Kayla Nicholas stormed ahead of me, his grip on my hand firm enough to make me stumble as I tried to keep up with his long strides. My breath puffed visibly in the cold air, and I nearly tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, catching myself just in time to glare at the back of his head. “Nichola
The next moment, an intense, electric pull surged through me—a sensation I recognized all too well. My steps faltered as the mate bond suddenly flickered to life, drawing me back toward him with an irresistible force. I spun around, my breath catching as I met his gaze through the open driver’s si
Kayla The car was quiet at first, save for the low hum of the engine and the faint swish of the wipers brushing snow off the windshield. Noah didn’t say a word as we watched Nicholas speed away—not that I could blame him. We were both just sitting there in shock for different reasons that ultimate
I tilted my head, studying his side profile. “So you must know him better than anyone.” He hesitated, a muscle clenching somewhere in his jaw. I could tell he was treading carefully, trying not to say too much—no doubt he was feeling like the unwilling participant of a domestic feud by now. “I’d
Kayla The eggs on my plate had already gone cold, and the toast was completely untouched. I picked up my fork, stabbed at the scrambled mess in front of me, and sighed. My appetite had vanished the moment I’d sat down, replaced by a gnawing frustration that only seemed to grow the longer Nicholas
Nicholas glanced at the representative, his expression calm and pleasant as ever. “Of course. Always glad to see you.” The representative’s gaze simply shifted between us for a moment, his pen still poised over his notepad. He jotted something down that I couldn’t read and then looked back up at u
Kayla The blood drained from my face as I stared at the photograph on the coffee table. I felt sick. My stomach twisted, threatening to betray me as I forced myself to stay still. The room suddenly felt stifling, the air thick and hard to swallow. There Nicholas was, in the same clothes he was w
Kayla The bell above the door chimed softly as I stepped into the small boutique, shaking the snow off my boots and rubbing my hands together for warmth. The air inside was nice and toasty, filled with the scent of vanilla and pine, and the faint sound of holiday music drifted from the back of the
By early afternoon, we’d moved outside to begin setting up the decorations in the expansive garden behind the manor. Pack members were bustling about, hanging lanterns from tree branches, arranging tables, and setting up the bonfire that would be lit when the moon rose.I struggled to lift a box of
KaylaThe Blood Moon Revelry.I’d completely forgotten about it with everything that had happened. Between my father’s betrayal, William Straud’s attack, and Emma’s injury, the annual celebration had slipped my mind entirely until Nicholas mentioned it last night.I stood at the large bay window of
I leaned down and pressed my lips to Emma’s cold cheek, my tears falling onto her skin. “Wake up, Emma,” I said softly. “Please wake up. We need you. You need to get better and come back to us.”She remained still, the only movement the steady rise and fall of her chest, mechanically aided by the ma
KaylaI paced the length of the hospital waiting room, my nerves frayed to the breaking point. Every few steps, I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, watching the hands move with excruciating slowness.Twelve hours. Emma had been in surgery for twelve hours now.Jade sat huddled in one of the
Nicholas straightened slightly beside me, his expression carefully neutral.“Therefore, by unanimous decision of this council, we hereby appoint you, Nicholas Reynolds, as chairman of the guild, to serve alongside me in leading our institution into a new era of transparency and justice.”I gasped so
KaylaThe press release went out early Monday morning, a joint statement from Nicholas and me that detailed everything that had happened with my father, William Straud, and their accomplices. The truth about their attempts to find Luporath, about the manipulation and murder, and about how they’d bee
I swallowed hard, remembering the moment I’d crushed the compass beneath my boot. “I didn’t think I had it in me,” I admitted. “My father said the relic could help me—could make my wolf emerge.”Nicholas’s eyes darkened. “I know. I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit that I wanted to find it for that very
KaylaI rushed to Emma’s side. Blood pooled beneath her, staining the straw-covered barn floor a sickening crimson. Jade dropped down across from me with a gasp.Marcus was there an instant later, his face twisting with anguish when he saw his sister. He shouldered past us and scooped Emma’s limp bo
I ripped the compass bracelet from my wrist, holding it high. “Is this what you want?!” I shouted. “Come take it!”The attack paused. Even Isabella halted, looking to her cohorts for guidance. The compass dangled from my fingers, swinging enticingly.“No, Kayla! Don’t give it to them!” Nicholas mana