AvaThe aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air as I set the tray of mugs on the kitchen table. Ophelia and Leonard shuffled over, looking a bit worse for wear after our late night; meanwhile, Chris lingered off to the side, busying himself with flipping pancakes on the stove—although
I glanced at the others, then nodded hesitantly. “Of course,” I said, standing. As we stepped out into the hall, I couldn’t help but notice the curious looks Ophelia and Leonard exchanged. But they didn’t say anything, and I was grateful for that.Once we were alone, Chris turned to me, his brow cre
AvaI stepped into the ballroom, my heart pounding in my chest. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes and the low thrum of music drifting in from the adjoining room. Everywhere I looked, beautiful women in extravagant dresses milled about with glasses of champagne in their hands, ch
I didn’t answer. Instead, my gaze drifted over to where Chris now stood with Amelia, the two of them engaged in what looked like an intimate conversation. As I watched, Chris threw his head back with laughter at something she said, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that always made my he
ChrisDespite everything—despite the search party, the dead Omega girl, the ball, the bachelorettes—I couldn’t seem to get Degas’s proposal out of my head. It kept swirling around in my mind like a dark storm cloud, taunting me relentlessly. It slipped into my dreams, left my head spinning, made me
AvaI swayed to the orchestral music, the man’s arms around my waist as we moved across the dance floor. He was being perfectly chivalrous—keeping an appropriate distance, making polite small talk about the decor and the musicians. He had introduced himself as Patrick, a member of Moonrise pack who
Chris grimaced slightly. “You know I don’t care about all that.”“Yes, well, I do,” I replied, averting my gaze. “So does the pack. And the Elders.”For a moment, Chris opened his mouth as though preparing to retort, but then shut it again. He sighed, pulling me fractionally closer until our bodies
AvaThe garden was mercifully quiet when I finally stumbled out into it, the only sounds being the gentle trickle of the stone fountain and the chirping of crickets in the distance. Sinking down onto the edge of the fountain, I buried my face in my hands, my shoulders shaking with silent sobs.How d