RomanI meet Kaden in a dimly lit bar that we both know is frequented by people who mind their own business. He’s already there when I walk in, nursing a glass of whiskey, his face veiled in seriousness. The moment I sit down, he puts a sealed envelope on the table between us.“Roman, the Ladrón cartel is back on the radar, and this time they’re not just playing around. They’re circling Aella.”I feel my fist clench involuntarily, my jaw tightening as I process the words. Kaden pushes the envelope closer to me. “Read it. It has everything we could gather in a short period.”With trembling hands, I rip open the envelope. Photos, transcripts, and more. The bastards have been scoping out Aella’s workplace, her apartment. I’m there too, right from the first day I walked into that cafe.My vision blurs as a haze of red descends, fueled by anger, possessiveness, and an emotion I dare not name—fear for her safety. The bar, the envelope, Kaden—everything fades away.“I don’t know how they cou

AellaI wake up, stretching and rubbing my eyes, still half in that fuzzy dream state. The sun’s creeping through the curtains, laying warm stripes across the bed. I roll over, feeling strangely content; the kind of happiness that leaves you suspicious because life has taught you that too much of a good thing is often followed by a crash … that’s when I realize something.Jay’s not here. The pillows are still dented from his head, and it hits me like a small punch to the gut; he’s gone.I sit up in bed with a frown on my face, then I grab my cellphone to see if he’s left a message. The relief that floods through me makes me feel uneasy, because there’s a message from him.[“Ella, something came up, and emergency. I’ll explain later. I didn’t want to wake you, you looked peaceful. — Jay"]Emergency? My gut clenches, the word heavy with a thousand what-ifs. What kind of emergency pulls a guy away at dawn without so much as a whispered goodbye? I shake my head, clearing away the unease.

RomanThe door slams shut behind me, the sound echoing in the emptiness of my apartment, mirroring the noise inside my head. The place is dark, matching my mood, but I don’t bother to turn on the lights. Instead, I kick off my shoes and throw my jacket onto a chair. It lands in a heap—disheveled, forgotten, much like my well-laid plans at the moment.“Goddamn it,” I mutter to myself, my voice tinged with a bitterness that surprises even me.Last night, I’d been a different man. As Jay, I’d allowed myself to lower my guard, to indulge in the intoxicating feeling of Aella’s arms wrapped around me. For a brief moment, I was just a man, not an Alpha with a plan, not Roman with a mission, but Jay, a man lost in the allure of a remarkable woman.That’s what eats at me. It wasn’t Roman who held her last night; it was Jay, a figment of my imagination, a man free from the shackles of duty and deadly realities. And she had given herself to him—a man I can never be.I pour myself a glass of whi

AellaToday is a weird day, an emotional shitshow really. I tug at the ends of my apron, feeling the soft, worn fabric, as I prepare for my last shift at the café. I’m not Ella anymore, just a ghost of her, lingering in a place that will soon no longer be mine. It’s been more than a place to clock in hours for a paycheck; it’s been my escape, a slice of ‘normal’ in a life that’s anything but.The moment I walk in, memories flood back—afternoon lulls, morning rushes, and whispered conversations with Jay. Oh God, Jay. Just the thought of him sends this aching pulse through my chest.I look around the café, taking in the faces of the people I didn’t even know would come to be my second family. Sam’s already setting up for the farewell party they’ve insisted on throwing for me, and my heart sinks a little at the thought of saying goodbye.The morning rushes by in a haze. I’m mechanically foaming milk, pulling shots of espresso, and scribbling names on cups. Each swipe of the cleaning clo

AellaAs the door clicks shut behind him, the weight of Roman’s words still hangs in the air like a heavy fog. Lying on the bed, the cotton sheets suddenly feel like shards of ice against my skin. I can’t wrap my head around it. Roman. Jay. They’re the same person and I’m the idiot who never saw it coming.For the last three months, I thought I was falling for a guy who understood me, someone different from the macho Alphas I’d been running from. I let my guard down, allowed myself to believe in this lie because I so badly wanted it to be true. I was delusional to think someone like him could love someone like me.I feel nauseous, like I’ve been turned inside out. Was any of it real? Was any part of ‘Jay’—his smiles, his touch, the warmth in his eyes, was any of that him? Or was it all just another facet of his calculated betrayal?My mind races, retracing conversations, touches, promises—all the intimate moments we shared. They flicker through my mind like snippets of a film, each sc