Abby “Another surprise. No more appointments this time. I promise.” Karl’s proposition takes me by surprise. I just finished crying in the car over a failed visit to some quack ‘doctor’ who wants to give me strange potions to cure my fertility issues, and all I want to do is go home and climb ba
Abby With a soft sigh, I shut off the shower and step out into the steamy bathroom. I reach for my towel and get to work drying myself, feeling how the chilly air makes me shiver as the water sits on my skin. It’s the day of Karl’s press conference, and I only just woke up a little while ago. It
At first, I feel a little awkward under her expert gaze, my usual routine far more modest. But as she applies foundation and starts contouring, I find myself growing increasingly uncomfortable. “That’s a lot of makeup,” I say, frowning at my reflection. The foundation feels heavy on my skin, more
Karl “Karl, the security angle is strong,” Sarah insists, pushing a strand of her brown hair behind her ear. “It resonates with the pack’s current concerns. Why did you remove it from your final draft?” I pause, my fingers tapping on the desk. “I know, Sarah, but…” My voice trails off as I con
Abby I can feel my heart race as I descend the staircase, each click of my high heels seeming to resonate through the quiet house. Karl is standing in the hallway below, his presence dominating the space as he adjusts his tie in the mirror. I can hear him whispering under his breath, but I can’t q
I don’t think he’s actually sorry. And maybe, neither am I. In the car, I’m lost in my thoughts, my mind racing with the intensity of the morning. The full moon is affecting me too, although I’m a bit better at hiding it than he is. But I did have dreams about Karl last night—vivid, passionate d
Abby I’m still standing completely frozen to my spot, clutching the photographer’s belongings. I’m not sure what to do with them; it seems as though the photographer thought I was some sort of assistant, and he scurried away before I could hand his things back. I look around for a moment, finall
And yet, there’s a flicker of something else in Ethan’s gaze. Regret, maybe? Apprehension? I can’t quite tell, but I know one thing for sure: tonight is bound to be interesting, to say the least. Karl's arm around me tightens possessively. I press closer to reassure him as Ethan passes by without
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