I frown, my gaze shifting between Bella and Thalia. “Huh?”“She eats vegetables, so she's very pretty.” Bella explains and I finally connect the dots, she thinks Thalia is pretty and I always tell her pretty women ate and ate a lot of vegetables when they were young. “And her hair is shiny. Can I touch it?”“Bella,” Knox calls out in a panicked warning. “Come here.”“Just a tiny touch, tincy winy..” Bella pouts, flat out ignoring Knox.“Me too.” Katie Rose agrees, clapping her hands. Now both the kids are excited. Thalia feigns a laugh and squats down. “Go on.” she urges them, and they waste absolutely no time. They both stroke her hair and gush about how beautiful and soft it is. “I could do this forever.” Katie Rose sighs, pure satisfaction as she feels the strands of Thalia's hair.“Me too.” Arabella Venus agrees, looking up at Mariella. “Mommy you should eat some vegetables too like this lady. Your hair doesn't feel this nice.”I can't help but laugh at the remark. “Okay
Too many questions, too close to him to not fantasize about the accusation. “Because you can.” he snaps, and I hardly get to react or so much so as to get a word in before his lips crash onto mine. Claiming them violently, and too darn hurtful. He's giving me both pain and pleasure, kissing me while purposefully biting my lips and I'm too consumed by lust to notice. “You should leave my territory.” he bites. A moan slips past my lips, consumed into my mouth. “I can't, not yet.” “I hate you.” he snaps, shoving me onto the mattress where I land with a bounce. My rob wasn't exactly fixed for this, it comes undone the moment he throws me, leaving me bare on the mattress as he stares at me like exactly what I became years ago, his prey. “I can't stand you, Thalia Rose Laurel.” “I know.” I nod, licking my lips. He leans over me, grabbing me at the wrists and pinning them above my head. His gaze sweeps over my hard nipples, the way in which my chest rises and falls from being in hi
RYAN Thalia's assistant is quite the looker, and the brains on the girl simply make her way hotter than most girls who throw themselves at me. I'm not blind to the way she looks at me, but if I fuck her? It'll be a damn shame to ghost her, that too an impossible one. The best I can do is keep it professional between us, at least until the night before she leaves, I'm a patient man. “Ugh, Ruston needs to fucking quit. Look at how lousy he plays, he's dragging the entire damn team down with him.” Amara frowns, staring at the TV screen like she could just jump inside. “You see that?” she quickly turns to me before drifting back to the basketball game we're watching. “Useless. Height doesn't cut it alone, Niko! Fucking play for goodness sake you darn spoiled rich brat.” I can't help but laugh at her, despite her trash against my team and complaints about the team she's supporting losing not once has she drifted from the TV. She stares like she could just go and score herself the
THALIA Ever since I came back to Flame Valley I've been nothing but confused, I knew coming here would definitely mess me up in a way but things have gone from bad to worse and I'm afraid I'm becoming the girl my mother walked in half dead on. I promised myself I would never see that look in her eyes again because I don't want to hurt another person I love but I'm afraid I'm failing, I'm falling short of life. Even with my hair done and a pantsuit on, I don't recognize the woman I've grown accustomed to loving. I'm starting to feel just as stupid as Knox claims I am. Not willing to lose the one part of my life that pushes me to live another day, I call my therapist Lana. I have at least thirty minutes before we leave for the last of the Conference today, which I'm fairly looking up to. “Thalia.” Lana smiles at me from my laptop screen, looking as flawless as always. I wonder if that's why people like me trust her with our flaws because she eliminated any surface ones she migh
“Did you say something?” Knox glares, his eyes piercing.I nod, fully pumped on advice from my therapist. “I said I didn't offer, you bullied me into it, and honestly I'm quite sick of your behavior.”“Ms Laurel.” Amara hisses, warning me I'm poking the bear.“No, let me say this because if I don't say it today then he'll think I am okay with the way things are.” my gaze drifts back to Knox, noting Ryan's return which gives some sort of comfort. “I'm not.”I match his glare. “I'm so fucking done with you bullying me, trying to find faults in my work, which news flash!” I lowly chuckle, “There's none. There aren't any because I'm good at my job. I'm the god darn best lawyer in this region and if me not beating your top lawyers wasn't enough? Try a little Google search.”Ryan laughs, pulling Amara away. “Get in the car, star player.” and there goes my support team.Knox watches me, he didn't expect the outburst. “You should watch your fucking tone when you talk to me.”“I won't, because
“Family lounge!” she yells back, leaning towards the entrance. Knox walks in, hardly acknowledging me. “Where is my-what are you doing here?” he snaps, after taking a second look at me he realizes it wasn't just her here. “I'm just-” His gaze cuts to Mariella. “I thought I told you I didn't want her around my house and much less my child.” “She came to get Nova, they have plans.” Mariella swallows. “Bullshit, they see each other every fucking day, and th-” “I should have waited in the car,” I grumble, interrupting his useless point. Mariella jumps in quickly, “No. It's fine that you're here, right Alpha Knox?” “No.” Knox asserts, “Nova may have won the choice to keep her around but I don't think you should be buddy-buddy with her. Her bad influence could rub off on you, or worse on the kids.” Mariella gasps, “Alpha Knox, that's mean. Thalia-” “No. Knox is right.” I wave her off, causing both of them to stare wide-eyed at me. “I don't think this friendship
MARIELLA I have never wanted to hate Thalia but she makes it so hard for me with the things she does, for example sleeping with Knox. Of course, Knox is at fault too but Thalia shouldn't have told me. I knew they had slept together when Knox returned from the workshop, he smelled so strongly of her but I convinced myself it was because they were together the whole of the weekend and when we had sex, all my anxiety and suspicion died. He no longer smelled her like, there was only me and that was enough to ease my anxiety. However, Thalia's scent lingers stronger than mine ever does but as long as he doesn't smell like her I'm fine. However, I need to get used to seeing her and not being friendly with her. I spent too many years being nothing but a devoted friend and now it's an involuntary action but it has to stop, now. “Arabella's Mommy! Mommy!” Arabella screams, out of view but her voice keeps getting louder because she's coming closer. “Where are you?” she yelps, her voice
Knox frowns. “What?” “I wouldn't let her go with Nova to see Thalia and now she hates me. Am I losing her? Thought it would take a few years more, to be honest. Teen years..” “No.” he assures me, taking my hand. “You're not, you can't lose her. She's just mad you didn't let her go with Nova.” I shake my head. “She seemed pretty upset.” He nods, pulling me into him and leading me away from the wandering eyes and whispers around me. “She's Bella, of course, she's mad but she will let it go in a while and start pestering you for attention. She's a bit short tempered but she's a good girl, just like her mom.” she grins at me. “Nova shouldn't have told her. Couldn't she have just said she was going to the doctor? Bella hates the hospital.” After a few beats of silence, he sighs. “It's fine, where is she?” “Ryan took her,” I tell him, following him still. We go around the house and find them, Ryan is walking around the car park with Arabella soundly sleeping on his sh
KNOXI'm a mess.My bond to Thalia is trying to overpower my hatred for her but unlike four years ago, I'm a rational man. I can't let her get to me, not after what she did to my daughter, it's not unheard of for some women to behave that way towards their pups but I didn't foresee that from Thalia. Even now, she plays nice with children, confusing me even more. I can't wreck my brain thinking why she did it because the last time I did, it nearly cost me my pack, and my people's lives. Thalia all that, my enemies knew I was weakened in a way, and every life that was lost while I was drinking and cussing her name weighs heavy on my conscience. There's something about the way she acts that makes me lose my sanity, all logic, it all gets blinded by something. It's like she's fragile, yes that's it, that's how she lures me in. Just like two nights ago at Ryan's birthday party, she appeals to my Alpha nature and I stupidly fall for it, I'm a sucker for the way I could effortlessly bring
“Run?” I turn around to find Beta standing behind me. “Hi,” I nervously laugh. “Great party huh?” “It would be if you weren't running from me.” “I wasn't, you were busy and my job was done the second you were surprised.” He nods, watching me. “So you hang out with me because Nova asked?" “Yes and no.” “Help me understand Amara, I'm not too good at this type of thing.” Cute, he must be bluffing because he's very popular with the ladies. “I did it because I like hanging out with you.” “Why?” he asks, his lips twitching with a smile. My cheeks heat up as I find the courage to look him in the eye again. “You know why.” “Hmm, but I need you to say it, sweetheart.” Ugh, moon goddess, this man. You did your triple big one with him, there's no faults to him even his pushing me to admit my feelings is insanely attractive. “Because I like you, Ryan.” This time, he grins, his gaze searching mine and I can guess his next word before he speaks. “Why?” “Oh, you're maki
My heart does this thing where I feel like I might die from too much excitement but it only makes me weak in the knees. She claimed me, she called me hers and I would love nothing more than for her to be serious about that statement. Nikolai frowns, “Come on, share the good guy.” “No. We are leaving before you infect him with loser. “I'll see you tomorrow night?” No, what's tomorrow night and why is he saying it with that wide smile? “Yes, I love you.” she smiles, going in for the hug he begged for earlier. My heart is shuttered, until he speaks, leaving me speechless. “Love you too lil sis.” His sister, that explains a lot—Not. If Niko has zero ops, then Amara must be dead and if he has a hundred then trust Amara recruited ninety-nine more. “Ryan, he reaches for my shoulder but Amara is quick to seat it away. “Don't touch him, Niko. You already got me one for three.” Nikolai smirks, “Ryan if you're being threatened to hang out with this menace, let me know. You're officiall
RyanThis might just be one of my core memories, I initially planned to seek Amara out at the game but sitting next to her? Premium experience.Tearing up my tickets was the best thing Arabella Venus and Katie Rose have ever done for me, it not only provided me with a reasonable excuse to give my buddies, but it put me in the best seat in the house, right next to Amara.This town is the primary Vulture fan club, so that puts Amara in the 0.8 percentile of people who hate the club. Still, that didn't make her shy away from yelling, screaming, and bullying the Vultures each time they scored. Nikolai, the star of today's match was her biggest victim, she nagged, called his tricks sheer luck, and booed at his every score and honestly it was so hot to watch. Much to her dismay, my team beat hers by a whopping six points but it didn't affect her mood, she has been invariably cheerful.“Do you want to go ?” I nudge her, watching the way she peeks at the queue to the locker rooms.“No,” she
MARIELLA Alpha has been ignoring my calls, and Arabella is restless, awaking every half hour if not an hour at best to ask if her daddy is home yet. This has made it hard for me to fall asleep either because she comes looking for me to ask again and again. Nobody knows where he is, and this isn't the first time this has happened so I sit in the dimly lit kitchen, scrolling through my phone with a cup of coffee in hand to reward myself for putting Bella to sleep for over an hour now. It's nearly four in the morning, maybe I can go back to sleep, but I can't risk being awakened by loud sobbing at my bedside. My lips stretch into a wide grin, my cheeks undoubtedly flushed from the dirty thoughts I get looking at a picture of Alpha Knox, shirtless. The creaking sound of the kitchen door opening wipes my smile away, my hand grips my mug tighter, ready to swing at the intruder but when I see him, my nerves calm immediately. He doesn't notice me, I watch him stagger as he enters the
“Not particularly, I just meant that—” Ryan chuckles, winking at me, “I'm kidding.” “You know, the downside of this efficient work you've accomplished is you won't have anything to do for the next two months. Our schedule was cleared for at least seven months.” Amara reminds me, of a detail I missed when I was plotting to complete the project fast enough to get me away from Knox and my bitter-sweet memories attached to Flame Valley. “I guess I'm finally taking time off work.” I shrug, the idea itself sounds ludicrous. If I'm not in a courtroom or handling legal aspects of our pack negotiations, who am I? Amara laughs, ostensibly unconvinced. “Oh please, attorney T.R Laurel doesn't rest. You'd work in your sleep, let's face it, you're not normal.” “That's not true,” I frown. “I know how to be normal.” “Rose, you work on your off days.” she sighs, leaning back in her seat. “You're the prime definition of a workaholic. Pull up a dictionary and there you are, at the top, and
THALIA I walk into the boardroom with supreme urgency, I shouldn't be here but Alpha Ezra canceled because Luna Serenity got worse. Everyone from Flame Valley is in their seats when we arrive, but none of them expect to see me but Knox seems pissed at my presence and it's not because I'm nowhere dressed for the meeting. “Good afternoon, all.” Amara greets, settling down beside me. “Sorry, I'm late. Shall we start?” “Where's Alpha Ezra?” I don't look at him as I answer, “He had an emergency so I'll be substituting for him.” “An emergency?” he scoffs, “He should have communicated with me before resorting to—” “His wife is sick, you insensitive psycho.” I snap, my tone surprising even myself. He's not here because he didn't want to cancel yet again.” Ryan clears his throat, “I'll get the projector.” “Thank you, Ry.” I smile, my voice much softer and calmer as opposed to when I spoke to Knox. Ryan leaves, and Amara gets to work on connecting with the rest of our team
Mariella’s lip curls up with contempt, “You look lovely, princess.” she feigns a smile. “You did so good, Arabella.” Nova praises. “I'm sorry I made a fuss.” she pouts, looking up at Rose.” “It's okay, I know you were scared but you need to remember that even if it seems like a bad day, you'll be fine, smile and keep your chin up because when the sun comes up tomorrow, it'll be a new day.” Arabella nods vigorously, “Okay, auntie.” “Mommy, can we surprise Daddy with my hair?” Katie Rose asks Nova. “Yep, I'll call him when he's out of surgery.” Nova smiles, petting her head. “Is he okay?” I frown. “Yes, he's the surgeon.” Nova laughs, noting my confusion. “Er, so what are we doing next?” “Thalia and I were going to get our nails done.” I tell her, “We want to look deadly in court.” “That's great, Mariella you could use a new set.” Nova’s head tilts, looking at Mariella's nails. Mariella glares at her, “This is new.” “It's pretty. “ Rose smiles. Nova shrugs, her eyes twin
AMARAThalia and I are getting our hair done in preparation for tomorrow's meeting, she went first and immediately buried her nose in a gossip magazine. I'm checking my hairstyle when a familiar face pops up behind me in the mirror.“Nova!” I call out, whirling around. My squeal alerts Thalia too.Nova smiles, waving at me while the little girls with her squeal. “Hi, Amara.”“Auntie Thalia Rose!” both girls scream, running to meet her.“hi, darlings,” Thalia matches their excitement. “I love your matching dresses.”“Thank you,” they say in unison, hugging Thalia. I turn my attention to the Thalia lookalike. “Hello.” she grins, looking even more like Thalia.“Amara, this is Mariella, Knox's finance, his kid. My kid.” Nova tells me, gesturing to each individual. My gaze gets stuck on the kids, one looks very much like Thalia.“Say hi to my friend.” Thalia prompts.Nova's daughter stares between us, scratching her head. “Are you a lawyer too?”“Yes.”“Cool.” They both swoon, “I'm Katie R