The rest of the afternoon passed surprisingly quickly, and by the time five o’clock rolled around, I was ready to head home and collapse on my couch with a blanket and a glass of wine. I’d just shrugged into my coat and was about to grab my bag when the sound of a deep voice coming from behind start
Aria The whole place felt a little… personal, like some kind of romantic date setting. Only I was with Darren, my boss, who was leading me toward a table overlooking the city. He slid off his coat, handing it to the attendant, before taking mine too. His hands brushed my shoulders as he slid my
After he spoke, all I could do was stare at him incredulously. It wasn’t that I was upset that he’d been tricked—Sarah was a master of lies and manipulation—but it was just… difficult to wrap my head around it. Finally, I closed my eyes, my throat bobbing. “I… I knew it was you,” I whispered. “Y
Aria & Darren Aria For a moment I could only stand there and blink, too stunned to even move as Darren rushed toward me like a freight train. Darren’s face was close, his breath warm, so intoxicating that I couldn’t think clearly. He leaned in, his eyes fluttering closed. His lips brushed mi
“Help it?” I muttered bitterly, starting the car and pulling away from the curb with a screech of the tires. “No, but you can control yourself. You could’ve let me walk away tonight, and maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t think I was some ass who’s just playing with her emotions. If you really wanted a
Darren The moment Lily’s voice echoed off the walls with that last line—“You have a mate?!”—I nearly lunged across the desk to clamp my hand over her mouth. It was like she’d just let off a firework in the dead of night. “Lily,” I hissed, holding a finger to my lips, leaping up and slamming the
Aria Bella lounged on my couch in an oversized hoodie and matching sweatpants, her legs spread out in front of her as I poured us each a fresh glass of wine in the kitchen. It was a peaceful Friday night, despite everything. The memory of Darren’s almost-kiss still lingered, but he had respected
“I’m not looking to be reminded of Jackson,” I bit out. The name fell between us like a brick, and Bella’s face softened instantly. “I didn’t mean that,” she murmured. “I’m just saying… don’t you want to live a little? Put yourself out there?” “Yes,” I admitted. “But I’m also not ready for anoth
Banners hung across the walls, pink and white, with “Congratulations” written in bold letters. Streamers dangled from the ceiling, and our dining room table was lost under piles of gifts wrapped in pastel paper.“What the hell?” I managed, my jaw dropping as Bella rushed forward with Theo balanced o
AriaA year had passed since Darren and I signed that treaty, and life had settled into something sweet, even with all its ups and downs.The scars on my chest had faded to thin white lines, and Darren’s wound was just a memory beneath his shirt. We’d become godparents to Bella and Liam’s little boy
AriaLunar Labs was reduced to a shell of its former self.The once-sleek and vibrant building, surrounded by lush gardens and pebbled fountains, was now barren and burnt. The glass walls were shattered, the halls within burned and destroyed. Those damn slurs were still painted across nearly every s
He didn’t hesitate. “No.”The word hung in the air for a long moment. The president blinked, clearly startled. “With all due respect, Mr. President,” Darren went on, leaning forward in his chair, “we’re not coming back. Not like that. After being deported, hunted, abused by your government—my people
AriaDarren and I stepped out of the car and faced the sprawling estate that was the human president’s home. My chest still ached faintly from my wound, the stitches long gone but the pain lingering. Beside me, Darren subtly favored his left side when he moved, still healing from the hole in his che
We stayed like that for a while, neither of us speaking. At some point, I must have begun to drift off again, too exhausted from the day’s events to keep my eyes open.But then, suddenly, the door burst open, shattering the stillness, and I jolted upright, wincing as the movement pulled at my wound.
AriaDarren and I lay tangled together in the hospital bed, much to the nurse’s earlier chagrin. They had finally allowed us to remain together, reinserting my IV and moving my monitors to his side of the room, when my eyes had glowed and a low growl had accidentally ripped from my throat when they
He didn’t answer. I didn’t even think he heard me.Finally, the wail of sirens pierced the air, and red and blue lights flashed through the crowd. Paramedics pushed their way toward us with a stretcher rattling between them. Liam waved them over, shouting instructions I couldn’t process. Hands reach
AriaThe world erupted into chaos around me, a deafening roar of fury and movement as the protesters surged forward. Hundreds of voices shouted, feet pounded the pavement, and bodies pressed together in a wild rush toward Bella’s father.I caught a fleeting glimpse of him, his face twisted with rage