Caspian:The fire crackled low in the hearth. Outside, the moon rose high above the trees, casting a pale light through the windows, but inside the room, it was only her.Valerie.The woman who, despite myself, managed to slip inside my head. The woman who managed to settle inside my heart in a way
Valerie:The wind was sharp tonight.Leaves crunched beneath my boots as I walked the length of the old northern path near the pack’s edge, where the trees had started to wither into the burnished golds and ambers of fall. There was no one else around, Caspian was still speaking with Ryan and Mateo,
Valerie:I walked into the estate I once called home, the estate I was banished from five years ago. The appearance of it hadn’t changed, yet the weight of its walls felt heavier, steeped in memories I tried to suppress.“You should have fought back from the divorce. You should have fought back to t
Caspian:“What do you mean, ‘she’s here’?” I asked, my voice laced with a growl as I glared at my beta, Mateo. One thing that I did not want to be dealing with is the fact that she would be here, that I would be possibly seeing her. Even the idea of her presence was one that annoyed me.“She was see
Valerie:“You’ve been in this room for the past hour.” I said, entering the office where I knew Elias was choosing to hide himself from the responsibilities that I knew he would now carry on his shoulders.“If I can trust anyone in this world to find me when I am hiding somewhere, it is going to be
Caspian:I adjusted my cufflinks, trying to do my best as to pass time to get ready. The idea of going there was not one that I wanted. The ceremony was minutes away and the weight of expectation settled heavily on my shoulders. However, it was not the event that bothered me. It was the fact that Va
Valerie:I forced myself to keep my gaze calm as I looked at Caspian's eyes, which bored into mine. I could tell that you were shocked. I could not blame him. He remained in front of Adrian, my son, our son, and the disbelief that was on his face could be seen a mile away.His eyes met mine, a silen
Caspian:“You knew of the boy? Of my son?” I asked, ignoring the sense that I felt in my chest as I allowed myself to digest the moment that we were in.“Of course, I did. He’s my nephew.” Elias responded casually. “I doubt that you would expect her to hide him from me too.”His words hit me harder
Valerie:The wind was sharp tonight.Leaves crunched beneath my boots as I walked the length of the old northern path near the pack’s edge, where the trees had started to wither into the burnished golds and ambers of fall. There was no one else around, Caspian was still speaking with Ryan and Mateo,
Caspian:The fire crackled low in the hearth. Outside, the moon rose high above the trees, casting a pale light through the windows, but inside the room, it was only her.Valerie.The woman who, despite myself, managed to slip inside my head. The woman who managed to settle inside my heart in a way
Valerie:The wind around us started to shift. I could feel it and see it and the trees that were around us. I walked along the forest path with Adrian by my side, his little hand tucked securely in mine. I wanted him to try and explore his power. I wanted him to allow himself to give in to what it i
Caspian:The air in the pack was… different now.And though I knew that everyone wanted to deny it or ignore it, they could. Not everything was just someone's complicated.It was not tense, not completely. But not calm either. It was something in between, like the pause before a storm, or the breath
Eva:“You’ve lost control,” I snapped, pacing the edge of the study, my heels echoing with every angry step. “You said you had everything in place. You said everything would go as planned. And yet here we are, Valerie’s alive, Caspian is stronger than ever, and now Adrian sees him as a father.”Giov
Valerie:The kitchen was filled with the soft clinking of cutlery and the warm scent of cinnamon and honey. I moved slowly, careful not to burn the toast, careful not to look too long at Caspian as he stood by the counter watching me, arms folded across his chest like he was still processing everyth
Caspian:The scent of lavender and warm vanilla filled the villa, her scent, and for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, it wasn’t just lingering in my memory. It was alive. It was here. She was here. She was by my side and rather than this villa feeling like a place that I was living in, i
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