We cleaned up what we could, paid out the rest of Eason's lease, and headed back. The ride back was filled with an uncomfortable silence, both of us lost in our thoughts. Eason's apprehension about the situation was evident. He knew more than he was letting on, and I couldn't help but feel frustrate
Grace The shock of the slap seemed to stun him into silence. My hand stung with the force of my action, and Jackson's expression shifted from anger to bewilderment. His face started to turn red with the bruise. He was lucky I didn't punch him. "How fucking dare you," I said, my voice shaking wit
He scoffed. "I'm not a monster. They're fucking kids." "There are more dangers in this world than physical ones! They don't deserve to be belittled or hated because you have a complex about being a terrible catch!" I sighed, rubbing my head as a headache started to build. Jackson's words hung in
Charles "What's wrong?" I asked, on edge at her tense tone. "I just..." She huffed out a breath. "Jackson." "What happened?" She growled and started telling me what had happened. I took note to look into Jackson and his family as a matter of course. The level of entitlement in his words had
She almost purred. I smirked, hearing the way her lycan instincts were taking over. "What do I get if I win our little match?" I chuckled. "Getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren't you?" "I like to be motivated." I smirked. "Whatever you want, my dear, if you manage to beat me." There was a
Grace As I recounted the events of the previous evening to Eason over breakfast, I couldn't help but notice his unusual silence. His lack of reaction struck me as odd, especially given that Jackson had been a close friend for years. I raised an eyebrow, suspicion creeping into my voice. "Eason,
"Way to kick me when I'm down." "These moments could have saved you a lot of heartache in the long run," Eason said thoughtfully. "For a long time, I figured that's why." I frowned, looking at him. "Why what?" "Why you didn't want me around because you know I don't pull punches." Eason finishe
Grace I shook my head. "Margaret, really?" "Goddess, I hope he's not here to tag along. I hate dead weight. And what happened to his face?" "Grace!" Jackson said, marching towards me. "I think you owe me an apology." Margaret looked at me. "Care to explain?" "No... Not really." She scoff
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