Even if, according to my wolf, he was supposed to be my mate once.Before my wolf left me. Or before she was… stolen from me.I couldn’t focus the rest of the day. Every sketch I started ended up with the color of Elijah’s filling the lines. Every fabric swatch felt like his hands brushing mine. By
AgnesElijah’s question caught me off guard. Honestly, I hadn’t even been expecting to make it this far, and now that I was here, I was utterly mortified and unsure of what to say. Here I was, standing in a lacy black nightgown in front of him, under the guise of bringing him tea.Of course I wasn’t
AgnesThe weeks after that night in Elijah’s study passed in a blur, and yet somehow more normal than I expected.Of course, I rebuilt the wall around my heart brick by brick, and made sure to build it thicker than it was before. I told myself I had been foolish—reckless, even—to think that I could
I glanced up at her, wondering just what she was getting at, bringing up my wolf like that out of nowhere. “I manage just fine,” I said.“Do you?” she asked simply.I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from snapping at her. I knew she was trying to get under my skin, and what really hurt was that it
ElijahThe distance between us worsened every day after that night in my study.Once, Agnes and I had been able to build a tentative trust, maybe even a tender sort of understanding. We had our slip-ups, like that day in the hallway after she had slapped her stepmother, but things were still good.B
She hesitated, her smile faltering for just a moment before she recovered. “Of course she did. Why else would I be here?”I didn’t believe her. Not for a second. Agnes wouldn’t have personally asked Olivia to model in the show—not after… Well, everything. But I didn’t call her out on it.Instead, I
AgnesI woke up with a jolt to the sound of my alarm blaring in my ears. My hand shot out to silence it, and as I did, I felt the weight of the book from the restricted section sliding off my chest and onto the bed. I groaned, rubbing my eyes as the events of the previous night came rushing back.I
AgnesThea glanced back and forth between the two of us, her teddy bear clutched tightly to her chest.“You’re supposed to be in bed, young lady,” I said with an incredulous laugh. Her bedtime was over an hour ago. “And you have school tomorrow.”But to my surprise, Elijah shook his head. “Actually,
“Of course. The flowers, the lighting, even the table settings—it’s all beautiful.” I tilted my head, studying his expression. “Why do you look so pleased with yourself? Did you have something to do with this?”Before he could answer, Thea tugged on my dress, pointing excitedly to a group of childre
AgnesAll eyes turned toward us.I felt my face heat under their collective gaze. Looking around at the other women in attendance, I realized with a start that my gown was by far the most elaborate in the room. The structured bodice with its window to my heart, the crystal beadwork catching every fl
I looked up at him, puzzled. “Why not?”“It’s a surprise,” he said simply. “Trust me on this.”As I turned the locket in my hand, I thought I heard something rattle inside. Curious, I shook it gently, and there it was again—a tiny clinking sound, like something hidden inside.“What did you put in he
AgnesI woke to a gentle knock on my bedroom door. Blinking away sleep, I glanced at the clock. 7:30 in the morning. The gala wasn’t until later that evening, but my stomach fluttered with anticipation anyway. Today was the day I’d finally wear my creation, against all odds.“Come in,” I called out,
Eventually, Thea’s boundless energy drew her away to chase a butterfly, leaving Elijah and me sitting beneath the cherry tree. Petals drifted down around us like pale pink snow, catching in my hair and on Elijah’s shoulders. We sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, watching Thea run between
AgnesMy fingers trembled as I attached another crystal bead to the bodice of the gown. I’d been sewing for hours, but my mind refused to settle down no matter how much I tried. The same questions kept circling like vultures, picking at my flesh until it was raw.Could it really be true? Was Mason m
“Agnes?” Elijah squeezed my hand gently. “Are you okay? You look pale.”I forced a smile, pushing aside my suspicions for now. “I’m fine. Just shocked about the witch. And thank you, for waking me up from that nightmare. It was…” I shuddered, remembering the little skeleton in Thea’s bed. “It was ho
AgnesSunlight streamed through the bedroom window, illuminating Elijah’s dark eyes. It was morning. I was in bed, safe although terrified, and the house was just as it always was. Warm and cozy, embers still glowing in the fireplace, and not a cobweb or a skeleton to be seen.Elijah’s face hovered
Just then, a soft rustling sound came from the bed, drawing my attention. There was a small form under the covers, quivering slightly. Like she was hiding under the blankets, scared. Or maybe holding in laughter. It was hard to tell.“Thea?” I said, relief flooding through me. “You scared me, honey.