Grace The sterile environment of the lab seemed to close in on me as I stared at the instrument panel. My vision blurred, and I blinked away the fatigue that weighed heavy on my shoulders. The past days had been a whirlwind of sleepless nights and countless hours spent awake and avoiding going home
Seraphina burst into laughter as my face burned with embarrassment, and I packed my things to leave. As I exited the lab, the weight of my fatigue grew heavier until I was practically pouring myself into the backseat. There was a bag in the backseat. "Adult medicine," the driver said. I couldn't
Charles As I hung up, I closed my eyes and pictured Grace curled up in my bed in the palace, draped in the fine silks and furs that covered the bed, comforted by my scent lingering in the sheets. "Is she okay?" George asked from the front seat. "She's... adjusting." I bit my lip. "I regret leavin
"I assure you I don't either... Must have been his adoptive mother." He stopped and eyed me. "I suppose I don't have to say I will want to know more about that." I smiled. "I'd be happy to tell you over a drink." He nodded, and the guard by the door knocked and opened the door. Devin turned, grow
Charles Asher walked me down the hall to Amy's room. The guard knocked and opened the door. Though plain, her room was markedly different from the one where I had just spoken with Devin. There was a warmth to it, a subtle comfort that came from the softly crackling fire in the hearth and the conten
I swallowed, realizing that Devin had been in contact with Amy far longer than I thought. By the moon, when would it end? "I was worried when I heard him talking on the phone about the Choosing; he sounded nervous, but he said it was nothing, and then we went to have that press conference..." I fr
Grace The analysis had come out just fine. Seraphina and Margaret had laughed at me when I got back, embarrassed and smelling a bit like Charles' cologne, but it was in good fun. All that was left were some magical analysis tests to be done for viability and to tweak the supportive documents neede
The closer I got, the more I was certain that there was nothing but chaos waiting. After the last time I came home to the sound of pots and pans clanging together in the kitchen and the off scent of something not being quite right in a pot, I knew better than to hope. I rubbed my temples, willing my
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