By the time the contract signing rolls around, I’m far too tense. I take a series of deep breaths as I walk toward the conference room. It’s just a contract signing, I try to remind myself. You’ve done hundreds of these. Just because your client is super hot and maybe your fated mate doesn’t mean
Carol’s POV Daniel lets out a long-suffering sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Enough with the dramatics,” he says. “I’m not here for workplace drama. I’m here because you told me you had concerns about Carol’s business practices.” “It isn’t just workplace drama!” Zack insists. “Carol ch
Carol’s POV Zack immediately whips out his phone and calls Sophia. “Babe. Can you come in here? Now?” He says. His voice is audibly strained. Zack and Sophia argue back and forth for a few moments before he hangs up the phone. There is a short moment of tense silence as we all stare at one anoth
Carol’s POV Aiden and I fall onto the couch in a rush of sudden passion. We aren’t able to pull each other’s clothes off fast enough. Our bodies ache to touch once again, and soon enough, they do. The kiss turns into something more languid and heated as Aiden flips us over, holding me against th
Every moment feels like a dream that might end at any second. The truth is, I can’t think of a single reason to say no. As long as I don’t drop my lease just yet, there’s no harm in spending a bit more time here, right? I tell myself. Something deep within me knows I won’t just stop at that. I cle
Carol’s POV Aiden loosens his scarf and wraps it around the both of us. Instead of being greeted by blinding camera flashes, I find myself hidden away in the warmth of Aiden’s arms. Aiden gently takes my shoulder and guides me. I can just barely hear the reporter’s questions through Aiden’s thic
“Blah, blah, blah,” Fiona teases. “I’ll have you know giving Carol stress is my job.” Aiden‘s expression relaxes as he realizes Fiona is just joking. “Don’t worry, Fiona,” I say dryly, “no one could ever give me as much of a headache as you do.” Fiona laughs loudly. “And don’t you forget it!” Fi
Carol’s POV I’m shocked out of my reverie by the feeling of strong arms wrapping around my body. Somehow, I didn’t hear Aiden enter the bathroom. I quickly relax into his arms. “The shower’s big enough for two, you know,” he whispers against my neck. I shudder, pushing the strange dream out of m
I chuckled as I held back tears.“Sorry,” I murmured, trying to pull back, but she held me tighter.“I’ve missed you like crazy,” she breathed. “How’s life in the empire? I’ve been keeping tabs on you in the media. Seems you are kicking ass as the queen.”Since the inauguration ceremony last year, I
She flinched away for a moment, afraid that the darkness might hurt him, but I had faith that it wouldn’t because it was under her control now and the light in her wouldn’t be dim for the darkness.“It’s okay,” I assured her, bringing Caleb even closer into her view. She stared at him with admiratio
EpilogueAiden’s POV“She still won’t come out of her room?” Fiona asked, staring at the closed suite door with a frown. “It’s been a week since she killed her sister…”“She’s scared,” I told her, cradling Caleb in my arms. “Raelyn’s darkness is inside of her and she’s worried that she’s going to do
She was quiet for a moment while the Queen continued to bark orders in the background. The dark tendrils only seemed to grow more agitated with each passing moment.“Please, call the tendrils off and—”“I can’t,” she said quickly. “They don’t listen to me anymore… they listen to her more than they l
I wanted to believe that there was still good in Raelyn. That the darkness hadn’t taken over completely. I grabbed her arm, and I brought my gaze to meet hers; I wasn’t sure if my powers would work on her, but I had to try. I channeled her mind and when I found a connection, I realized it was weak,
Carol’s POVI used my powers to fight off the guards, using my mind manipulation to make them fight one another and using some of the spells I was taught to ward them off. I’ve practiced with mind manipulation a lot so I was able to do it quickly. I soon had some of them at least turning against the
“It’s not personal darling,” she said, waving off his concern. “It’s strictly business.”“Was any of it real?” He asked, shaking his head with disgust written all over his face. “Did you ever love me?”She let out a bitter laugh.“Love?” She scoffed. “Please… There’s no room for love when I have a n
My entire body went cold when I saw what they were running from. Clouds of darkness snaked through the ground, slithering like snakes. I could feel the cold darkness and the chilling aura that penetrated it.In the distance, I squinted at the figures standing in the center of the town.The Queen.St
Carol’s POV“You promised you’d help me buy a ring for Fiona,” Oliver said as he leaned against the doorframe of my suite. I had just finished changing Caleb’s dirty typer for the 5(th) time this hour when Oliver decided to bless me with his visit.Collectively, we’ve been in the Empire for 2 months