The heavy oak door creaked open, revealing Elroy's office. Sunlight streamed through the single window, illuminating shelves lined with leather-bound tomes and casting a warm glow on the polished mahogany desk. It wasn’t a huge space like the library, and something about being able to see the whole
“Yes, Iris told me,” I said. “Well, all that time Astor had our father to himself. It was like I didn’t even exist, and he was basically an only child. All of father’s attention, all his efforts, went into him. “When I presented as an Alpha, it changed everything. Suddenly my father was interest
The door swung open with a bang, startling Elroy and I both and breaking the moment we were suspended in. Astor sauntered in, his lips curled into that infuriatingly smug grin I'd come to both dread and secretly appreciate. He’d been more endearingly annoying than truly problematic recently, but tha
I instantly loved my new office. It had everything I’d asked for, and I couldn't help but smile, relishing the prospect of having my own space to work and think and spread out. I started off with placing the less-crucial case information in the built-in bookshelf—background information and leads t
“My excuse,” he grit out, “is that my Mate is shaking her ass for me.” “That’s all it takes?” I laughed breathily, looking over my shoulder with a look that said ‘I dare you.’ “I didn’t know you were so easy, Alpha Elroy.” Elroy pulled his hips back with a curse, and I bit my lip on an excited s
Elroy’s POV My fingers trembled as I loosened his tie, the camera flashes still burning behind my eyelids. The press conference had been a crucible, every word scrutinized, every gesture analyzed. But I’d done it. Olivia made it look so easy—definitely a talent I didn’t have. I’d stood tall as t
“Luna Olivia is correct,” I admitted begrudgingly, even though I just wanted to wring these ancient fools’ necks once and for all. “That said, I will remind this council that investigating without bias means taking all facts into consideration, including Rita’s personal vendetta against my Mate.”
Olivia’s POV Elroy was the first to find words to say to me, and those words were "Olivia, what the hell are you doing?” I hated the way his condemnation felt like an ice block in my chest, heavy and uncomfortable, and making me want to just agree with whatever he said so we wouldn’t have to fight
The golden gate leads to freedom. That was the message hidden in the song, our supposed clue. None of us had any idea what the fuck it meant. Frankly, we didn’t even know if the message was meant for us, or that it had anything to do with the disappearance of the band members wife, or any of the
And my baby would always have me. Nothing Elroy or Rita or Astor or the council could do would stop me from making sure of that. "The Pearl Room," I murmured as we entered my office. "I want it different. New." Jordan paused in her ministrations, her expression determined. "Consider it done.”
Olivia’s POV The shattered remains of a crystal vase crunched beneath my feet as I walked through the Pearl Room, my hands trembling and my chest heaving. The once-pristine sanctuary now lay in ruins, a reflection of the chaos inside my mind. I wanted to keep screaming, keep ripping and smashing,
"How could you?" I snarled as I pulled back, my mind swimming in a cocktail of confusion, hurt, and fury. "We’re Mates—I thought things were getting better!" And wasn’t that just the kicker? I really thought we were getting somewhere, becoming closer, turning into partners who could have each othe
Elroy’s POV After the monumental fuck up that the morning had been, the last thing I wanted to do was leave Olivia for even a second. I was thinking about her the entire end-of-quarter treasury analysis, and I was all but jogging back to our rooms when I was stopped by fucking Rita. She smelled
I wanted to laugh. He loved me? We barely knew each other, the only time we’d ever spent together was done for the investigation, he’d never reached out to me or me to him. He dared to call that love, just because he learned how to tolerate me? My heart sunk. This wasn’t really about me. Astor did
The idea of my child resenting me was heartbreaking. If this all really happened, then what would my baby know about me? What poison would Elroy and Rita tell them, if I was never there to prove my love? That was the last straw for me, and I curled into myself to cry. It was just too much. Astor a
Some time after Elroy left and I finished my breakfast, I decided that ‘bed rest’ could be fudged a little bit. It would be fine for me to get out of bed if I was just going to get in the bath, right? The Pearl Room had an incredible claw-foot tub and I had been looking for the opportunity to take i
Sunlight streamed through the gauzy curtains, warming my face. I blinked groggily, stretching my arms above my head as consciousness slowly returned. I’d told Elroy I needed a nap, and clearly I was right about that given how much better I felt already. I let myself come to slowly, then turned to