AriaOver the following weeks, Darren and I poured our energy into planning the first human and shifter event in the city. It was somehow a lot more work than I expected, and that was saying something, considering that I had expected it to be stressful.Bridging two worlds, one of whom had been in h
AriaThe morning of the event dawned bright and clear, the kind of day that felt like it had been plucked straight out of a dream. Sunlight streamed through the windows of my apartment, casting golden pools across the floor, waking me with a smile on my face.Today was the day. Today was the day tha
Then Melissa, ever the perfectionist, fussed over the dress, making sure every detail was just right.By the time they were done, I barely recognized the woman staring back at me in the mirror. The dress fit like a dream. My hair and makeup were flawless, and there was a glow in my eyes that hadn’t
DarrenThe moment we stepped out of the car, the world erupted into chaos.Cameras flashed like lightning, their blinding bursts of light lighting up the dark sky. Reporters were already shouting questions before our feet even hit the pavement.I was no stranger to this kind of attention. As a CEO,
“I’d rather take a thousand tomato stains to my shirt than see a single speck on that beautiful gown of yours,” I said, my lips curving.She blinked. “You’re ridiculous,” she whispered, although I could see the faint smile tugging at her mouth.“Maybe,” I said as I dipped my head to press a kiss to
Aria“Aria, would you do me the honor of a dance?”Darren stiffened beside me when William said those words. It wasn’t just his body that stiffened, though—our mate bond suddenly flared to life for the second or perhaps third time that night, a surge of heat and protectiveness that I could feel bene
I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them away, leaning into his touch. “Thank you,” I whispered.The rest of the evening passed without a hitch. Darren and I moved through the crowd together, his hand never leaving mine as we mingled with guests and answered questions about t
DarrenMy world shattered when Aria’s hand was ripped from mine.“Aria!” I shouted, my voice cutting through the din. But there was no response, no sign of her in the sea of panicked faces.I cursed under my breath, shouting her name through the mate bond as I whirled to catch a glimpse of her. Peop
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