LOGINThursday evening arrived much faster than I wanted, bringing a fresh wave of nervous anxiety along with it.I spent the last three days dodging Ren's worried glances at the office while trying to keep my raging morning sickness a secret.He had insisted on paying for my gala outfit, so I took a cab straight from the corporate tower to a high-end menswear boutique on the wealthy side of town.The store was painfully quiet when I walked inside, smelling of rich leather and expensive cedar wood.A sleek bell chimed above the glass door, and a tall man with a tape measure draped around his neck greeted me with a polite smile.I felt incredibly out of place standing on the plush carpet in my cheap, wrinkled work suit.The tailor did not seem to care about my messy appearance as he guided me toward a large pedestal in the center of the room.He asked me to stand still while he measured my shoulders, my waist, and the length of my arms with quick, precise movements.I held my breath every ti
I held my breath and waited while the heavy silence stretched across the quiet anteroom.Jett stared at the polished wood of his desk, his teeth worrying his bottom lip.I could see the intense internal debate playing out behind his exhausted blue eyes.He was terrified of the wealthy corporate crowd, and he was clearly battling some kind of awful sickness that drained his energy.But he was also too kind to leave me hanging when I asked for a friend in a room full of sharks.I watched the rigid tension slowly melt out of his narrow shoulders.He let out a soft, defeated sigh and finally looked up at me."Okay, Ren," he murmured softly. "I will go with you to the gala."A small, tired smile broke through the pale exhaustion on his face.It was the first time I had seen him smile in weeks, and the sight of it made my chest ache in a good way.My inner wolf let out a deep, satisfied rumble of approval, thrilled that our mate had finally agreed to stand by our side.I desperately wanted
The quiet request hung in the air, and my brain completely short-circuited for the second time today.I stared at him, waiting for the punchline of a joke, but his handsome face remained incredibly serious."You want me to go to a high-society charity event with you?" I stammered, shaking my head slightly."Ren, I am just your secretary, and those events are strictly for billionaires, politicians, and socialites.""I don't care about the guest list, and I definitely don't care about the unwritten social rules of the corporate elite," he argued smoothly."If I walk into that ballroom alone, every single investor is going to corner me and try to pitch their boring startups all night long.""So you want me to act as your human shield?" I asked, a nervous laugh escaping my throat."If you go with me, they will assume we are engaged in a private conversation and leave us alone," he reasoned.I looked down at the closed bottom drawer where my impossible secret was currently hidden in the da
I was still staring down at the grainy white blur on the dark paper when a loud click echoed across the quiet anteroom.The heavy brass latch of the boardroom door turned, signaling the sudden end of the endless legal meeting.Pure panic spiked in my chest, sending a hot rush of adrenaline straight through my tired veins.I snatched the glossy sonogram off the top of my desk and yanked the heavy bottom drawer open with my free hand.I shoved the picture deep underneath a thick stack of blank legal pads just as the mahogany doors swung wide open.I slammed the wooden drawer shut with my knee, and the loud crack echoed like a gunshot in the silent office.Ren stepped out of the boardroom, stopping dead in his tracks when he heard the sharp noise.His suit jacket was unbuttoned, his dark silk tie hung loosely around his neck, and he looked incredibly drained from arguing with his corporate lawyers all afternoon.His pale eyes immediately locked onto my face, dropping down to my hands res
Dr. Evans stammered and tried to grab my arm, rambling about rare genetic mutations and medical miracles.I shoved his hand away and snatched the glossy square of paper right off the machine.I grabbed my coat from the hook and bolted out of the tiny exam room before he could even process my reaction.The old doctor shouted my fake name down the narrow hallway, begging me to stay so he could draw blood and run more tests.I ignored his frantic pleas and pushed through the waiting room as fast as my shaking legs could carry me.The receptionist finally looked up from her phone, her mouth falling open as I threw the front door open and rushed out onto the concrete sidewalk.The bright afternoon sun blinded me for a second, and a cold sweat broke out across the back of my neck.I shoved my hands deep into my coat pockets and started walking blindly toward the train station at the end of the block.My fingers brushed against the folded piece of glossy paper, and the smooth texture felt li
I sat alone in the quiet room for ten agonizing minutes, shivering slightly in my thin dress shirt.The door handle finally clicked, and an older man with tired eyes and thinning grey hair walked inside.He introduced himself as Dr. Evans and took a seat on the rolling metal stool near the counter."So, what seems to be the problem today?" he asked while clicking his pen and looking over my fake chart.I took a shaky breath and started listing the symptoms that were slowly ruining my life.I told him about the violent morning sickness that left me dry heaving over my bathroom sink before dawn.I mentioned the extreme fatigue, the random dizzy spells in the hallways, and the deep cramps in my lower stomach.I purposely left out the bizarre craving for raw meat because I didn't want him to think I was losing my mind.Dr. Evans listened quietly, jotting down a few quick notes on his pad."Have you experienced any drastic weight loss or severe fevers recently?" he asked."No fevers at all,







