It took a little push from Harper to wake Adrian up. I am glad we passed that hurdle. Thank you all for your patience and support.šš
~Josephine~ I was heartbroken and angry when I found Harper the way she was in her room. It was obvious that she had been crying, and I did not need to guess why. I also did not need to tell her I could see it. Her swollen eyes and sadness-stricken face told me all I needed to know about the state of her heart. Heartache was something dreadful to deal with. I should know because I secretly dealt with it for a while until things changed. I had seen and observed how Adrian looked at her, and it was obvious that she meant the world to him. His feelings might be the reason he was holding back. I could understand his angle, and I could understand Harper's angle. It was wrong to condemn people for their past, but unfortunately, our society was messed up like that. I did not expect her parent to change everything. Judging from our history lessons, it was clear that the King and Queen, along with the lords and current council, had done so much to improve our world, but more still needed t
~Josephine~ I arrived at Justin's office, and I was right to suspect Rachael would be there. She was wearing a tank top with a long Caribbean skirt that had a very long sit that left little to imagine when she crossed her legs. She was a fine woman. I would give that to her, but she was trying too hard. I could see why Charlotte and Harper disliked her. I was indifferent, but seeing what her action had done to Adrian pissed me off completely. "Hello, Rachael," I said to her, and she smiled and waved at me. She had visited a few times, but I was too busy with Liam to take my time getting to know her. If it weren't for Harper, I wouldn't have bothered. "Justin, tell your girlfriend to hang out with us. You are busy," I said, and Justin looked at me a bit pissed. I knew what he was going to say, but her eyes shined brightly when I said girlfriend. "I have something to discuss with Rachael, and it is important," He said, and I looked at Rachael, knowing precisely what Justi
~Harper~ The look on Justin's face when we said we were going shopping with Rachael showed that he suspected we weren't being honest about our intentions, but I didn't care. I was a desperate woman, and I needed answers. "Do not do anything rash, Harper," Justin told me when we left the dining table, and I balled my fist as I ascended the stairs to prepare for our shopping mission. It was easy for him to say. I wondered if he would think the same if he were in my shoes. How could he be looking out for her? He is supposed to be on my side. "Will you get me the information I need?" I linked him, and he was silent before responding. "I am working on it. I am sure she will open up," He said, and I knew he would be gentle. He liked to abide by the law, never towing the dangerous line like the rest of us. But he had no stake in the matter, so it was normal that he would try to be logical. Liam was willing to break the rules and endanger lives for the sake of Sophia. We all thought he
~Harper~ I wasn't feeling patient, but I knew I needed to exercise patience. What we were doing was already illegal and could get us in trouble. "I think Rachael needs some motivation," Josephine said and stood behind Rachael. She grabbed her hair in a fist and yanked it, making the woman scream and look up. Elaine held the scalpel to her face and touched it gently. "You are such a beautiful woman. I would hate to see that face marred. People bound with silver when injured do not heal well. They always end up with scars," She teased, and Racheal began to panic. "Now, last time," Charlotte said. "What happened that night?" She asked her, and Racheal opened her mouth. "We were at the party, and Adrian was sitting with Alpha Jacob. Adrian did not seem to be in a good mood. He had just lost his father, so he was still in mourning," She said, rushing her words, completely afraid. Josephine and Elaine left her and stepped away from her to allow her to speak. There was shame in Rach
~Harper~ We patiently awaited Rachael's recovery. I'd be dishonest if I claimed not to feel relief, but this wasn't the time to let my emotions break through. The urge to grab my phone and call Adrian to share my recent discovery crept in, but the memory of our last conversation held me back. His departure had left me deeply wounded, especially when he mentioned regretting coming to Grizlo. I knew he hadn't intended to hurt me, but his decision not to return had been a painful blow. He hadn't even called me since he left, and doubted he would any time soon. It seemed like I was pleading for our relationship to work, and at this moment, I resolved not to call him. Adrian's peace of mind was assured with this news, knowing he wasn't guilty. However, his unwavering love for his cousin and reluctance to reclaim the Alpha position weighed on my mind. I wasn't going to leave the decision to him. I was determined to do whatever it took: report to Justin, inform Lord Newton and reveal the t
~Harper~ We waited a bit. No one said anything. We were giving her time to respond to the question. "No, it wasn't," She finally confessed. "The man called me and ordered me to go to the airport. He told me Alpha Justin Pavlishchev will be at the airport, and I must ensure that I catch his attention," She said, and I laughed, knowing I was right to suspect her all along. "It took a long time before Alpha Justin called me, and I was given hell for it. They put me under a lot of pressure for not being able to catch his attention. They expected me to find my way to Alpha Jacob's house. They wanted me to force my way into Justin's life. I was a whore, after all, and they needed me to be a whore, but I couldn't. I couldn't. I dreaded that place. I hadn't been around the Alpha since I returned. I avoided him. He was kind and accommodating, and the people had direct access to him, but I never used that access. I guess they wanted me to use it so that Justin would see me the second tim
~Justin~ There was a glint in my cousin's eyes that I found unsettling. Somehow, I felt it was wrong to allow Racheal to go shopping with Harper and Charlotte. Josephine and Elaine were neutral people, but how neutral could they be if Harper had found a way to convince them that Rachael was responsible for her predicament? They would support her. When Sebastien and Noah told me they would be going with the girls, I just knew they weren't going shopping. My cousins were not children anymore, and they knew what would happen should they engage in illegal activities. If getting Racheal comfortable enough to spill her guts was what they wanted to do, then it was fine, but hurting her would get all of us in trouble, especially me because whether I liked it or not, I was in charge. I could not miss the look in Racheal's eyes when she sat in my office before Josephine came to whisk her away. I had told her I wanted to discuss something with her, and she tensed up. There was fear
~Liam~ "Li, where are you?" I heard Harper's voice in my head. I wondered why they had returned two in the afternoon. Josephine had told me that they would be spending the entire day outside. I knew what they planned to do was suspicious. I just hoped they hadn't done something to Rachael because I knew Justin would be mad. They might not notice, but Justin seems to like her. Of all the women that had made passes on Justin, Rachael was the only one he called. "In the common room with Oliver, what is it?" I asked, putting down the document in my hand. "Where is Justin?" She asked, and I knew it definitely had a lot to do with Racheal. She could have as well just linked Justin directly. This whole thing with Adrian would get Harper and maybe the rest of us in trouble. I understood her pain, but I expected her to be wise about it. "If he isn't in his office, then he is somewhere. Why don't you link him and stop bothering me," I said, and she was silent. Soon, Noah and Sebastian en