“Do you really believe that I care about anything that you're telling me right now?” I smirked coldly. “And trust? That ship sailed a long time ago. This isn’t about trust, Elias. It’s about duty. You know what’s expected of an Alpha. If you were in my position, you’d do the same. You are an alpha t
Valerie:I was surprised when the knock on my door came earlier than I expected it to.Thankfully, Adrian was still asleep, curled up in the blankets on the couch in front of the TV, his small chest rising and falling with each breath that he took, making me smile as I realized how comfortable he fe
“Look, I know that you don't want to do this, I really do, but this is not something that you can help.” Elias placed a firm hand on my shoulder, his expression softening slightly.“I would rather I take my last breath than give him my son.”“Valerie, listen to me. If you try to run, Caspian will co
Caspian:I said in one of the arm treads in the hotel lobby, watching as the morning sunlight streamed through the large windows of the hotel's lounge.My fingers drummed against the armrest as I watched Elias approach me with a measured pace. I knew that he was not happy. I could tell that somethin
“This stops now,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m sick of the two of you talking about me and Adrian like we’re pawns in some power play. If you have something to say, Caspian, you can say it to me directly. Not through my brother. I have a mind of my own and trust me when I say I c
Valerie:My son's laughter echoed through the hotel's courtyard as he kicked the ball back and forth with the babysitter. His carefree joy was a sharp contrast to the storm that was boiling inside of me. I stood near the edge of the patio. My arms were crossed over my chest as I stared at him, watch
“And what does ‘handling it’ look like to you?” he asked, his tone laced with frustration. “Running? Fighting? You think you can outmaneuver Caspian on your own? Because you can’t, Valerie. He’s not going to back down. And he is stronger than you are. He always has been. He has tactics that you are
Caspian:The warm glow gave the dining area a serene atmosphere over the bustling hotel.I entered the room, my steps calm as my gaze scanned the table. It did not take me long to find him, Adrian, who was sitting with Elias near the window.For a moment I found myself staring at him. He was laughin
Valerie:The sunlight slipped past the sheer curtains, golden and gentle, warming my cheek before I even opened my eyes. I felt the weight of the sheets tangled around my legs, the delicious soreness in my limbs, and the steady warmth radiating from the body beside mine.Caspian.I didn’t need to lo
The kiss deepened. Her mouth parted, and I took it, claiming her like I’d never stopped wanting to. My hand slipped into her hair, and she moaned against me, arching into my touch.“Valerie…” I breathed, my lips brushing hers.Her eyes met mine, dark with heat. “Don’t ask.”I hesitated.“Are you sur
Caspian:The living room was quiet except for Adrian’s excited voice as he recounted a story about something he had seen near the garden, something about a glowing butterfly, and how he thought it might be magical.How much I wanted to explain to him that he was the one who was magical, that the but
Valerie:I told myself I wouldn’t break.I told myself I’d hold it together, for Adrian, for the pack, for everyone who still believed in me.I told myself that I needed to stand strong, that I should not afford allowing myself to fall.But it was getting harder.With each passing moment, I found it
Caspian:I didn’t know what hurt more.Watching the way Valerie walked out of my office without a word, or knowing that I was the one who let it get that far. That I had allowed her to stand in that room and be blindsided by the truth I already knew.Hey, truth that I knew that she did not want to a
“No,” Caspian said, calm but firm. “Ryan came to us. We called him in when we realized your brother had dismissed him along with the rest of your father’s men. The ones who were loyal. The ones who could have stopped this. The ones that could have told you the truth behind everything that was going
Valerie:I didn’t know what I expected when I stepped into Caspian’s office, but it wasn’t him.I wasn't even sure why he had called me to his office, but I did not expect him to be calling me to see the one person that I knew just disappeared when my father died.My feet froze just past the thresho
Ryan:I hadn’t stepped foot in this estate in years. And after her father had died, I did not believe that I would ever see her again. That I would ever see anyone of power again. Not since the tides of power shifted in ways none of us expected. Not since everything seemed to choose at differen
“No,” I agreed. “It’s intentional. Whatever it is that they have in mind, it is intentional.”I crossed the room and poured myself a glass of whiskey, letting the burn cut through the tension in my chest. I didn’t like this. I didn’t like playing a game I couldn’t see all the pieces of.And I hated