The golden rays of morning filtered softly through the sheer curtains in Becca’s room, casting delicate patterns on the polished mahogany floor. A subtle floral scent drifted from a nearby vase of blooming white lilacs, giving the room a serene, almost dreamlike atmosphere. But Becca’s mind was anything but serene.She sat on the edge of her plush cream-colored chaise lounge, arms folded, lost in thought. Her fingers occasionally brushed over her lips, absent-mindedly, as if trying to erase the memory of a kiss—or worse, trying to relive it.Mira bustled into the room with the kind of energy only she could maintain before brunch."Becca! Come on, we have less than an hour!" Mira called out, already halfway into Becca's large walk-in closet. The closet doors creaked open, revealing racks of exquisite gowns and designer pieces, most of them barely touched. Mira hummed a cheerful tune as her fingers danced over silk, lace, and velvet. “Councillor Hadrian doesn’t just invite people to b
The morning sun barely filtered through the frosted glass windows of the Blackwood estate’s east wing bathroom, but inside, the atmosphere was anything but calm.Crash!A porcelain jar shattered against the marble wall, spraying shards like raindrops across the pale floor. Luna Seraphina, half-clothed in a silk robe the color of red wine, stood trembling with fury, her hair wild and damp from her interrupted bath."I said lavender oil, you useless things!" she shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at the three new maids who stood against the wall like frightened children. "Not rosemary. Not citrus. Lavender. How hard is that to understand?"The girls remained frozen, their eyes downcast. None of them dared speak. One of them, a redhead with shaking hands, tried to hold out a replacement towel, but Seraphina knocked it aside with a sharp slap of her hand."Ava would have known," she spat, pacing like a caged tigress. "Ava wouldn’t have needed to be told twice. She understood me. And
The soft rustle of leaves overhead danced with the whisper of the night wind, brushing against Kaelyn's skin like a fleeting memory. The glow from the garden lanterns lit the stone path leading up to the bench, casting silver shadows across the roses and trimmed hedges. Crickets sang somewhere deep in the undergrowth, their chorus weaving into the distant howl of a wolf from the far-off woods.Kaelyn stood frozen, her fingers curled tight against the side of her blanket as she stared at Eugene. He was still seated on the wooden bench, his back straight, one hand draped casually over the backrest, while the other clenched tightly into a fist on his lap. Beside him, Becca stood in the garden’s soft glow, looking anything but casual. Her jaw was clenched, her arms crossed over her chest like a barrier she didn't want anyone to breach.Becca's gaze shifted from Eugene to Kaelyn, and for a split second, her eyes widened. She hadn’t meant to say her name. The moment it had slipped out
The room was dim and quiet, covered in the warm, amber glow from the antique lamp on Kaelyn’s nightstand. Moonlight slipped in through the cracked windowpane, casting soft silver lines across the wooden floorboards. Kaelyn sat on her bed, hugging her knees, her mind spinning in frantic circles that refused to stop.The silence was pressing, thick with an invisible tension that made the air harder to breathe. Somewhere in the depths of the mansion, the weight of Lila’s death still lingered like a ghost that refused to leave. Kaelyn could almost hear Lila’s laughter echoing faintly through the halls, a memory now twisted by the cruelty of murder.Kyra had been firm earlier that evening.“Don’t leave your room, Kaelyn,” she had said, standing by the door with her arms crossed and a worried furrow between her brows. “I mean it. There’s a killer among us. Lila’s death wasn’t an accident—and until we know who did it, no one is safe.”Kaelyn had nodded, not bothering to argue then. But K
The moon had climbed high, casting silver light over the garden like a blessing and a curse. The night whispered through the leaves, brushing soft fingers of wind against Becca's arms as she sat beside Eugene on the bench. They sat side by side, close enough that the edges of their clothes brushed, close enough to feel each other's warmth. Becca's breath slowed. Her heart thudded like war drums in her chest. Eugene's hand was resting beside hers, just a twitch away from touching. Her gaze flicked up to meet his. His eyes, stormy and full of something she couldn’t name, met hers with the kind of intensity that made her forget to blink.He leaned closer. Slowly. Gently. Like he was afraid she might disappear if he moved too fast. His face came into sharper focus as the distance between them melted away. His lips hovered near hers, warm breath ghosting over her mouth.They were a heartbeat apart.She wanted to kiss him. Goddess, she wanted to. Her body was screaming for it, remember
The moon hung heavy and pale in the sky, casting a silver hue across the stone garden path. Becca sat on the cold marble bench, arms wrapped tightly around herself, even though she wasn’t shivering.It was quiet. Too quiet.Lila’s face wouldn’t stop flashing through her mind. She was just Sixteen. Too young to die. Too sweet. Too loyal.Becca lowered her head into her hands, her nails digging lightly into her scalp as she pressed her fingers against her temple. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to the darkness. “I’m so sorry, Lila.”She had said it a hundred times since it happened. And yet every time, it felt hollow, like it could never be enough.Lila hadn’t deserved any of it. She was just a maid—one who had dared to care for Becca, dared to follow her and paid for it with her life. "It should have been me."A twig snapped nearby.Becca jerked her head up, instinctively tensing, her wolf senses flaring to life. A figure emerged from between the hedge archway, cloaked in shadows.“Who