Aria A week without Darren turned out to be a lot easier than I had initially expected. His apartment was the epitome of luxury—a guest room all to myself, a state-of-the-art kitchen, access to whatever I wanted whenever I wanted it. By the third day, I had found a comfortable rhythm with Lucas.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open a little further. Darren’s bedroom was immaculate, not a thing out of place. A massive bed with neat charcoal gray blankets and pillows, ever the minimalist, sat in the middle of the room. Two nightstands sat on either side of the bed, one of which look
Aria “Daddy!” Lucas leaped off of his stool, nearly sending milk flying everywhere in his haste—but with a silent glare from me, he paused, blushing and carefully setting his cup down. Only then did he barrel toward his father. A rare smile touched Darren’s lips as he crouched and held his arm
If a human were to somehow stumble upon those lands, they would suddenly come across a deep ravine or a wild animal some other reason to turn around and leave. Or, in some rare cases—less rare as of late—rogue wolves who lingered at the borders might attack. That was why he had been gone all wee
Aria & Darren Aria A flicker of surprise crossed Darren’s face when I asked him to shift for me. I wasn’t even entirely sure why I had asked—simple curiosity, most likely. I wanted to see the color of his fur, his size, his wolf’s face. But there was something else there, too. Another reason w
Third Person & Aria Third Person Sarah tapped her manicured fingers against her arm, her impatience growing the longer she waited. The lab was dim this time of night, the faint light lamp on the nearby table barely illuminating the space. The air smelled like antiseptic, the lab having been fr
“Alright,” I said softly, tugging Lucas’s hat onto his head before I stood and took his hand. “Now we can go have fun at the park without worrying, right?” “Right!” Lucas exclaimed. The event was already in full swing by the time we arrived at the park a little while later. Colorful banners hung
Darren Everything happened in a blur, even for my own keen werewolf senses. The dogs charged, their wild eyes locked onto Lucas like predators zeroing in on prey. Foam dripped from their jaws, their pupils blown wide. My muscles tensed, instinct screaming at me to move—to get between them and Lu
“Come on,” Darren said, taking my hand. “Let’s join them.”“But you know how I’m a terrible dancer,” I protested halfheartedly.He grinned, already pulling me toward the dancers. “Trust me, I know. But I’ll lead.”And he did, his hand warm at the small of my back as we moved among the others. For a
AriaWe led the wary and tired refugees into the village, showing them around the temporary shelters, village, and pack house. Humans and werewolves alike eyed each other suspiciously, but that was to be expected. This was a big change for everyone.“There might be more coming,” Bella murmured as we
When Darren stood to address the crowd, a hush fell over the room. He explained the situation in the city, the violence that had erupted, and finally, our proposal to offer sanctuary to those affected—human and werewolf alike.The reaction was immediate. Some voices rose in support, but many more sh
AriaThe footage playing on Darren’s laptop made my stomach churn. Lunar Labs had been reduced to smoldering ruins. The lab equipment was smashed, documents scattered and burned, walls blackened by fire.But worst of all were the messages spray-painted across what remained of the walls: “WOLF KILLER
“I was gathering footage for the documentary,” she began. “I wanted some shots of the forest at sunset. My crew had already headed back to the pack, but I stayed behind.” She swallowed hard. “And then I saw a man. A human man.”Darren and I exchanged wary glances. Alfira went on, “He was just... sta
AriaBy the time we reached the pack house, Alfira fading in and out of consciousness in Darren’s arms, the local doctor was already waiting for us at the front door. Darren whisked Alfira inside to be examined, and I followed, Lucas trailing behind me.The infirmary was a small room on the first fl
AriaThe moment I realized Lucas was gone, my heart stopped in my chest. One second, he was laughing with the other kids near the edge of the village square, playing make-believe knights with sticks as swords.And then the next moment, he was nowhere to be seen. My stomach dropped, a cold wave of dr
I found Darren in his study a little while later, his face pale and drawn as he stared at a stack of papers on his desk. He looked up when I entered, and his eyes looked glazed over.“How did it go with the lawyers?” I asked, although I already had a feeling I knew the answer.He sighed and ran a ha
AriaThe morning after the search party, Darren hardly allowed himself time to stir before he was heading straight into his study. He had an appointment for a video call with his lawyers regarding the deportation.I watched him go, feeling even more sorry for him than I did yesterday. A good night’s