I woke to the warmth of Chase's body beside me. His gentle breathing and soothing scent enveloped me, tempting me to snuggle deeper into him and get lost in his embrace. For a moment, I forgot my fears and let his presence comfort me.As I reached out to touch his chest, reality slapped me awake.I couldn't afford to get lost in his charm.Not now.Not when I wasn’t ready to hear the truth. I had to avoid him.“For how long will you continue to run?” The sensible part of me, asked, but I quickly shut her down.I wasn’t running. I was just avoiding.As stupid as that sounded, it made perfect sense to me.I carefully extracted myself from the bed, trying not to disturb Chase. My eyes adjusted to the morning light, and I tiptoed out of the room.I made my way through the corridors and towards the kitchen where a silent bustle wa coming from.As I entered, the maids curtsied, their faces a mix of surprise, respect and a hint of fear."Good morning, Luna Elodie," they chimed in unison.I s
As I zipped up my luggage, a mix of emotions swirled inside me - anxiety, determination, and a hint of satisfaction. That dreadful argument two days ago, was what led to my current situation. I had stomped my feet and argued even though I knew it was already a losing game.I was in no way enthusiastic about meeting my mother, but I had questions. Questions that only she had the answers of.I glanced around the room, ensuring I hadn't forgotten anything, my eyes lingering on the familiar surroundings. It was hard to believe I was leaving this sanctuary behind, even if it was temporary. I had gotten so used to the peace that came with living in this house that most times, I forgot there was a world outside.Sadness tugged at my heart, and that was when I sensed him - Chase's presence filled the space, his eyes on me, warming my skin. I turned, meeting his gaze, and my heart skipped a beat like it always did. He leaned against the doorframe, admiring me with a warm, gentle smile that ma
As we stood before my mother, the air was so thick with tension it could be sliced with a knife. Her icy gaze pierced mine, and I felt my heart shrink. My mother's gaze shifted to Chase, her expression twisting into a hateful glare. "And you," she spat, her voice venomous. "I never thought I'd see the day you'd darken my doorstep again."Her words were so harsh, I winced like she had hit me physically.Chase's expression remained neutral, but I sensed his anger simmering beneath the surface."Hello, Meredith," he said, his voice even.My mother's lips curled into a sneer. "Don't bother greeting me, Chase. Your presence is unwelcome. If it were left to me, you would be escorted out here by the cops."I was about to responded when Daniel appeared beside my mother, a forced smile on his ever handsome face. "Ah, Elodie, Chase, welcome. It's...good to see you."The air was filled with tension as we exchanged light greetings. Daniel's attempt to lighten the mood fell flat.My mother's voic
_Chase's POV_I watched Elodie follow her mother out of the dining room, my gut twisting with unease. Their argument had escalated and hit the roof with the speed of light, and even though they no longer looked like they were about to rip each others hair apart, I still worried about leaving her alone with Meredith.Not that her own mother would harm her, but I didn’t want to leave anything to chances.As they door closed behind them, my feet subconsciously moved towards that direction.Daniel's clearing of throat snapped me back to reality, and halted me in my tracks.“We should probably let them iron things out on their own,” he had said, but there was a wistful note to his voice which I chose to ignore.He was right, so I backtracked, but my eyes never left the door.Daniel sat across from me, his eyes fixed on me like I'd grown a second head. The silence between us was awkward, and I became oddly aware of the steady ticking of the clock that I wouldn’t have noticed on a normal day
I followed my mother into the room, the door closing behind us with a soft click, and I looked around the familiar space Daniel used as his study.We sat on the couch, facing each other, engaged in a silent staring competition. My mind raced, searching for the perfect words to articulate the jumbled thoughts swirling inside me.How do I ask my mother if she could explain what was happening to me? What secrets was she hiding?My mother's eyes were unreadable, her expression guarded, and no matter how hard I tried to look, I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.I took a deep breath and dove headfirst. We were already here, so I might as well just get it over with."Mother, what are you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Her confused stare was instantaneous. "What do you mean?"Okay, that probably didn’t come out right, so I rephrased."Never mind," I muttered, changing tack. "Do you believe in werewolves?"She looked at me like I was the eighth wonder of the world, then her lau
The door burst open, and Chase rushed in, his eyes scanning the room."Elodie!" he exclaimed, relief washing over his face as he spotted me.Daniel followed closely behind, concern etched on his features.Chase strode toward me, taking in the shattered glass, my mother's shaken state, and I looked down at my hand to see it had gone back to normal white flesh and nails."Elodie, are you okay?" he asked, enveloping me in a tight hug.I felt his heart racing, his worry evident."I got scared hearing that sound," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear.I wrapped my arms around him, reassuring. "I'm fine, Chase. We're fine."Daniel approached my mother, who looked like she'd been punched in the gut."Meredith, honey, are you alright?" he asked, gentle.My mother's eyes were vacant, her face pale.I intervened, trying to calm the situation."Everything's okay, guys. We just need a few moments together."Daniel's expression remained skeptical, his eyes darting to my mother."Are you su
As we drove back to the hotel, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Chase's free hand was intertwined with mine, his fingers tracing gentle patterns on my skin. From my peripheral vision, I saw him stealing glances at me, his own lips curled into a warm smile."Everything went well, didn't it?" Chase asked, his voice low and soothing, his eyes locked onto mine."It went well," I replied, my smile growing wider. "Could have gone better, but I won't complain." "What happened?" he pressed, his grip on my hand tightening."I'll tell you later," I said, leaning my head against the headrest.Chase raised an eyebrow. "Later?" he repeated.I nodded. "When we're alone," I whispered.Chase’s deep chuckle filled the tiny space of his car. “And we aren’t alone now?” He raised an amused brow.I shook my head, biting my lips to hide my smile."I'll hold you to that," he said, and shook his head, laughing to himself.We drove in silence for a moment, the only sound the hum of the engine."You kn
_Chase’s POV_I woke up before dawn, Elodie's gentle breathing a soothing melody beside me. The luxury hotel's penthouse suite had become our sanctuary, a haven where we could escape the world. We'd extended our stay for three more days, and I was grateful for the time off work to adore my wife and mate.My gaze drifted to Elodie's peaceful face, her features relaxed in sleep. Her beauty still took my breath away. Soft, golden light from the curtains danced across her skin, illuminating her porcelain complexion.I reached out, tracing the contours of her face with my fingertips. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open."Morning," she whispered.I smiled. "Morning, my love."I could wake up to this every day for the rest of my life, and that would a be fulfilled life.Elodie's eyes sparkled, her voice still groggy with sleep. "What time is it?""Early," I replied.She snuggled deeper into the blankets. "Go back to sleep," she whispered.But I couldn't sleep. I was too consumed by the joy