Flutters filled my belly as Taide kissed a slow path upwards, and Reigh did the opposite, leaving wet licks and kisses as he moved further south. He spread my thighs wider to accommodate the width of his shoulders, and all modesty was lost as the sensation of him running his tongue over me hit at
He positioned himself at my entrance, hesitation so evident in the tense lines of his shoulders, before he pushed forward slightly. Pulling back, he did so again, and that’s when I felt the stretch. When he did it again, a burning sensation made me press my eyes together. Two hands grabbed at
CHARLOTTE With the blanket covering my bare chest firmly secured under my arms, I ran my tongue over my upper teeth and winced a little when my canines dug into the soft skin and left a cut. My new teeth were way too sharp to constantly be in my mouth, but I still hadn’t figured out a way to retra
CHARLOTTE I studied the now healed spot on my wrist with wide, contemplative eyes. Other than a few reddish marks from the brief flow of blood, I would have believed that my arm was never even wounded. Reigh gripped my wrist a little tighter, pulling me out of my thoughts. Without warning this
“I agreed to it, didn’t I?” he asked, as if the answer to my question was painfully obvious. “I was there, wasn’t I?” “You were there until you weren’t,” I pointed out. He paused, then pursed his lips and looked at me with a slight nod of understanding. “Why did you leave?” I asked, bunching the
CHARLOTTE Reigh’s words shocked me into silence. Noticing my reaction, Taide brought his face closer to mine and asked, “Do you want to?” I took a moment to consider that question, at the same time, I considered everything I knew about shifting, including its requirements, all of which I seem
For a moment, she just stared blankly, then her eyes seemed to widen to take in the odd scene playing out in front of her. She looked between me, standing between Taide and Reigh, my body still wrapped in the bedsheet, and the sleep slowly cleared from her eyes. Madeline reached for me and dragged
He turned from her and took a step closer, “It’s okay, Charlotte, keep going.” I opened my mouth to say something, but my words got caught in my throat in a pained gasp. My claws came out and my body began to overheat, my heart pounding and blood rushing in my ears. I felt like I needed to crawl
CHARLOTTEI had no intention of sharing visiting hours with the boys.There was no reason to put myself through that kind of torment.The moment I found out Madeline was awake, I demanded that Caeson drop me off at the care home where I had left Da’ana. I wasn’t ready to deal with my father’s case,
TAIDEThe steady beeping of Madeline’s heart monitor was the only sound in the hospital room.The rhythmic pulse filled the silence, a reminder that she was still here, still breathing, still alive.But it didn’t feel like enough. Not when she lay there motionless, her skin pale against the crisp wh
The foundation still looked solid though.I stepped onto the creaky porch, staring at the front door.This was where Charlotte grew up.I felt something tighten in my throat. She probably had good memories here, but I knew the ones she remembered most were the bad ones.I couldn’t imagine what it wa
CAESONI killed the engine of the car and leaned back in my seat, exhaling slowly.It didn’t do anything to relieve the pressure in my chest. The air in the car was thick with silence, the kind that had weight, like it could smother you if you let it.Charlotte hadn’t moved yet. She sat in the back
Like we didn’t matter.My nails dug into my palms as memories slammed into me. I could still see it—the nights he reeked of alcohol, his head lolling to the side, completely oblivious to the fact that he had two daughters who needed him to pick himself up and be… more than the person he was choosing
CHARLOTTEThe car ride was too quiet.Too damn suffocating.The weight of everything that had happened in the span of a few hours pressed down on me—Madeline, the triplets, my father. My hands trembled against my lap, and I clenched them into fists for the umpteenth time, trying to force myself to f
It was only after the shock of silence that followed that I realized I’d spoken those words out loud. Dot gasped, reaching for me instantly, pulling me into an embrace. I didn’t expect it to be as comforting as it was. And so I didn’t fight her. She guided me to the steps outside the hospital, sitt
CHARLOTTE It felt like a slap to the face. The doctor’s words hit me so hard that I lost my footing. My knees wobbled, and before I could steady myself, the plastic cup in my hand slipped through my fingers and crashed onto the tiled floor. Water splashed across my shoes, soaking into the hem of m
CHARLOTTE The reality of the situation hit me with frightening clarity. Madeline was dying. I moved before I could think, panic exploding through my chest as I ran forward and fell to my knees beside her. My hands hovered uselessly, trembling as I tried to find something, anything, to hold o