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
Andrew insisted that I come over to the mansion the next day. He wanted to teach me some techniques for helping me control my wolf when under duress. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but yoga was not it. “Make sure that the point of your front knee aligns with your toes,” he said as he ran his
I did not talk to Andrew the rest of the day. He called me, but I refused to answer. After what he had done, all I wanted was some space to think things over. The next morning, I was having some oatmeal for breakfast when I heard a knock at the door. I rolled my eyes, certain that it was Jeffrey c
We dressed and rushed to the hospital as quickly as possible. As soon as the staff saw Andrew, a nurse escorted us to Lisa’s room. “What happened?” Andrew asked the nurse. “I don’t know for certain,” the nurse replied. “You’ll have to ask your daughter or her attending physician, Dr. Jones.” “
As soon as Lisa was released from the hospital a week later, she and Bob moved back into the mansion. Lisa was still covered in bandages, the silver slowing down the healing of her cuts and third-degree burns, but she settled back into her old home without any problems. My stomach did flips every
A week passed without Jeffrey and me gathering any useful information against Bob. He hardly went to the apartment, and the routes his car took matched his campaign schedule and everyday activities. I almost grew bored checking the apps on a regular basis. Then one day, I decided to check the foot
Jeffrey seemed momentarily taken aback by my exclamation. Then his jaw set, and he squared his shoulders. He lifted his chin at me. “I’m sorry, Ms. Blanchard, but I’m afraid that this is something that I have to do,” he said before charging past me and down the hall. “Jeffrey, where are you
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