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?
EllaThe room was bathed in the soft glow of my bedside lamp, casting gentle shadows on the walls. My eyes flickered from the ceiling to my digital clock. 2:37 AM.Sleep was elusive tonight. No matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn’t catch it. I had been laying here for what felt like an eternity, hoping that exhaustion would finally take over me, but it didn’t. The comforter felt too heavy, almost suffocating, and I tossed it aside with a frustrated sigh.
EllaLogan’s husky voice filled my ears, its gravelly tone instantly making me feel guilty. He had been sleeping.“Ella? Why are you calling me?”I swallowed, hesitating. I was supposed to be asleep now, too, but I hadn’t slept a wink. I was sitting in my kitchen now, a cup of steaming chamomil
LoganMy phone buzzed on the nightstand, its screen lighting up the dark bedroom. Squinting, I saw Ella’s name flashing across the screen for the first time in two weeks. It was barely past five in the morning. The sun wasn’t even up yet. My first thought was that something terrible must have happened.I picked up the phone, and my voice came across a little harsher than I intended. “Ella? Why are you calling me?”
EllaThe air was thick with tension as Logan stood in my doorway, his eyes wide as if he were seeing me for the first time even.Even though I never wanted to admit it, I had taken extra care with my appearance today, veering away from my usual casual off-work attire.My long black velvet skirt seemed to capture his a
Ella“Aren’t you going to try it on?”Logan cocked his head as he looked back and forth between me and the dress. He was right; normally, I would try something like this on before I bought it. But right now, I just wanted to leave. His statement about his vacation in the tropics had left me reeling and disgusted, and I didn’t want to spend any more time with him than what was absolutely necessary right now.
EllaMy eyes widened at the attendant’s comment. “What do you mean by ‘he really likes me’?”She hesitated, as if she was unsure how much to reveal. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop earlier, but you guys aren’t exactly quiet,” she finally said, her eyes darting to the curtain behind which I had hidden from Logan—and my own reflections—just minutes before.
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—”