"You have a way with them," I admitted a hint of playfulness in my tone. Charles chuckled, the sound carrying a mixture of pride and fondness. "Well, children can often see beyond the surface, Grace. They have an innate ability to recognize sincerity and kindness. I’ve never picked up a baby I cou
Charles Grace's living room was bathed in the soft glow of the fireplace. She wasn’t relaxing much, but it was better than the nervous energy from earlier. I met her gaze. "I appreciate your willingness to talk about this," she began softly. I shook my head. “It’s not a secret, Grace.” She l
“I hav no doubt you will in good time.” I smiled. "Devin's a fool. To have you and your children and throw it all away for something so selfish." "I still can't understand how he could do this to his own children," I said, my voice tinged with a mixture of anger and disbelief. “And then think he w
Grace The morning light streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow through the house as I made my way downstairs. There was a sense of familiarity in the air, a feeling that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Like everything would be fine. As I entered the kitchen, I found Charles already seated
Charles chuckled. “We’ll see… as for your program, I could just as easily pay for the rest of your program.” I went still, but I shook my head. It felt like a trap, or maybe that was just my fear and trauma about Devin talking. "You're not getting another percentage of the company," I declared w
Grace “Uncle Eason!” Cecil cried. “You should come have cereal!” Eason bustled in, carrying groceries and breakfast supplies. His cheerful demeanor was infectious, and his presence infused the room with an energy that was hard to resist. “I don’t know, Ce-Ce, I think muffins—” He cocked an eye
“And the cheating?” I shook my head. “A misunderstanding.” “And you believe that?” I nodded. “He was pretty open about it, and evne if I don’t, we’re not romatically involved.” Eason's eyes softened, his skepticism giving way to understanding. "Okay, Grace. If you trust him, I'll give him th
Charles As Eason left, the atmosphere in Grace's pack house seemed to shift into a more relaxed state. My eyes wandered around the dining room as I listened to Eason leave. Richard continued sleeping in my arms, soundly. Grace returned, she seemed more assured and ready for what was going to hap
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