AudreyFiona’s smile was even more saccharine than I remembered it being as she approached, her eyes gleaming with false warmth. I tensed, my hand instinctively tightening around Edwin’s arm. I felt him tense, too, a ripple of discomfort flickering across our mate bond.Edwin stepped slightly in fro
“You’re right.”We made our way to the bar, each grabbing a glass of champagne. We clinked our classes together and took a sip, the bubbles tickling the back of my throat. The warmth began to soothe my frayed nerves.As we sipped, I scanned the room for Fiona. She was flitting from group to group, n
Third PersonFiona hummed softly to herself as she brushed her long platinum hair, admiring her reflection in the vanity mirror. Her baby blue ball gown, the tulle skirts bedecked with pearls and sparkles, hung on the back of her closet door. Her feet ached from dancing in high heels all night, but
“Coldclaw?” Fiona echoed, confused. “You mean that barbaric rogue pack?”She shuddered at the thought. Coldclaw bordered the pack that Fiona’s parents led, Silverbite. No one ever went there. It was dangerous territory, full of rogues and criminals.When Fiona was little, she used to have nightmares
AudreyBlood and bonfires and chanting suddenly turned into champagne and dancing and laughter.I was suddenly thrust out of Fiona’s memories, my mind reeling from the force of it. The world tilted, and I staggered backwards, stumbling over my own heels. My shoulder hit the floor, the impact jarring
Somehow, Claudia’s face went even more ashen than before. She blinked slowly, dazedly, and I could practically see the gears turning behind her eyes as she turned to look at Fiona. At the killer who she thought was her ‘daughter’.“T-This is nonsense!” Fiona shouted, struggling to her feet. “Y-You c
AudreyThe guests had all gone home.I sat in a plush armchair, my hands wrapped around a delicate china teacup. The warmth seeped into my palms, but it did little to ease the tension in the room. Across from me, Fiona perched on the edge of her seat, her narrowed eyes darting between Edwin, Claudia
Fiona remained silent, her jaw working as she stared at the floor. The tension between us was palpable. We had become unwilling sisters, bound by a shared mother and a tangled web of lies and manipulation.That would take a lot more getting used to than calling Claudia ‘Mom’.“Everything will be oka
“I think you’re going to change so many lives,” I said to Eliza. “Those kids are so lucky to have you.” Eliza looked down, her cheeks pink. “Thank you, Audrey. Really.” Tina piped up next. “And my LGBT counseling department is finally off the ground! ” She paused, leaning into my mother, who was
Audrey After a long flight, we finally touched down in Italy. The sunlight streaming in through the plane window was a promising golden hue, and just the sight of it made me feel like my heart was about to leap out of my chest. “I might need a nap when we get to the villa,” Edwin yawned, shaking
And as I watched, I felt a hand slip into mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond. My mother stood on my other side, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. A lump rose in my throat, and I couldn’t even speak. None of us c
Audrey Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last-minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through t
“There’s always time,” I whispered, grabbing the wrist of his free hand and pulling it close to peer at his watch. The movement caused him to topple forward, and he caught himself on his other palm, caging me against the hard wood of the vanity. “But maybe not enough time to waste right now.” Edwi
Audrey Before I could even answer his question, Edwin rushed past me and locked the door. When he turned back to me, he was grinning from ear to ear. The sight of that mischievous look on his face made my breath hitch. Once, it had been like pulling teeth to get the man to smile. And now here he
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I tore into the wrapping paper, revealing a soft red scarf. I could tell immediately that it was handmade—there were more than a few uneven stitches, and the outline was lumpy. It was far from perfect. But I loved it all the more for that. “Goddess, Edwin,” I laugh
Audrey The morning of the show was a frenzy. No, more than a frenzy. It was complete and utter chaos. I spent the entire morning from sunup to noon running endlessly from one end of the venue to the other, desperately trying to make sure every last detail was perfect. The racks were lined with c
“Uh… Yeah,” Malakai said. “Coffee would be nice.” A few minutes later, the three of us sat around the table, steaming cups of pitch black coffee in our hands. I kept it bitter, just in case Malakai was here to stir up more shit. It burned a little going down, but I sipped it anyway. Malakai look