He paused, letting his words sink in. “I hope this clears up any misunderstandings. If anyone has further concerns, my door is always open.” With that, the meeting was over. People filed out slowly, some looking reassured, others still casting curious glances in my direction. I stayed seated, unab
“You really broke up with your boyfriend on Valentine's day? Why? I mean, was he seeing another woman?” “Technically, I was the other woman.” I tilted back the shot of tequila down my throat, the liquid shooting through me like lightning. “What?!” Bella’s outburst drew the attention of a few onl
Did I just... make out with a famous VIP?!The handsome VIP looks at me with a questioning glare, and I quickly try to offer some kind of justification.“I-I’m so sorry!” I stutter out, taking several steps back. “I… I just…” I flounder for a moment. How the hell would I be able to explain myself? N
“Ah, right! Um…” I nervously laugh, a habit I’ve never been able to fully get rid of. This is the worst thing that could’ve possibly happened to me this morning! He barely looks at me, his attention firmly focused on his dog.“Lucas.” At just his words, the dog underneath my hand shifts, ears going
I quickly began to try to get ready for the interview, mind racing a thousand miles a minute. I take the fastest shower of my life in order to wash off any lingering dog hairs.I’d applied to them almost three months ago, and received radio silence in response. It was a bit of a long shot of an appl
“My apologies, Sir.” The interviewer grabs a few papers, looking eager to leave. “I didn’t know it was you who requested such an interview. I’d never question the Alpha’s decision.”Alpha? I almost ask, but I figure it’s some weird ‘employee-at-a-pet-company’ hierarchy gimmick. These people are stra
The next morning, as I get ready for my new job, I can’t help but feel like things might finally be turning around for me. I agonize over my outfit choice for a long while, eventually settling on a white blouse and business skirt.I’d turned on the news forecast to see what the weather would be like
“Um, I’ve never used one, but my uncle is a hunter.” The woman both gasp, and the man seems shocked. They reacted to the word ‘hunter’ like it was some kind of curse word!“Right. Um.” The sloppy-tie guy takes a step back, “I gotta go work on that proposal, then.”“Yeah, me too.” Melissa says, and t
He paused, letting his words sink in. “I hope this clears up any misunderstandings. If anyone has further concerns, my door is always open.” With that, the meeting was over. People filed out slowly, some looking reassured, others still casting curious glances in my direction. I stayed seated, unab
Aria My heart stopped the moment I saw the pictures on the screen. It was the image from the masquerade—the dip, the kiss, followed by my mad dash with no mask on. And it became clear to me, in that moment, that everyone in the office had seen it. Everyone. Which only meant one thing. “How b
“So, breakfast?” she asked, her grin a little too eager. “Sure,” I said with a shrug. I was honestly craving some diner coffee and a big stack of waffles. We ended up at the diner down the street a little while later, a cozy little spot with red vinyl booths and the smell of sizzling bacon in th
Aria The picture on the screen felt like a knife to the gut. As if tonight wasn’t already confusing enough, images of our kiss—complete with my face on full display—were circulating the internet. I stood there, stunning into silence, just staring at the phone. “No,” I repeated. “No, this can’t b
Darren I watched Aria dart away, disappearing into the crowd with her gown trailing behind her like a fleeting shadow. My heart pounded in my chest, a tornado of emotions swirling around inside of me. What the hell had I just done? Again? “Dammit,” I muttered under my breath, raking a hand thr
But at the same time, dancing with him felt… right. Just as right as that strange scent I had briefly encountered. And I wasn’t moving to walk away, even though I felt bad for William. “Darren,” I suddenly said, unable to hold it in, “I… I think I picked up your scent just now.” His eyebrows sho
Aria The soft strains of the orchestra filled the grand ballroom as William led me gracefully into a dance, his hand resting on my lower back. We began to chat about various topics, everything from my own questions about the modeling world to pointing out interesting masks around the room. But i
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