|| Lilac’s POV ||
Elara’s eyes narrowed, and before I could stop her, she reached over and pulled down the collar of my dress, checking for a mark on my neck. “Did he mark you?” she demanded. “No,” I said, pushing her hand away. “It’s not like that.” “But now your mate is here,” Elara said, her voice firm. “So everything will slowly go away, Lilac.” “I don’t know that,” I replied, my voice trembling. Suddenly, Madeline giggled, her eyes glued to her phone. All of us turned to look at her, our expressions a mix of frustration and amusement. “Come on, Maddy. Put the phone down,” Astrid said, exasperated. “I can’t. I’m texting,” Madeline replied, her fingers still flying across the screen. They were so much in love. Why didn’t I feel the same for Elias? The thought gnawed at me, a constant reminder of the disconnect between what I was supposed to feel and what I actually did. “Madeline, we’re being serious here,” Astrid said, her tone s|| Lilac’s POV || Things had been better. The election preparations were moving forward, and Kael’s scandal had given us a much-needed boost. But Elias and I were still on shaky ground. His presence, once comforting, now felt suffocating. Every smile, every touch, every word felt like a reminder of the bond I couldn’t fully embrace. How was I supposed to be with him? How was I supposed to pretend everything was fine when my heart was still tangled in the past? I needed a break, and Elara, ever the perceptive friend, had arranged it. “We’re going for a girls’ day out,” she declared one morning, her tone leaving no room for argument. Astrid and I agreed, though Madeline was too busy to join. I didn’t mind. The fewer people, the better. I needed space to breathe, to think, to just be without the weight of expectations pressing down on me. I leaned back in my seat, staring out the window as Elara drove. The city blurred past, a mix of gray skies and muted colors that
|| Lilac’s POV ||The drive to the meeting place was quiet, the silence between us heavy with unspoken words. We arrived at the restaurant, a sleek, modern place with floor-to-ceiling windows and a view of the city skyline. Astrid was already there, seated at a table near the window, her expression tense. “Well, they’re not coming,” Astrid said as we sat down, her tone frustrated. “Apparently, they have a new council member joining today, so they had to do some last-minute rescheduling.” “Great,” Elara huffed, rolling her eyes. “Just what we needed.” Astrid turned to me, her gaze critical. “You really need a makeover, Lil,” she said, her tone blunt. “Well, she had another mate situation,” Elara replied, launching into an explanation of the previous night’s events. I sat there in silence, my eyes fixed on the window as I tuned out their conversation. My mind was elsewhere, tangled in thoughts of Elias and the mess I’d made of things. But then, my
|| Lilac’s POV || The night had been long and restless, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Elias was leaving for the border today, and while a part of me felt relieved, another part was tangled in guilt and confusion. I didn’t know what to do, how to feel, or even how to process the mess my life had become. I stayed up late, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts racing in circles until exhaustion finally pulled me into a fitful sleep. When I woke, it was to the sound of Elara’s voice, sharp and insistent. “Hey, how come you’re still sleeping?” she asked, her tone a mix of concern and exasperation. I blinked, disoriented, as I sat up in bed. The sunlight streaming through the windows was too bright, too cheerful for the storm brewing inside me. “Elara, what are you doing here? What time is it?” I asked, my voice groggy. “It’s half past noon. What happened? We were supposed to meet yesterday. No call, no messages,” Elara said, her hands on her hip
|| Lilac's POV ||Soon enough, the doorbell rang, and Elias was there, standing on the threshold with a hesitant smile. “Hey, going somewhere?” he asked, his eyes scanning my outfit. “Yeah. We’re going for a walk,” I replied, my voice tight. Elias nodded, though I could see the disappointment in his eyes. He didn’t say anything, just fell into step beside me as we walked toward the river. The air was crisp, the kind of cold that bites at your skin but clears your mind. The riverbank was quiet, the water reflecting the pale winter sky. We sat down on a weathered bench, the silence between us heavy and unspoken. “You’re leaving?” I asked finally, breaking the silence. “Yeah, in a few days,” he said, his voice calm but tinged with sadness. I felt a strange mix of relief and guilt. Relief that I wouldn’t have to see him every day, guilt that I felt that way at all. What kind of person am I? I thought, my chest tightening. “Dad told me. Why didn’
|| Lilac's POV || Since our last hangout, things had taken a turn for the better—at least on the surface. Elara had stirred up a storm for Kael, and it was glorious. She didn’t have to do much, just leak a few carefully selected pictures of him and Coco, along with a scandalous video of Coco giving him a lap dance. The images went viral within hours, and the whispers of scandal followed Kael like a shadow. I smiled inwardly, a small, vindictive part of me reveling in his discomfort. Served him right. But while Kael’s reputation took a hit, our investigation into the Miracle Pills was far from over. I knew it would be dangerous, and I couldn’t let Elara shoulder the burden alone. She was fearless, but even she had her limits. So, I got dressed, ready to meet her and dive deeper into the mess we were unraveling. But as I reached for the door, my father’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Where are you going?” he asked, his tone firm but not unkind. “I’m going to meet
|| Lilac's POV || Madeline was half-drunk, her cheeks flushed and her laughter louder than usual. Elara wasn’t far behind, her words slightly slurred but her wit as sharp as ever. Astrid and I were more restrained, nursing our drinks and enjoying the chaos without fully succumbing to it. It was the kind of night I needed—a distraction from the storm raging inside me. “So, when did it all start?” Madeline asked, her voice carrying a tipsy lilt as she leaned forward, her glass of wine sloshing precariously in her hand. “The night we went to the party after she broke off her engagement with Kael,” Elara smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. She was clearly enjoying this, her tone dripping with satisfaction. “That bastard deserved it,” Madeline declared, her voice loud and unapologetic. She took another sip of her wine, her eyes narrowing as if she were imagining Kael’s face in front of her. “What is she talking about?” Astrid asked, her brow furrowing as sh