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
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