Mavis felt an unsettling tension in the air as soon as she entered the room, but she couldn’t quite place the cause. She glanced around, trying to understand why it felt so different today. Something wasn’t right. Then, she turned to Vanessa, her friend, and asked quietly, “Vanessa, what happened?”Vanessa hesitated for a moment. She glanced at the others in the room, her gaze dropping as if she were unsure how to speak. Her fingers nervously twisted a napkin in her hands. Mavis was her closest friend, and though she knew she should warn her, something inside her told her it wasn’t the right time. Still, she had to say something.“Mavis, in fact, Amelia...” she started, but before she could finish, she was cut off.“Vanessa. Room 3 needs to be cleaned,” a voice interrupted sharply. The tone was clipped and demanding, and before Mavis could react, everyone in the room stood up, as if on cue. The shift in the room’s atmosphere was sudden, like a veil had been pulled over the scene. The
"Alpha Michael, I didn’t think you would fall for a woman in the club. I always thought you didn’t like women." Michael’s friend’s voice broke the silence, his words accompanied by laughter from the others.The room filled with amusement, ignoring the presence of the human waitresses in the corner. Many of the customers at Club Scarlet Heart were wolves, and although not all the employees knew about the supernatural, most had grown used to the oddities over time. The club, close to the forest, offered the perfect cover for werewolves to hide in plain sight, blending seamlessly into human society. The wolves in Metrocity were safe. Their identities were legal, protected by laws that made them nearly untouchable, even by hunters.But Michael didn’t care about the taunts. He was used to them. His mind was elsewhere, focused on the woman beside him. Eloise. He barely registered his friend's words as he led her away from the noisy group, his hand on her back guiding her toward a quieter pl
Eloise unconsciously reached out and pulled Michael into a tight hug, the same way her brother had done when she was young. It was an instinctive gesture, one born of a time when life had been simpler, before the weight of fear and pain had tainted her existence.Michael froze in her arms. His heart thudded in his chest, and for a fleeting moment, he forgot where he was. He heard Eloise’s voice, soft and fragile, whispering words that seemed to cut through the air with a strange familiarity.“She would be happy if she knew you loved her,” Eloise murmured.The words felt like a whisper from the past, from someone long gone. Michael’s breath hitched as the name slipped from his lips, almost without his consent. “I’m sorry, Melissa. I love you, Melissa.” The words felt hollow, but at the same time, they echoed with a pain he hadn’t fully acknowledged until now.Eloise’s chest tightened. She had heard those words before, in another context. She realized then that both she and the woman Mi
After a while, the elevator doors opened.Ainsley wasn’t surprised when Eric stepped out, dragging another boy along with him. It was typical for Eric to invite others into their business, but this time, something felt off. Ainsley’s eyes narrowed as he looked over at Jacob, who appeared nervous. Ainsley held his gaze as Eric gestured for him to move forward.“Ainsley,” Eric greeted him, his voice casual, but there was something in his eyes that suggested a deeper curiosity.Jacob who was standing next Eric looked around, his eyes flitting between Ainsley and the woman on the bed, he seemed to be trying to process the situation, though it was clear he wasn’t prepared for what he was about to witness.“Where is the woman?” Jacob asked, his voice wavering as he stepped further into the room. His eyes scanned the surroundings, his discomfort obvious.Ainsley didn’t react immediately. He simply gave a soft, cold smile. “This is Club Scarlet Heart, and there are plenty of women downstairs.
Eloise was disturbed by Ainsley's presence. She didn’t understand how he had found out about Rain, a secret she kept buried deep within her heart, something she never wanted to share with anyone, especially not Ainsley. Rain represented a part of her life that she preferred to keep hidden, even from those who were close to her. But now, Ainsley's gaze revealed that he knew more than he should, which increased Eloise's anxiety. She felt exposed, vulnerable, and terribly small under his knowing eyes.As Ainsley seemed to lose control, his words echoed in Eloise's mind: “Eloise, take care of yourself and remember who you are.”His voice was calm yet dangerous, and Eloise’s face paled at the intensity of the situation. She had never seen Ainsley like this before. His words had a profound impact on her, more overwhelming than any previous insult or threat. They weren’t just words, they felt like a command, as if he were reminding her of something she had forgotten, something painful, somet
Rachel couldn’t explain why she was so drawn to Eloise. There was something about the girl that stirred emotions Rachel had long buried, emotions that felt both foreign and familiar at the same time. Eloise appeared to have nothing, a girl with no real future, no home to call her own, and yet Rachel’s concern for her was overwhelming.Deep down, Rachel understood why. It was the kind of understanding that echoed in the deepest part of her soul, but it was too painful to admit. Eloise reminded Rachel of the girl she once was, young, vulnerable, and lost. A part of her wanted to protect Eloise, to shield her from the same struggles Rachel had faced in her youth. Perhaps in some strange, unexplainable way, Eloise offered Rachel a chance to rewrite her own past, to undo the mistakes, the pain, and the loneliness."No need. I’ll eat at the club cafeteria," Eloise said, her voice calm yet distant. Her attempt to dismiss the offer was clear, but Rachel could see through it. There was a kind o
Lucian slowly turned his head, his sharp gaze following the path Eloise had taken. As his eyes shifted to the stairs, they landed on Mavis, who had been watching him intently.Lucian didn’t need to rely on his werewolf abilities to sense the feelings of those around him. It was clear from the subtle shift in Mavis’s expression, her eyes narrowed with a mixture of jealousy and disdain towards Eloise. Lucian paused for a moment, considering the girl before him. Mavis, like many others he had encountered, seemed to be a product of arrogance and ignorance, traits he was all too familiar with.Yet as he looked at her more closely, he couldn’t ignore the youthful energy she exuded. Her long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her fair skin had a glow to it that would make any man take notice. She was undeniably attractive, but to Lucian’s trained eye, she seemed like a shallow reflection compared to the depth he saw in Eloise.Lucian's thoughts briefly returned to the two kisses he'd
In the afternoon, as the workday came to a close, a light drizzle began to fall over Metrocity. Eloise, carrying the weight of exhaustion in her bones, walked slowly in the rain, her movements sluggish as the pain in her waist intensified with each step. She passed by the towering buildings of the city, the cool rain against her skin doing little to alleviate the aching in her body.Eloise reached a convenience store near Club Scarlet Heart, its bright lights a welcome contrast to the overcast sky. She stepped inside, the warmth of the store wrapping around her like a blanket. The employee at the counter greeted her with a polite smile."Miss, that's six dollars and forty cents total," the employee said as Eloise placed the cheap, flimsy umbrella on the counter.Eloise glanced at the umbrella, noting how it was the least expensive option in the store. Her fingers lingered on the handle for a moment, as if the weight of the decision to buy it were too much to bear. She looked at her pu
Ainsley returned to work after resting for a few more days. When Jacob called him……………Ainsley didn’t hesitate. He glanced at Ellison, who looked back at him curiously.“You don’t mind, do you?” Ainsley asked, already picking up the phone before Ellison could even respond. But Ainsley knew this call wasn’t from Jacob.His chest tightened. His voice remained calm, but every nerve in his body stood on edge, waiting and wanting.Then……..“Let the Anthony Group go,” her voice came, stiff, emotion coiled tightly beneath the surface.Ainsley leaned back in his chair. His grip on the phone tightened. It was her. That damn voice, he hadn’t heard it in days, and yet the second she spoke, his entire world tilted.He smiled slowly and coldly, and said in a voice that burned with longing masked as mockery, “Are you begging me now, Eloise? Or is that just your way of dressing up pride in pretty words?”Ellison's blood ran cold.Eloise! The name slammed into his chest like a fist. He stared at Ains
The conference room turned thick with tension as people were afraid Ainsley would make a comeback. If so, they would suffer.Ainsley sat still, the usual fire in his gaze dulled. No color touched his cheeks; he looked neither angry nor defeated.“Ainsley,” one of the shareholders snapped, almost too quickly. “It’s done. Step down from your position. You’re no longer CEO of the Williams Group.”Another chimed in, his voice tremulous but thrilled, “Yes. You heard the board, get the hell out of the building.”Chairs scraped, papers rustled. Tension rolled like a wave about to crash.But then, a voice rang out, cutting clean through the noise. It was steady, almost too steady.“Who said the final vote had been cast, or have I suddenly been removed from the shareholders? Because the last time I checked I happened to be one of the shareholders.”The room fell into a shocked hush, people’s heads snapped toward the source. Gasps rippled across the boardroom. Faces turned pale.Ellison’s brows
Eloise’s brow twitched slightly. Her calm gaze faltered for a second.Jacob caught it. That tiny flicker of emotion sent a surge of rage through him. He threw the apple aside.“Aren’t you worried? "Don’t you care what could’ve happened to him?” he snapped, his eyes burning into her face.Eloise turned her head away. “I didn’t ask him to.”Jacob stood. His voice was firm, serious. “No, you didn’t. But maybe you should’ve. You could hate him, you could curse his name. But don’t act like you don’t care. Because when you collapse, your body answers what your mouth refuses to say. The only treatment you responded to was his touch.”She clenched her jaw. “He locked me in that place. I don’t care how long he sat by my bed.”Jacob stared at her. “Then tell him that. Not to me. "You keep telling everyone you don’t care, but your hands were shaking when he touched you.”She didn’t answer.“During the years you were gone, Ainsley searched for you like a possessed man,” he added, his voice sharp
The car reeked of blood. It was the only smell Ainsley could register; thick, metallic, and heavy in his nose and mouth. He stirred with a low groan, his body aching as if it had been crushed from the inside out. Pain throbbed behind his bandaged head, spreading like wildfire through his skull and down his spine.He tried to move.“Don’t move,” Jacob snapped from the front seat, spinning around. His voice cut through the air like a blade. “You scared the hell out of me, Ainsley. What the fuck were you thinking?”Ainsley winced. His hand reached for the door handle, but it slipped off weakly. His head dropped back, the world spinning.“I passed out again, didn’t I?” he muttered.Jacob’s hands clenched the steering wheel, so tightly his knuckles turned white. “You did more than that. You nearly fucking died. You collapsed in front of a hundred people like your damn soul left your body.”He turned fully to face him, his eyes blazing like fire. “Do you understand what that looked like? Yo
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