GIA O’LEARY
I stared at him for a moment, waiting for the joke to land. But it didn’t.
When he told me he wanted Alan to be Alpha, I had laughed, not because I found it funny, but because I couldn’t believe it. The words sounded so strange coming out of his mouth, like they belonged in someone else’s world, not his.
But Levi didn’t even crack a smile. His face stayed the same, calm, distant, and sure.
That was when the laughter died in my throat.
“You’re serious?” I asked, my voice low, searching for even the smallest hint that he was teasing.
LEVI EDELMANThe moment I saw her step outside, my breath stalled for a second.Gia walked down the steps with her chin held high, dressed so simple yet so beautiful it almost felt like the world slowed around her. The soft breeze caught strands of her hair, brushing them gently against her cheek, and for a second, I forgot about everything.All I could think about was how I’d let my temper get the best of me last night.I hadn’t meant to leave her room like that. I only wanted her to understand, but the more I tried to explain, the more it felt like I was losing her. I knew she didn’t trust Alan, and maybe I was a fool for believing she could see him the way I did.&n
GIA O'LEARY I didn’t mean to cut into the interview like that.The words had just slipped out of me before I could stop them. The whole conversation sounded so stupid to me. They stood there asking if the pack should worry about Levi, as if he were some fragile glass figure about to shatter. I couldn’t hold my tongue, not with them standing there throwing questions around like that.But now, as I sat quietly beside him, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.The interview went on for a little while after that. They asked a few more questions, less bold this time, as if my words had cooled their curiosity. Levi answered some of them with short, polite replies, though I could feel his gaze shift toward me now and then. I didn’t look back at him. I kept my face still, my hands folded over the small purse on my lap.When the interview finally ended, the real reason for being there started. The whole room smelled of polished wood and expensive cologne. I sat beside Levi the entire time, pret
LEVI EDELMAN The moment my fingers moved down her pants, her body jolted, and she pulled back slightly, breathless. Her palms pressed against my chest, pushing me away, but I didn’t let go. I could feel her heart pounding under my hand, her body trembling slightly. Her face flushed, and I couldn’t stop myself from watching her, the heat between us almost unbearable. Her breath was coming in shallow bursts, and I could tell she was fighting to keep off from me. “Levi…” Her voice was weak, barely steady, but it struck me deep. “We can’t…”I searched her eyes, the hunger still burning inside me, even as she pushed me away. But the moment she made that move, I stilled, my hands frozen in place, though I didn’t release her. My pulse was erratic, my chest tight with conflicting emotions. I wanted to pull her closer, to feel her body against mine again, but something inside me fought against it.“If this is the only way you’ll talk to me,” I said, my voice low, hoarse, “then I won’t hesita
GIA O'LEARY My hands lingered at the back of my bra, the hooks stubborn against my fingers. I paused, biting lightly on my lip, my thoughts still tangled up in everything that had happened today. My chest felt heavy. I was still trying to undress when the door burst open so fast it slammed against the wall. I jumped, pulling the fabric against my chest, startled by the sudden sound.Maddison stood at the door, the rage in her eyes shooting forward to me. She clenched her teeth as if she were trying to hold back his anger. “What did you do to him?” Was the only word she uttered, her eyes darting across the room. “What did you mean?” I raised an eyebrow clearly confused about his statements. “It’s your fault!” She yelled. “It’s because of you. Because of your incompetence… his condition got this bad.”My heart stopped and my body went rigid. I stared at her, her words repeating over and over in my head.“What do you mean?” My voice came out low, almost broken. “Maddison, what are
LEVI EDELMAN “Why did you keep ignoring me…” I whispered, my gaze flicking to her, lingering. “When you’re this worried about me?”I knew the moment she stepped inside, I had just kept quiet purposely. I heard every one of her words, and I couldn’t help but flutter my eyes, hurt by the fact that she kept ignoring me, but cried when she saw me sick. Her face was pale, her eyes wet and swollen, strands of hair sticking to her face from the sweat and tears. My gaze dropped, and the sight of her soaked-through blouse clinging to her skin, outlining every curve, sent a sharp ache through me.Her bra was visible through the thin fabric, the soft curve of her breasts rising and falling with every desperate breath she took. My throat tightened, not from pain, but from the raw, quiet need building inside me.I tilted my head slightly, my voice low and hoarse but steady. “Did you come in here looking like this on purpose?”She flinched, her cheeks flushing instantly, and she shook her head. “
LEVI EDELMAN I held Gia in my arms, her body still warm against mine, her breath coming out in soft gasps. I could feel her heart beating fast, and I couldn’t help but pull her closer. My hand gently traced her skin as I whispered, “Are you sore?”She didn’t answer right away. She looked down, her cheeks flushed, and I could feel the hesitation in her body. She was too shy to speak, and I didn’t want to push her. Instead, I just tightened my hold on her. After a second, I gently scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom. I could tell she was feeling unsure, but I didn’t want her to worry. “We’ll take a shower,” I said quietly. “You don’t have to be shy.”“I don’t want to bathe with you…” Her voice was small.I stopped, holding her for a second, studying her face. “There’s nothing to be shy about,” I assured her. “It’s just us.”I could see the doubt in her eyes, but she didn’t argue. She trusted me. That was all I needed. I turned on the shower, letting the cold water run as
LEVI EDELMAN“You don’t have to look at me like that,” I muttered, not looking up. My fingers drummed lightly on the edge of the plate in front of me.“I wasn’t.” Alan blinked, caught.“You were,” I said quietly. I finally looked at him. “I’m fine, alright? You don’t need to worry about me.”He held my gaze for a second longer than I expected, then he nodded, though I knew he didn’t believe me. And I couldn’t blame him.I shifted my eyes toward Gia. Her hand moved slowly with the fork, poking at the vegetables on her plate, barely eating. Her hair was still damp from earlier. I remembered the way the water ran down her skin. The way she avoided my eyes when I held her in the shower.Now, she wore my shirt so big it looked like a gown on her, and she looked smaller than usual. She looks tired too. In a way that made me feel guilty.I heard a foot step turning back to see Maddison striding it. What was I thinking before? She never plays with her stomach. “I see you all couldn’t wait fo
Gia O'LEARY My eyes stayed on Maddison as Mia spoke, and I watched the change in Maddison’s face. She was shocked, I could see it clearly in her eyes, and that shock snapped something in me.“Don’t utter rubbish, Mia,” Maddison snapped, her voice sharper than it had been before. Her words felt like a slap, but Mia didn’t look scared of her, though her hands were trembling just a little, and she met Maddison’s glare head-on.“I’ve seen the ring on your finger multiple times, Lady Maddison,” Mia said. Her voice wasn’t loud, but I’m sure everyone could hear her. “I know it’s yours, that’s why I brought it for you in case you’re looking for it.” “No!” Maddison replied sharply. “I’m not looking for any rings. Have a problem with that?” Maddison raised an eyebrow for some seconds then turned back to leave, but Mia was fast enough to halt her in a spot by her word. “I think it's your favorite ring since you wore it more than four times in a week.” My heart skipped, and I found myself
GIA O’LEARYI stared at her for a long time, trying to understand what she was doing.Something was wrong. I could feel it deep in my gut.“Stand up,” I said firmly.She looked up at me with wide, nervous eyes, but she didn’t argue.She got up slowly, dusting her palms against her dress like it could hide her guilt.I turned sharply and started walking toward my room, not even checking if she was following, even though I already knew she would.Inside my room, I shut the door behind us and turned to face her.“Talk,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “What are you up to?”Mia bit her bottom lip hard, her hands twisting together in front of her like she was barely holding herself together.For a second, she didn’t say anything. She just looked at me, her eyes filling up with something that almost looked like regret.“I didn’t mean for it to go this far,” she said, her voice shaking. “I swear.” Her voice cracked. I stared at her, my heart beating harder. I refused to reply to her
GIA O’LEARY The way Alan reacted when the herbs fell… it didn’t match. He got so angry, like he couldn’t control it. But when my herbs went missing, he barely reacted. He was too calm.I wasn’t a fool. I could feel it; something was wrong.Maybe Alan wasn’t as clean as everyone thought.I didn’t know what exactly he was hiding yet, but one thing was clear to me now.I couldn’t let Levi hand over his position to Alan.No matter what, he seems suspicious, and something must be wrong somewhere. That thought stayed in my mind the whole night.Even when I lay down, pulled the blanket over myself, and tried to close my eyes, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.I turned on the bed again and again, my pillow feeling too hard under my head. My heart kept beating fast, almost painfully, like it was warning me.You have to stop it, I told myself. No matter what it takes.I stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours.Sometimes I closed my eyes, hoping to fall asleep, but the moment I did, Al
ALAN WOODS I walked straight toward her and grabbed her arm, pulling her close before she could even think to run.She gasped and tried to pull back, but I didn’t let her. I tightened my grip, pulling her body harder against mine. I didn’t care how much she fought.I pressed her closer, grinding her soft ass against me.Her body stiffened right away, like she couldn’t believe what I was doing.“Let go,” she snapped, pushing against me with both hands, her voice sharp and angry.I loosened my hold just a little… but I didn’t really let go.I kept my hand wrapped around her wrist, feeling her pulse race under my fingers.She glared up at me, her chest rising and falling fast.I could see the fire in her eyes, the wildness that always drove me crazy.“You need to hear this,” I said, my voice low and rough. “Gia is up to something.” Her eyes narrowed, sharp like a blade.“You’re just noticing that now?” she said, almost laughing but with no humor in her voice. “That girl is a witch.” I
ALAN WOODSI could feel it. Gia was up to something.Either her sweet, innocent face, I could tell she was up to something. But I wasn’t going to confront her just yet. I needed to figure out what exactly she was planning.What really bothered me, though, was Levi, he was defending her, and that… pissed me off.“Are you really doing this?” I questioned, my eyes held his. “Just accept the fact that you’re wrong.” He replied coldly. I couldn’t recall the last time Levi pulled this cold attitude toward me. Was all this because of that Gia of a girl? My eyes darted to her, still crawling beside the broken cup, blinking eyes repeatedly. How I wish this little thing would not get on my tail? It won’t take more than a slip of a finger to get rid of her. But now, let's just go with the flow. “I need to speak with you,” I said, the words calm but firm, as I turned to face Levi. “Alone.”I could feel Gia's gaze on me, but I wasn’t ready to give her the satisfaction of what she wanted.
GIA O’LEARYAlan’s eyes flickered when I spoke. He didn’t expect me to say such, I could tell by the flicker in his eyes. But he quickly masked it up, clearing his throat. “The herbs are working,” he said. Calm. Too calm, which tells me something is wrong. “You’re just not paying attention.”I stared at him, so that was all he could come up with?I tilted my head slightly, watching him. He was avoiding eye contact now, his eyes darting to the back of me like he was looking for something. But I wasn’t fooled. My gut was screaming. Something wasn’t right. The herbs hadn’t changed a thing, and I wasn’t the one who was blind here.Still, I didn’t argue. I could’ve called him out, could’ve pushed, asked questions, demanded answers. But I didn’t. Because Alan was lying, and when someone lies, it means there’s something worth hiding. I just needed to wait. So instead of pressing, I gave a soft nod, playing along. “Maybe you’re right,” I said quietly, forcing a smile. “Maybe I just didn’t
GIA O'LEARY I was pacing the length of my room, my fists clenched, my jaw tight, the heat in my chest refusing to cool down, not even for a bit minutes. I wasn’t angry at Levi. Not really, it was Alan.How dare he? How dare he talk to me like that in front of everyone? How dare he talk to me like I was the one causing trouble?I let out a frustrated breath and threw the nearest pillow at the wall. It hit with a soft thud and dropped to the floor.The sound of it was followed by a gentle knock on the door. “Come in.” My voice was barely above a whisper. The door creaked open, and Maddison walked in like she owned the room, closing the door behind her as if that would trap me inside with her nonsense.“Not now,” I said sharply. “I’m not in the mood.”She didn’t move. She just stood with her arms folded, eyes fixed on me.“I won’t take long,” she said. “I just want to ask you something.”“Maddison, I said not now.” I rolled my eyes.“Respect yourself when I’m being respectful,” she
ALAN I didn’t understand it either.The ring… I saw Maddison wearing it just yesterday. It was on her finger the whole time. I remember because she kept fidgeting with it while we were talking. So how the hell did it end up inside the storeroom?I stood there for a moment, stunned. The pieces weren’t adding up. My heart was still pounding from everything. And Maddison? I turned slowly to her, already seeing the fire in her eyes.“You planned this?” she yelled, her voice shaking. “Did you plant it there? Did you do this to me on purpose?!”“What? No!” I said quickly, my hands up. “Maddison, I swear….I have no idea how that ring got there.”She was breathing hard now, her chest rising and falling like she was about to explode. “Don’t lie to me! Maybe this is your way of finally getting rid of me!”“For Goddess’ sake, listen to yourself….” “I am listening!” she shouted. “And everything sounds like a trap!”Her voice was too loud. Loud enough for anyone outside to hear.“Shut up,” I
MADDISONRedrine looked like she’d seen a ghost immediately she stepped inside. She hesitated before moving closer, like she was being dragged forward by some invisible force. She stood in the middle of the room, her eyes wide, hands clutched together. Her gaze flicked from Mia to Levi… then to me. And when her eyes finally met mine, I knew she was scared. Good. She should be. Because I was scared too.“Redrine,” Levi said, holding up the ring. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough to grasp. “Have you ever seen this ring?” He questioned. Redrine shook her head quickly, like her life depended on it. “No, Alpha. I’ve never seen it before.”If Redrine hadn’t seen the ring, then who could’ve put it in the Storeroom? I know for sure I wasn’t the one. I didn’t go to the storeroom with the ring. Levi’s face darkened. He took one step closer to her and lowered his voice, but somehow made it feel even colder. “If you’re lying to me, Redrine… I will not hesitate to kill you. Is th
GIA O'LEARY“Why are you asking such a question? I just told you I clearly don’t know what you’re talking about!” Maddison denies again. “I’m asking because this ring… It’s yours?” Levi’s voice was calm, but I could feel the tension in his shoulders. He was trying not to jump to conclusions, but even he looked like he already had one.Maddison didn’t answer. She just stared at the ring in his hand, frozen like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.I stepped forward. “Don’t waste your breath, Levi,” I snapped, not even bothering to hide the heat in my voice. “She’s the one who stole the herbs. That ring is proof.”“Gia, calm down. Let her speak.” He frowned at me, his voice soft but firm. I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to breathe through the anger rising in my chest. Maddison had played us all for fools. I knew it in my gut. She stood there, pretending like she didn’t understand anything. Pretending like the ring wasn’t hers.“Let me see the ring clearly,” Maddison final