Today marks the three-year anniversary of her coma. The woman my husband loves. The. Woman. My. Husband. Loves. It also happens to be my birthday. What an unfortunate coincidence. I’m unsure of all of the details, as James has barely spoken of his time before me or his time with Marina, but his true love saved him from some form of brutal attack that killed almost his entire family. The doctor that I was shadowing at the time took the woman, as she was barely breathing and I took the man, who despite all of his wounds, was almost stable. It was a miracle. Something about this man felt like we knew each other. The familiarity was undeniable, like how I would imagine love it first sight. I tended to his wounds for a week before he’d finally woken up and the moment I saw those bright green eyes, I was hooked. I’ve never been the type of woman to fall head over heels for a man. Hell, my father made it impossible for me to even date. No one would be good enough for the heir of Red
I went to follow James out to the ambulance. As Marina’s caretaker and James’ wife, I felt a duty to be there, but he turned abruptly, causing me to bump into his chest, “You’ve done enough already. Can’t you see that?” he growled, turning and slamming the door in my face. He rode in the ambulance with Marina while I stood plastered in the spot he’d left me in, wondering what to do. Chewing my bottom lip, I stared at the closed door feeling empty inside. I’ve done everything he’s asked. For three years I’ve made sure Marina had the best care. Three years I’ve carefully followed every one of James’ requests, attempting to show him where my heart was. The entire time mine broke just to get a scrap of attention from him.I wasn’t about to throw all of that hard work in the trash. I rushed down to the garage, where our driver stood posted, “Mr. Green, I need a ride to Saosin Medical. Please," I pleaded with him, fighting the emotions that were swirling in my gut.He nodded, walking
After seeing the look in his eyes, I was certain he’d agree to her requests, but instead he’d changed the subject, “I have so much to tell you. So much has happened in the last three years.” “Why aren’t you answering my questions?” Marina whined, sounding more like a child than a twenty-three-year-old woman. “Can you just let me enjoy the fact that you are finally awake? Goddess, Marina. I’ve just gotten you back and you want to drill me about things that don’t matter compared to you being okay,” James reached up, tucking a strand of Marina’s hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered lovingly before I watched her lean forward, closing the distance between them and pressing her lips against his. I didn't miss the subtle dig in his sentence. I thought my heart couldn’t feel any worse, but I was wrong. He didn’t bother telling her that he wouldn’t break our sacred vows. We said until death do us part. That was supposed to mean something to him. Sure, maybe not as much as it meant
There aren’t words to describe how happy I was when Marina finally opened her eyes after all this time. Here in the human world, I am James Wood, heir to Wood Industries and the CEO of a billion-dollar corporation. I am active within our community. With more money than I know what to do with, I participate in Charity Galas, help with political campaigns, and help fund schools. The world knows me as the selfless billionaire CEO. What they don’t know is that I am known as the ruthless Alpha of Blackwood. My pack was my life. It was ingrained in who I was. I kept everything running like a tight ship.But my pack was destroyed in an attack that left only two members; Marina and me. The last three years have been hell with the only connection to my past life lying in a coma. That attack cost me everything, including my wolf. He has been silent for three years. Locked away in some sort of holding cell in my head. I can still feel his presence, but it’s as if there is something keeping
“Rosa, wait,” James ran after me, gripping my arm and spinning me towards him. I stared into his green eyes, wondering how I’d ever mistaken this man for someone that would find it in his heart to love me. “What is so wrong with me James? After three years, the least you can do is explain that.” His head fell back as he released a heavy breath. James interlocked his fingers behind his neck muttering curses under his breath, “Nothing. There is nothing wrong with you. It’s me.” Anger bubbled just beneath my skin, “What an original line that is,” I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. “You don’t understand,” he started, but I cut him off, “Then make me understand.” His hand found the small of my back as he led us away from Marina’s room and back down to the room we’d been in previously, “Don’t do this.” James’ voice sounded as if he was pleading with me, but it was too late. I’d made up my mind the moment he walked back into that room and suggested I was simply the help and e
“It’s been a long time,” Shawn’s lips pulled into a warm smile before his brows knitted in confusion, “Are you okay? I saw the woman they wheeled to the ambulance. She seemed dazed, but fine.” Shawn was my brother’s best friend and the man I swore I was going to marry up until I met James. He’s been a part of my life since we were both in the first grade. My childhood crush turned into a full-on obsession when we were teenagers. He was the center of every dream I had ever created. But no matter how much I planned for him to be a part of my future, to him, I was simply his best friend's little sister. My lips quivered as the last few hours replayed in my mind. “Rosie,” Shawn placed his hands against the bare skin on my upper arms, “What’s going on?” I haven’t seen Shawn in years, but somehow, he still knows me. The way my nickname rolls off his lips takes me back to a time when things were so much simpler. Shaking my head, I forced a smile, “It’s just been a rough day,”
“Can we not tell my mother and father about this? Not yet at least,” I held the papers in my shaky hands. My father would never approve of what I was doing. When James and I announced that we would be getting married, my father was elated. My mother even more so. Their status in the world was always a top priority. They wanted Chris and I to be in the spotlight. We were the product of American royalty and old money. Red Pharmaceutical was passed down from my grandfather to my father, and his father before him. My mother was your typical housewife. Status and appearance were everything. She wanted me to follow in her footsteps, being a housewife to James before having a couple of his children. The future heirs to a fortune. A Red and a Wood creating a family would be the talk of the century. But much to her dismay, James didn’t want children. At least not with me. “Of course. It’s not my place to tell, Rosie,” Shawn distracted me from my thoughts, “Are you sure about this
The hospital had cleared Marina to come home, but I was torn. Rosa had heard me say that I would divorce her. The look in her eyes will haunt me forever. Once she’d stitched up her wound and it had stopped bleeding, I’d slowly been able to pull myself from whatever trance she’d had me wrapped in. Marina was my mate. Not only that, but she was the last remaining link to my past life. And the key to my future. I couldn’t explain why Onyx had awoken at the scent of Rosa’s blood. I couldn’t make sense of any of it. “Fuck,” I growled, slamming my fist against my desk. I don’t beg for anything. I’m James fucking Wood. I don’t need to beg. But today, I was reduced to a blubbering mess trying to hold onto a marriage that I never even wanted. Marina hasn’t spoken to me since we’ve been home. She heard me beg Rosa to stay. She heard the desperation in my voice, but I couldn’t tell her the truth. I couldn’t explain to her something that I didn’t even understand myself. Surely Ros