AgnesElijah’s lips were soft and sweet against mine, sweeter than any sugar I had ever tasted. The feeling of his hands cupping my body felt like the most natural thing in the world, and it felt as if I could stay like this forever.But as I pulled back from the kiss for air, a whirlwind of emotion
AgnesFlipping the binder open, I was met with page after page of names, faces, and intricate webs of alliances. Alphas and Lunas from every corner of the world, their pack sigils and colors, major exports, closest allies—even trivial details like their favorite foods and preferred wines.And at the
Thea studied the aging Alpha’s headshot. “He looks grumpy.”I laughed. “He does, doesn’t he? But it says here his favorite food is strawberry pie.”Her eyes lit up. “I love strawberry pie!” she said, then flipped to the next page, pointing at a regal-looking woman. “Who’s she?”“That’s Luna Seraphin
AgnesI tucked Thea into bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. She clutched her favorite stuffed rabbit to her chest as I settled on the bed beside her.“Mommy, can you read me a story?” she asked.“Of course, sweetheart,” I replied, reaching for the well-worn book of fairy tales that was sitting on the nightstand. Flipping through the pages, I found one of her favorites—a story of a brave princess and a kind prince who overcome all odds to be together.As I began to read, Thea listened intently, her little fingers tracing the illustrations. When I reached the part where the prince rescued the princess from the tower, she sighed dreamily.“Do you think they’ll get married and live happily ever after?” she asked, tilting her head back to look up at me.I smiled softly. “Well, that’s how the story goes, isn’t it?”She nodded, then thought for a moment, tapping her chin. “Will you and Daddy get married like them?” she suddenly asked.My heart skipped a beat at the sudden reminder. She
Once I was certain she was fast asleep, I got up and set the book aside. Pressing a soft kiss to her temple, I whispered, “Sweet dreams, my little one.”Leaving her room, I headed back to my own, where the daunting binder Elijah had given me lay open on the desk. Fifty more pages of names, faces, and alliances stared back at me. We had made great progress today, but there was still so much left to learn, and I had to make sure that my memory was perfect by the time the gala came up.I wouldn’t be sleeping much anyway tonight, I figured. So, with a sigh, I settled into the chair and resumed my work.Hours passed as I tried to commit the details to memory. My eyes grew bleary, the names, faces, and information on the page starting to swim before me. Hours passed, and still I didn’t make much progress.Rubbing my temples, I realized I needed a break. My throat was dry, and the clock read half past midnight. Grabbing my empty glass, I decided to get some more water.The house was blissful
He studied me for a moment. “You have nothing to apologize for.”“I feel like I overstepped,” I insisted. “Especially knowing that you have a mate.”He sighed softly. “Agnes, the situation with Olivia is... complicated. But that doesn’t excuse my actions, either.”I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. “I just don’t want to cause any trouble.”He took a step closer. “You’re not causing trouble. If anything, I’ve been the one making things difficult for you.”I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. His eyes were steady, fixed on me like I was the only thing in the world. Unbidden, memories of last night’s kiss flitted back through my mind. But I quickly looked away, not wanting to make the same mistake twice.Because that mark was still on prominent display on his neck, and there was no ignoring it.“Well, um…” I swallowed hard, feeling awkward beneath his gaze. “Thank you for the apology. But maybe we should keep things professional from now on. For Thea’s sake.”He nodded slowly. “Perhap
AgnesI was jolted awake by the sound of my bedroom door swinging open. Squinting against the early morning light, I saw a group of maids bustling into the room, their arms filled with piles of fabric, brushes, and all sorts of random beauty tools.“Good morning, Luna Agnes,” one of them chirped, se
“Hmm,” Rosa mused. “Not terrible, but not acceptable either. Back straight, eyes forward. Again.”I repeated the motion, focusing on her instructions.“Better. Now, let’s practice addressing a gentleman.”Elijah stepped forward. “Good morning, Agnes.”“Good morning, Elijah,” I said, trying to mainta
Truthfully, I’d thought about that night more times than I cared to admit. Sometimes, late at night, when the house was quiet and I couldn’t seem to sleep for various reasons, I would let myself imagine what it would be like to sleep with him.First, it started as imagining literally sleeping with h
AgnesThe bouquet fell to the ground, pink and white petals scattering across the floor around my feet. I stared down at them in shock for a moment, my mind racing as the fog of alcohol slowly began to lift.What had I done?I had been cruel to Elijah, snapping at him, pushing him away when all he’d
The after-party was at a nearby lounge bar, the kind of place that was all dim lighting and plush seating. I sat at the edge of the group, nursing a drink as I tried to push down the pain that threatened to consume me.The other Lunas were in high spirits, their laughter filling the room as they rec
AgnesThe show was a success. A huge one, in fact.I knew it would be the moment the first Luna stepped onto the runway and I heard the crowd erupting into applause as the lights caught the intricate details of the designs. The outfits were stunning, even more so because they were born from chaos—fr
“I’m not the one hurting her,” she snapped, her eyes blazing. “You are. You and that… that woman you’ve replaced me with.”I opened my mouth to say something more, but just then, Thea tugged on the lapel of my suit jacket. “I’ll go,” she whispered in my ear. “Just for half an hour. Okay?”I looked d
ElijahThea was bouncing on her toes by the front door, practically vibrating with excitement. She had been talking about the upcoming fashion show nonstop for days, asking me a million questions about what Agnes had designed and whether she would get to see the models up close.We were supposed to
AgnesRuined.Everything was ruined.All of the hard work, all of the weeks spent perfecting the garments, all of the dedication of the designers who had slaved night and day to ensure that this show would go according to plan…It was all destroyed.The very first thing I did was fumble for my phone
When I didn’t answer, Elijah took a step closer and said in a softer voice, “You were always admirable. But I’m even more proud of you now. You’ve taken on so much, and you’ve handled it all with such grace. You’re a natural leader, Agnes. The pack is lucky to have you.”His words caught me off guar
AgnesOver the following weeks, every waking moment went into the finishing touches on the fashion show.What had started as a small charity event for single mothers and families had grown into something far bigger than I had ever imagined, all thanks to the support and enthusiasm of the other Lunas