"Being sized," I lied smoothly. "They had to order it in my size.""But you must have pictures!" She thrust out her hand expectantly.I showed her a stock photo from the jeweler's website, hoping she wouldn't notice."Wow, that's... big," Ethan remarked, eyebrows raised. "Not really your style, is i
The antiseptic smell of the hospital room wrinkled my nose as I regained consciousness. A dull throb pulsed at my temple, and when I reached up, I felt a bandage. Memories before I blacked out rushed back—the ring shopping, Raymond and Giana, the confrontation, and then pain.A soft shuffling sound
Raymond, who had been checking his phone in the corner, finally looked up. "Giana, maybe let the nurse handle that.""I've almost got it," she persisted, pressing her thumb directly against the cut.Pain lanced through my head, and I jerked away involuntarily. "Stop!"Raymond was beside us in an ins
I stared at Kane's outstretched hand, conflicted. His sudden gallantry was jarring compared to his usual playboy demeanor."I'd rather walk," I said coldly, adjusting my hospital bag on my shoulder.Kane arched an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "In your condition? Be reasonable, Aurora."I took a ste
Giana's face crumpled on cue, tears welling in her eyes. "I knew it was a mistake to ask for help," she said, her voice quivering perfectly. "I should just go. I don't want to cause problems between you and Aurora."She started to turn away, a calculated move that worked exactly as intended. Raymond
The Alpha mansion buzzed with whispers as Giana settled into the Omega quarters. I'd barely been back from the hospital for two days, but the staff's loyalty was clear in every subtle gesture—the way they conveniently "forgot" to deliver Giana's meals on time, or how the housekeeper accidentally "mi
"Friend," Raymond cut in sharply. "You're my friend, Giana, and I won't have you mistreated." He turned to his father. "She's under my protection. That should be enough."Alpha Marcus looked between Giana's tearful face and Raymond's defiant expression, then to me. I kept my expression neutral, thou
I opened my mouth to correct the boutique owner, but Kane stepped forward before I could speak. His eyes never left mine as he moved closer."Beautiful doesn't begin to cover it," he said, his voice a low rumble that sent an unexpected shiver down my spine.The shop owner clasped her hands in deligh
I rubbed my arm where his fingers had dug in. "I was networking with allied Alphas, as is my duty.""Networking?" Raymond scoffed. "You were flirting, encouraging their advances.""I was doing no such thing," I said, indignation rising. "They were being inappropriate, and I was attempting to extrica
The Great Hall had been transformed beyond recognition. Cascading lights resembling stars hung from the vaulted ceiling, while strategically placed living trees created the illusion of an enchanted forest. The soft amber glow from hundreds of floating lanterns cast everyone in their most flattering
Surprise flickered across Kane's face before he controlled it. "You were spying on us?""I was passing by," I said, the half-truth coming easily. "But her questions seemed oddly specific."Kane's expression grew thoughtful. "Yes, they did. Almost as if she had prior knowledge of Council politics.""
I worked through the night, completely redesigning the Gala entrance and arrival sequence to accommodate Kane's last-minute security demands. By dawn, my eyes burned from exhaustion, but the revised plans were complete.A small, defiant part of me took satisfaction in the work's perfection. If Giana
The following morning, Kane was nowhere to be found at our scheduled security briefing. His second-in-command delivered the update instead, informing me that Kane had reassigned himself to border patrol duty—effectively removing himself from all Gala preparations.Two days passed in similar fashion.
I pressed my hands against my eyes, horrified to find them wet with tears I hadn't realized I was shedding. "So don't stand there and lecture me about self-respect when you have no idea what it costs me just to get through each day."The silence that followed my outburst seemed to stretch forever. W
The insistent pounding on my door started just after midnight. I knew who it was before I even reached the entryway—only Kane would dare disturb the Luna at this hour with such impatience.I opened the door to find him exactly as I'd expected: jaw clenched, eyes blazing with barely contained anger.
"A guest who's apparently the only one willing to point out the obvious," Kane retorted. "This isn't about giving Giana protection. This is about legitimizing your relationship while Aurora does all the actual work."The tension between them crackled, both men drawing themselves to their full height
"The ceiling installation needs to be raised another foot," I explained to the decorating committee. "The taller guests will be at risk of hitting the lower elements otherwise."Five committee members nodded, making notes as I walked them through the adjustments to the Gala design. We stood in the c