Ainsley felt physically satisfied. At that moment, they both reached a climax at the same time.As they panted, experiencing the pleasure of their bodies, their hearts broke."Ainsley, I hate you," Eloise said hoarsely.Ainsley's fingers trembled, but he still managed to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead.There was something inexplicable hidden behind his deep eyes, something that confused Eloise. However, the moment she looked into them, the familiar pain resurfaced from her numb heart, piercing her with sharp clarity.Three years ago, just a single glance from him could make her heart race. She had naively believed he was the mate chosen for her by the Moon Goddess, that their love was destined. She never imagined he would be the one to bring her such endless pain.Ainsley ran a hand over her forehead, wiping away the sweat."Don’t touch me," Eloise snapped, pushing his hand away. She glared at him coldly, even as he hovered over her. "Alpha Williams, I hate you. And I will
In the middle of the night, only the sound of steady breathing filled the room.Eloise clamped her trembling hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the sound of her own horror. Her heartbeat pounded so violently that she thought Ainsley would wake up just from the force of it.What the hell was I thinking?She felt sick. The warmth of his skin still lingered on her fingers, the pulse of his life steady beneath her grip only moments ago.Her breath came in shallow gasps as she struggled to process what she had almost done. Mica/Rain… was that what you would have wanted? Would you have wanted me to kill him?Her entire body tensed as a cold shiver ran down her spine. Slowly, as if afraid she might startle a beast in slumber, she withdrew her hand from Ainsley’s neck. The air felt heavy, suffocating, as she stared at his face was peaceful and unguarded.He looks so different when he’s asleep… almost human.Tears burned at the edges of her eyes. She hated him, loathed him & despised him. B
Ainsley’s body tensed as the warmth in his arms shifted.Something was off!.His eyes snapped open, and in the dim glow of the room, he caught sight of Eloise, her legs dangling off the side of the bed, her slender frame slipping from his grasp.His breath hitched.Before she could touch the floor, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, yanking her back with force. Eloise let out a sharp gasp as she was pulled against his chest. Without hesitation, he repositioned her, forcing her down onto his lap."You really have no sense of fear, do you?" Ainsley’s voice was low, edged with warning.Eloise struggled, twisting in his grip. “Let me go!”Ainsley’s jaw tightened. Without another word, his palm landed on her backside with a sharp smack.Eloise froze. A second later, she realized what had just happened."Stop! Stop it!" she cried, her breath shaky.Ainsley exhaled slowly, his control razor-thin as he dragged his hand over the curve of her ass, his fingers teasing the heated skin.“Do you
Thinking of Eloise, Ellison shook his head. I'm not that shameless. She's been pushed to the edge of survival, and now Alex still wants me to kill her. That poor woman? I'm not that terrible.At the other end of the line, Alex continued cursing Eloise.Hearing Alex's vicious words, irritation surged through Ellison. He raised a hand, ran his fingers through his hair, and snapped impatiently, “Enough.”His voice turned cold as he roared, “Beta Alex, I’ll say it again. If you want to kill someone, do it yourself. I will not stop you or help you.”Beta Alex got one thing right. If Eloise were to die, it would be good for me, too. The truth from three years ago will never come to light.“Ellison, you have to help me. Or I’ll tell Alpha Ainsley what you did three years ago.” Alex’s voice trembled with nervousness.Ellison let out a low chuckle. “Beta Alex, then you knew Eloise was innocent.”A heavy silence followed. Alex's grip on the phone tightened as realization struck.From the moment
Ainsley turned his head, his sharp gaze piercing through the dimly lit study. Hank remained on his knees, his body tense.“I told you to look into things from three years ago.” Ainsley’s voice was calm, yet it held a quiet storm. His fingers drummed against the report on his desk, his expression darkening. “Hank, do you still think no one knows about it?”The weight of his words sent a chill down Hank’s spine.Ainsley tapped the report again. Once, twice...the sound was eerily sharp in the heavy silence. His jaw tightened. “I think they found out the moment you made a move. See? The proof here is perfect.”Ainsley’s mind churned with unanswered and unsettling questions. Why did Grandpa make that decision three years ago?His fingers curled into a fist as frustration gnawed at him. What happened three years ago?It haunted him, a relentless shadow. But even if it concerned the entire pack, there was no reason, none—that justified killing a pack member and framing Eloise of the Golden M
Ainsley threw her onto the bed. Before Eloise could sit up, the bed dipped beside her. She looked up. Ainsley was sitting on the edge of the bed, one of his hands holding up her left leg.Eloise's face suddenly turned pale. She couldn't help but look toward the door.There were so many people at the door. Did he want to have sex in front of everyone?With that possibility in mind, Eloise's face turned sullen. She extended her leg to kick Ainsley.Then, Ainsley tightened his grip on her ankle.He turned his head and looked at her with a warning in his eyes.Eloise's heart skipped a beat. She gritted her teeth and suppressed the urge to kick him.Ainsley held her ankle with his slender fingers and slowly lifted her foot.This action made Eloise feel embarrassed. She bit her lower lip, and her face turned pale.“Ainsley, if you want to humiliate me, there is nothing I can do!” Eloise was desperate.At that moment, she wanted to either die or tear the man in front of her to pieces.She si
“Miss Anthony!” Samantha snapped, shoving the dress toward Eloise’s hands.Eloise recoiled, her eyes narrowing as if the dress itself was repulsive. Her stomach twisted in disgust. The sight of the pristine white fabric made her want to scream. It was sickening and offensive.Before she could stop herself, she waved her hands in the air, desperate to shove the dress away.Then, something unexpected happened.In the struggle, Eloise’s hands shoved against Samantha with more force than intended. The stylist gasped as she stumbled backward.A sharp intake of breath filled the room, the silence.Eloise froze. Samantha hit the ground with a graceless thud, her coat flaring open as she landed. The impact wasn’t hard, but it was awkward, undignified.A split second later, two buttons popped off Samantha’s blouse, tumbling onto the floor with small, hollow clicks. The delicate fabric parted, revealing the soft swell of her cleavage.A beat of silence stretched.Samantha’s breath hitched. Her
“No, it’s not Miss Anthony. This is the Luna of Litha Night Walker Pack,” Ainsley said.The makeup artist froze, her brush slipping slightly between her fingers. “What?”“She’s my mate.” Ainsley’s voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt. His sharp gaze settled on the makeup artist. “What do you think you should call her?”The woman’s face paled instantly. A thin sheen of sweat formed on her forehead, ruining the delicate makeup she had just applied. Her hands trembled as she lowered her head, realizing her mistake.At the back of the room, Alex stiffened.His head lifted slowly, his gaze locking onto Eloise.For a brief moment, an unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes. Then, he quickly lowered his gaze, but his clenched fists betrayed the turmoil within. His body remained motionless, yet the weight of his hatred and sorrow radiated from him like an unspoken scream.Ainsley turned to leave but suddenly halted. Without looking back, he spoke, his voice calm but carrying a quiet me
Suddenly, Ellison stood up and pushed Ainsley hard. He said, “Let her go. You’re so selfish! Didn’t you hear her? Eloise has no intention of going with you!”Ainsley, caught off guard, stumbled backward. His usually fierce and commanding presence, like a true Alpha, was broken at an unexpected moment. He collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.Gasps echoed through the crowd, the people’s eyes widened in shock. Even the air seemed to stand still.Jacob’s face darkened. Without hesitation, he rushed forward and knelt beside Ainsley. “Ainsley, are you okay?” His voice cracked with concern as he reached to cradle his head. But his palm came out wet. Jacob looked down and froze. His fingers were stained red.“What is this?” he whispered, stunned.Blood!A sharp silence followed. Ellison, noticing the shift, stepped forward instinctively, but Hank had already rushed past him, panic flashing in his eyes. “Alpha Ainsley?”Eloise’s eyes widened. Her body stiffened, and for a moment, she see
Ellison stood frozen on the stairs, halfway down, his hands clenched tightly on the railing. He’d come down to stop Ainsley, to intervene, but when he saw the fire in Eloise’s eyes, the way she held herself back from launching another object, he couldn't move. Not yet.Ainsley’s cold voice echoed through the tension-filled room. “What else do you want to throw at me? I’ll get it for you.”Ellison stepped forward, breaking the thick silence. “No need to bother you, Ainsley. I’m free right now, and I’ll help her.”Hank took a step, ready to intervene, but Kelly subtly blocked him with a glance.As Ellison reached the floor, he picked up a broom lying nearby. The scrape of the handle against the tiled floor felt too loud in the quiet. He offered it to her with a calm face, but sarcasm glinted in his eyes.“Ma’am, here you go.”Eloise looked at the broom, then at him, her brows furrowed in confusion. “A broom?”He nodded once, the corner of his lips lifting in a crooked smile.“Ma'am, flu
Lucian, unfazed, threw his jacket to the ground in front of Ainsley. “Fine. Let’s see what happens,” he said before he turned and left.Ainsley stayed where he was, watching Lucian’s departure with steely eyes. The tension still hung in the air, thick and unresolved.“We’re going to Waikiki Beach this afternoon,” Ainsley said after a long pause. “I’m sure she’s there. I need to find her.”Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, Eloise paced restlessly in her room, her nerves fraying with each passing moment. Her thoughts spiraled. She had been hiding, but it was all falling apart now. Ainsley was coming for her.No, she told herself. I can’t let him find me. Not again.Then, just as the wind picked up, a familiar warmth brushed against her.Her body stiffened, her breath caught in her throat. She didn’t have to turn to know he was there. The scent of him, so unmistakable, overwhelmed her senses.Ainsley stood behind her, his presence enveloping her. His arms wrapped around her alm
In the car, Ainsley gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white as he sped toward the airport. His mind was spinning. Without thinking, he reached out to Jacob through their mind link. His voice was sharp, his words clipped with urgency.“Do you know Remmy?” Ainsley asked, his tone barely contained as anxiety surged through him.Jacob’s voice crackled through the link, his confusion evident. “Why are you looking for her?” He didn’t fully understand the gravity of the situation.Ainsley’s voice hardened, desperation creeping into his words. “She knows where Eloise is.”Jacob didn’t hesitate. “Understood,” he said, his voice steady despite the tense situation. “I’ll handle it. Do you need me to book you a flight?”“No need,” Ainsley replied immediately, his tone resolute. “I’m heading to the airport now.”As Ainsley disconnected the link, he pushed the accelerator harder, the engine roaring as he raced back home to grab his ID. Every second felt like an eternity, the pressure mountin
“Ellison! "I don’t want to bet anymore!” Eloise shouted at the stage, her voice rough and hoarse, like a desperate cry.“It’s too late,” Ellison’s lips moved, his words like ice. He’d made a decision. Instead of leaving, he wanted to win the bet. More than that, he wanted her.Memories flooded Eloise’s mind, sharp and vivid. In her eyes, Ellison at that moment seemed just like her in the past, lost, defiant, and broken.But Ellison didn’t deserve it! Not after everything.She walked toward the center of the stage, her steps deliberate, her heart pounding with emotion. She bent down and picked up the white shirt from the floor. Her fingers brushed against the fabric, and then she reached for Ellison’s hand, which rested on the zipper of his suit pants. Her voice was low but commanding, “Come with me.”Ellison stood frozen, stunned by the sudden seriousness of her expression. His heart skipped a beat.The audience below the stage began to murmur, their annoyance growing louder. “Who are
In the stillness of the night, Eloise made her way to the most secluded house on the property. Her face was cold, but her eyes portrayed a deep simmering sadness.“I’ve come to see you,” she whispered hoarsely, though the house was empty except for her.The room was cloaked in darkness, but she knew every inch of it as if it were part of her. She navigated through the familiar surroundings with ease, her hands brushing over the table until they found a candle. With a flick of her fingers, the small flame sputtered to life, casting a warm glow over the photo resting on the table.It was a portrait of a young girl, smiling brightly. Eloise stared at it, a lump forming in her throat. "Rain, I miss you so much," she murmured, her voice barely audible.The portrait was a gift from a traveling artist she had met on Waikiki Beach, who had captured Rain’s likeness based on Eloise's memory. She didn’t own any other pictures of Rain; this was all she had left.Her fists clenched as nausea rose
After driving for a while, Ellison stopped at a remote store.“Look around. "If you can’t find your favorite mug here, we’ll go to another store.” Then Eloise sat down in a recliner.Ellison pretended to concentrate on choosing a cup, but he kept glancing at Eloise, unable to stop himself. She looked so relaxed, almost untouchable, yet that sarcastic edge in her voice lingered in his mind.“Do you like something?” Eloise noticed Ellison looking at her, raising an eyebrow as her lips curled into a half-smile.“Yes,” Ellison pointed and said, “I want this game.” His voice was a little too quick, a little too loud, clearly a deflection. But it made her snort.After leaving the store, Ellison discovered that the red marks on the back of his hand had disappeared. He rubbed that area vigorously with his back to Eloise. He looked at the bruise and felt much more satisfied, as if something had been lifted off of him.Eloise walked ahead. She asked, “What kind of recliner do you want?”“I thin
Eric copied the video clips from the USB drive to his laptop. Just as Eric was about to open it, Jacob touched the back of Eric's hand and gave him a warning."It might be hard to see, so be prepared," Jacob said, his voice low and grim, a shadow clouding his face.Eric didn’t take it seriously at first. His lips curled slightly in mild skepticism. But then, his eyes widened. He jerked back, his mouth falling open as the first frame of the video flashed across the screen.“What the hell!” he exclaimed, his voice shaking with disbelief.He pointed to the video that was playing, unable to tear his eyes away from the disturbing scene unfolding.“This is just the beginning,” Jacob said nonchalantly, almost too casually, as if he had already grown numb from seeing it over and over again. But there was a bitterness to his tone, a fury buried deep beneath his calm.Eric fell silent. The room seemed consumed by silence, thick and suffocating like a dense fog. Time passed slowly, agonizingly s
Eloise mocked herself in her heart. Maybe my life has become too simple… so my mind has become slower. Maybe I’ve become numb. Maybe too much silence turns even the sharpest mind dull.Ellison looked at Eloise's faded face with a kind of quiet appreciation, his eyes tracing the faint outlines of what was once a bright, wild smile from a distant childhood memory. His gaze lingered, as if hoping to pull her past self into the present. But the longer he looked, the more his eyes flickered with regret. It was as though the smiling Eloise, the girl full of spark and mischief, had been buried beneath years of pain and dust. And now, she was gone.What did they do to you…? What kind of monster do you have to become to survive what you went through? Ellison’s chest tightened with an emotion he couldn’t name. He wanted to blame Ainsley, he wanted to blame the system. But the truth was, he had his chances. He could’ve helped her back then. But he didn’t.“The coffee tastes superb,” Ellison said