EllaI watched as my father pulled Logan away from the party… to play a game of chess.“Oh no,” Ema’s voice echoed in the back of my mind. “Not this again.”Her words made me wince. I was suddenly reminded of a boyfriend I’d had when I was younger; my father had pulled a similar stunt, using a game of chess as a gauge for the boy’s worthiness to be my boyfriend.Needless to say, we weren’t together after that. My boyfriend turned out to be a rather sore loser and stormed out angrily. I could still remember my father’s words: “See, Ella? Never waste your time on men who don’t know how to lose.”But this shouldn’t have bothered me in the same way. Theoretically, at least. Logan and I were not really in a relationship, nor would we ever be, as far as I was concerned.“I’m just worried about his business prospects,” I told Ema when I felt her teasing nature begin to work its way out in response to the racing of my heart. “That’s all.”“Mhm. Sure.”Turning my attention back to Clara and Da
EllaA thick wall of silence enveloped the room as Logan’s words floated through the air. His voice was stern and slightly raised, as though they had been working at some sort of argument for a while now.“I’ll keep her safe because I care about her more than anything, and that’s all that matters, Mr. Morgan.”My eyes widened, my heart pacing a marathon inside my chest. The resonance of his voice—a mixture of sincerity and frustration—latched onto me, sending my head spinning.“What’s happening?” I whispered to my mother, who was standing there, blocking the way.She shook her head. “Just men being men, honey,” she whispered back. “Just go back to Daisy’s room. They’ll get over it soon.”But I wasn’t about to be pushed away now like a child witnessing a parental fight. Especially not when my wolf was pulling me closer to him, urging my legs to steer into the room.“He does care for you,” my wolf murmured, a note of triumph in her tone. “I told you so, Ella. But you never listen.”Foll
EllaThe moment we entered my childhood bedroom, an overwhelming sense of nostalgia washed over me.Nothing had changed since I last lived here—literally. I hadn’t lived in this penthouse since before college, and yet my parents never changed a thing.Band posters were still tacked to the walls, their colors somewhat faded but nonetheless holding the spirit and angst of my teenage years. Stacks of old novels, their spines well-worn from my anxious fingers, lined the bookshelf. Even my vanity was still covered with haphazard jewelry and makeup from my ‘emo’ days.I felt exposed, as if Logan was unwittingly peering into a window of my past life. It was funny, how this room felt perfectly normal to me. But now that someone else was here, in my teenage self’s space, it suddenly felt cringy and weird.“So, this is your old stomping ground, huh?” Logan asked, a playful smirk settling on his lips as he wandered around the room. His eyes seemed to linger on every little detail, which only mad
EllaThe party had long since quieted down. I had already said my goodbyes to Clara, Daisy had gone to bed, and now it was just me, my parents, and Logan. The air coming through the penthouse window smelled like rain; a storm was brewing on the horizon.“Are you sure you don’t just want to stay here tonight, honey?” Moana asked, following my gaze out the window. “It’s supposed to storm.”“I’ll be fine,” I said, not wanting to reveal the actual reason behind why I didn’t want to share a room with Logan. “Thanks, though.”My mother was silent for a moment. Logan was off in the kitchen being fawned over by the two maids, who had taken an immediate liking to him. I could see him through the doorway, refusing another bite of food.Selina was perched on a stool, watching him with her hawk eyes. But there was a softness to her gaze as she looked at him, something that was rare for her when it came to newcomers.“Ella,” Moana started, lowering her voice, “I have to ask, because I’m your mothe
EllaThe water in the bathtub had gone lukewarm long ago when I finally pulled myself out, wrapping up in a towel.After drying off, I slipped into my pajamas and sat on the bed, book in hand, fully prepared to lose myself in another world. My wolf was unusually quiet, and for once, I relished the solitude. I knew that she was mad at me for ending things with Logan earlier, but she would understand with time.However, just as I was beginning to really get into the story, a knock sounded on the door and broke me from my reverie. I sighed, placing the book face down on the bed.“Who could it be at this hour?” I muttered, walking to the door and cracking it open. Just as I expected, there stood Logan, leaning against the frame with a cocky smirk on his face.“I couldn’t sleep,” he said. “Bored out of my mind. Can I come in?”I eyed him warily. “I’m not just here to entertain you when things get slow, Logan.”His grin widened as he lifted a wine bottle and two glasses. “What about now?”I
Ella“Are you sure you want to do this?”Logan’s voice was low and husky, his breath warm against my ear. But when I looked into his eyes, instead of the predator that I expected like so many other men, I saw nothing but concern in his eyes.His words gave me pause, and for the briefest of moments, logic almost took over and I nearly pushed him away.But I didn’t.Maybe it was the wine, or my wolf, or the fact that I hadn’t been intimate with anybody in this way for a long time, but I found myself nodding and pushing him down further onto the bed. His chest felt warm and firm under my hand, and the way that his muscles rippled beneath my touch as he moved sent an electric shock up my spine.“Don’t ask stupid questions,” I murmured.Logan stared up at me as I gripped the hem of my shirt and slowly began to pull it off, exposing my waist and eventually my bare breasts. His eyes widened slightly as he gazed at me, and before I knew it, he was sitting back up and running his hands along m
EllaThe morning light broke through the thin curtains, casting a pale glow on the cream-colored walls of the hotel room.My eyes flickered open, feeling the weight of an arm wrapped around me. For a brief moment, I relished in the comfort and warmth that it provided. But then it all came crashing back—what happened last night, how I had allowed myself to lose control, how I had let Logan into my bed.Regret washed over me like a tide. I couldn’t believe I had allowed things to go so far. Pushing Logan’s arm away, I untangled myself from the bedsheets and sat up abruptly.Logan stirred, blinking away the haze of sleep. Confusion washed over his face as he saw that I was already standing, frantically gathering my clothes off of the floor and trying to cover myself.“What’s going on?” he asked. “You okay?”“Just… get out of my bed,” I muttered, avoiding eye contact.He paused, but there wasn’t complete surprise in his eyes, maybe just a tinge of disappointment. “You regretting last nigh
LoganThe hum of the airport droned in my ears as I waited for the plane. I glanced down a few seats, stealing a furtive look at Ella. She sat immersed in her music, headphones firmly in place, eyes closed, face serene.And yet, I could feel the tension emanating from her like an invisible wall between us.Last night kept replaying in my mind, each memory so vivid I could almost feel the warmth of her touch, the softness of her lips, the eagerness in her eyes.It was as if, for those fleeting hours, everything fell into place; the world around us dissolved, leaving just Ella and me, bound by a connection so intense it defied explanation.My wolf purred in agreement, a deep sense of contentment filling us both. Last night had been unlike any other experience I had had before with a woman—intimate, loving, real.Ella was a storm of contradictions that somehow perfectly balanced the chaos within me. Her body was uncharted territory I wanted to explore over and over, each touch and kiss s
EllaThe reception was in full swing, the air filled with the soft sound of music, the clinking of cutlery and champagne glasses, and the pleasant murmur of guests. It was the perfect night, too; the sun had set, and the air outside had cooled to a pleasant temperature as the crickets and cicadas sang.Walking hand in hand with Logan, we approached the multi-tiered wedding cake. It was unbelievably tall, adorned with carefully piped flowers and leaves. There were two little figures at th
EllaThe reception hall was filled with the soft, warm glow of hundreds of candles, and the sound of gentle music filled the space. It really was everything that we had wanted. The wedding planner had outdone herself.“What do you think?” Logan asked, holding my hand as we meandered around the room. “Quite the party, huh?”
EllaThe doors to the chapel opened, and the soft sound of orchestral music filled my ears. This was it; this was the moment. Everything felt like it was moving so fast, and yet somehow it felt as though time was standing completely still at the same moment.I watched as the wedding planner gestured from the sidelines for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to pair up and walk through the doors, preceded by the flower girl—a family friend’s daughter, who looked absolutely precious
Ella“Are you nervous, Ella?” the makeup artist, Jenna, asked as she selected a palette of soft, natural colors that complemented my skin tone.Nervous would have been an understatement. It was the morning of my wedding; the day had finally come, after what had somehow felt like both an eternity and no time at all at the same time.
LoganI sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the little silver key in the palm of my hand.“I should just go and do it,” I whispered, more to myself than to my wolf. “Get it over with, right?”“What’s the worst that could happen?” my wolf added. “It’s
EllaAs I walked into the bridal boutique with my entourage, the little bell on the door chimed and I was immediately greeted with the scent of lavender and the smile of a bridal assistant.Daisy, Moana, Clara, and Sarah were with me; it was just a couple of days after the housewarming party, and our new house felt full to the brim with my family and Clara staying for a while. Not that I minded, though. It was fun having them here, and I was glad to have them all by my side as I tried on
LoganI was enjoying the party, watching with a smile on my face as Clara, Ella, and Sarah exchanged stories, when the sound of my phone ringing suddenly cut through the lively atmosphere.Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I felt my heart lurch in my chest. It was Hartman; I hadn’t heard from him in months. After Marina and Harry had taken off and Devon had been caught, I had paid Hartman for his help—even though our plan wound up being foiled—and that was the end of t
EllaThe months following Logan’s and my engagement was a whirlwind of change. We sold Logan’s mansion to a wealthy family from out of the area, and before I knew it, we were moving into our new home.It was a 1920s Spanish-style home, with warm stucco walls and breezy windows. The first floor was open concept, and I could already picture all of the wonderful parties we could have here. I fell in love with it immediately.
Ella“Sit down. Both of you.”Sarah and I exchanged wary glances. Her face was just as pale as mine probably was, and I felt a wrench in my stomach.“But Mr. Henderson, Sarah never—”