“They’re not games for kids,” Darren said with a completely straight face.Lucas thought about that for a second, then nodded solemnly. “Okay… But next time, I wanna come and play games for kids!”Darren set him down, patting his head. “Deal. Now go get ready for breakfast.”Lucas scampered off, and
AriaThe cold air nipped at my cheeks as I stepped outside, pulling my coat tighter around me. Breakfast had been… well, uncomfortable. Between Wendy’s knowing glances, Darren’s calm and collected demeanor, and Lucas’s innocent chatter, not to mention Tracy’s angry glares followed by suddenly stormi
I wondered, for a moment, who was walking Anna’s dog while I was gone. I should call Bella and ask her to cover for me, I thought with a small wince.“Just put it on the table,” Mrs. Sterling said, shuffling toward the kitchen.I did as she asked, placing the bag carefully on the worn oak table. As
Aria & DarrenAriaI paused just at the forest’s edge, straining my ears to listen. The forest was silent now, save for the sound of the wind rustling through the pine trees and the birds flitting across the path.It didn’t feel right to just walk away when someone was calling for help, but I knew b
Emerging from the trees were three wolves, large and dark, their eyes glinting under the pale morning light.…DarrenLucas’s giggles filled the air as I lifted him onto my shoulders, his mittened hands gripping the top of my head for balance.“Higher, Daddy!” he squealed, leaning forward so far I h
AriaAll my life, I always thought that if I found myself in a dangerous situation, my fight or flight instincts would kick in and I would somehow, one way or another, save myself. But the truth was, I was frozen in my place as the three wolves closed in on me.Like a mouse in a trap. Only instead o
But I didn’t make it far before the wolves closed in again, blocking my path. Every which way I turned, I was met with dripping fangs and gleaming eyes, and no matter how I tried to escape, I just couldn’t.The wolves won in the end. I found myself pushed back once again, and there was no way to get
AriaWendy pressed the steaming mug of hot tea into my free hand. She deftly massaged the balm into the small cuts and scrapes covering my other hand, but I hardly felt it. My mind was still on the edge of that cliff with Darren’s arms safely wrapped around me.“You’re lucky you didn’t come into con
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