Aria My head was on a plush pillow when I awoke, the first rays of early morning sunlight spilling across my cheek. I yawned, rolling onto my back and stretching languidly. I didn’t recall my own mattress feeling so plush and luxurious. This was divine. But then, slowly, I realized that was beca
Fearing I had struck up a nerve, I managed a small smile and said, “I’ll see you later.” And with that, I slipped out of the room. I felt his eyes on me until I closed the door. By the time I reached the office, I thought I had made it without being noticed. After all, it was still early, and I
Aria Lily’s voice was muffled against my palm, but I could make out the odd burst of words here and there: “Knew it—mates—possible—Goddess!” Darren and I exchanged panicked looks as I kept my hand clamped over her mouth. If she kept this up, half of the office would catch on. And this was not wh
Finally, Lily sighed and shook her head. “But if you two love each other, then I guess that’s all that matters, right?” Love? I looked at Darren, not sure what to say. Love had never been a part of the equation. Before I could say anything, Darren quickly ground out, “You know I plan on breaki
Aria “Tracy will be taking over Arthur’s responsibilities,” Darren said, resulting in a soft ripple of murmurs from the team. “I trust you will find her more than capable.” Tracy. I recalled the others mentioning that name before when Arthur had first been fired, but I never expected her to be s
“There were multiple factors, Lily.” Such a calm and practiced response. So much so that it was even a little suspicious. If he had the means to hire someone as qualified as Tracy, then why me? Why take me on full-time—the human girl with no degree? And as for Lily, she still hadn’t said a word
Aria Tracy smiled warmly, although there was a sense of humor behind her words. “Oh, I’m, uh, Lucas’s part-time nanny,” I said, a little flustered, as I gestured vaguely in Lucas’s direction. “It’s sort of an arrangement Darren made with me on the side. And, well… Lucas likes calling me ‘Mommy’
And yet, thinking about this made something else creep back into my mind. Tracy’s words. Lucas had told me once that his mother had died. And yet, Tracy was so sure that she’d simply walked out, abandoned him. I looked down at Lucas, wondering what the truth was, and why he seemed so certain tha
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