LOGINRORYI kept my smile firmly in place, seamlessly turning the conversation toward baby names.Livia took the bait with the eagerness of a woman who had already spent weeks dreaming about it.Within minutes, the table entirely forgot the men's empty chairs.I was exceptionally good at this. I had years of practice smiling while my wolf clawed at the inside of my chest.Then Leslie set down her crystal glass."I hope I'm not being too forward." She smiled with such radiant warmth it almost hurt to look at. "But if you could give us a grandchild sooner rather than later, it would bring us such joy."Ice raced through my veins yet I kept my face neutral by sheer, violent force of will.The smile I offered felt brittle, completely false, though it seemed to satisfy the expectant faces around me.Livia quickly picked up the thread, her words tumbling out in a rush. "Yes, that would be perfect. Then my baby wouldn't be alone. They'd have someone to grow up with."The heavy pressure of their c
EVRENEvren noticed something was off with Rory.His eyes stayed on Rory standing slightly apart, her expression distant, as if her mind wandered somewhere entirely disconnected from the happy chaos around them.Something in her rigid posture said she was fighting a brutal memory.He moved closer, studying her profile with growing concern.When she finally sensed him and lifted her eyes to his, a flash of agonizing pain crossed her face before she could mask it.It was so brief he might have imagined it.His chest tightened with an unfamiliar, overwhelming need to comfort and protect.Evren, who stayed emotionally distant from nearly everyone, found himself abandoning that distance entirely.He reached out and pulled her in his arms without a second thought.The embrace seemed to surprise them both.Her head came to rest in the center of his chest, her smaller frame fitting flush to his muscles as if they were designed to complement each other.Warmth rolled through him, a sense of ab
RORYThere it was.Something twisted in my chest, old hurt and buried fear I hoped never to examine.What kind of mate asks to be rejected?The bond was sacred, and everyone knew how brutal rejection was. If I truly didn't want him, I could have done it myself.Why hadn't I?The answer was far more complicated than I was ready to admit, even to myself.You could say it's because of past failures." The words slipped out softer than I intended.One of his eyebrows rose slightly."Past failures?" His voice sharpened. "Aurora, you're not some heartbroken human who gave up on love after a few bad relationships. You're a wolf. Do you understand what that means?"My throat tightened."It means you have another half. You're incomplete without your mate. There's someone destined to share your pain, your joy and stand with you through everything."His gaze never left my face. "I don't think you're foolish enough to forget something that fundamental."He paused, letting the heavy truth settle. "
EVRENThe Rolls Royce pulled away from the curb, and the convoy slotted in place around it.The noise of the press faded behind them.Rory's window stayed down, the wind tugging loose strands of her hair across her cheek, and the smile on her mouth grew softer, less like a weapon and more like her own.Evren kept his eyes on the road, glancing at her more often than he meant to."Alright, Ren." Rory tossed the nickname over the console, entirely too pleased with herself.His hands tightened on the wheel.No one ever dared to shorten his name.'Ren.' Fenrir lifted his massive head at the sound as if he was called by name."Tell me how you figured it out. And why aren't you furious? I thought you'd be so angry you'd reject me outright. Maybe even banish me from your territory forever."Evren’s jaw clenched at the words she tossed around like it weighed nothing.He hadn't forgotten who asked him for it first.He drew a slow breath, keeping his voice level. "First, your scent was all over
RORY6:30 PM.Keyboard clicks filled my office, a steady rhythm under the city's evening hum. The floor-to-ceiling windows showed the skyline lighting up in the darkening sky, one window after another, like scattered diamonds.The smell of expensive leather mixed with the coffee gone cold on my mahogany desk hours ago.I stayed hunched over my monitor, fingers flying, finalizing my schedule for the coming days. Once tomorrow started, moments like this would shrink to stolen scraps between meetings and negotiations.My hands stopped shaking sometime around four. I decided not to examine that too closely.The building settled in its evening quiet. Most of the staff went home hours ago, leaving only lingering perfume and the leftover warmth of a full day.Then the quiet broke.Voices rose beyond my door, urgent and overlapping. Footsteps moved with purpose, lacking the lazy shuffle of people heading home.I lifted my head, my hearing catching fragments of excited chatter and something so
RORYMy investment projects team filed inside, their faces glowing.These seven people had helped me build my empire from the ground up. They were more than employees. They were my friends, my family, and the ones I trusted most.Jackie went first, practically bouncing on his heels.He was twenty-four, a werewolf with sandy brown hair and a grin that could charm anyone.Despite his age, he had a lethal gift for numbers and a sharp instinct for market trends.I settled behind my desk with an amused smile. "Is it raining money?"My sarcasm only fueled them.Jackie's grin widened, and he flopped on a leather couch without waiting to be asked. "No, it's raining gold!"I raised an eyebrow, set down my pen, and offered him a look of mock seriousness. "Your tongue's gotten entirely too long, Jackie. I have scissors here if you'd like some help with it."He laughed, not the least bit intimidated.I played the stern boss, and they treated me like the friend I actually was.The others settled a







