Shiloh: A Novels & Stories

I was no longer anyone's shadow. I was myself, Elara Wilder.

Ice-cold water filled Willow’s lungs as the weight of her soaked gown pulled her down in the water. She thrashed hard against the water, but her tight dress restricted her movements. She felt trapped, unable to surface out of the water or reach the bottom. As her heart pounded out of her chest, Willow felt the burn in her lungs. She tried to rip open the dress binding her feet desperately. Amid her struggle, her toes touched the bottom of the pool. With all her might, she pushed off the bottom and surfaced.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield, I'm sorry! I love Michelle with all my heart! I really hope that she can come back to me! I'm willing to exchange my life for hers! "What's the use of having a third-class merit? I just want Michelle to be back!"

"Tell me, what will it take for you to reciprocate my affections?" His words hung in the air, and I found myself torn between being honest and sparing his feelings. Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to respond. "I will await the Shadowboom Unveiling to make my decision," I said softly, concealing the truth that his pride and pretentiousness repelled me. Stone-heart's eyes narrowed, his face contorting with a volatile mix of frustration and wounded pride. "Regardless of who the Moongoddess chooses as your mate," he vowed, his voice laced with determination, "no one will ever reach my ankle."

It was an audio recording from the hospital solarium. Jillian clicked play. The static hissed, and then Victoria’s elegant, cruel voice echoed through the high-end desktop speakers: "You will look Jillian Michaels in the eye and tell her a lie so brutal, so ugly, that she will never want to see your face again... Shatter her heart so completely that she accepts the Vanguard marriage without looking back." Then, Clara’s voice broke through the static—fractured, weeping, and completely undone: "No... I won't do it. I won't do that to her."

A blood-curdling scream tore through the air as I plummeted from the skyscraper, blacking out before I hit the ground. "Lily." The camera lingered mercilessly on my mangled form. The voice was unhinged with madness. "You're finally going to die. Don't blame me. Blame yourself for being so vile. "You knew damn well I loved Shane, and you still went ahead and married him! "In this world, only I am meant to love him! Everyone who'd try to take him from me should die!" The screen quaked, the view flipped, and there was Joanna's twisted face, filling the big screen. The footage cut off abruptly.

It felt like we’d been driving for hours. “Shiloh?” I asked quietly as we came to a stop at the traffic light. She blinked at me, her lips parted in a slight daze. I started wringing my hands. “I understand if you don’t want to—” “Oh, Steph!” Shiloh flung her arms around me with renewed strength, hugging me with such hidden strength that I choked. I went limp as a fish with relief. “You don’t…mind?” I whispered brokenly. Shiloh held me tighter. “You could tell me you’re a cannibal next, and I’d still love you.”

Their baby cried loudly, piercing the night. "AMBULANCE! QUICK! QUICK!" Edgar shouted to his team, his voice nearly desperate. And then, to the shooter: “And you! I fire you! Meet me at the base camp after you return!” Edgar’s voice trembled, full of burning anger. How could an amateur shooter infiltrate his security detail? With his remaining strength, Jonathan raised his trembling hand, touching Harley’s tear-streaked cheek. Their eyes met — full of pain, regret, and unspoken love.