AvaI let Chris lead me back to the party, the sounds of laughter and music growing louder as we approached. The town square had become even more raucous since I had slipped away to follow Elise, a throng of people dancing to the music and the bar crowded with attendees.Chris pulled me close as we
ChrisI stepped into my office, the sounds of the party becoming muffled behind the closed door. I was met with the sight of one of the lead scouts who had been tasked with finding Olivia—a face that I wasn’t expecting to see tonight, and it sobered me immediately.“Alpha Chris,” the scout said, bow
AvaThe water was eerily quiet as our boat finally came to a stop—half an hour of searching, all to no avail. Olivia, if she was ever even here, was apparently long gone by now.Chris cut the engine, its low rumble fading into silence. I squinted into the darkness, searching for any sign of movement
AvaBy the time we stepped off the helicopter, my legs were a bit wobbly from the ride. Chris turned back and offered his hand, helping me down onto solid ground. As soon as my feet touched the earth, however, my eyes went wide and I immediately forgot about my discomfort.“Chris,” I breathed, my vo
My eyes widened. “We’re going horseback riding? On the beach?”Chris nodded, unable to keep the grin off his face. “At sunset. I thought you might enjoy it. Romantic, isn’t it?”“Romantic? It’s like something out of a movie!”The stable hand helped us mount our horses. I felt a bit nervous at first
AvaI woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in weeks—maybe even longer—despite the hard floor beneath me. The warmth of the fire had faded, but Chris’s arms were still wrapped tightly around me. As I stirred, he opened his eyes, a slow smile spreading across his face.“Morning,” he murmured, his
After dinner, we moved to the backyard. Leonard set up the horseshoes while Ophelia and I prepared the fire pit.“I can’t remember the last time I did this,” I admitted as I skewered a marshmallow.Ophelia grinned and handed a piece of graham cracker to Princess, who ate it daintily in her lap. “The
AvaThe journey back to Moonstone was tense and silent. Dedrick sat hunched in the boat, his wrists bound behind his back, while Leonard and the scout kept a watchful eye on him. The moonstone hung around Chris’s neck as he drove the boat back to the docks, its soft blue glow a stark contrast to the