Andrew took a deep breath and centered himself. I nonchalantly pressed myself closer to him, to remind him that I was right beside him and there to support him. His body remained tense, a predator ready to pounce, but I knew that he was in control of himself. “Those are all the questions that we ha
I did not sleep that night. I tossed and turned, thinking about my fight with Andrew. What he had said was unfair, but I understood that he was under a lot of pressure and probably didn’t mean any of it. By the morning, I was miserable. I hadn’t completely forgiven Andrew for what he had said, but
* * Three hours later, we cuddled in my bed, reluctant to leave the warmth of each other’s embrace and return to the real world. His arm encircling me, I rested my head on his chest, combing my fingers through the sweaty, matted hair there. He stroked my hair, staring down at me with a look of comp
After the failed press conference, Andrew decided to take a day to work from home and spend some time with me. He thought that we needed some time together, and since he couldn’t officially take any time off, he figured that working from the mansion would be the closest that he could get. If he want
“Are you worried about your own safety under Andrew Dubois’s protection? Crystal’s?” “I don’t worry because I have both my father and Bob looking out for me,” Lisa said. “As for Crystal, I do not approve of their relationship, but I worry for her safety, if the deaths of my father’s previous Lunas
A few hours later, Andrew and I lay in bed together, exhausted from our lovemaking. We both rested on our backs, Andrew’s arm protectively wrapped around me with his hand resting on my stomach. I laced my fingers through his, contentedly holding his hand. “You always know how to make me feel bette
I decided to take Andrew to a more low-key Italian restaurant, The Riviera. Modeled after the Italian Riviera, it featured Italian seafood and had the appearance of a moderately decorated seaside villa. It was more middle-of-the-road when it came to costs than Andrew was accustomed to, but hopefully
As the video made the social media circuit, our approval ratings soared. Andrew was once again the favorite to win the Alpha King election. People even seemed to forget about my criminal record, something that diehard Bob supporters were quick to point out. Has everyone forgotten that Crystal went
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