Avery I froze, my heart racing as the second gunshot echoed through the hall. This wasn't part of the plan. How could there be a sudden gunshot? Is there someone else who had plans for today, Nathaniel and I had agreed on something simple, no violence. What was happening?“I have to go back to the hall?” I mumbled to myself and Ethan arched his brows at me. “You can’t tell me you are walking into danger, people are running out and you want to go in there what if you are shot?!” Ethan yelled at me and I glared at him.“Then you should be happy I am completely gone, whatever I do is none of your business!” I said through gritted teeth and turned around to walk into the hall but Ethan grabbed my hand just in time. “Avery wait! This is stupid!” “Get your fucking hand off me!” I screamed at him but he refused to let me go, I pulled my hand angrily and scowled at him. “Don’t ever!” I growled and turned walking away. "Avery, wait!" I heard Ethan's frantic voice behind me, but I didn't
Nathaniel I watched intently as the prosecutors took the stage to question the Montgomerys. Finally, justice will be served. I was glad that everything was working perfectly just the way we had planned it, I tilted my head to search for Avery, I wanted to see the reaction on her face but I watched as she walked out of the hall, I wanted to go after her, perhaps everything was too much for her. I halted after taking my first step, I shouldn’t disturb her and she wouldn’t like us being in an open place together, she wouldn’t want anyone to see us together, so I tore my eyes from the door and focused on the victory dancing in front of me. But before the prosecutors could go any further, a sudden gunshot echoed through the hall. The crowd erupted into chaos, I was begging shocked. I hadn’t expected a sudden gunshot out of nowhere. I was suddenly scared hoping no one was going to hurt Avery. I need to find her! I need to take her out of this messy place. "Avery!" I yelled, frantically
AveryI slowly opened my eyes, blinking away the haze. The environment was quite different and I started panicking when I remembered what happened, I was shot in the chest, I quickly glanced at my chest and noticed I was wrapped in a bandage and then I turned to observe where I was. The first thing I saw was Nathaniel's peaceful face, his features relaxed in sleep, he held my hand as he slumped on the floor sleeping peacefully, my heart skipped a beat as I watched his relaxed features. His hair was mussed, falling across his forehead in soft waves. I reached out, my fingers trembling, and gently brushed the strands back. His skin was smooth, and inviting. It felt dreamy watching him this close and I couldn’t understand why my heart was beating so fast. Perhaps it was because I just survived a near-death experience. Nathaniel's eyelashes suddenly fluttered, and I quickly withdrew my hand, not wanting to wake him and at the same time I didn’t want him to know I had been watching hi
Avery I glared at Nathaniel, my heart racing with frustration. His gaze was on me and he refused to look away, not a lovely gaze… a hard try-me kind of gaze, his voice was firm and obviously leaving no room for argument. I opened my mouth to talk but each time I ended up closing it right back. "You can't do this," I protested, trying to keep my voice steady, but my anger and desperation seeped through. "I won't be trapped here. You have no right to tell me where and where not to stay Nathaniel! Don’t cross your boundaries!” Nathaniel's expression remained unyielding, his eyes flashed as his jaw hardened and he moved a bit closer, his breath fanning my face and my breath hitched, we were just a few inches away from our lips touching."I can," he said calmly, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine. "And I will. You're not leaving my sight, Avery. Not now, not ever. I have the right to make a decision too the moment you decided to involve me in this, so you got to sit back and l
“Why us there no news! Why is there no news of her death!” She screamed and bit her fingers. Sasha's anger erupted like a volcano, consuming her entire being. She stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her. The sound of shattering glass filled the air as she hurled vases against the wall. Her wardrobe was next, she ripped her clothes from their places and threw them away, and a primal scream tore from her mouth. The sound waves resonated through the hallway. Papers flew off her desk, scattered pages fluttering like wounded birds. Her bedspread was yanked off, revealing the rumpled sheets beneath.Sasha's rampage continued, fueled by rage. She overturned her dresser, sending makeup and jewelry crashing to the floor. The room, once a sanctuary, was now a war zone.One of the maids, Maria, rushed in, trying to calm her down. "Miss Sasha, please! Stop!"Maria tried to intervene, but Sasha pushed her away. "Get out! Leave me alone! Who gave you permission to tell me to stop? I a
NathanielI stood by Avery's bedside, watching her peaceful slumber. Her chest rose and fell with each gentle breath, a soothing sight that calmed my racing thoughts. How could anyone think about hurting someone like her? She is a calm person and never causes trouble, how could hatred bore into someone's heart so deep that they could think about hurting her? The more I watched her the more the feeling of protecting her grew rapidly in me, I need to make sure she is fine, I need to make the world a much better place for her to live. Her sudden stir halted my thoughts and I glanced at her once more. "Make sure she wants for nothing," I instructed the maids, stationed outside her room. "If she needs anything, don't hesitate to inform me.""Yes, sir," they chimed in unison.I turned to Dr. Lee, who had been attending to Avery's injuries. "Keep a close eye on her. I want daily reports on her progress.""Of course, Mr. Nathaniel," Dr. Lee replied. "I'll also conduct a thorough examination
Ethan's POV Ethan sat alone in his dimly lit living room, the glow from the television casting flickering shadows across his face. He wasn't paying close attention to the news anchor's voice, which droned on about the incident at the Montgomery launch. His thoughts were elsewhere, on Avery. The footage of flashing lights, police cars, and concerned partygoers replayed on the screen, and each time he saw Avery's name mentioned, his stomach tightened. He knew something had gone wrong that night, something that threatened his carefully laid plans.Ethan ran his fingers through his hair, frustration bubbling inside him. Why hadn't he gone to the launch? Why had he let pride and anger keep him away? If something had happened to Avery, his chances of getting back at Sasha would have slipped through his fingers like sand. Sasha, the woman who had used him, discarded him and moved on as though he had never existed. The thought of her infuriated him, but Avery was the key to everything.He cl
Sasha stormed into her penthouse apartment, slamming the door behind her. Fumes of frustration and anger clouded her mind, making her vision blur. She paced across the lavish living room, her stilettos clicking on the marble floor."How dare he!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing off the walls. "Who does Nathaniel think he is, anyway? He thinks so mighty of himself and speaks whatever he likes! Oh fuck! I should have stayed back!” She stopped in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the city skyline. The breathtaking view usually calmed her nerves, but today it only fueled her ire.That arrogant, self-righteous, infuriating man!Replaying Nathaniel's dismissive behavior, Sasha's anger simmered. She recalled every word, every gesture, every condescending smile."He thinks he's above us," she seethed, her hands clenched into fists. "Thinks our charity event is beneath him."Sasha spun away from the window, her eyes scanning the room for something to vent her frustration o
Avery I paced back and forth in my room, the thick carpet beneath my feet wearing down with each anxious step. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, the weight of the world pressing down on my chest. Every second felt like an eternity. My father… was he okay? Was he still alive? The uncertainty gnawed at my insides, the fear of losing him clouding every thought in my head. I couldn’t stop myself from running through the worst-case scenarios over and over, each one more horrific than the last.“Take a deep breath, Avery,” Clara’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. I hadn’t even noticed she had entered the room, but she stood by the door now, her brow furrowed with concern.“I can’t,” I replied, my voice tight, barely able to hide the tremor. “I don’t know what’s going on, Clara. My father could be in danger. I need to…”“You will know,” Clara said firmly, walking over to me and placing a hand on my shoulder. “Nathaniel’s going to take care of it. I’m sure of it. Your
Mrs. Montgomery’s heels clicked sharply on the polished floors of the hospital’s main corridor. She stepped forward with purpose. Today, her husband would die not by some tragic accident, but by her own hands. The last thread of his life would be severed, and everything he owned and everything he had promised her would finally be hers.She thought about Sasha and the things she had said. How Sasha had begged her to wait, to let nature take its course. But Mrs. Montgomery had never been one to wait. She had no patience for fate. No, she had worked too long, too hard, for too many years to let some accident stand in her way. She would finish what she had started.Her heart was a slow drumbeat in her chest as she reached Room 307, the door clearly marked with the name “Montgomery.” She gripped the handle, her fingers trembling, and turned it. The door creaked open, but what she saw inside stopped her cold.Empty.The bed, once cluttered with tubes, wires, and the frail form of her husban
NathanielI could feel the adrenaline surging through my veins even before Oliver finished speaking. Mr. Montgomery, the man who had always been the picture of strength, had collapsed. He was the kind of man who never showed weakness, someone who carried himself with an ironclad resolve, unbending in the face of adversity. So, hearing that he was in any sort of trouble felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me.I had to know what happened. Now.“Are you sure of what you are saying?” I asked and Oliver nodded “Yes I am very sure, there is no way I would have come up with fake news, I am telling you the truth.” “Olivia, what happened?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I meant. The words tumbled out faster than my brain could catch up.He was shaking her head, looking more flustered than I’d ever seen him. “I don’t know. I was just there when it happened. he just collapsed. They called the ambulance. I…” his voice trailed off, and I could see the worry on his face. The wo
AveryThe phone slipped from my trembling fingers, clattering to the ground with a sharp, unforgiving sound. My eyes remained glued to Nathaniel, still processing what he had just said. It felt as if my heart had stopped beating, my entire body frozen in shock. I could hear the ringing in my ears, louder than anything else, drowning out everything he was saying.“Your dad is in a coma, Avery.”The words echoed in my head, over and over, but none of them seemed real. This couldn’t be happening. My mind was fighting against it. It had to be some mistake, some cruel joke. But Nathaniel’s face… it wasn’t joking. His expression was serious, filled with concern, but that didn’t make it easier to believe.“No,” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. “No. That can’t be right. He’s fine. He is always fine.” My voice was small.Nathaniel stepped closer, crouching down to pick up my phone from the floor, but I barely noticed. My eyes were still locked on him, searching for some glimmer of re
By the time the next week rolled around, the plans to relocate the project team to Crescent Moon Pack were in their final stages. Everything was moving faster than I had expected. It felt like I had barely gotten my feet under me again after returning from the pack, and now I was heading back into their world. But this time, I wasn’t going to be there to stay. I had a project to manage, and my head was focused on the tasks ahead, not on the triplets or the complicated emotions that came with them. I only had one job to do, which was to do some research and avoid everything else. Ruby was also getting ready to leave. She’d been a great support to me, especially after everything that had happened with the triplets. But now, it was her turn. She had arranged an introduction between me and her mate before they traveled. She was insistent on it, and as much as I tried to avoid the subject, she wouldn’t let up. “I’m not going to leave without you meeting him,” she had said one evening whe
I sat in the study, the quiet hum of the house around me doing little to calm the storm swirling inside. My fingers absently tapped the edge of my desk, but I couldn’t focus on anything, nothing but her voice. “It’s disgusting, Lucas.”The words had landed heavier than I expected, heavier than I wanted to admit. They repeated in my mind, over and over, as though she was still standing in front of me, her eyes flashing with anger, her voice cutting through the space between us. Disgusting. The word felt like a punch. And I couldn’t quite shake the sting.I had gone too far, hadn’t I?I hadn’t meant to upset her, hadn’t meant to cross any lines. But watching her with Ryan tonight, seeing the way that man had looked at her and tried to touch her, I couldn’t sit by and pretend it was fine. She didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. But the way she’d turned on me, my attempt to protect her, to help, had been met with nothing but contempt.She doesn’t need me to protect her.That’s what her
When I regained consciousness, the world felt wrong. It was the kind of wrong you sense in your gut, but your mind is too clouded to process at first. My body ached, a deep, dull pain radiating from my neck and limbs. I tried to move, but the restraints holding me were tight, unforgiving. I could barely move my wrists, let alone my legs. My surroundings were unfamiliar, cold, metallic, and humming with the low, steady rumble of an engine. I blinked several times, trying to adjust to the dim light.The realization hit me slowly. I’m on a plane.I jerked my head to the side, feeling the sharp tug of the ropes, but nothing gave. There was no escape. The air around me was thin, carrying a stale scent that made my stomach churn. As I struggled to orient myself, I saw Elena. She was seated across from me, her gaze locked on mine, unwavering and predatory. “How long?” I rasped, my throat sore from the silence. My words felt foreign, like they hadn’t been used in days. “How long was I out?”
From where I stood, in the corner of their chamber, I noticed there was some other presence just like me, some other vampire like me was also present, and I could smell them.I watched as Agiel stabbed the girl on her chest, and I let out a grin, my whole body, thirsty for her blood, and as the man beside her took her away, I walked out of the room gently and unnoticed.I decided to head back to the vampire castle, but first I needed to know if what felt right, I needed to know if exactly there was another vampire.As soon as I was out of sight and into the bushes, I had the leaves rustle and I froze, not out of fear but the fact that I know that, whoever that is knows I'm a vampire.“Show yourself.” I said, as I lowered the hood of the jacket I was wearing, to cover my face, and protect me from the blazing sun.“Show yourself already and don't hide inside the bushes.” I said, looking around me.“Draven?” The voice called, out of surprise, I turned around, my eyes widened in disbelief
The door slammed behind Kingston, the echo lingering in the air like a warning. Jason stood by the window, his posture tense and jaw clenched, as though he was ready to throw someone else out if need be. The room felt charged, as though an unspoken threat lingered in every corner. I watched as Kingston walked to his car, turning around severally with a puzzled look on his face. “What the hell was that about?” I finally asked, breaking the heavy silence. My voice sounded stronger than I felt, but I wasn’t going to let Jason’s mood intimidate me.Jason turned, his dark eyes meeting mine with a stormy intensity. “You need to stay away from him, Willow. All of you do.”Ruby, seated on the couch, raised an eyebrow. “And why’s that? He seemed creepy, sure, but what’s the big deal?”Jason’s lips pressed into a hard line. “He’s not a good person, that’s the big deal. Trust me on this one. A few years ago, I worked on a case where Kingston was involved. I can’t go into details, but he’s bad n