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
“Haven’t abandoned us?” she snapped, cutting me off. Her voice rose, already drawing the attention of the few other customers scattered around the store. “Then where the hell have you been? We’re barely holding on, and you’re here buying scarves and sweaters? Are you using Alpha Nicholas’s money to
Nicholas Last night… The waiter had barely set the plate down before I waved him off, leaning back in my chair as I glanced around the expensive restaurant. It was quiet and dimly lit with candles, the soft hum of conversation mixing with the clinking of silverware. Perfectly normal. Perfectly
At that, Nicholas released me, taking a step back. He furrowed his brow. “You look surprised.”“Because I thought you had no intention of going on a honeymoon,” I blurted out, smoothing down the front of my jacket. “I thought…”My voice trailed off, and I couldn’t find it in me to say it out loud. I
KaylaI looked up to see Nicholas approaching, his face pale. “Are you alright?” he asked, stopping a little ways away from where I was standing.I quickly turned away, hoping he couldn’t see the tears welling up in my eyes. “I’m fine.”“Kayla.” Nicholas stepped in my way. “Talk to me. Did something
Was it true that Nicholas had laughed in her face when she confessed her feelings? Was he truly that heartless, even back then? Was it true that Nora thought she was doing me a favor by trying to break us up, by showing me that audio clip?I didn’t think Nora could ever be my friend, not by a long s
KaylaI stared at the deer turning on the spit, its skin turned red and glistening with fat as the fire cooked it from beneath. The air smelled like roasting meat, mingling with the scent of fresh bread and mulled cider.I was starving and surrounded by food that looked utterly delicious, and yet my
Before I could protest further, Nicholas whisked me off my feet, gathering me in his arms like I was as light as a feather. He strode quickly toward the edge of the forest—I was surprised to find that we weren’t nearly as far as I thought we were this whole time—and then veered toward the house.“I’
KaylaI stared wide-eyed down at Nora’s unmoving body, at the pool of blood forming around her abdomen. She coughed and sputtered, eyes glazed over, already worlds away from this place by the time I found her.The warrior said that he had accidentally pushed her too hard during a spar, and she fell
And although it was bitterly cold out today, with the feast being held outside no less, all of the torches and fire pits scattered around the gathering area kept me warm enough that I’d even removed my jacket some time ago.Jade shook her head and took a seat next to me, perching on the edge of the
NicholasI never would have admitted it, not to anyone or even myself, but I spent three days straight thinking of nothing but Kayla.The moment she walked into the forest, wearing nothing but some practical training gear with only a flint and steel kit in her pocket, her head held high despite the
The next morning, I woke up early, the cold air biting at my skin and my legs aching from yesterday’s exertion. I broke down my makeshift camp once more and set off into the woods, once again searching for the stag.I moved quickly, my eyes scanning the trees for any sign of the stag. I heard a scuf