Abby After letting Officer Martinez out the back door, the loneliness and fear begins to set in again. Even though there’s a police car keeping watch, I can’t help but feel on edge. The front of my house is a media frenzy, and I feel like a target in more ways than one. Finding myself unable to
I spend the rest of the afternoon pacing back and forth, trying to create some semblance of normalcy after everything. I try to occupy myself with reading, but I can’t focus on the words on the page. I try following a workout video, but I feel too tired. And I try to cook, but my hands shake as I tr
No matter how hard I try, I just can’t sleep. Between the noise of the reporters outside, the curious onlookers, the flash of the cameras and my own anxieties, I feel like I’m trapped in a state of exhaustion with no way out. I’ve tried tossing and turning. I’ve tried covering my head with my pill
“Abby, that’s not healthy,” Karl chides, although his voice holds no real heat. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” I lie, just wanting to change the subject. “Tell me about the interviews. Did you hire someone?” Karl’s voice brightens a bit as he responds. “Yes, actually. Her name is Sarah, and she see
Abby After I hang up the phone with Karl, I finally slip off to sleep, feeling more relaxed now than I have in days. I fall into a pleasant slumber, one that’s deep and uninterrupted by the lights and sounds coming from outside. But then it happens. The sound of glass shattering suddenly
Karl “I have to say, Karl, I’m excited about this merger.” Richard, the Alpha from a neighboring pack, sits across from me at the conference table. Our Betas sit beside each of us, furiously scribbling down notes. Between the four of us is an array of papers: forms, contracts, written agreem
Abby Karl hangs up with one final request. “Be ready in a few hours.” I can’t help but feel a sense of relief at the thought of getting out of here, and at the same time, I can’t deny that I’m excited to see him. My heart races as I pack a small bag with enough clothes and essentials
“Thanks for picking me up, Marcus,” I finally say, breaking the silence. He glances at me with a small smile. “No problem, Abby. Karl wanted to make sure you’re safe.” I nod, appreciating Karl’s concern. “I know. I just... I never thought I’d wind up in a situation like this. It feels weird.
Abby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby “Abby, why don’t you sit down?” Karl looks up at me from where he’s sitting on the sofa, a look of concern on his face. He pats the spot next to him, but I shake my head. “I can’t,” I say, continuing to pace back and forth in our living room. “I won’t sit down until I hear back about that
Abby As I chop, stir, melt, and saute, the others stand around me, watching intently. The pasta simmers on the stove, the air smelling like warm butter and spices. It’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water. But my focus isn’t on the rumbling in my belly, nor is it even on the lingering pain in my
As we continue searching, I keep thinking back on our last harrowing hunt for black truffles; those poachers nearly shot us. Even now, I can still remember the sound of the bullets whizzing past my head, and the thuds they made when they careened into trees. “We got really lucky,” I say. “If we ha