But then, just as things intensified, a distant sound pulled me away.“Mommy?”My eyes snapped open at the sound of someone knocking on the door. Morning light filtered through the curtains, and I realized that I was tangled in the sheets, the book still clutched in my hands. My heart pounded as the vivid remnants of the dream lingered.“Mommy!” Thea’s voice called from the other side of the door. “I’m hungry!”Panic surged through me. “J-Just a minute!” I scrambled to hide the book under the mattress again, smoothing out the covers hastily.Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to find Thea standing there with an expectant grin on her face. “Good morning,” I greeted, forcing a smile.“Good morning!” she chirped. “Can we please have pancakes again?”“Sure, sweetheart. Let’s go to the kitchen.”As we made our way downstairs, I tried to shake off the lingering feelings from the dream. That was all it was: a dream induced by late-night erotica.But every movement reminded me of the way
AgnesLater that day, I found myself walking alongside Elijah through the corridors of the pack’s administrative building yet again. I struggled to keep up with his quick pace, my heels clicking loudly on the marble floors.“Today, I’d like you to join me in several meetings,” Elijah said, glancing
AgnesI could feel Ava’s smirk burning into the side of my face as I plugged in my flash drive and set up the PowerPoint. She was seated directly across from me, arms folded, a glint of smug satisfaction in her eyes.She probably thought I was going to crash and burn. Well, she could think whatever
Mr. Reynold’s face went red. Around the table, I heard a few scattered chuckles at my quip. Even Elijah seemed to be hiding a tiny smirk behind his hand.But then Ava suddenly blurted out smugly, “Do you have projections to support this?”I knew she would ask that—trying to trip me up. But I had com
AgnesThe day of the charity gala had finally arrived, and I found myself standing in front of the mirror, adjusting the strap of my gown for what felt like the hundredth time. It was a stunning dress—a beautiful gold, hugging my figure in all the right places—but I couldn’t help the wave of nerves
Agnes & ElijahAgnesWe moved from the ballroom at the gala to the auction hall for the next part of the gala—the auction. I took in the elegant surroundings, the polished floors and glittering chandeliers, feeling a bit more relaxed now that Elijah had solidified my place at his side to everyone. W
“I didn’t, Agnes. I thought about you every single day. I wanted to reach out, but I didn’t know how. And Ava… she kept pushing the lie, making it sound like I’d ruin your life if I showed up again.”I felt a wave of nausea hit me. Years of pain, confusion, and heartache—because of one person’s mani
ElijahAs the night wound down and the energy of the event began to fade, I slipped away from the mingling crowd. The conversation I’d just had with Mason lingered in my mind, like an echo I couldn’t quite shake. He had been warm, even kind—an unexpected balm to the tension that had gripped me all e
“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