MasukEllie’s POVThe kiss should have stopped there. I should have stopped it when I first tasted his lips, the very moment he had pulled me onto his lap and drew me close and made the mate bond alight in my chest.Hell, it should have never happened at all. I was an idiot for letting it go this far, jus
Ellie’s POVI was running before I even realized I’d started moving.The crowd around the gazebo was already gathering, people shouting and pointing. I shoved past them, my heart pounding so hard I could barely hear anything else over the sound of my blood rushing through my ears.“Move,” I said, pu
I stopped in the doorway and gawked. The bathroom was spick and span. It actually smelled like cleaning solution and not… all of the other horrible things in public bathrooms.“How’s it going?” I asked, my voice echoing in the space.“Good,” he called back. He stepped out of the stall, wearing elbow
Ellie’s POVBefore Dominic could reach me, I ducked my head, pretending I hadn’t noticed him, and grabbed a stack of paperwork on the table. I turned and slipped into the crowd. Or at least, I tried to. But I only made it a few steps away before his hand came around my upper arm, pulling me back.“H
Ellie’s POVI was already sitting at the kitchen table with my coffee when they came back inside.Dominic entered first, holding the door open. Vivian followed, leaning heavily on his arm. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I watched him help her over to a seat like she couldn’t do it herself.“
I took a seat, perching a little nervously on my knees. With the door shut behind us, the living room felt more intimate than it ever had before; we usually only used it for more formal meetings or guests. But now, it felt like it was being used for what it was supposed to be used for, and it was we
Ellie's POVEveryone around fell silent, not daring to speak. The usual chatter and laughter of the courtyard died away as all eyes turned to us. Students who had been walking by stopped in their tracks, sensing the tension in the air.Dominic's expression stayed neutral, but I noticed tension in hi
Dominic's POVI was stunned. My mouth fell open slightly as I stared at the torn pieces scattered across the hallway floor."You were going to invite me—what kind of act are you putting on now?" I demanded, my voice rising with each word.Ellie looked at me calmly. Her voice was steady when she spok
"Not anymore," I said simply.Mom's eyes went to the bandage under my shirt collar. "What happened to your shoulder?""Just a training accident. It's nothing serious."My stepfather emerged from his study. "What's the commotion?" he asked, noticing my bandage. "Are you hurt?""She says it's just a t
Ellie's POV"Why?" I couldn't keep the suspicion out of my voice."Because we're all strong fighters, and it makes tactical sense," he replied, but there was something else in his expression. Something I couldn't quite identify. His eyes kept flicking between Ryan and me, like he was trying to read







