Emma's PovI was leisurely sipping my drink—a strange but somehow satisfying concoction of Sprite, red apple juice, and chocolate candy—while strolling through the garden. The garden had become my little sanctuary where I could be alone with my thoughts and my weird snack combinations.The flowers swayed gently in the breeze, and for a moment, I felt at peace. That was until something strange in the air made me stop dead in my tracks. My heart skipped a beat as I realized I was no longer alone. The cold, familiar voice sent a shiver down my spine.“Well, well, well, what do we have here? If it isn’t my runaway daughter,” a voice said with a low, chilling laugh.I froze, my hand gripping the plastic cup so hard that it nearly crushed. Slowly, I turned, and there he was—my father, Evan, standing just a few feet away from me. The sight of him made my blood run cold. My heart raced in my chest, pounding against my ribcage as though it were trying to escape. Instinctively, I took a s
Emma's Pov I can feel Daniel’s eyes on me, that same look he gets when he’s about to pester me about something. “So, Emma…” Daniel finally breaks the silence, crossing his arms and leaning against the back of the couch. “What are you going to do now?”I raise an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean?”“You know what I mean.” He gives me a look like I’m being difficult on purpose, which, okay, maybe I am. “You can’t keep ignoring it. You have to tell Gregory.”I sigh, knowing exactly what he’s talking about but not really wanting to go down that road. “Daniel, I understand your concern, but…” I glance away, unsure how to word it. “I don’t think I’m ready to tell him yet.”Daniel’s expression softens for a moment, but just as quickly, his usual playful smirk returns. “Emma, look at how worked up your father got you. Imagine if i had not arrived right when I did. What would he have done?” His voice drops a little, and I can see genuine worry in his eyes now. “I think it’s time you let Gr
Georgory's Pov I could smell her before I even saw her. Emma’s scent drifted toward me, soft and familiar, but it hit me like a freight train every time. I could feel her approaching, that gentle pull in the bond between us. The moment I caught a whiff of her, my attention snapped from the dull conversation Katie was attempting to hold, though I wasn’t really listening before. Katie had been talking nonstop since she arrived. Something about how she came back for me, how things could have been different between us. I wasn’t really paying attention, nodding occasionally to keep up appearances, but when Emma’s scent hit me? I couldn’t help but exaggerate the situation. Katie was saying something about our “past connection” when I let out a loud laugh, almost too loud. It wasn’t that funny, but I wanted Emma to hear it. Maybe she’d think I was having the time of my life in here. Petty? Sure. But I was irritated with the situation between us, and it felt good to push back in
After Katie left, I led Emma toward the bed. She moved quietly, her steps hesitant. Once she sat down, I turned and went back to close the door, making sure we had privacy. I needed to hear everything without interruption, and this conversation couldn’t wait any longer. When I returned, I sat down beside her, feeling the distance between us despite our proximity. There were so many unspoken things, so many secrets weighing on us. I looked at her, searching her face for something, but she kept her gaze down, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on the bedspread. “Emma,” I started, my voice low. “These past few months… without you… haven’t been easy. If I said otherwise, I’d be lying.” She didn’t respond immediately, her shoulders tensing at my words. I could sense the emotional walls she had built, the ones I was trying to break through. I took a breath, knowing I had to push her, even if it hurt. “But what’s been harder… is not knowing the truth. I need you to tell me e
Georgory's Pov Emma would be like, “They were all aborted by my father.” Her voice was steady, but the words hit me like a brick, leaving me breathless. I stared at her, my heart pounding in my chest. The air between us thickened with her revelation, and suddenly, the room felt too small. I leaned down, my knees buckling as I sank to the floor, the cool surface grounding me against the whirlwind of emotions. I brought my hands to my face, pressing against my forehead as if I could keep the world from spinning out of control. “Why?” I choked out, feeling the tears welling in my eyes, threatening to spill over. “How could he do that to you? To them?” The tears came unbidden, streaming down my cheeks. They fell in torrents, each drop a release of the anguish I had kept bottled up inside. I had been so consumed by my own pain that I hadn’t seen hers. The guilt gnawed at me. “I should have protected you,” I whispered, my voice muffled by my hands. “I should have been there for y
Gregory’s POV Emma’s question caught me off guard. “So, tell me about your father,” she asked softly, her eyes searching mine. A sudden, tight feeling formed in my throat, and I coughed, looking anywhere but at her. The walls, the floor, even the window—anything to avoid her gaze. My father wasn’t something I talked about often, and definitely not now. The silence stretched between us, and I could feel her watching me, waiting. But how was I supposed to answer that? Where would I even begin? Emma shifted, her voice gentle, understanding. “I mean… if it’s uncomfortable to talk about, you don’t have to. I don’t know much about him, but it’s okay.” I exhaled, grateful for her tact. Before I could respond, she smiled and changed the subject, her tone light. “You know what? I’m hungry.” I blinked, the sudden shift catching me off guard. “Hungry? Again?” She stood up, brushing off her clothes as if to signal the conversation was officially over. “Yes, again.” A small smi
Katie's Pov. I paced the room, my hands clenched into tight fists at my sides. The walls felt like they were closing in on me with every step I took, each thought driving me closer to the edge. Gregory had actually asked me to leave because of her. How could he? After everything I’d done, everything we’d been through, he chose her—that pathetic excuse of a mate. My chest tightened, fury building until I felt like I could explode. "Can you believe it?" I snapped, spinning on my heel to face Ati, who was sitting calmly in the corner of the room. "Gregory has the audacity to ask me to leave, all because of that… that thing he calls a mate. How did it come to this? How could he choose her over me?" Ati raised an eyebrow, but there was no surprise in her expression. If anything, she seemed almost bored by my outburst, as if she had expected this all along. "I told you this would happen, Katie. I warned you. You gave that girl too much time and space. Now she’s wormed her way
Katie's Pov I stood outside Alpha Jerome's room, my heart pounding in my chest. The air was thick with anticipation, and I felt a mixture of dread and curiosity as I prepared to confront the man who held so much power in our world. Today was the day I would meet him, and there was no turning back now. With a deep breath, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, casting shadows that danced across the walls. Alpha Jerome sat on the edge of the bed, a confident smirk playing on his lips as he looked me over. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? If it isn’t the most pretty prideful, Katie," he drawled, his tone dripping with mock admiration. I rolled my eyes, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. "Can we just get to it?" I replied, cutting through the superficial pleasantries that hung in the air between us. As I spoke, I began to unfasten the buttons of my blouse, peeling it away from my skin with deliberate slowness. The fabric slipped down my