Sasha's heart was racing like a wild animal, threatening to burst out of her chest. She couldn't believe her eyes, Avery! The same person everyone thought was dead, was standing right in front of her. Sasha's mind screamed that it was a hallucination, a cruel trick of her imagination. But deep down, she knew what she saw was real.She had watched as she walked away and tried to make sense of what just happened but it seemed like life was playing a cruel joke on her, she was barely stable as she stood in front of the podium trying to give her speech."How is this possible?" Sasha thought to herself. "Avery died in the hospital. Right? How did she escape? How did she survive?" Then she remembered that they never truly confirmed her death, the doctor only informed them she was missing and after several months of hearing nothing from her, they all assumed she was dead.Fear crept in, wrapping its icy fingers around Sasha's heart. She felt like she was living in a nightmare, where the dead
AveryI stepped into the car, my heart racing. I couldn't believe how smoothly everything had gone. Meeting with Mr. Hart had been a breeze, and I was confident that he would verify the documents and get back to me soon.As the car took me back to the hotel, I felt a mix of emotions. Relief, excitement, and exhaustion all battled for dominance. I dropped my bag as soon as I arrived, too tired to care about anything else.I made my way to the bathroom, my body aching for a warm bath. I took off my clothes immediately and stepped into the bathtub, I stood in front of the mirror, naked and vulnerable, and I couldn't help but stare at the scars on my body. Scars from the accident, reminders of the pain and trauma I had endured.My eyes welled up with tears as I traced the scars with my fingers. My body had become ugly, a map of my suffering. I felt like I would never be able to escape the memories of that fateful day.I slumped into the bathtub, the warm water enveloping me like a hug. Bu
NathanielI sat at my desk, scrolling through my phone with a mixture of frustration and concern, my finger was busy tapping on the screen, I was one step away from calling Avery but I remembered her warning and I didn’t want to do anything to get her angry. My best friend, Michael, walked in and chuckled, clearly amused by something."What's so funny?" I asked, frowning.Michael shook his head, "Nothing, nothing. Just thought you'd be done pining over Avery by now."I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I'm just worried about her, okay? I don't want anything to happen to her."Michael's expression turned serious. "I know, I know. But you have to respect her boundaries, Nathaniel. It's clear she doesn't want to talk to you apart from...whatever it is you two have going on."I nodded, knowing he was right. "I know. It's just...I don't know how secure that place she's staying is. Anything could happen, and I just want to protect her."Michael placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Avery can
Nathaniel“We have arrived at the mansion sir,” the chauffeur said and I came down from the car adjusting my suit. I walked back to my mansion, and the cool evening air hit me like a slap in the face. I needed it. My mind was still reeling from the events of the day. Sasha's flirtatious behavior, her suggestive words, it all felt so out of character, and yet, at the same time, it felt so...calculated.I couldn't shake the feeling that she was playing me, that she had some ulterior motive for her actions. But what could it be? We had never had a conversation before and I wasn’t sure if she was just always like that, even though it was wrong since she knows business etiquette. I thought back to our interactions before today. We had never really talked, never really connected.I sighed, feeling frustrated and confused. I didn't know what to make of it. But I knew one thing, I needed to talk to Avery about it. I wasn’t sure if this had anything to do with her but it was best if I talked
Sasha's eyes blazed with fury as she watched Nathaniel walk away. She couldn't believe that Ethan had messed up her carefully laid plans. She had spent weeks trying to get Nathaniel's attention, and finally, she had him right where she wanted him. But then Ethan had to go and ruin everything.How could he appear out of nowhere to spoil what she had planned, what if Avery suddenly popped out of nowhere, how was she going to protect herself? She turned to look at Ethan, her anger inevitable, it took a lot of self-control not to pounce on him. "You idiot!" she screamed, turning to face Ethan. "How could you be so stupid?"Ethan took a step back, looking taken aback by her anger. "Hey, I was just trying to know what you are trying to do, it seems you forget you have a man," he said, his voice defensive."I have a man?" Sasha laughed, a cold, angry sound. "You call yourself a man? You just ruined everything!"Ethan's face reddened with anger. "I'm tired of being treated like dirt, Sasha.
AveryI stared at my phone, my eyes glued to the screen as I watched the news. Montgomery Pharmaceuticals, the company that had almost been the death of me, was launching new drugs to cure mpox infections. A wicked smile spread across my face as I remembered the last time they had tried to launch a new drug. It was the same drug that had almost led to my demise, the same drug that had caused my whole family to betray me.I couldn't believe how long they had lived without any care in the world, oblivious to the pain and suffering they had caused me. My mind began to wander, consumed by thoughts of revenge and betrayal. I tried to shake off the memories, but they lingered, haunting me like a ghost.I took a deep breath and dialed Nathaniel's contact, my fingers moving swiftly over the screen. He answered on the first ring.“Avery? Are you okay?” He asked. "Hey, where are you?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. My emotions were biting me off and it was just too hard to keep calm. "I
NathanielI was exhausted, staring blankly at my computer screen as I tried to finish my work. But my mind kept wandering, and my eyes felt heavy with fatigue. I couldn't wait to go home and collapse onto my bed. I needed to get this done as soon as possible and go back home, I know I could work from home but I will end up falling asleep before I know it. Just as I was starting to focus, my phone rang, shrill in the silence. I groaned, not wanting to answer it, but something compelled me to pick up. I was shocked to see Avery’s name on the screen, I became worried immediately and picked up the call. I heard her voice trembling.I was shocked knowing something was wrong immediately. She never called me unless it was absolutely necessary, and even then, she usually referred to me as Mr. Hart, a reminder of our professional relationship. But today, she called me Nathaniel, and I knew something was wrong.My heart skipped a beat as I listened to her stammering on the phone. I tried to ca
Avery “Oh, Avery! How are you doing?” He asked as if he hadn’t expected me to come to his room, I smiled a bit and moved closer to Nathaniel, my eyes cast downward in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Hart," I whispered. "I'm so sorry for vomiting on you and messing up your clothes. For crying and everything, I shouldn’t have bothered you with my problems.” I laughed awkwardly. Nathaniel noticed how my fingers were crossed, I had never felt so nervous in a while and his expression softened, he stood up took his eyes off my hand, and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, Avery," he said, his voice soothing. "Please, don't apologize. You're not well, and I'm just glad I could help. You know I told you, you can always come to me when anything is going wrong with you, okay?” I hated this! Why did I let my emotions get the best of me and I became vulnerable? My eyes were fixed on the floor as I replayed the events of the previous day in my head. I hated how vulnerable I h
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
I could see the pain and anger in Annalise's eyes as Agiel confessed all that he had done in the past. I couldn't help but feel her pain as she sat close to me, her hands trembling with pain and anger.Everyone in the room was horrified at what Agiel had done. The leader of the council ordered the guards to take him away as he would be executed in some days time.Annalise pulled away from my hug, as the guards walked Agiel out of the room, but as soon as Agiel was close to Annalise's side of the table, he tackled the guard and lunged at Annalise with a knife, stabbing her on the chest before I could even blink an eye.I stood frozen, breath caught in my throat as my eyes widened in disbelief. My face drained of color, lips parted slightly, as if trying to speak, but no words came out.A shiver ran through me, and my hands trembled, as I tried to touch the wounded part of her chest, my heart pounded erratically, as I couldn't tear my gaze from the horrible scene, unable to fully compre
Days after what Xavier said, I decided to give the Eligara members a chance, so we set out to the crimson shadow pack and also with Agiel as a prisoner.Once we reached the crimson shadow pack, we headed to the council of Eligara and met them patiently waiting for us.As we entered the chamber, we were given a warm welcome, and proceeded to having our seats while Agiel was cuffed and made to stand in the center of the room.I sat at the council table, my fingers tapping impatiently against the wood, I still wasn't happy with them and I wanted to get this done with as soon as possible.My jaw was set tight and a low growl, rumbled in my throat, as I watched some council members droning on about matters that I'm not concerned with as they approached the table to take their seat.My sharp gaze flickered around the room, catching the indifferent faces of those who seemed worlds apart from the primal instinct thrumming within me.As the council members droned on while getting ready to addr
Days after what Xavier said, I decided to give the Eligara members a chance, so we set out to the crimson shadow pack and also with Agiel as a prisoner.Once we reached the crimson shadow pack, we headed to the council of Eligara and met them patiently waiting for us.As we entered the chamber, we were given a warm welcome, and proceeded to having our seats while Agiel was cuffed and made to stand in the center of the room.I sat at the council table, my fingers tapping impatiently against the wood, I still wasn't happy with them and I wanted to get this done with as soon as possible.My jaw was set tight and a low growl, rumbled in my throat, as I watched some council members droning on about matters that I'm not concerned with as they approached the table to take their seat.My sharp gaze flickered around the room, catching the indifferent faces of those who seemed worlds apart from the primal instinct thrumming within me.As the council members droned on while getting ready to addr