It’s set to our pack’s timezone back in the north. “I always kept it set to your time,” he says. “So I could always feel a little closer to you.” There’s a long silence after that. I can feel Karl stiffen beside me, and then… And then he rushes forward and hugs his father tightly. Tears burst
Abby I step out of the fragrant bath, tendrils of hot steam curling up around me. My skin is flushed pink from the hot water, but I feel more relaxed than I have in a long time. Except, there’s the fact that Reginald’s proposal is still whirling around my head. Karl rises up out of the water a
I sink down onto the edge of the bed and sigh. “Maybe, no matter what we choose, we’ll be missing out on something,” I say. “I guess there is no ‘right’ answer here. But Karl…” Karl lifts his gaze to meet mine, and it’s clear that he knows what I’m about to say before I can even say it. “I do fe
Abby “You’re sure you want to do this?” Karl looks at me and gives my hand as we stand across the street and look up at the small building. The main area of the town is a cluster of tightly-packed buildings, each one more quaint than the last. Stucco walls make way for colorful shutters and wr
“Noted.” Chloe smirks and grabs her phone up off the table, moving over to her bed. In the background, I can see what looks like a men’s suit jacket hanging on one of the four posters. “Chloe,” I say with a gasp. “Is your gentleman caller there?” Chloe blushes, but doesn’t deny it. “Logan is in
Karl The cool evening breeze hits my face as I lean over the stone balcony looking out at the gardens below. I’m still in utter shock. To think that all of this might be mine someday is… a lot to process. Suddenly, as I’m leaning here, I hear the sound of footsteps approaching. I look up to se
I swallow. “I just want to do what’s best for my mate,” I find myself murmuring. “And our child.” At the mention of mine and Abby’s child, I can’t help but notice how Reginald’s eyes seem to soften a bit. Maybe he sees a bit of himself in us. Maybe he wants to make things right for our next genera
Abby After hanging up with Chloe and Leah, I roll over on the bed, looking up at the now-dark sky through the large open window. It’s so easy to see the stars here; maybe they’re even more visible than they are back in Karl’s pack territory. But before I have the chance to get up and cross over
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