LOGIN"I want everything to be seamless tonight," Alistair said to the waiter. "Prepare the best selection of light, sweet wines you have..."He faded off mid-sentence, uncertainty flashing in his mind. What does she even like?Eight years ago, he hadn't bothered to ask if she preferred wine, juice, or tea, sweet or dry. He knew all about the spots on her body that give her maximum pleasure, but for the life of him, he knew nothing about her tastes. He cleared his throat. "Just bring a menu with the finest selection of wines you have. Let the guest choose.""Of course, sir. How about—"The waiter’s words faded into static in Alistair’s ears as the doors opened and Solana walked in. She was not wearing the sharp, structured dress she favored for meetings. Tonight, she wore a dress of fluid, shimmery black silk that clung to her curves like nightfall. The neckline plunged into a V-cut that exposed the pale, velvety expanse of her chest and collarbones, catching the warm flickers of candl
"Play it again, Adrian, I want to see the look on Ramona's face one more time," Alistair said, his voice was a low rumble of pure, dark amusement as he leaned back in his leather chair.The large monitor on the wall of his private office flickered, and the unedited footage from Hale Atelier started to play for the third time that hour. On the screen, Solana looked like a vision of cold, structured perfection, her eyes were sharp, and her voice was as smooth as silk as she delivered the final blow to his cousin’s pride.“I’ve heard you come from a very prestigious family. If I asked whether that had anything to do with where you are now... how would you feel?”Alistair let out a rough, appreciative laugh, the sound was filled with a pride that made his chest feel tight. Beside him, Adrian was shaking his head, though a small, impressed smile was tugging at the corners of his mouth too."She didn't just bite her, Ali, she practically took her head off in front of her own camera crew," A
The room stilled, and the cameras zoomed in on Solana's face, anticipating a reaction from her that would cause some drama and pull in views and engagements from followers.Solana kept her face impassive as she tried to swallow her anger. She had faced traffickers and forest alphas, so a jealous fashion mogul was nothing she could not handle.She tilted her head slightly and pasted a soft, almost amused smile on her face. “A sponsor?” Solana asked; she let out a short, dry laugh. “How could someone like me possibly have a sponsor?”A few quiet chuckles rippled through the crew.“If I had one,” she continued, her tone still gentle but edged just enough to cut, “I’d probably be sitting in your position right now…
“How do you feel?” Cas asked as he looked at Sol, concern and pride mixing together. “Nervous as hell,” she replied, shaking her hands as she tried regulating her breathing. “I can’t believe I have two big breaks in my career back to back.”They were sitting in Cas’s car that was parked in the parking lot of a commercial building where Hale Atelier Magazine’s studio was. He smiled at her, taking her hand in his and squeezing them gently. “You’ve worked so hard. You deserve it.” "Well, I know I worked hard, but I’ve got to give Alistair credit for this.” She replied snidely, pulling her hands from his. "Anyways, I’ve got to go. Thank you for dropping me off.” She walked into the building without looking back and took an elevator to the floor where the studio was located. In the studio, soft lighting bounced off cream walls, casting everything in a warm, flattering glow. A rack of carefully selected pieces from her collection stood to one side, arranged like artifacts rather than
“How did it go?” Alistair asked the question as soon as he caught up to Ramona in the hallway. She was standing in front of the elevators, her back to him, looking at the blinking lights as if they held the secrets of the universe.“Though I still don't know what to make of her, I like her backbone,” she replied, sounding skeptical, still not looking at him. "I’m still not sure what to make of her pride, though. She is... different.""Yeah. She is," Alistair replied without hesitation, not even trying to hide the pride in his voice. He stared at the blinking lights of the elevator numbers.She threw Alistair a sidelong glare, looking at him as if he had brought home a stray cat that was actually a tiger. “It’s been a while since I have seen you chase a mark. But isn&rs
Alistair stared at his mate. Or rather, at her now downcast eyes. It was as if she were trying to hide whatever was in them from him.Why couldn't he sense her emotions though? He thought to himself.He really wanted to find the person who had taught her how to shield herself from other shifter abilities and strangle them. It was as if he were talking to a blank wall, and it was really upsetting."I am grateful for your help in getting me the spotlight spot, Mr Vance.” Solana continued, her voice soft. “But I prefer to earn my own way." She met his gaze, her eyes blazing with barely concealed anger. “I know nothing is free in this world. Is there something you want, sir?”The coordinator hesitated as the tension in the room became thic
Solange felt a literal snap in the center of her chest as she stared at the heavy oak doors. It wasn’t the metaphoric ache of a breakup. It was a white-hot blade of agony carved through her ribs, twisting around her heart and pulling tight.She tried to scream, but the air in her lungs had turned t
Solange looked at him, her brows furrowing as confusion rose alongside irritation. If he wanted to insult her, he could have done it outright. “What are you talking about?” she bit back. “What smell? I literally just took a bath.” He shook his head; his eyes had a faraway look, like he wasn’t hear
Solange woke slowly, her body aching in all the ways that made her heart flutter and a strange humming in her chest. Her head was foggy, but she felt a calm she had never known, like she was connected to something that had been missing all her life. She felt… claimed, as if the night had somehow gi
The moment the penthouse door shut, Alistair’s restraint evaporated.He pinned her against the door, his large, calloused hand sliding up to grip the back of her neck with a terrifying but delicious pressure, and he slanted his lips over hers again.He was rough, but in a calculated way that made h







