[Alphonze's POV]I keep my gaze fixed on the door of my room until Aera appears with a look of relief plastered on his face.Immediately, my heart constricts painfully as I'm reminded of how much of a burden I truly am, not only to him but to everyone around me."How are you feeling?" He asks, makin
In the end, they both needed one another to overcome their demons and break down their walls, and I was willing to do whatever it took to help them get to that point. Once they did, I could go peacefully and reunite with my Gloria.Letting out another sigh, I close my eyes and begin to let her beaut
[Ayla’s POV]I lay in bed staring at my roof while trying to get Alphonze’s current condition out of my head. Even though he looked rough regularly, to see him so vulnerable was just a bit too much. In a way, he looked as though he was on his last leg, but despite that, he tried to pretend that ever
"Glasses?" I push, unable to believe that little would do much. "Are you a light weight?""Boddles," he corrects, smirking. "Enuf ta make da pain stawp."Sighing, I bite back my initial response since it wouldn’t do any good to argue with a drunkard. In the end, he wouldn’t believe or even register
[Aera’s POV]I must be imagining things. This had to be an illusion from the alcohol, especially since the last time I approached Ayla, she turned me down immediately. But the body that is beneath me feels so real and warm."Is this an illusion?" I murmur."No, this is real," Ayla responds.Frowning
"I don’t need to ask," Silas snaps, shooting me a glare. "Do you have any idea what your actions have caused?" He continues, fixing his gaze on me. "Did you even stop to think before you...""Please tell Ayla I’m impressed," I sneer. "She’s damn good at playing the poor me card.""How am I supposed
[Ayla's POV]Pain shoots through my head as the world around me slowly begins to take shape.Wincing, I attempt to lift a hand to touch the spot that is stinging so badly, only to find that I'm unable to move.Eyes flying open, I begin to look around, taking in the small cell that I'm currently in a
[Ayla's POV]I cut off the connection with Aera while fighting against my chains. Within me, I can feel the darkness begging to be released, but I ignore it while trying to calm myself so I can think rationally. If it were to take control, then my chances of escape would greatly diminish. I couldn't
Nodding, I take a deep breath and rush to Ayla’s side while Gwen begins the operation, and after a few minutes have passed, I hear a shriek fill the air before she is lifting a tiny creature into the air and handing it over to Brian to clean while she cuts the bloody cord attached.Once she is finis
[Aera’s POV]9 months Late"Mmm, Aera, right there."Ayla’s voice echoes around me, spurring my movements even more. Knowing she was enjoying what I was doing to her was all the encouragement I needed."Ah!" she gasps, leaning more into the chair in front of her. "Not so hard."Chuckling, I lean for
When I reach my parents, their faces fill with relief, and I feel my heart squeeze. Even though they hadn’t spoken a word about everything that happened, I was sure that they were now expecting me to snap at any given second. I still had a lot of making up to do in order to gain everyone’s trust an
[Celia’s POV] I stare up into Alphonze’s dark, unreadable eyes while trying to figure out exactly what I was feeling. Was I just caught by surprise because he suddenly appeared, and that was why I suddenly felt jittery and my heart was racing? Right, that had to be it; there couldn’t be anything e
This had been proof to me that we were intended to be together since we didn’t meet just once by chance but twice.After that, I approached her and began to woo her since I couldn’t stand the thought of losing her. It was a love that I never imagined could exist, let alone for me, but she made me so
[Alphonze’s POV]I stand to the side, watching as everyone present for the evening enjoys themselves, laughing, dancing, and being merry. It had been a while since I had attended something like this, so it was taking a bit to get used to it again.The last time I came to a full moon ball was when I
"It seems that your date for this evening has arrived," Alphonze announces, clapping me on the shoulder. "I wouldn’t distract you any longer."Nodding, I give him a look and don’t miss the sorrow that flashes in his eyes as he looks from Ayla to me."Hold on as tight as you can because you never kno
[Aera's POV]Soft music drifts toward me as I stand to the side of the large ballroom, waiting for my date to arrive.Despite all the chaos that had been happening in our world, Silas and Alphonze insisted that we have a small, intimate gathering for the full moon as a way to relax and unwind after
[Ayla's POV]The next day, I sit in the passenger seat of Aera's car, staring at Crimsone Tides Estate while fighting the urge to run away. When I entered that building, I'd be making the toughest decision of my life, and I wasn't exactly sure if I was ready.Beside me, Aera remains silent while hol