Emory let out a long sigh as she placed her phone on the bedside table. Then she lay down on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, she slowly closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, even though her mind kept going over and over the same question. Had Jaxon still not returned from Argentina?It was the only logical explanation for why Jaxon hadn't contacted her yet. She had been waiting—based on the flight's arrival schedule—but not a single call had come through.Anxiety crept in. The longing she had hoped would soon be quenched was pushed aside by a strange feeling that cloaked her heart. A subtle worry took hold and kept her restless throughout the night.Emory couldn't shake the unease. She was convinced that something must have happened since Jaxon had promised to call her as soon as he arrived at Gardeno Palace.Fortunately, her worries didn't include the possibility of something terrible happening to Jaxon's flight. Earlier Emory had checked the latest news and there was no report
Emory stood up quickly. Her steps were hurried as she moved towards the bedside table. Then she realised that her suspicions were correct—the person who had contacted her the night before was indeed Jaxon.A warm feeling of happiness spread through Emory's heart, which had been frozen in painful memories, flowing gently like the light of a full moon illuminating the dark night. She reached for the phone, then realised her fingers were trembling.Emory didn't answer the call immediately. Instead, she took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself, not thinking about Aretha's death. Then she finally picked up the phone. "Hello, Jaxon.""Hello, Emory."Jaxon's voice broke every invisible chain that had bound Emory. All her tension vanished instantly.A wistful smile appeared on Emory's face. She had just realised another truth—she hadn't just fallen in love with Jaxon. She had loved him. More than that, she needed him more than she had ever imagined. Jaxon could soothe her with just h
The club manager pressed his lips tightly together, his expression one of uncontrollable confusion. A strange feeling weighed on his mind, causing him to lean against the reception desk. His arms crossed over his chest, he rubbed his chin occasionally, while the toe of his shoe tapped the floor intermittently. He found a comfortable position that allowed him to stand and keep an eye on the view across the lobby."Ahem." The club manager cleared his throat rhythmically, then shook his head. "Do you see that? Don't you think her behaviour is odd?"The receptionist lifted her head, following the direction of the club manager's gaze. "Oh! You mean Miss Lacey and Mr Damian?""Yes," the club manager nodded, squinting suspiciously. His eyes reflected his doubt. "Look closer. They've been sitting together for half an hour without saying a word. They don't even make eye contact. Isn't that strange? I mean, we can easily guess the relationship between Mr Jaxon and Miss Emory, but why do their p
Now the full moon was no longer the only thing Jaxon liked to look at. There was Emory's face, which had become the gravitational centre of his eyes. It wasn't just her beauty, though it was the most breathtaking thing in the world to him—it was so much more than that.Jaxon felt that Emory possessed countless charms and allures that he couldn't begin to list—whether it was the soft curve of her cheeks, the delicate colour of her lips, or even her long, fluttering eyelashes. He was completely mesmerised, as if bewitched, and couldn't look away. He kept his eyes on Emory, his heart swelling with joy.There was no tiredness. Boredom was impossible. Jaxon thought he could spend an eternity just looking at her.Jaxon was mesmerised. In an unexpected moment, when their eyes met by chance, he realised that Emory's eyes were one of the most hypnotic things about her. He felt a warmth in them, like the gentle glow of a small fire that refused to die—a light more than enough to illuminate the
It was shaping up to be a good morning for Myles. His peaceful sleep was interrupted by the ringing of his telephone. He stirred, muttering incoherently, intending to ignore the call. But a second ring came almost immediately.Myles growled. He lifted his head from the pillow, irritation etched into his face. "Can't I get some peace and quiet in this palace? Why does something always have to disturb me?"Realising that the caller might not stop until the call was answered, Myles reluctantly gave up the idea of continuing his sleep. He rolled over to the right side of the bed, reached for the bedside table and grabbed his mobile phone.Myles blinked several times, trying to focus his eyes to read the caller ID. "Gus?" It took him a second to recognise the name, and then his eyes widened in realisation. "Oh, Gus!"His sleepiness vanished instantly. Myles sat up on the bed, his heartbeat quickening. He figured Gus wouldn't call unless it was something important.Myles answered the call a
As much as possible, Emory avoided drawing attention to herself. She had reminded herself time and again to remain composed. She didn't want to reveal any changes in her behaviour, even though spending time with Jaxon had made her heart flutter. Happiness flooded her soul and made her want to smile endlessly.Emory knew it was going to be a challenge. After a week of suppressing her longing to finally meet him, their reunion was bound to bring back countless fond memories. Everything was just as she had imagined. Jaxon had missed her too, and the time they had spent together had only deepened and strengthened their love.Fortunately, fate granted Emory her wish—to keep her joy from becoming too obvious. Ironically, it did so in the most disgusting way.Emory froze. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Myles flirting with Denise. Behind him, Fernanda and Lacey stood still, uncomfortable expressions on their faces, as if they could already see the chaos that was about to unfold.Emory moved qui
A sudden silence gripped the atmosphere. For a moment, no one spoke, no one uttered a word. Emory didn't react immediately. She didn't answer, she just stared at Fernanda with a shocked expression she couldn't hide. The question—so direct, so unexpected—sent her thoughts into a tailspin. Emory’s mouth opened, but her tongue felt tied. Emory was at a loss for words. She couldn't utter a single response to Fernanda. She tried to formulate an answer, but every word she put together slipped away like grains of sand falling through her fingers.Moments passed and Emory took a deep breath. She tried to compose herself, to reassure herself that all was well. Especially when she noticed Fernanda's lack of reaction to her surprise. Fernanda's calm demeanour gave her hope that it was just a casual question. "Am I in love with anyone?" Instead of answering, Emory repeated Fernanda's question with a smile. "Oh, Fernanda. How can you joke so early in the morning? You know, right? I haven't had
Denise's smile widened. She seemed pleased that Fernanda was sharing her thoughts. So, she didn't want to waste the moment.Denise thought there couldn't be a better time than now. She and Fernanda were in her room, just the two of them. There was no third party to overhear their conversation.Denise cleared her throat briefly, then stood up. She decided to move to the sofa, closer to Fernanda. "Actually, there's something I want to tell you, Watcher." Fernanda noticed Denise's unusual behaviour. She immediately asked, "What do you want to tell me?" "It's about Luna," Denise said with a serious look on her face. She bit her lower lip briefly, as if choosing her words carefully. "You might think I'm crazy, but I have the feeling that Luna is in a relationship with someone."Of all the things Denise could have brought up, Fernanda had to admit that this wasn't a subject she had expected to hear about. She couldn't hide her shock, especially since she had suspected the same thing earli
It seemed that a false sense of calm had settled over Zyranos Palace lately. The usual silence and stillness that should have signalled peace had instead become a sign of tense anticipation. The atmosphere had been altered by the commotion surrounding Isidore, Trina and Myles. Everyone was talking about it, spinning endless speculation—and because of that, Emory refused to be caught off guard a second time.Emory had made this case her sole focus. She was going to make sure that not a single detail slipped through the cracks, because this wasn't just about her safety—it was about the entire pack. Trina and Isidore's actions weren't just a matter of deceiving her; they bore the signs of a betrayal of the pack itself.Emory needed the truth to come out. She needed to uncover the true motive behind Trina and Isidore's actions. Their claim that it was all for their own good sounded like a flimsy excuse. Her instincts told her that something much bigger was at play—something important enou
The grey clouds drifted restlessly, darkening the sky above Montclair Manor. They obscured the sunlight, casting an unnatural gloom.A cold wind blew, rustling the leaves in an uneasy whisper. Nature stirred as lightning streaked across the sky, breaking through the last line of defence.Raindrops began to fall. A drizzle tapped against the windows, its rhythm growing heavier with each passing moment. What started as a light mist sweeping the ground soon turned into a torrential downpour.The trees swayed wildly, their branches creaking under the force of the wind. A distant rumble echoed in the background—a harbinger of the approaching storm. The universe painted a bleak picture, one that Trina watched in silence.Trina stood behind the window, motionless. She had been there for some time, her gaze fixed on the rain, her mind a storm of thoughts. Voices, faces and events crowded her mind, sending a heat through her chest.Everything felt different. The atmosphere had changed, thick w
With firm strides, Pierce stepped out of the palace, carrying the turmoil with him. His mind churned relentlessly, a restless storm that refused to be calmed, even when the wind blew in a soothing rhythm.Pierce paused for a moment, tilting his head back. His gaze was fixed on the sky, now shrouded in grey clouds. It seems, he thought grimly, the rainy season is beginning.The realisation added another weight to his shoulders, another layer of pressure Pierce would have to deal with. He took a deep breath and walked on towards his car.There was too much to do, none of it could be postponed. Time was passing and Pierce had no intention of wasting it. So, he drove to the Guard Headquarters without delay, a wry thought in his mind—his plans for rest had been cancelled.Arriving at Guard Headquarters, Pierce headed straight for the command room. He paid no attention to the incessant activity around him—guards moving back and forth, security systems being monitored and daily reports being
The familiar sight enveloped the Zyranos Pack headquarters as usual. Activity was everywhere. Operations never ceased, even in the final hours of the night. Signs of work in progress filled the air—heavy footsteps echoing through the halls, the occasional creak of an automatic sliding door and the low hum of internal communications.The routine continued endlessly, and so did Pierce, who remained absorbed in his work, unaware that the day had already changed.Stacks of documents cluttered his desk, scattered across the surface. The holotable glowed dimly, projecting reports he had read countless times.Fatigue weighed on his eyes. Exhaustion struck, hitting him hard as a consequence of working late into the night.Pierce let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair, massaging the bridge of his nose. He tried to shake off the overwhelming fatigue."Damn," Pierce muttered to himself, realising that despite countless sleepless nights, he was still no closer to a breakthrough. "It's l
The exhausting days continued relentlessly. Time seemed to turn with a heavy rhythm that sapped all energy. Ironically, it wasn't the work or the pack business that caused this, but the unexpected things that kept popping up without warning.Lately, everything felt like it was spinning out of control. One shock after another came in a way that was far from pleasant. They disturbed Jaxon's thoughts and his peace of mind.Strange thoughts crept into his mind. They followed every step Jaxon took. They shadowed his every activity. They never let him go, haunting him with an endless unease.Jaxon took a deep breath. He tried to calm himself as he received the same report again that morning. "Well," he said in a low voice. "Still no progress on Rosalie's case?""Yes, Alpha," Alexis replied carefully. Her head bowed slightly as she explained. "Kira and her team are still conducting a thorough analysis. So far, Rosalie's condition remains stable, although there's been no significant progress
Kira took a deep breath before stepping forward and entering the cell, Alexis and Yvonne following behind her. The dim light cast faint shadows across her face, accentuating her focused expression. Her gaze remained fixed on Rosalie, who lay motionless, showing no reaction to their presence, except for the occasional unfocused blink."She's lost her neurological response," Kira murmured as she observed Rosalie's completely diminished state. "Is that what you meant, Yvonne?"Yvonne clicked her tongue quietly. "I'm not quite sure. But one thing's for sure, none of the methods we've tried have been able to bring her fully back to consciousness. It's as if she's caught between being awake and unconscious."Kira cautiously reached for Rosalie's wrist, searching for a pulse. "Her pulse is weak and her blood pressure has dropped. If this continues, her body could shut down completely.""Is that the effect of something?" Alexis asked spontaneously. "Could it be poison? Trauma?"Kira sighed an
"It seems that my suspicions were right. Isn't it, Myles?"The accusation hit Myles like a cold, jarring slap. His body tensed. His fingers dug into the arm of the sofa as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded. His chest rose and fell in an erratic rhythm as he struggled to suppress the tremors creeping through his body.Myles remained frozen under Emory's gaze. He could feel the sharpness of her eyes, slicing into him like a blade, peeling away his skin layer by layer. He wanted to look away, escape, or at least blink, but his body refused to obey. He couldn't move an inch. And so, he became the target of Emory's silent but crushing power.Cold sweat beaded on his forehead before trickling down Myles’s temple. His heart pounded violently, hammering against his ribs in a frantic, uncontrollable rhythm.Myles took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. But the more he fought for control, the harder it became to remain calm.Every passing second was merciless. Time seemed to
The morning hustle and bustle at the Gardeno BioResearch Centre was business as usual. Medical teams and researchers had been filling the corridors since dawn, moving from room to room according to tightly scheduled programmes embedded in the central system. Similarly, assistants hurriedly carried laboratory results, while medical assistant robots glided silently to deliver test samples to the analysis unit.In the midst of the constant activity at the Gardeno BioResearch Centre, Kira sat behind a glass desk covered with a holographic interface. She remained motionless, her attention completely absorbed by the results of Jaxon's medical examination.Several transparent screens floated in the air, displaying biometric data, neurological scans, metabolic tests and various other analyses. Everything was neatly arranged in spreadsheets, accompanied by graphical visualisations that could be accessed with a single gesture of the hand.Kira dragged one of the graphs to the main screen, displ
Emory's private audience chamber was silent—almost too silent—shrouded in a chill that refused to dissipate even though the day had long since turned to midday. The sunlight, usually blazing with intensity, could do no more than pierce through the tall windows, casting its glow on the grand pillars and gilded furnishings within.In the centre of the room stood Emory, her posture erect. Her arms crossed over her chest; her fingers curled into fists in an attempt to maintain her composure. But nothing could quell the storm raging inside her.Heat burned in Emory’ chest. Her heart pounded with rage. Her breaths were deep and measured, but only God knew how much effort it took to appear composed.The blank expression was merely a mask to hide the seething rage within. The calm facade was a fortress Emory had built to hide the tension coursing through her entire body. No matter what, she would not lose control—not in front of them."Luna, they have arrived."Orlando's announcement made Emo