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
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
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
"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
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,
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.”
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
I hated medical facilities. I hadn’t always—I used to be fine with doctors’ offices, but after months of painful, pointless fertility treatments that I didn’t even need, the smell of antiseptic brought nothing but dread. It didn’t help that I was in the exam room with Elroy, another constant cause
“Jordan,” I said, “I think it’s time to hold a banquet.”The low light of my bedside lamp lay across Elroy's face, casting a warm glow on his furrowed brow as we settled down to sleep. It was hard to believe that I’d once been so reluctant to lay near him, and now this protective little cocoon we fo
I rose with the sun, brushing aside the veil of last night's uncertainties. Elroy had left early, and even though he was usually gone by the time I woke up, his side of the bed felt colder than normal.I moved through the morning with my thoughts in a tumult, incessantly repeating the same questions
But he hadn’t told me his feelings, hadn’t told me how close he wanted us to be. He could just mean he wanted a strong partnership as Alpha and Luna, like we’d discussed at the very beginning of it all, or it could be he cared for me as the mother of his child but didn’t love me. Not like I loved hi
The diner was a 1950s style burger joint, complete with black and white checked flooring and too-shiny red seats. The waitresses were wearing the same type of uniforms I’d seen in old movies, and Elvis played quietly over the speaker. One of the booths seemed to be made out of a classic car.Elroy l
I glanced at Elroy, feeling his silent encouragement radiate through our clasped hands. "To be honest," I confessed, "the depth of deceit took us by surprise. We were largely in the dark, just as many of you were."“And the council?” someone else asked, shoving a microphone towards Elroy.“The counc
Olivia’s POVI smoothed my dress, silently appreciating the way the purple fabric hugged my hips, accentuating my small baby bump. This would be the first time I’d be outside the manor since my pregnancy became visible, and the knowledge that everyone would see that there was life growing inside of
The incense stick sparked to life with a hiss, its aroma weaving through the air of the Ruby Room. I settled onto my knees, the rough carpet biting into my skin, and closed my eyes. Smoke curled like ethereal tendrils, carrying my silent prayer upwards."Great Moon Goddess," I murmured, choking on a
I wanted to pull until the hook ripped out, taking whatever traitorous chunk of me it wanted as long as it was gone. It was like an infected limb, but nothing I did seemed to force the amputation.What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I just let this go? She was just a healer, someone I’d never even
Elroy’s POVThe effect of those words was immediate and indescribable. More than guilt, or shame, or horror—it was something that howled through me like a hurricane, ripping me apart and leaving ragged, bloody holes. My body could feel it, and it was as real as any cracking bone.My ears rang. My vi