After a long moment spent drying his hair—my fingers moving on instinct more than intention—I realized just how close we were. His golden eyes, usually calm and unbothered, were locked onto mine with an intensity that left my heart stumbling over itself.Cassiel didn’t blink. Didn’t move. Just looked at me like I was the only thing in the room worth his attention.Then, slowly, he placed the containers of food he was holding onto the counter. The quiet clatter snapped me out of the daze I was sinking into. My hands stilled on his damp hair, and I pulled back before he could reach for them. Quickly. Too quickly.“I—uh,” I murmured, clearing my throat and dropping my gaze to the kitchen island. “What else did you order?”Cassiel laughed. The sound was warm and rich, like sunshine and velvet all tangled together. It tumbled into the air, tugging a reluctant smile out of me.Still grinning, he grabbed the towel from his head and rubbed the rest of the water from his curls, then gestured t
While I waited for Cassiel to arrive, I made the dumbest mistake anyone freshly removed from a toxic environment could make—I opened social media.At first, it was just to pass the time. To see what the world was doing outside my little peaceful bubble. I wasn't searching for them. Truly, I wasn’t. But curiosity is a manipulative little thing. All it took was one trending headline. One stupid hashtag. One perfectly posed image of them—Matthias and Nerissa—standing side by side at a party with camera flashes painting their smiles gold.And then, like a woman walking into a fire, I scrolled.Every photo made my stomach twist tighter.They were everywhere. The pack’s golden couple, soon-to-be wed. Nerissa’s eyes glimmered, her smile all white teeth and polished perfection. She leaned into him with the eagerness of someone who wanted the world to believe she was cherished. These photos looked even more damning than the one I’d seen on the news.But it was Matthias I kept staring at.Becau
There’s nothing quite like coming home.The second I crossed the boundary line into my town, something in my chest loosened. My shoulders dropped. My grip on the steering wheel softened. I rolled the window down just enough to let in the familiar scent of pine and open road—clean air and distant woodsmoke. The land here smelled different. More honest. More mine.And gods, how I’d missed it.Being near Moonveil had felt like living inside a bruised ribcage. Tight, fragile, sore in ways that didn’t always make sense. No matter how composed I looked on the outside, I’d been walking on land where pieces of me had broken apart, piece by piece. There were ghosts in the walls, memories in every hallway, and a mirror in every pair of eyes that saw me only as “Matthias’s ex-wife” or “the she-wolf who lost a Luna’s child.” I wasn’t Aurielle there. I was a shadow of the woman I used to be.But here?Here, I could breathe again.The town was as sleepy and warm as ever—modest buildings with brick
Monday morning came with a heaviness I couldn’t quite name.Maybe it was the knowledge that I’d be wrapping up this whirlwind visit. Maybe it was knowing I’d have to sit across from Matthias one last time. Or maybe it was just the accumulated ache of being near so many ghosts—ghosts of dreams, love, hope. Whatever the cause, I pushed through it. I had a job to finish.I woke early, checked and double-checked my notes, packed my things, and checked out of the hotel. My bags were in the car, ready to be taken back home as soon as I was done. This wasn’t an emotional goodbye. Just a task crossed off the list.By midmorning, I made my final rounds to each foundation—three in total. One for abandoned or recovering women, one for adolescent girls at risk of exploitation or displacement, and one for struggling single mothers who were still adjusting to pack life and survival.Each visit was filled with a bittersweet energy. The staff were so kind. They offered hugs, tearful smiles, and more
After nerissa's leap and show of excitement for our date, she spent an hour getting ready while i researched the best date places, and ideas. Something guaranteed to form love. To get the hearts and blood pumping.Dates were supposed to feel different.Dates—real ones—were meant to be filled with warmth, laughter, soft glances and the kind of comfort that made you feel more like yourself than you ever had before. I knew that. I’d had it once. A long time ago. And even though I’d buried it somewhere deep, I still remembered what it was like to hold someone’s hand and mean it.But today? Today felt like a performance.I took Nerissa to the nicest restaurant within range of the Moonveil territory. A three-course outdoor dining experience on a patio surrounded by white lanterns and climbing ivy. She wore a stunning lilac dress, her dark hair in an elegant braid over one shoulder. She looked radiant—every inch the Luna she’d always dreamed of becoming.I played the part too. I held out her
I didn't sleep well after what happened the night before. My wolf was feeling even more discomfort. Like he wanted to crawl out of me and run to-I woke up to the sound of soft knocking.At first, I thought it was in my dream. A hollow thudding echo that had nothing to do with the waking world. But it didn’t stop. Just three gentle taps—pause. Then three again. Almost cautious.I sat up, rubbing my eyes and trying to blink away the fog of restless sleep. I hadn’t slept well—not with everything running through my mind. Aurielle’s email, Nerissa showing up at that goddamn hotel like some wild card in a game that was no longer hers to play. My mind was a mess, a twisted jungle of emotion and responsibility. Guilt. Confusion. Longing.The knocking came again.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, stretching slightly before padding across the room and unlocking the door.It creaked open.Nerissa stood there in one of her silk robes, eyes wide and watery, like she’d been pract