Nicholas's POV The moment Emma left the room, I let out a ragged breath I didn't know I had been holding. My mind was an absolute mess. I couldn't believe I had kissed her, yet the warmth of her lips still haunted mine. I clenched my fists, trying to ground myself, but the memory of that kiss kept flooding back. *James, * I mind-linked my Beta, my best friend, the one person who always knew how to help me find my bearings. *I need you. * Within minutes, there was a knock at my door. Without waiting for my answer, James walked in, his usually carefree demeanour replaced with concern. "Is everything okay, Alpha?" I sighed, running a hand through my hair and before I knew it, words escaped my mouth. "I messed up, James. I kissed her." For a moment, James said nothing. His eyes studied me, understanding flashing across his features. He pulled a chair over and sat down across from me. "I’m not surprised," he began slowly. "You can't ignore your feelings forever, Nicholas." "What
Emma's POV I had spent the entire night tossing and turning, my thoughts consumed by the kiss I had shared with Nicholas. What was I going to say to him now? How could I face him? I sighed heavily as I brushed my hair, my mind chaotic with unspoken feelings and unresolved questions. After mustering enough courage, I finally made my way to Nicholas’s room. With each step, my heart pounded louder, the echo of uncertainty whispering cruel possibilities. With a shaky hand, I pushed open the door, expecting to find him there. But his room was empty. Where could he be? My pulse quickened with worry as I turned and hurried downstairs. My footsteps echoed through the grand hallway, leading me to the living room. There he was, sitting near the fireplace, his back straight and expression unreadable. The tension in the air was palpable, and I could feel the weight of unspoken words between us. I cleared my throat, hoping to catch his attention. "Nicholas, I—" I started, but he lifted a
Nicholas's POV The room grew colder as Lena's words hung heavily in the air. "Pregnant," she had said as if the word itself could fix everything broken between us. My thoughts twisted in a chaotic whirlwind. How could I trust her? Lena had shattered any semblance of honesty we once had. Yet here she was, uttering something I had yearned to hear for so long, but it felt like a cruel joke or a desperate ploy to reclaim some twisted version of our past. "Lena," I managed, my voice strained under the weight of disbelief. "How can you be sure?" "I just know, Nicholas," she insisted, taking a step closer. Her eyes pleaded, but the sincerity behind them was clouded by years of deceit. "You can have tests done if that will make you believe me. I'll do whatever it takes." My mind darted from one thought to another. I needed time. Time to think, to process, to clear my head from the fog of betrayal Lena had cloaked me in. "I need some time," I said, more firmly this time. "Just... give m
Emma's POV Seated in my room, I struggled to bring order to the chaos of my thoughts. The kiss with Nicholas haunted me every moment, a constant whisper of what could never be. Yet the intensity of that moment left a lingering ache in my heart that I couldn't ignore. I tried to convince myself that telling Nicholas to forget last night was the right thing to do. But why did it hurt so much? I felt stupid for feeling this way. Just as I gulped down the lump forming once again in my throat, a voice broke through my door, sending a shiver down my spine. "So, dear sister, did you really think you could steal my life?" The sharp, accusatory tone unmistakably belonged to Lena. I swivelled in my chair, eyes wide with shock. "That wasn’t what I was doing, Lena. I took this job to help our family," I said, my voice trembling but resolute. Lena, smirking, crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, Nicholas won't be needing you anymore." A laugh escaped my lips, though it sounded foreign
Emma's POVThe cool evening breeze brushed against my skin as I stood on the porch of my small apartment. I had been staying here for the past few days, trying to distance myself from the chaos that had engulfed my life. But the shadows of Nicholas and our forbidden kiss lingered, haunting my every thought.I took a deep breath, steadying myself as I prepared to go inside. The door creaked softly as I pushed it open, and the familiar scent of my home welcomed me. It was a stark contrast to the grandeur of the mansion I had been living in, but it was mine. Here, I could escape the expectations and judgments that weighed so heavily on me.As I settled onto the couch, I heard a knock at the door. My heart raced, a mix of anticipation and anxiety swirling within me. Who could it be at this hour? I hesitated before rising to answer, my mind racing with possibilities. Was it Nicholas coming to tell me he couldn’t let me go? Or perhaps Lena, fueled by another bout of misplaced anger?When I
Nicholas's POVThe first rays of dawn filtered through the curtains as I lay in bed, every joint and muscle aching from the restless nights that had become my new normal. Emma's departure had left an unfillable void, her absence an unwelcome reminder of the chaos my life had spiralled into. Each morning, I prayed for her return, her calming presence, her laughter, but instead, it was another nurse.My heart ached to have Emma back in my life, and I hated myself for not telling her from the start that she was my mate. But my heart was such a mess then with everything I had just been through, and all though my heart was still confused, there was one thing I knew for sure, and that was that I wanted Emma in my life forever.The soft hum of the morning was interrupted by the nurse preparing me for the day. Her practised efficiency only served to highlight the absence of Emma's gentle touch. I was lost in thought, contemplating how to navigate the tangled threads of my life, when a knock s
Emma's POVWalking away from Nicholas was harder than I thought it would be. I couldn’t let myself feel the things I was feeling for him. It was wrong, and he would never want me anyway. He was the alpha, and I was nothing more than a wolfless girl. As we walked toward the café, my mind wandered through the myriad of relationships tangled around me. Lena's selfishness, my father’s obsession with money, and Nicholas’s silent battle—the complexities seemed endless. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp air, hoping it would steady me.I'd been so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn’t even noticed that Aaron had been talking to me until he touched my shoulder. “Emma, are you going to sit down?”Startled, I looked around and realised we were already at the café. “Oh, sorry. Yes, of course,” I said, sliding into the chair he pulled out for me. The rich aroma of roasted coffee beans enveloped us, offering a momentary escape from the world outside.Aaron took the seat opposit
Emma's POVInstead of heading back to my apartment, I decided to follow through on my curiosity and check out the hospital I'd mentioned to Aaron—Hope View Rehabilitation Centre. Perched on the edge of the city and nestled among the mountains, this place supposedly offered a sanctuary for those dealing with life-altering injuries.My car's tyres crunched over the gravel road as I drove up the mountain, the dense forest parting to reveal the grand structure of the hospital. Bathed in the golden hue of the setting sun, the building looked almost ethereal. Pines surrounded the area, their silhouettes swaying gently in the breeze, and the crisp scent of nature filled the air. The tranquillity of the scene momentarily eased the turbulent thoughts swirling in my head.I parked and stepped out, taking a moment to absorb the beautiful surroundings. The mountains provided a majestic backdrop, and the forest seemed to whisper ancient secrets. Maybe, just maybe, this was exactly where I needed t