“You’re delinquent by six months.” As she rattled off the incurred fees for my electricity, my blood ran cold. “Are you planning to pay on all your accounts today?” “All?” I asked, cringing as I braced myself. “Your gas and water have also been cut off.” I let out a shuddering breath, and Ch
Charles As we finally wrapped up our work, I realized how late it had become, and I was grateful for the chance to spend more time with her. The offer to stay with her had turned out to be more meaningful than I could have imagined, and I knew that this was just the beginning of our journey togeth
Grace smiled, her weariness momentarily replaced by a glimmer of pride. "Thank you," she replied, a tender smile playing on her lips. "They mean everything to me, Charles. Being a mother has been the most rewarding and challenging role I've ever had. I want to make sure they have every opportunity
Grace I couldn’t even think. I was barely processing what he told me. My mind was racing with a mix of emotions. I remembered the long hours and sleepless nights. I had left a good team to finish the work. How could it not be patented yet? What had they been doing? Was there something wrong with t
Let someone else handle the lab. Don’t you have colleagues? My jaw trembled. “I don’t think…” “I have to run the pack. My kids need me. They’re young. I can't do it all," I murmured to myself, the weight of it all pressing down on me. Charles' voice, steady and reassuring, spoke again. "You ne
Grace Though I had said that, nothing in me said that it was possible. The car came to a stop, and George came around to open my door, offering me his hand to get out. He smiled warmly at me, and I realized he wasn’t the same man that had dropped me off. “You have another assistant?” “I do,” C
She frowned. “You don’t look like a grandpa.” She let out a little giggle. “Grandpas have white hair.” He smirked as she held out her hand. He lifted her hand in the same greeting. Her eyes lit up. “Are you a prince like in the books?” “No,” Charles said. “Though I am a king.” Her jaw open
Grace "He... he just growled?" I stammered, utterly stunned. Charles nodded slowly, his expression a mix of warm understanding. "Yes, he did." I watched in awe as Richard nestled against me, his wide eyes slowly drooping as he succumbed to a sense of calm. It was as if Charles's presence and r
I nodded. "Don't let me trip." "I'll do my best." With a shared laugh, we headed out the door. Esme was there at the door, hanging back. Gracian stepped away from me and linked arms with her. "We'll see you soon." I nodded and watched them go. We stood in the foyer of the building. From wh
Grace A month later... After the attack, the remaining members retreated into the cabinet to figure out what to do. After all, the other half and the president had been killed in the attack because they attacked Mooncrest. Luckily, Astarte had simply fixed everything, and aside from the aches an
Fire spilled over the doors as we fought our way down the stairs. Something swiped my cheek, but I didn't heed it. We stumbled over the bodies and slipped in the blood. I tried not to think about how many people I'd killed. I didn't want to think about it. "Back up is coming, but we need time, "
Grace I heard dying screams as I ran. The sound of battle echoed down the hallway. I found Astarte holding a group of attackers off at the door of the other stairs. "There was no way off." Astarte snarled. "Your mother's office! Lock the door." "What about--" "Go!" I bit my lip and ran
"A good PR move comes with a splash of fun." Astarted nodded forward. "I believe you should get to your command room, yes?" I nodded and headed upstairs to my father's office, adrenaline pumping through my veins. An attack, contained or not, was a serious threat. The city needed to be locked dow
Grace As we boarded the crowded bus, a knot of unease tightened in my gut. Astarte made a show of being intrigued. She smiled for every photo and seemed genuinely delighted, all the while, she explained her plan. I promised to help you. PR is important. Having me here will get you attention beyo
"Thanks." "Really well," Xavier said, setting his laptop on the table. On one side was a report on my interview, a headline streamed across the bottom. "Alpha Wolfe: A Beacon of Hope in Dark Times." Below it, a graph charted a dramatic rise in public approval for both myself and Wolfe Medica
Grace A nervous flutter danced in my stomach as I smoothed out the wrinkles on my blazer. I'd rather be orienting all the students, including the bright-eyed Westridge students, but Xavier and Amira swore up and down that this was for the best. Charles leaned into my office and grinned. "Nervous
I set my phone down and scoffed. When had my alma mater allowed so many idiots since I'd been an undergrad? Their loss. The lycans, humans, and witches had no problem. Seraphina, Margaret and I met everyone who had signed on in the conference room at City Hall. The excitement was palpable as the n