EllaThe night was awash with ambivalence and intrigue as Logan and I sat side by side, the city lights playing a serenade of reflections on the dark waters. The weight of his proposal hung between us, making the air palpable with tension.“I don’t understand,” I began, hesitatingly. “Your ‘fake girlfriend’? Why? What does that have to do with… literally anything?”Inside, Ema was raging.“Fake girlfriend?” she hissed. “First, he just wants you as a mistress. Then he wanted to trick you into being his girlfriend because you are Ella Morgan. Now that he knows you’re not going to follow his mind, he wants to use you as a fake girlfriend? Not even an official one anymore?!!”“It’s not like I’d want it to be official anyway,” I replied. “But I don’t want this, either. Let’s hear him out, though.”Logan took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for a confession.“You see, my brother recently got engaged to an Alpha from a prestigious family. Her father’s wealth is vast, and it could very
LoganThe chilly wind that night was relentless, and as I stepped out of the car, I felt a pang of emptiness as I looked up at my dark mansion.The ever-present guards flanked my home, silent statues in their tailored suits.Their stillness was deceiving, because beneath the calm exterior, they were ready to leap into action at any moment. All it would take was one order from me. The fight that ensued earlier when they stupidly kidnapped Ella was proof of that.However, even with their presence, I couldn't help but feel isolated.My home was a testament to my tastes: large, opulent, and overlooking the vast expanse of the sea. But tonight, it felt different.The house that had been a silent refuge now echoed the solitude of my thoughts. Why was it that just a short meeting with Ella made everything seem so... incomplete?As I walked through the spacious rooms, I noted the intentional lack of decor. A deliberate choice. The walls held memories, some that I preferred to forget. To fill
EllaThe soft hum of my ceiling fan was the only sound accompanying my thoughts. As I lay in bed, the silky sheets enveloping me, a sense of strange relaxation washed over me. I should have felt agitated, furious even. But there was a tranquility I couldn’t understand.I let that jerk into my life, I chided myself.But even as I mentally berated myself, I couldn’t help the smile that crept onto my face. My phone vibrated on my nightstand, breaking my introspection. A glance revealed Moana’s name on the screen.“I heard you got your first case!” Moana’s chirpy voice rang through the phone. We might have been mother and daughter, but in moments like these, she was just like a giddy school friend.“Yeah,” I hesitated. The truth would be too much for her to handle. “It’s just a problem with a bad tenant. The client wanted to keep things confidential.”A laugh. “Always the mysterious ones, huh? Well, as long as you're safe and doing what you love.”I swallowed hard, guilt gnawing at me. If
EllaThe imposing structure of the law firm stood tall against the city skyline, its grandeur echoing the prestige and authority it held in the legal world. Its broad stone steps, worn by the footfalls of countless attorneys and clients, led up to tall, ornate double doors.Taking a deep breath, I hesitated at the foot of the stairs. The chatter of the city faded as dread pooled in my gut. Logan’s confident stride next to me seemed out of place at this moment, and the realization of what I was about to do hit me full force.Here I was, waltzing up to my old place of work after letting a mobster threaten my old boss. Not only that, but I was walking up to my old place of work with that very mobster. It was absurd! Brazen!Without warning, I yanked my hand away and spun around, my heels clicking against the pavement as I made a break for it.“I can’t, Logan,” I called out, my voice tinged with panic. “I can’t go back in there, not like this. I’ll find another city, another job. This...
EllaThe sunlight filtering through my office window bathed the mahogany desk in a soft golden hue. As I perused the documents in front of me, the weight of my current circumstances pressed on me like an unwelcome shroud.I could feel my wolf also getting alert to the situation.How did I get embroiled with the mafia, and more importantly, how could I extricate myself without causing further complications?“No way,” I said, shaking my head. “I won’t be going to a family event with you. Not so… soon.”Logan’s blue eyes narrowed. “It’s not really up for debate, unfortunately,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. “Did you think that only you would benefit from the deal?”“Well, no, but—”“But nothing,” Logan interrupted. His voice was firm, but not angry. “Sorry, Ella, but you need to come. I’m not asking. I’m telling you that we have to go. Besides, I already agreed on your behalf.”I couldn’t help but frown. Attending a family dinner with Logan’s clan made me nervous, not only
EllaWe didn’t just stop at one store. No, Logan wouldn’t have it. The shopping center was enormous, and Logan clearly had a penchant for spending money. We spent hours in there, perusing each store.Normally, I didn’t enjoy shopping trips. My dad never really took me on them, maybe once or twice a year we would go out on a shopping day, but Moana was the type to instill in me that money wasn’t everything, and so we didn’t splurge too much. I didn’t mind, though. Her precautions made sure that I never got spoiled, despite the fact that my dad was one of the richest men in the world.However, I couldn’t deny the enjoyment of shopping with Logan. I hated to say it, but he was… fun. Maybe it was the mate bond surreptitiously slipping rose-colored glasses onto my face, but I liked seeing him smile as we perused the stores. I liked hearing his jokes about silly outfits, ridiculously high heels, and hats with all sorts of bizarre decorations on them.He made me laugh.At one point, we found
EllaThe weight of the billboard bore down, threatening to crash onto me. Just as I braced myself for impact and felt Ema’s strength surge through me, preparing to lunge out of the way or stiffen my body to repel the impact, Logan surged forward, knocking it away with his superhuman strength.It was an impressive feat, but as the dust settled, I noticed blood beginning to seep from a wound on his arm.I heard screams and panicked voices around me. Innocent shoppers who were just as shocked as I was. But I didn’t care about them.“Logan!” I shouted, rushing to his side.He brushed me off with a smirk. “I’ve had worse.” But his eyes betrayed the concern he was trying to hide.“His wound,” Ema said, drawing my attention back to his arm. “It’s… bad. It hurts me, too.”I had heard the stories before, about ghost pain, caused by a mate getting hurt. It was faint, but it was there. And I was worried, too.The dust still hung in the air, a misty remnant of the fallen billboard. Logan stood, h
EllaThe grandeur of Logan’s family estate was unmatched, the chandeliers glistening with thousands of crystals, reflecting the light in the room. I hesitated for a moment on the threshold, taking in the lavish spread of food and guests buzzing with conversation.My previous assumption had been sorely inaccurate. This was not a mere family dinner. It was a statement, a spectacle. And I was the trophy on his arm, the daughter of the CEO of WereCorp. An accessory.I put on a smile, though, if only to play my part—just as Logan had requested. It was part of our plan, after all. And after what happened with the billboard, Logan’s motives behind wanting to take down the Mafia were becoming more clear to me.Logan was ever the commanding presence. Every move he made, every word he uttered, seemed to draw attention. Tonight was no exception. His sharp gaze traveled the room, making sure to make contact with every important person in attendance.It was difficult to find any hint of the melanc