KaylaWhen I finally collected myself and walked out of the room, Ava was waiting for me, her eyes filled with concern. She immediately noticed that something was off, just like she always did.“Kayla, is everything alright?” she asked gently.I forced a smile, trying to mask the whirlwind of emotio
My legs felt unsteady, a familiar warmth spreading through me as unbidden images flashed through my mind. I hated that a part of me wondered what it would be like if there was any truth to those fabricated stories.Ava caught up with me as I reached the exit. “Are you okay?” she asked, grabbing my s
KaylaI looked around the room I had lived in for twenty-two years, and felt my heart sink. I didn’t want to leave. But I had to.Sitting at my desk one last time, I began composing a letter to the guild. I was formally requesting that Nicholas be appointed as the temporary Alpha of Bluemoon Pack. P
He was using a Mindlink to orchestrate the chaos.I narrowed my eyes. So, this wasn’t just some spontaneous uprising. It was planned. A coup.“You are unfit to take over as Alpha!” another voice rang out. “We all agree to make Mason the new Alpha!”Mason. I stored that name away for later.“You,” I
KaylaNicholas helped me into the car, then slid into the driver’s seat and put the car in drive.“So,” he began, casting a sideways glance at me, “I’ve moved out of my old place. We’ll be living in the Alpha Manor together.”I felt my heart skip a little. The Alpha Manor was where the Alpha and his
I blushed, but nodded, allowing her to take the pictures. Nicholas explained that Emma was a photographer. She seemed to have a real passion for it.Suddenly, another figure approached. A striking woman with raven-black hair and dark eyes.“Nora,” Nicholas said. “This is Kayla.”Nora looked me up an
KaylaOh, Goddess! My back stiffened, and I buried my face in Nicholas’s chest. Liam was standing not far from us, his mouth hanging open. I felt like I was on display.I hadn’t done anything wrong—not at all like Liam, who had actually cheated on me with my best friend on our wedding day—but I did
“And ruin the authenticity?” he smirked. “Come on, Kayla. You wanted us to appear convincing.”I glared at him. “Not at the expense of being manipulated.”He sighed, his expression turning cold. “It’s all part of the arrangement.”“Arrangement?” I scoffed. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”He tilt
Throughout the meal, Rebecca kept leaning into Nicholas, touching his arm and laughing at his jokes with exaggerated enthusiasm. I tried to focus on my food, but my eyes kept drifting back to them. Nicholas didn’t seem entirely comfortable, but he wasn’t pulling away, either. It wasn’t as if I had
Kayla The racquet slipped from my hands as the ball sailed through the air toward me. My breath hitched, and I braced for the sharp sting of impact, squeezing my eyes shut. But the pain never came. “That would’ve stung,” came Nicholas’s deep voice, rough and low. My eyes snapped open to see
Nicholas The winter sun was even more blinding from the snow outside as it streamed through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows and reflected off the polished floors of the country club’s indoor courts. I tugged at the collar of my polo, the fabric suddenly feeling too tight and too warm, and gl
By the time the game ended, I had scored exactly one point to Noah’s fifteen. But instead of sulking, I walked over to him and extended my hand across the net. “That was fun,” I said, and I really did mean it. “Thanks for letting me play.” Noah hesitated for a moment before shaking my hand. Ther
Kayla Noah looked anything but thrilled by my presence as we approached, and I felt my heart sink a little. Did he not like me or something? We’d hardly exchanged more than ten words between the two of us since we’d met. Nicholas, however, seemed as unbothered as ever. “Why would I leave my Luna
The words hit me like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over my head. I stared at the road as the reality of his statement sank in. Of course I knew this wasn’t a real wedding. I knew it was all for show, a charade to keep up appearances. But hearing him say it so bluntly, after everything, f
Kayla The ride home was quiet, save for the sound of the bags rustling between my feet and the hum of the car’s engine. I kept staring down at the two dresses Nicholas had purchased for me, my head swirling with conflicting emotions every time I saw the champagne and crimson fabrics. I knew it w
And when I had expressed my desire to wear short sleeves, it was as if I had suggested she suddenly drop to the floor and have a heart attack. Obviously, I had to capitulate to her—because Liam, her favorite baby boy, certainly wasn’t going to stand up for me if I decided to go against her wishes.
Kayla The sunlight streaming through the window gently washed across my cheek, nudging me awake. I cracked my eyes open and blinked, finding that my head felt surprisingly clear. No fever, no delirium, just an ache in my shoulder from sleeping. For the first time in what felt like days, my body