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 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
“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
ElijahThe honeymoon phase of our wedding ceremony had me walking on clouds for days. Every morning I woke up next to Agnes, her body warm against mine, her scent mingling with the sheets. Every night I fell asleep with her in my arms, sated from lovemaking and our hearts full. Even Thea had noticed
For a tense moment, we stared at each other, locked in a silent battle of wills. Then, slowly, Olivia’s shoulders sagged.“Fine,” she said. “Yes. I cursed her. I suppressed her wolf.”Despite having suspected it, hearing the confession from her lips sent a surge of rage through me. “Why?”“Because s
Agnes“Did you pack my blue swimsuit? The one with the fishes?” Thea asked as she watched me fold clothes into our suitcases.I smiled, holding up the child-sized swimsuit in question. “Right here. Along with your goggles, floaties, and sunscreen.”Thea bounced excitedly on the mattress. “I can’t wa
“And my wolf?” I blurted out, my face heating at the suddenness—and perhaps selfishness—of my question.Elijah’s features softened. “We’ll figure it out. Without Olivia actively maintaining the curse, there’s a good chance your wolf will emerge on her own over time. And we’ll keep working on ways to
AgnesThe rental car that was waiting for us outside the airport was a sleek silver convertible, and after about thirty minutes of driving along coastal roads with the wind kissing our hair and faces, Elijah turned onto a private driveway that wound up a small hill. As we crested the top, I gasped.
Thea was already back from day camp when I arrived, sprawled on the living room floor with a coloring book and a horde of new crayons—which we’d certainly be finding under the couch for years to come. She looked up as I entered.“Mommy!” She jumped up and ran to hug me. “How was work?”“It was good,
AgnesI straightened my blouse one last time before pushing open the glass door to the design department. It had been almost a month since I’d last set foot in the office—first because of the fire, then because of everything with Thea and the house rebuild.I wasn’t nervous, exactly, but there was a
“Thank you.” I took a sip, letting the rich flavor roll over my tongue. “For everything. Not just the wine.”He smiled. “You don’t need to thank me, Agnes. None of this would have happened without you.”“That’s not true. You’re the one who went to see Olivia. You’re the one who believed her crazy st
Agnes“Your eyes are drooping, kiddo.”“Are not!” Thea insisted, even as her eyelids fluttered shut for a moment as she said that. “I’m just… blinking.”I snorted and shut the picture book I was reading. “Those are some awfully long blinks, Thea. Your new room will still be here when you wake up in
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the house together. Thea insisted on opening every drawer, looking into every closet, and testing every light switch. Elijah and I couldn’t help but join her in this endeavour.The builders really had outdone themselves, and my mind was already racing wit
Agnes“Keep your eyes closed,” I warned Thea as Elijah and I guided her up the front steps of our newly rebuilt home. “No peeking.”“I’m not peeking,” Thea sighed, even though I could see her looking through her fingers clear as day.It was Thea’s eighth birthday, and also moving day. The house had
“I’d like to come,” she said quietly, tucking the day pass into her pocket. “To the ceremony.”I nodded, relieved. It was the right thing to do, regardless of our history. Everyone deserves the chance to say goodbye to their child.“Why hasn’t Elijah unmarked me yet?” she asked abruptly. “He could d
AgnesOlivia stood pressed against the wall of her cell, her eyes darting from me to the tray of tea and cookies I’d set on the small desk.“Would you like to sit?” I asked, gesturing to the lone chair at the desk. When she didn’t move, I added, “I promise I’m not here to hurt you.”“Right,” she sco
“We have to tell her,” I said, pulling back to look at Elijah. “On her birthday, like we planned.”“Two more days,” he agreed, wiping a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “Goddess, Agnes, I can’t believe it. All this time...”Pure joy bubbled up inside of me, and suddenly I was laughing through my t