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 moment I stepped into my office for the first time after that whirlwind of a trip, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. I slumped into my chair, staring blankly at the stack of paperwork on my desk. Each document seemed to scream for my attention, but my mind was elsewhere.Logan.The very thought of his name sent a rush of mixed emotions swirling through me. The intensity of the last few days had left me emotionally drained, a confusing tangle of yearning and doubt. We had slept together, yes, and I had pushed him away.But it wasn’t just him. It was my wolf, too.She was gone. Not sleeping, not tired, but… dormant. She was so angry with me for pushing away our fated mate that she disappeared entirely, and I didn’t know how to get her bag. No amount of mental begging over the past two days had solved the issue.No matter how much I cried, no matter how much I yelled, she was just gone. It was as if it was her way of reminding me that I had royally messed up with Logan, and I
EllaThe moment Logan uttered those words, “I’ll pick you up on the day of the party,” I felt an inexplicable knot tighten around my stomach.Here I was, supposedly getting everything I wanted out of this arrangement. It was going exactly the way it was supposed to, and yet somehow, I felt as though my heart had been wrenched out of my chest. Why did I feel this way? Why did I suddenly care so much now when I had just been pushing him away?