Shirley Once I officially see Keith disappear, I look down at the key in my hand - the metal feeling strangely heavy within my fingers. I then turn to glance at the door, unable to help the slow breath that leaves me as I walk to it. Now that I’m able to let down my guard, I feel a little exhausted and just want to get inside. Doing just that, I put the key in the lock and let myself inside before I shut the door behind me. I’m unable to manage more than a few steps before I stop again, my mouth falling open as I study the room around me. Even despite it being only the entryway, the home is breathtaking. From the specific decorations to the delicious smell of vanilla that reaches my nose, I’m immediately obsessed with it. Abandoning my suitcase by the door, I begin to walk through the house, going from room to room. There’s a modest dining room just right of the entry and a cozy living room to the left. As I walk into the second space, I already know I’ll be spending a lot of

Keith As soon as he heard the front door close, confirming that Shirley had left, Keith sat back down in his chair. Swiftly, he ran a hand over his face, wiping away a lingering layer of irritation before he tore his hand away again. However, even despite his actions, he couldn’t rid himself of the thought that there’s something not quite right. Something was off with Shirley and even Chaos seemed to agree. The wolf kept making his own opinions clear - insisting that he found the woman strange, though familiar somehow. Which was only fueling the suspicions that kept swirling around Keith’s head. Shirley kept claiming that Anya was her sister and seemed to have the perfect answer to every one of his questions. But Keith couldn’t help but think that was because Shirley was Anya. They were too strikingly similar for him to easily shake the feeling. Then again, they also had their differences. It was in their speech patterns, clothes, and the way they carried themselves. Anya had b

Shirley My shock from Ralph’s words hasn’t worn off. As expected, I had a fitful night’s rest as I tossed and turned, seeing his sneering face clear as day each time I closed my eyes. Only, even when I climbed out of the bed this morning, Ralph still overtook my thoughts. It’s not just about his cruel expression - it’s about the distaste he expressed over Anya. I still don’t understand what caused the shift as my charm should still hold. He should be going crazy over the fact that Anya is gone - and technically he is, but not for the right reasons. Ralph should be reflecting a moping lover who wants his girl back. However, his newfound reaction suggests he would rather harm Anya rather than warmly welcome her if she ever returned. I’m still stewing over the whole encounter as I sit in front of my computer. I’m spending another day working at home as the pack is still dealing with the protests. Honestly, it’s a shame - not only because of the protests giving us setbacks, but becau

Shirley It’s not Alana I call that night, but Jean. Back on our usual schedule, I do my check-in right at nine o’clock, but make sure to dance around the subject of Ralph. But this time, I do mention Keith. “He seemed happy with my work,” I inform her, finding myself smiling. “He even told me as much. Which is a huge deal because he could refer me to other major clients. Could you imagine?” “That’s awesome, Shirley!” Jean says happily, sounds of her washing dishes filling the background. “I’m not surprised, though. You don’t need his approval to know how amazing you are at your work.” “I know,” I reply, shrugging as I tug the blanket on my lap higher. “But it’s still nice to hear someone say nice things. Words of validation and all that.” “I get it,” Jean reassures me. “So does that mean you’ll be coming home soon?” And there it is - Jean’s roundabout way of attempting to make sure I get the hell out of the Lock Heart pack as soon as possible. I know her worries are warranted,

Shirley The case of my missing file has been put on the back burner for the day as I find myself at Keith’s for another reason. He’s invited the team to attend a luncheon for the afternoon, meaning all business is off the table for the time being. We’re just meant to enjoy ourselves. I happily rise to the occasion, relishing in the lighthearted company and conversation as I sit at the long table amongst the other wolves. I’m strangely in a good mood as I chat with them, not even bothered by Ralph who sits across the table and a few seats down. He seems to be keeping to himself and so am I. Keith, of course, resides at the head of the table. I haven’t talked to him since I arrived, but I seem to be acutely aware of his presence as he shares soft conversations with the men around him. I even see him flash a hint of a smile here and there - maybe he’s in a decent mood too. “Do you eat much lamb on the west coast,” the wolf - Asher - says at my side as he helps himself to another