I couldn't believe how I was acting around her. First there was the whole cabin incident, sneaking in like some kind of creeper. Then yesterday morning... My control seemed to be slipping where Adriana was concerned. The wolf inside me strained at the leash, a rare occurrence. I usually kept it locked down tight, but her... something about her was messing with me.The warmth of her brown eyes, the way her lush curves filled out that red top every time she moved the damn thing swayed like a tempting invitation. My mind conjured an image of the top falling away, leaving her bare... I fought the urge to reach out and test my theory, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace.Adriana, blissfully unaware of the battle raging within me, fiddled with the tie at her neck, drawing my attention back to the mesmerizing rise and fall of her chest. "Hey! Did you get the list of questions I left? They're pretty basic, so I was hoping we could start today?"It took a beat for her words to regis
"I hope you know that you’ve ruined me. I’ll never be able to just point and shoot again with a disposable camera from the drug store.” I laughed up at him as they stood by his truck, our shoulders lightly touching.He chuckled, but the sound did little to lighten the sudden sourness that bubbled up in my stomach. "You won't be the first woman I've ruined.""Great," I muttered, stepping back and offering him a hand. "Maybe we can pick up this interview tomorrow?"Viktor brows furrowed. "What's wrong, Ria?""Ria," I repeated, forcing a smile. "Nothing's wrong."He ignored my hand and surprised me by pulling me into a hug. My breath hitched against his chest. This was a bad idea, a very bad idea."One minute we're laughing, the next you're giving me the cold shoulder," he murmured against my hair.Against my better judgement, the words tumbled out. "You mentioned all these women you've...ruined. It just reminded me that I'm on a deadline here. Getting too friendly isn't exactly part of
Water dripping from my hair and clothes, I stood there gaping like a fish out of water. One minute I was admiring a perfect shot, the next I was taking a dunk in the icy stream. Thankfully, strong hands gripped my arms, hauling me upright before the current could turn me into a bobbing toy.Viktor loomed over me, a thundercloud forming on his handsome face. "What the hell were you doing?" he bellowed.The shock slowly wore off, replaced by a simmering annoyance. "Hey! I wasn't doing anything!" I protested, blinking water out of my eyes. "Until that..." I trailed off, searching the area for the magnificent black beast. "We need to get out of here! There's a wolf!"Panic clawed at me as I spun around, searching for an escape route. The cabin was behind me, but so was the wolf. "There, by the trees!" I pointed, my voice a touch higher than usual.Viktor didn't even glance in the direction I pointed. Instead, he stared at me with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. "Wolf? Ria, there'
Taking the camera back from my outstretched hand, Viktor hesitated. His mouth opened, then snapped shut. Instead of facing me, he turned and marched towards the door."Umm..." I couldn't resist a playful jab, the tension in the room crackling like a live wire. "Didn't you forget something?"He didn't turn, just stood stiffly with his hand on the doorknob. "What?""Clothes?" A snicker escaped my lips, even though I tried to stifle it.He froze. Then, with a swivel of his entire body, he shot me a look that could curdle milk. Scooping his clothes up from where they lay drying by the fire, he muttered, "I'll get dressed outside." With that, he stormed out, leaving me alone with the echo of his retreating footsteps and a silent giggle.Well, this was certainly a turn of events. At least there weren't any neighbors to gawk at a naked man using my porch as a dressing room. Another giggle bubbled up. He beat the usual lawn gnome by a long shot.Shaking off the amusement, I sobered as I walke
Saving the file, I connected to the internet. Viktor's werewolf book popped into my head, and I decided to see what I could find online about lycanthropy. Soon, I was down a rabbit hole, amazed that anyone would dedicate so much time to a fictional world filled with people who turned into animals. It was ridiculous, sure, but undeniably fascinating. Some websites even required proof of being a werewolf to access certain sections! I shook my head, examining the application form. They wanted your family tree to prove your bloodline? As if! Still, it was a cute gimmick. Did anyone ever actually apply? What kind of response would they get? On a whim, I decided to fill one out, just for laughs. The webmaster would probably get a kick out of it. Just as I hit submit, Beth walked back in, a satisfied smile on her face. "Hey there! How'd you do holding down the fort?" "Oh, you know, swamped with customers," I teased, winking. "Did you get all the deliveries done?" "Yep, no problems, alth
Viktor's povI stared across the table at the man in the donut shop. His story seemed legit, no scent of deception clinging to him. Just the usual nervousness and fear a wolf felt when meeting an Alpha for the first time. My gaze drifted to the other side of the room, where two young women and a baby awaited my decision. Both females kept their eyes downcast, one humming softly to the child while the other, barely out of her teens, nervously shredded a napkin. "Let's hear it again," I said, bringing my attention back to the man before me. He spoke quietly, respectful. "As I said, there was a change in leadership. The Alpha and I didn't see eye to eye on my younger sister's mating. He wanted her, but such a union wouldn't have… pleased her, and she's much too young anyway. We ended up having a bit of a disagreement."I nodded. Credit to him for not bad-mouthing his old Alpha, even if the leader sounded like a real piece of work. "So you moved to Canada from Spain. Quite a journey. N
I squirmed in his grip, a childish protest against his overwhelming strength. The sound must have riled him up because he let out a surprised laugh before I surprised him right back with a well-placed kick to his shin. "Hey!" He yelped, instinctively hopping back. I used the opportunity to lash out again, aiming for his knee this time. My foot connected, but not with the force I'd intended. He stumbled back further, but not before grabbing my arm and pulling me down with him. We landed in a heap on a dusty old couch that groaned in protest. "What the hell, Ria?" he spluttered, grabbing his shin. Ignoring his throbbing leg, he pinned me down with his own body, his lower limbs effectively trapping mine. Panic bubbled up in my chest. This wasn't the playful wrestling I'd envisioned. When I started flailing against his chest, he reacted by holding me even tighter. Frustration turned to fear as I realized I was trapped. Just as I opened my mouth to scream, a warm hand clamped over my li
I felt a pang in my chest as the man's joke elicited forced laughter from me. Viktor watched from across the bar, the remorse clouding his handsome features evident even from this distance. And now, the weight of my anger threatened to topple over, promising a scene I desperately wanted to avoid.With a sigh, I pushed myself off the barstool, intending to slip away before things escalated further. Just as I started to weave through the crowd, Viktor materialized beside me, his presence unexpectedly warm against my chilled skin."Adriana""Hey man, you can't just barge in here," a gruff voice boomed, followed by a hand tugging roughly at Viktor's arm.Viktor ignored him, his focus solely on me. "Adriana...""Just go away, Viktor," I spat, my voice tight with hurt. "I have nothing to say to you."He leaned closer, his brow furrowed in concern. "Well, I need to talk to you."A flicker of anger sparked in my eyes, mirroring the burning ache in my chest. "Too bad." My gaze met his, and the
A week later, the world felt a little flatter. The police had finally wrapped up their investigation. It was a random act of violence, they said. Lucy, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A stupid, pointless loss. The idea that Aldrich wouldn’t be blamed for anything grated on me, but I knew involving him would open a can of worms I wasn’t ready to deal with. It wouldn’t bring Lucy back anyway.We brought her home, to Stump River. The town was in mourning. Armand was a shadow of himself, the twinkle gone from his eyes. He disappeared for days after the service and I wondered if he’d turned into a bear and wandered off to grieve in the woods. Were his emotions as raw when he was in animal form? Or did he spend his time scratching at trees, trying to claw the pain away? When he finally reappeared, he looked haggard, but there was a strange kind of peace in his eyes.Beth and Josh went all out with the newspaper article. Pictures of Lucy, smiling and laughing, filled the pages.
Morning. I reclined in the seat as Viktor slowly drove the car out of the parking garage. We’d talked on and off throughout the night and I’d finally accepted the truth of what he’d been telling me. I was becoming a werewolf. There’d been anger and tears; he’d apologized, even though forcing my transformation hadn’t been intentional. Eventually, I’d come to a sort of numb acceptance of the fact.However, my whole life was changing now. I wasn’t just Adriana Watson, waitress and journalism student. Now I was Adriana Watson, secret werewolf. From what I could gather from Viktor's ‘crash course in wolves,’ they were social creatures and lived in packs. There was an Alpha who kept everyone in line and made the important decisions, though pack meetings were held to discuss options. Full moons were a time to party and, if you were new to the whole werewolf thing like me, you had no control and transformed once a month. Older wolves could fight the effects if they wished, though most didn’
My heart pounded like a trapped animal as the lycans closed in, their red eyes burning into me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. These creatures were straight out of a nightmare."Adriana, get behind me," my voice was frantic as I shoved her aside, preparing to shift."Vik..." she whispered, clinging to my arm."Don't worry, Everything will be alright, just need to handle a few stray dogs that's all" I managed a reassuring smile, and then I charged. A towering black wolf replaced me, my fur bristling with tension.The air was thick with the metallic taste of blood and the sharp scent of fear. My senses were on high alert, every hair on my body standing on end. Dozens of pairs of eyes, glowing like embers, focused on me. A massive red lycan charged, but I was faster, slipping beneath its snapping jaws. I countered with a swift attack, his teeth sinking into the lycan's flesh.A deafening howl filled the cavern as the red lycan bucked me off, sending me crashing into the cold, damp
Adriana's povThe metallic tang of blood filled the air, thick and suffocating. Viktor and I stood frozen, our gazes glued to Aldrich's lifeless body slumped on the floor. A single, neat bullet hole marred his forehead. What the hell just happened?The echo of Mr. Greyson's voice shattered the stunned silence. "A pleasure to finally meet you both, Miss Watson and Viktor Donovan... or should I say Viktor Dominique?"My head snapped towards Viktor, relief flooding my chest at his presence. According to him, he was some kind of werewolf. Maybe, just maybe, with him by my side, I had a fighting chance.A nagging worry gnawed at me. If what Viktor said was true, then did that mean I wasn't entirely human? I shoved the thought aside. This wasn't the time to unravel my existential crisis. Getting out of this place alive was priority number one. Viktor could explain everything later.Viktor narrowed his eyes at Greyson, his voice laced with suspicion. "How'd you figure out my real name?"Grey
Viktor's povFollowing a hunch, I hailed a cab and rattled off the address for Greyson's estate. The city was a chaotic mess, a constant symphony of honking horns and shouted insults. I tuned it out, my gut churning with worry. My wolf whined its primal need to find Adriana, to know she was safe.The thought of her alone, grappling with the Change with no guidance, tore at me. Would her body and mind accept this forced transformation? Or would she fight it, a resistance that could be fatal according to Nadia? The icy grip of fear tightened around my heart.But then, a chilling logic surfaced. If she'd spilled the secret, if the wolves knew, she was already a dead woman walking. Was a swift death from the Change preferable to one at my hand? Could I even look her in the eye, deliver the killing blow?Alpha. Duty. The words echoed in my head, hollow and meaningless. Images of Adriana flooded my mind her warm brown eyes, the defiant lift of her chin, the way she'd make me laugh with her
Panic clawed at my throat as Lucy's ragged breaths became uneven. Her pale face, framed by blood-soaked blonde hair, sent a jolt of fear through me. My fingers trembled as I brushed her cheek, whispering her name, but there was no response. A string of curses ripped from my lips. This wasn't right. She shouldn't be hurt, possibly dying. This wasn't her mess. Lucy was pure sunshine, always radiating warmth and kindness. Guilt gnawed at me, reminding me of her playful teasing, the way she'd sashay around with a tray of drinks and a witty comment on her lips. I blinked back the moisture stinging my eyes. Steeling myself, I rose. Moving to the sofa, I sniffed where the unknown male's scent lingered. A scent and a maybe-name –l meager scraps of evidence in a city this size. The scent would be impossible to track, and "Greyson" meant nothing to me. What the hell was I supposed to do? Sirens wailed in the distance, a sharp reminder of the need to leave. Being caught at a crime scene would
The door suddenly opened and I was forced to abandon my conflicted thoughts. Jumping to my feet, I turned to face an obviously surprised Lucy. “Viktor, what are you doing here?” “Hi, Lucy. I… um… ” She walked up to me and kissed my cheek, before moving to take her coat off. “Never mind. I know the truth." “You do?” He stiffened, assuming the worst. “Of course. You’re sorry for your fight with Ria and came here to make up.” “Uh… Right. That’s it.” I latched onto the lifeline she’d unknowingly handed to me. “I’m here to make things right.” Lucy nodded, glancing at Adriana lying on the sofa, her face quickly changing from a happy to grin to real concern. “Oh, is she sick again?” “Yeah. She fainted coming into the building and I carried her up here. She has a fever. I was just going to give her an aspirin." “I’ll get some from the medicine cabinet.” Lucy turned to go. “No. I already checked. There isn’t any. Um… why don’t you sit with her and I’ll go to the store.” I f
I didn't know where she was. Just be quiet, I ordered myself, clenching my jaw. Creeping past the doorway, I peeked into the first room the bedroom. Clothes were strewn everywhere, a mishmash of Lucy's floral patterns and my own dark t-shirts. Her scent lingered, a familiar mix of lavender and something distinctly... her. The bathroom was empty, the towels abandoned in a heap. Back in the living area, a few papers lay scattered on the counter. Junk mail, bills, nothing interesting. But then aha! On a nearby table, Adriana laptop glowed, left open. Sitting down, I scanned the screen, my stomach tightening. My name stared back at me, bold and accusing, next to a picture file I knew for a fact I'd deleted. That little...! Somehow, she'd gotten more copies. Fury surged through me as I clicked on the document titled with my name. The more I read, the deeper my scowl became. By the time I reached the final paragraphs, I wanted to hurl the damn machine across the room. There it was, in bl
“Are you sure you’ll be all right?” Lucy stared at me with a frown. “You still don’t look so good.” We were leaning against the kitchen counter sipping coffee and preparing to start our day. I, however reluctantly, had to head off to meet with Aldrich, while Lucy was going to spend the morning taking a bus tour of the city that I had recommended. Rolling my eyes, I reassured Lucy, yet again. "Honestly, I'm fine. The fever broke last night. My arm's not as sore. It's just a lack of sleep and nerves over this meeting that are making me look less than prime. I'll go see Aldrich and give him this report while you take a tour of the city. Then we'll meet back here for lunch and go shopping." "Why don't you just e-mail the report and come with me?" I sighed. "I wish, but Aldrich hates e-mail. He wants face to face contact. I think he likes to watch people squirm." Seeing Lucy's concerned expression, I added a light laugh. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." "Well… if you're sure." "Go." I