“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
AgnesI wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting golden rays across the ballroom floor. We had been at this for hours, and still, the feather kept fluttering to the ground like a mocking little bird.“Again,” Rosa commanded sharply, tapping her foot impatien
“Impressive,” he commented as I executed a particularly tricky turn.“Don’t sound so surprised,” I replied lightly.“Not surprised, just... delighted.”My heart fluttered at his words, but I focused on the rhythm, allowing myself to be fully present in the moment. The fabric of his shirt brushed aga
AgnesThe next morning dawned bright and clear, and I found myself once again heading toward the parlor for another etiquette lesson with Rosa. Elijah was busy today, so he wouldn’t be attending. I was a bit relieved not to have to interact with him, but I did wonder what Rosa had in store for me.A
AgnesI stood outside Elijah’s office door the next morning, taking a deep breath before knocking lightly. The muffled sounds of conversation ceased, and his deep voice called out, “Come in.”Pushing the door open, I found him seated behind his massive mahogany desk, papers strewn about. He looked u
Was it possible… that Elijah was the man I had slept with all those years ago?The thought made my heart pound for reasons I wasn’t quite willing to admit. But I pushed those thoughts away, instead focusing on the present.Retracing my steps, I headed back toward the shopping center and made my way
AgnesI stared down at the book in my hands, feeling like my face was on fire. “I-I didn’t realize what it was,” I blurted out, desperately trying to cover up my embarrassment. “I-I must have grabbed it by mistake.”Elijah glanced over at me. To my surprise, there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Agnes, it’s alright. Remember your Luna lesson: you don’t have to explain yourself.”I fiddled with the edge of the book’s glossy cover. My cheeks heated even more at the sight of the shirtless model on the front. “But I’m telling the truth. I don’t usually read... this sort of thing.”He shrugged, his eyes returning to the road ahead. The light turned green, and he accelerated, the city turning into a blur around us. “And so what if you did? There’s nothing wrong with that.”I shot him a sidelong glance, surprised. “You mean, you don’t mind?”“Why would I?” he asked, glancing at me in the rearview mirror. “It’s still a book just like any other. Who cares if it has... ero
And although I didn’t want to let myself consider this as an option, I thought back to the possibilities surrounding the DNA test—if Elijah was somehow the man I had hooked up with all those years ago, then…Maybe he wasn’t the worst choice in a one night stand, if this was his mentality surrounding more… intimate matters.By the time we finally pulled up to the house, however, I was dying to get away. I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to him briefly, my face still red from our encounter. “Thank you for the ride.”“Anytime,” he replied as he cut the engine.I hurried inside before he could follow me, clutching the book tightly. Once in my room, I slipped it under the mattress, planning to dispose of it discreetly the next time I went out. No matter what Elijah said, this genre wasn’t really my cup of tea.But that night, sleep evaded me. I tossed and turned, unable to stop thinking about the DNA test. What if the first test had been a mistake? What if Thea really was my missing daugh
“Thank you,” he called back. “We’ll be down shortly.”We heard footsteps retreating, and reluctantly, we began to untangle ourselves from the sheets. After a quick shower—which almost devolved into another round of lovemaking before we remembered the waiting breakfast—we dressed in the casual clothe
AgnesI woke to the gentle warmth of sunlight against my eyelids and the feeling of Elijah’s body curved around mine. For a moment, I inhaled deeply, letting reality filter back into my consciousness.The wedding. The confrontation with Olivia and Mason. The sweet surrender in Elijah’s arms afterwar
Elijah grinned, looking incredibly pleased with himself. He looked almost impish, a flicker of the young boy within shining through. “It wasn’t easy. James helped a lot, and so did Evelyn and Gertrude. Plus, you’ve been rather distracted with your sewing.”Just then, Thea appeared at our side, tuggi
AgnesI placed my hand in Elijah’s, my heart fluttering in my chest as he led me down the steps from the stage. The crowd parted, forming a circle around the dance floor. His arm slipped around my waist, drawing me close.It still amazed me just how perfectly our bodies fit together.And then we wer
The crowd cheered. Warmth washed over me, and for a moment, I almost forgot that Olivia and Mason were watching. But then Elijah’s expression hardened, and he pointed to where they were standing at the back of the room, James and a few other pack members flanking them.“But our celebration was nearl
AgnesBy the time we made it back downstairs, I’d managed to smooth down the remainder of the wrinkles in my skirt and quickly fix my hair. Thea was already chattering to Elijah about the tasty cakes she’d eaten while we were gone, even though he’d told her not to ruin her dinner.But right now, nei
Elijah’s hands gripped my hips, steadying me as I adjusted to his size. “You feel so good,” he rasped out. “Do you know that? How amazing you feel, every time I’m inside you? It’s like a drug.”His words made me begin to move instinctively, rocking against him with slow, deliberate rolls of my hips.
AgnesThe force of my kiss sent us tumbling backward, Elijah’s solid frame catching me as we fell against the bed. My skirts billowed around us, tangling in a swirl of fabric that trapped our legs together.Our mouths locked desperately, lips bruising against each other as I pressed myself closer, m
With trembling fingers—shaking partly from the aphrodisiac still coursing through my veins and partly from nerves—I fumbled with the clasp. It took three tries before the little door swung open.A delicate silver ring tumbled out, landing in my palm. It caught the light from the few remaining candle