LIANAI blinked, taken aback. The heat of my anger evaporated, replaced by a confusing swirl of emotions. "You... missed me?" I repeated, totally dumbfounded. I even doubted if I heard Zaylen right.Zaylen nodded, his eyes still locked onto mine. "Yes, Liana. I missed you. And calling you here was the only way I could think of to see you, to talk to you."I stood there, stunned, my mind struggling to process his words. All the fire I had walked in with had melted away, leaving me feeling exposed and uncertain. The room seemed to shrink around us, and for the first time in a long while, I found myself at a loss for words. I didn’t know whether it was a good kind of loss of words or a bad kind.“I haven't seen you for ten days,” he added, his voice unexpectedly soft. “That's why I kept calling you to my cabin. I couldn't exactly tell you that earlier.”I blushed, feeling a sudden warmth creep up my cheeks. “Then why the extreme workload?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despi
ZAYLEN"Why do you not like me?" I asked softly, my voice barely a whisper.The question hung in the air, heavy with anticipation. I waited, my heart pounding, but she said nothing."Liana?" I prompted, hoping for a response.When I looked down, I saw her eyes closed, her breathing even and peaceful. She was asleep. I couldn’t help but face-palm, a mix of frustration and amusement bubbling up inside me. "Of course, you fell asleep, idiot," I muttered under my breath.Shaking my head at her ridiculousness, a fond smile crept onto my face.How could someone be so infuriating and endearing at the same time? I brushed a strand of hair away from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear.Her features were so serene, so unlike the fierce, stubborn woman I was used to. At this moment, she looked vulnerable, almost childlike. My heart softened at the sight. I gently started stroking her hair again, unable to resist the urge to be close to her."I missed you so much," I whispered, my voi
ZAYLENBefore I could react, Jordan snapped a photo. “Seriously, Jordan?” I groaned, trying not to jostle Liana awake.“Oh, don’t worry,” he said, laughing. “This is definitely going to Sara. She will love this.”“Delete that,” I demanded, but I knew it was pointless. Jordan and Sara loved to gossip, especially when it was related to Liana and I. He grinned, clearly enjoying it. “No way. This is gold. Besides, it’s cute seeing you like this, our beloved Boss.”“Shut up,” I grumbled and shot him a sharp glare. “Go and bring two cups of coffee.” Jordan just laughed. “Alright, alright. It looks like you seriously need some coffee. I’ll get you two cups.”He was about to walk away but stopped and turned to me again.“What now?” I asked, not liking the look on his face at all. “Maybe I’ll send over the junior assistant instead,” he continued, a mischievous glint in his eye. “After that, the whole office can find out about your forbidden romance.”I frowned, irritation bubbling up. “Ro
LIANAI woke up to the sound of muffled voices, Zaylen and Jordan chattering nearby. My head felt heavy, my mind foggy from sleep. Their conversation was a soothing background noise at first, something about coffee and office gossip. But then, I caught a few words that made my heart skip a beat. They were talking about me.I lay still, pretending to sleep as I listened more intently. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of curiosity and dread swirling within me. What were they saying about me?“…will be losing my Luna,” Zaylen’s voice drifted to me, clear and unmistakable.My eyes flew open. What? Did I hear that right? I was Zaylen's Luna? How the hell was that possible?My mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of their conversation. His Luna. Queen of the pack. Zaylen regretting rejecting me. It was all too much to process. My heart raced, and I felt a surge of emotions – confusion, shock, anger, and something else I couldn’t quite identify.I immediately sat up, f
LIANARelief washed over me at Zaylen’s words, but it only left room for more questions to flood my mind. “Then? What does this mean?” I asked, my voice trembling with uncertainty. “What does being your mate mean?”Zaylen sighed, his expression thoughtful as he searched for the right words. “It just means that the Moon Goddess thought we would be perfect for each other and decided to pair us, and the rest… it's up to us.”“So, meaning we are just destined to fall in love?” I pressed, trying to wrap my head around the concept.He nodded slowly. “Kind of, but not really. It’s complicated, honestly.”“Like Jordan still loves Sara, even though she is not his mate?” I questioned, trying to find some semblance of understanding in the midst of confusion.Zaylen’s nod confirmed my suspicion, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Jordan and Sara. Love, it seemed, was far more complicated than I had ever imagined.“But are you sure that you are not just in love with me and mistak
ZAYLENI couldn’t believe it. She actually said yes! Liana was finally my girlfriend!My heart felt like it was about to burst with joy, and I was pretty sure I could power an entire city with the energy coursing through me. I might as well have been the happiest man on earth at that moment.My grin was so wide, it felt like my face might split in two. I was practically floating. Without thinking, I pulled her into a tight hug, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around in a giddy whirlwind of euphoria.“You have no idea how happy I am right now,” I said, my voice barely able to contain my excitement.“Actually, I do have an idea,” Liana responded with a light laugh, her feet dangling in the air. “I mean, I can literally feel happiness radiating off you.”“Good then,” I grinned, refusing to let go. “You should know just how happy you have made me.”“Okay, come on, let me go,” she urged, trying to wiggle out of my embrace. “We are still in the office. Soon everyone else will
ZAYLENIn the evening, I walked into my walk-in closet, which had always been a haven of order and precision. Not today, though. Today, it felt like a battleground.I pulled out a shirt, held it up, and then discarded it onto the growing pile on the floor. "No, too formal," I muttered to myself. Next came a casual tee, which I quickly deemed "too casual" and tossed aside. A sweater followed— "too hot for the weather"— and joined the mess. Pants and jackets soon followed, each one failing to meet the high standards I was suddenly setting.Before long, my previously pristine closet looked like a hurricane had swept through it. Clothes were strewn everywhere, and I was no closer to deciding on an outfit. Frustration bubbled up inside me. This was ridiculous. Why did I own so many clothes, and why couldn't I find anything that looked right? Why was this so hard?After what felt like hours of chaotic rummaging, I decided to call in reinforcements. I dialed Noelle's number, pacing bac
LIANAI was happily putting on my makeup, humming a tune as I dabbed on some blush. The excitement for my first official date with Zaylen bubbled inside me. Everything felt like it was falling into place.It really was a good decision to give us a chance.Just as I finished applying my mascara, my phone buzzed. Seeing Zaylen’s name on the screen, I smiled and picked it up. "Hey, you," I greeted cheerfully.There was a brief pause before Zaylen spoke, his voice tinged with regret. "Liana, I am so sorry, but I have to cancel our date tonight."My heart sank. "What? Why?" I asked, my voice shadowed with disappointment."Something happened and I need to immediately check it. It's urgent, otherwise, you know I would have never canceled our date."I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. "I know, but…" The words hung in the air, filled with unspoken questions and disappointment."I am so sorry, baby. I was really looking forward to it too," he said, his voice softening.