks heat up. I can’t help it. Just thinking about Rhett makes me glow with happiness.“Dude? Seriously? What has this man done to you?” she teases, laughing between words. “The last time I saw you this happy was… never. You’re like, radiant. Talk about a freaking miracle!”It’s…” I blush again, covering my mouth with my hand before finally bracin