Not wanting to be late meeting Derek, I made my way to the hotel that would host the guests, stepping into the grand hall. It was impressive—high ceilings adorned with intricate chandeliers and polished marble floors. The scent of fresh-cut roses and crisp linen filled the air, a sign that preparati
DEREKI stared at the file in front of me, flipping through the neatly arranged pages with growing astonishment. Elena had compiled an incredibly detailed plan for the Alpha Ball—everything from the venue layout to the sequence of events was accounted for. The seating arrangements were particularly
DEREKThe amphitheater was already beginning to take shape for the Alpha Ball. The grand arches, adorned with the first strands of elegant floral arrangements, framed the vast open space, where pack leaders and their honored guests would soon gather. The event planning team bustled about, making adj
ELENAThere was terrible art on the walls—beige and pastel expressionist reproductions that were meant to soothe. I did not find them soothing. I sat stiffly in the reclining chair, the soft hum of the lights above us barely registering in my ears.Another session. Another attempt to unlock the past
Mason’s sympathy quickly turned to fury. Like any Alpha, he was fiercely protective of his pack. “As soon as the Alpha Ball is over,” he hissed, “you don’t have to have any contact with that man. I’ll see to it myself.”Aiden, quiet as a mouse, had stalked up to Mason’s elbow and looked beseechingly
ELENAMy pulse quickened as I turned slightly, catching sight of her standing just a few feet away, her back to me. Caroline was with her, nodding along.I remained still, my heart thudding in my chest. Whatever Cassandra was scheming, I needed to be ready.I should have left.I should have taken a
I exhaled slowly, keeping my expression cool despite the fire crackling beneath my skin. “That’s unfortunate for you, then. Because this dress is mine.” I said, turning my gaze to the Vanessa. “I love it, thank you.”Cassandra’s face darkened. “You’re still trying to provoke me, aren’t you?”I tilte
ELENAThe night air was crisp as Logan guided Aiden and me to his car. The tension still crackled in the air, a lingering reminder of the chaos back at the boutique. My fingers trembled slightly as I adjusted Aiden’s seatbelt, my mind replaying Derek’s accusations over and over.“You were already ch
ELENAThe metronome was ticking again.That steady, deliberate rhythm that Dr. Voss insisted helped center my recall—though half the time, I wasn’t sure if it helped or just made me hyper-aware of how fast my thoughts were spinning.I sat back in the reclined chair, palms resting against the fabric-
“A silver claw?”I nodded. “Yeah. The first. The only. It seared his flesh every time he used it. Every swing hurt. But he used it anyway.”“That sounds… awful.”“It was,” I said. “But he made that pain his purpose. Every battle, every fight he walked into—he carried the silver claw. And with it, he
DEREKThe room still smelled like fresh paint.The new bedding hadn’t quite lost its store scent either—crisp fabric, a little too new, the faint chemical undertone of being unboxed that morning.But it didn’t matter. Aiden was already halfway under the covers, head turned toward the window, blanket
DEREKIt all slammed into me at once.The office, the old leather chair beneath me, the taste of whiskey still lingering on my tongue—and Maggie’s name reverberating like a bell that wouldn’t stop ringing in my head.Maggie. Pierce’s daughter.A rogue who had saved Elena’s life, who had helped her e
I gasped against him, and his tongue slid in—deep, claiming, desperate.I should have shoved him off. Should have screamed at him, reminded him what he was, what I was. But my body betrayed me.I kissed him back.Hard.My fingers curled into the front of his shirt, dragging him closer as his hands s
MAGGIE“Bastard.”It was the first word out of my mouth as I shoved open the grimy motel room door. The air inside was stale—sweaty sheets, old coffee, the reek of damp carpet and desperation. Logan looked up from where he sat on the edge of the lopsided bed, one foot resting casually on the ratty h
I froze, inhaling again, trying to find it.“Elena?” Derek’s voice was cautious behind me. I could feel him watching me, could hear the faint shift of his weight in the needles.I didn’t answer right away. My head turned slightly, following where I thought the scent had drifted. I took a step, then
ELENAThe fire pit was little more than a ring of scorched stones now, filled with white ash and the collapsed skeletons of logs. Charcoal dust stained the edges of the grass, a faint outline of where the flames had lived. The scent of woodsmoke still hung in the air, sharp and lingering, but it was
My son turned toward him. “Yeah?”“Why don’t you go tell Caroline how you want that room decorated?”Aiden’s face lit up like someone had flipped a switch inside him. “I get to decorate it?!”“You get full artistic control.”He gasped like he’d been offered the moon on a stick. “Cool! Bye, Mom!”And