I took a deep, shuttering breath as I opened the link to the digital copy of the premiere human/werewolf integration magazine Loup-Humain. My picture adorned the cover. Inside, there was an interview with me about my life as a human/werewolf hybrid in the limelight. “Hey, that’s a great picture of
Assuming that they were potential clients, I set my binders on the counter and walked towards them, a smile plastered on my face. “Hello, welcome to Ever After Weddings. How may I make your dreams come true today?” Internally, I cringed at the greeting, but new couples always seemed to love it, an
The night before the pro-integration rally, I couldn’t sleep. I was spending the night at the mansion, and I should have felt safe, wrapped up in Andrew’s arms. Instead, I kept twisting and turning until I finally couldn’t take the constriction anymore. I wiggled out of his arms and headed for the
“As one half of a werewolf-werewolf hybrid couple and, more importantly, as a werewolf/human hybrid, I know how hard it can be to battle against the stigma of werewolf/human interactions,” I began, trying my best to ignore the ticking. “Hybrids are envied and coveted, maligned and held to a higher s
I sat on my couch, my legs pulled up to my chest, as I scrolled through headline after headline about the bombing and Andrew’s latest poll numbers: ANDREW DUBOIS AND GIRLFRIEND SURVIVE HUMAN ANTI-INTEGRATION TERRORIST ATTACK ANDREW DUBOIS’S POLL NUMBERS SOAR FOLLOWING SURVIVAL OF HUMAN TERRORIST A
“But look at how often this has happened already. Am I…am I just not supposed to be alive?” Andrew’s eyes widened in surprise. After staring at me for a moment, he placed a hand on either side of my face and used his thumbs to wipe away the tears that I did not know had been streaming down my cheek
Andrew’s mauve suit accented his form perfectly. Even from behind, he was a sight to behold. I had to keep my hormones in check, though. It wouldn’t do for me to climb all over the Alpha King like a horny teenager during one of his reelection campaign rallies. No matter how tempting that particular
Lily very infrequently showed up to Ever After Weddings in person anymore. When she made an appearance and announced a staff meeting one day, we all knew that something big was about to happen. We piled into the employee lounge and gathered around the table with Lily sitting at the head. A folder l
That night, long after the last of the guests had left for their rooms, Andrew and I returned to the presidential suite to find that the staff had decorated it in preparation for our stay. All the décor, right down to the bed sheets, had been switched out for matching red and gold pieces. The light
Andrew’s eyes met mine as I approached the altar. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. He looked so handsome in his classic black tuxedo that I could hardly wait for after the reception to be with him. As I took my place across from Andrew, I handed my bouquet to Lily. The priestess bega
One month later, I stood in a suite at a private beachside resort, admiring my wedding dress. It hugged my curves in all the right places while still gently brushing against the ground like a low-hanging cloud. Crystals glistened in the room’s fluorescent lights, and the train flowed behind me effor
“Let’s continue this in the bedroom,” I said, breathless. Andrew nodded his agreement. I pulled Andrew to his feet as he stuck the ring box back in his pocket. Then I dragged him back to the bedroom, leading him by the tie. Not that he needed to be dragged; he would have followed me anywhere by th
Andrew texted me and said his flight was delayed by a few errands he had to run, so I waited. And waited. I waited for an entire day, and even began to worry that Andrew had changed his mind. Then I heard a knock at my door. I leapt off the couch and rushed to answer it. Stopping just short of the
Noah left the next day. I took him to the airport, we exchanged a hug and a brief farewell, and then I watched him walk through the gate. That was the last time I ever saw him. With a heavy heart, I returned to an empty apartment. All our furniture and my belongings—what little I still had—were the
Sensing the urgency in Noah’s voice, I leaned in closer. “What is it?” I asked, trying to suppress the anticipation in my voice. Noah’s grip on my hands tightened. “I’m going to study financial law in the human world.” I froze. My heart thumped hard against my ribs, so hard that I thought th
The nightmares did not stop. In fact, they got worse. By the end of that week, I was having at least one every night, and it was showing in behavior during the day. I could scarcely stay awake. At my new branch of Ever After Weddings, I had to sneak off into the breakroom whenever there were no cu
I dreamt of the Lunar Festival. Noah and I walked hand-in-hand through the stalls, enjoying the sparkling lights and the company of our new pack mates. Yet something was off. I could feel a chill in the air, a foreboding that I could not quite shake off. “We should get out of here,” I said, tryi