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
Aria winced slightly but said nothing as I worked, her eyes fixed on the cot. She didn’t want to look at the blood, and I didn’t blame her. “You know what’s weird?” Aria said after a long silence. “I’ve never been bitten by an animal before. Not even when I was little.” I paused, my fingers stil
Aria I sucked in a sharp breath as I wrapped the bandage tightly around my calf, trying not to focus on the angry red puncture wounds beneath the gauze. The bite from yesterday still throbbed, sending sharp jolts of pain down my leg every time I moved. “You can take today off,” Darren’s text had
I glared at him. “I’m not planning on starting anything.” “Your wolf says otherwise,” he remarked. “I can practically feel the tension rolling off you.” I tore my gaze away from Aria and the panther shifter, focusing on the ice melting in my glass. Maybe he was right. “It’s none of my business.”
Darren I swirled the amber liquid in my glass, watching as the dim lights of the ballroom reflected off its surface. The masquerade was in full swing—lavish costumes, ornate masks, and the hum of meaningless chatter filled the air. These events were never my scene, but as the CEO of Lunar Labs, I
Bella put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, Aria. We’ll figure something out.” “But—” Just then, a smooth voice interrupted. “Is there a problem here?” We turned to see a tall man approaching, his dark suit impeccably tailored. His mask was sleek and black, covering half of his face but revea
Aria We’d been at this for hours now, primping and prodding in preparation for the masquerade tonight. Bella was like my drill sergeant, commanding me to don this color eyeshadow, smear this lipstick shade across my lips, spray just the right amount of perfume. It felt like we were teens again, ba
“Sarah,” I greeted coolly. “What brings you here?” She eyed the bags in our hands, noticing the mask peeking out of mine. “Shopping for the masquerade, I see? How… quaint.” Bella arched an eyebrow. “And what’s wrong with that?” Sarah let out a mocking laugh and checked her nails. “Oh, nothing.
Aria “Come on, Aria! This one is perfect for you!” Bella exclaimed, holding up a floor-length emerald gown that shimmered under the thrift shop’s dim lighting. I laughed, shaking my head. “Bella, that dress would make me look like a sequined asparagus.” She burst into giggles. “Yeah, but you’d
Bella raised an eyebrow. “Are you?” “No!” I exclaimed. “Well, maybe. I don't know. Darren and I talked about it, and he admitted that he might have been a bit... lenient with me.” “Hmm,” she mused, swirling her wine. “Well, at least he acknowledged it.” “Yeah, but it’s more complicated than th
Aria I hesitated for a moment but then nodded, following Darren as he led me to a fallen log near the edge of the clearing. He sat down and gestured for me to join him. I sat, but kept a small distance between us. “Listen,” Darren began, “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said the other ni
Tracy frowned, genuine concern etched into her face. “Oh no, that wasn’t my intention at all. I just thought she was checking in on you, maybe worried about your workload.” I sighed, once again feeling at a loss for words. Tracy seemed genuinely apologetic, even if it was unprofessional of her to