Abby Feeling a little bit lighter, Chloe and I decide to make our way back to the party. “You’re really sure you’re okay with everything?” I ask before we leave the kitchen, my arms laden with snacks to bring back to everyone. Chloe nods and shrugs at the same time. “I’m trying to be,” she say
Abby As I enter Karl’s study to tell him about the mysterious car, I find myself stopped in my tracks. The scene in front of me is rather jarring, to say the least. He’s slumped in his chair, a half-empty bottle of what looks like his most expensive whiskey on the desk. He looks up, his eyes gla
Abby After some convincing, I manage to get Karl to sit down so I can address his bleeding hand. His demeanor is belligerent, tinged with the kind of stubbornness that only comes hand-in-hand with the overconsumption of alcohol. “Just stop,” he grumbles as I approach with the first aid kit. “I’m
Abby The tension between Karl and me still hangs thick in the air from our confrontation earlier, but the memories of the strange car that I saw take precedence right now. If this has anything to do with the Alpha party or that couple that I saw at the masquerade, then our safety could potential
Karl agrees and rises from his desk, choosing to leave the whiskey bottle behind. He follows me to the door; but then, as I turn to leave, he suddenly reaches out and grabs my hand. “Abby, wait.” Furrowing my brow, I turn back to face him. Our eyes lock, and all of a sudden I’m acutely aware of
Abby Waking up to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, I feel an unfamiliar warmth surrounding me. It takes a moment for the fog of sleep to clear from my mind, and then I remember him—Karl. He’s still here, beside me. We went to sleep last night with a respectable distance bet
“No intruders,” he whispers, a slight smirk crossing his features. “I guess I did my job last night.” I can’t help but let out a small laugh. “Yeah. I guess so.” There’s another moment of silence. I stare up at Karl, taking in the dark circles beneath his eyes; he’s probably got one hell of a ha
Abby Karl hands me my coat with a sympathetic look in his eyes. “Put this on,” he says. “I promised you breakfast.” “Oh.” I take my coat with a slight chuckle. “I got so caught up in the goodbyes that I guess I forgot.” Karl shrugs. “I kinda figured. You still want to go, though, right?” I p
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