The Center Cannot Hold Novels & Stories

And clarity is what allowed it to grind. The center holds. Not because it is stronger. Because it refuses the wheel entirely. Let it spin. I am not on it.

Now he could hold her freely, and the simple joy of it made his chest ache. Outside, Maxwell stood at his car for a moment, staring up at the apartment windows. A strange mix of emotions swirled within him, relief that his sister and best friend had finally stopped dancing around each other, worry about what would happen if things didn't work out, and an unexpected pang of something like loneliness. He'd always been the third wheel in their trio, but now it was official. His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was his mother. "Well?" she demanded without preamble. "Did they finally figure it out?"

Especially since they couldn't plan a baby until Arjun got married. "Well what do I say, it was easier to understand calculus as a kid, than understanding him! I am sure they can find out where MH 370 went but never find out what is going on in Bhai's brain" "What about love and companionship doesn't he crave it?" "No, apparently meaningless sex makes up for it" "God how do people even have meaningless sex man!" "You know we could have meaningful sex, tonight" Aakash said bawdily "Shut up! No way, I freaked out the other day when my period's got delayed by a month, not today, I am at the peak of my menses and we cant take a chance now" Divya declared

Fearing that she would be squeezed by others, Jacob pulled her in front of himself. Surrounded by people, Ashley couldn't find anything to support her. "If I stand here, I have nothing to hold." Jacob released his hand and pointed to the ring he was originally holding, "Then you hold this." Ashley reached out, grabbed it, and looked back at him, "What about you?" Jacob grabbed the upper bar easily. After a few seconds, as if noticing something, he suddenly chuckled and said lazily, "It's a little high, and it's hard to grasp."

I turned to Justin. However, he instinctively pulled Priscilla into his arms and frowned at me. "Stop causing trouble already. Just hand over the tickets, would you?" My mouth was filled with blood from the previous slap. With all my strength, I grabbed my fallen phone from the ground and held it high. "Who really lost them? See it for yourselves in this video!" In that instant, Priscilla's face drained of all color.

The more she spoke, the sadder she became, until she was on the verge of sobbing. The commotion drew the attention of others, and curious eyes turned their way. Matthew was trapped. No matter how furious he felt, he could not lose control in public. He bit down and held the words back. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine.” He shut his eyes. His grip on the glass was so tight it nearly shattered. Quilla blinked at him, then, thinking his anger was gone, wiped her tears and threw herself into his arms. “Mr. Grant, you’re so kind.”

Pretend it didn’t bother him that she had shown up with that damn rat on her arm. But then he saw it. Max is holding her hand. The first thread inside him snapped. Still, he was holding on. Then he heard it again. “Choose me.” And that was it. Every shred of sanity he had left went. One moment he was in his chair; the next, he was on his feet, pushing through the crowd like a man possessed. ‘What nerve?’ he muttered under his breath. But anger didn’t care about reason; it moved faster than his thoughts.

"Just gi home and take a nap. I will send someone to get you when Mr. Hayes is here." A happy Jasper left the pack house because he can’t express how happy he is to. "What if I do meet my mate when I go out to the center of the country?" Alpha Lexi heard a voice within him again. "What if she doesn't want us as her mate, you know how humans are." Another one came and he knew that he was going to hate himself for thinking about his mate that he is not sure of finding or will she ever accept him as her mate when he has Aliyah in his life now.

“Hold it out flat. Now envision exactly what you want to happen.” I bit my lip. I thought as hard as I could, but still nothing happened. I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding in a great huff. “It’s not working,” I whispered. “I can’t do it. I can’t shift.” “No, of course you can! Don’t say that. You’ve just forgotten how, that’s all.” “But what if I haven’t forgotten?” I blinked up at him helplessly. “What if I could never shift in the first place?”

It resists the way water resists a hand closing around it, finding every gap, slipping through every place I am not actively holding, and the moment I think I have it steady I feel it narrow somewhere I was not braced for. "Hold." Elder Wren's voice comes from somewhere behind me, tight with a strain of her own. She has not stopped murmuring since I crossed back through, low words in that old rough language, and I understand now, watching her from the corner of my eye, that whatever she is doing costs her something too. Her hands shake faintly at her sides. Sweat beads along her hairline despite the cold morning air. "Whatever you are feeling, Alpha, hold it a moment longer. I am giving you