LilyA shiver ran down my spine. His gaze bored into me, cold ice freezing my blood.From my periphery, I would have noticed other women murmuring with their eyes on him, but I couldn't. Not when his focus was solely on ME.He wasn't supposed to be here.A nudge beside me brought me out of my trance, but I still couldn't escape his stare.“Is he your boyfriend?” One of the nurses asked. I barely heard her voice through the blood rushing in my ears. On a normal day I should have noticed how nosy they were being, probably even offended. If only I wasn't fixated on his glare.My grip on the folder tightened.What was I doing? Was I going to be cowed solely because he was here? ‘No,’ I thought to myself, determination filling me.“He's nobody,” I muttered, uncaring if they heard me or not as he moved towards me.“Miss Grace.” He spoke in a stony voice. It sent shivers up my spine with how unnaturally calm it was. I had faced his ire only once and it felt like I was being scrutinised now
54AlexanderThe silence that filled the room was deafening, suffocating me from the inside. I remained standing, frozen in place right where she'd left.Sucking in a breath, I flexed my fists to try to control my emotions. This had escalated quickly.‘She heard everything.’ I shut my eyes against those thoughts, sucking in a breath.How the hell did Nathan and I not notice? We were supposed to be more conscious of our environment. It explained her strange absence last night, and her attitude earlier this morning. And it was all thanks to that damn conversation.Flashback “The first quarter of this month has been settled then,” I told Nathan, rubbing my thumb in contemplation.“Nothing to worry about on LW’s end.” Nathan said, a small frown leaving him as he sank into my office couch. I watched him from my desk before turning to the aerial view of my window, the sky and city buildings familiar.Nothing was wrong, yet my gut clenched. There was an itch under my skin, a twinge of wo
Alexander It was like the air stilled between us. I expected him to leave, to storm out immediately after, but he didn't, still staring at me with that same glare on his face.“I'm done with this topic, there are other more important things to talk about.” I said to waive his words. Brush it aside.‘Coward.’ I stiffened as the thought came, but I held firm, waiting for his reaction. “I’ll leave you to it then, Alpha,” he replied in a frosty voice that gave me whiplash. Despite his visible anger, he still bowed to me before storming out. I said nothing, remaining still as the door slammed.Present daySqueeze. Loosen. Clench, unclench.I followed the rhythm, flexing my hands as the silence deafened my senses. I knew he wouldn't understand. None of them would understand. I was doing this for the pack and our full safety. Even though it was unethical in more ways than one.‘Was that all you really wanted?’ I shut my eyes tightly. These freaking thoughts. Sometimes it felt like I wou
Alexander I didn't bother knocking before slipping into the room, twisting the lock open. Classical music bombarded my ears the instant I opened the door, making me hiss slightly before I adjusted to it.This was the first place to look for him. There was no way he would have been in the bedroom or his home office by this time. Not while he was troubled or angry. I knew him too well.And just as I expected, he was here in the training room. The music alone was enough.All the curtains save one were draped down, shrouding the large room in partial darkness. I adjusted to it quickly, perusing the room for his frame. All the workout equipment was shifted to the ends of the room, leaving a vast empty surface in the middle but he was decidedly not there.Honing my senses, I finally pinpointed his location gaze tarting to a small movement in the corner. His silhouette was hidden in the corner doing pushups effortlessly. Only the faint sounds of his breaths covered the room.He hadn't pause
Alexander ‘What the hell?’I looked up, stricken to see Nathan laughing.“Well isn't that good for you?” he spoke between laughter.I inhaled sharply. I knew I had angered and hurt him but this was too scathing and completely disrespectful.What could possibly be good about this good about it?“This isn't funny Nathan.” I spoke in a warning tone.“Of course it isn't!” he shouted abruptly. I reared back instantly in face of his anger, stiffening instantly, not out if fear, but the deep seated instinct of adrenaline.He didn't move any closer or try to attack, although there was little chance of him doing so. He merely chuckled more, shaking his head.“I'm glad at least that I didn't have to keep up the pretense for any longer. I was tempted you know, to tell her early in the office. If it wasn't for how she looked back then, I dont know what I would've done, but now there's no need to wonder.” he said, letting out a snort.“I'm proud of her for handling it with grace. If I'm being hon
Lily “No…” Hands gripped me painfully. His sneering smile made my insides turn. I didn't want to be here. Anywhere but here. I knew this was a dream. It had to be. Why then did it feel so real? Ron's breath brushed me, sending shivers through my spine, but I couldn't get away from him. “You escaped me once, but you won't do it again.” He grinned, making my eyes burn. His face morphed into a shadow , until more shadows came from behind him. “It took us quite a while to find you.” I froze instantly once I recognized the shadows. There were four men and a woman. The same three people who had kidnapped me the last time, whose blood and screams I'd witnessed that night along with that bulked man that threatened my life the first time. They were all here. Impossible. It had to be. But I couldn't tear my eyes away. Them along with Ron, approached me, their darkness coming closer and closer. I couldn't hold back my tears and screams anymore. There was no dark wolf to save me
59LilyIt was a battle, trying to sleep without the fear of dreaming. It seemed that my body had taken a middling compromise as I fell onto a dreamless state that didn't completely feel unconscious. When I ‘woke up’, returning to consciousness was easy, blinking to leave the vestiges of sleep. Despite not fully feeling rested, I didn't feel as heavy anymore. My mind seemed clearer too.I yawned lightly, stretching my arms and arching my back. Nothing still felt right, but it was better, and that was all that mattered.I blinked in surprise as I turned to the bedside to find a tray of food on the table. No doubt my breakfast, although it seemed like the food had gone cold. I didn't feel hungry, although it seemed like it was more of my mood than actual appetite, but remembering the baby, I reached out to eat. I hummed as I checked my phone. It had been two hours since I'd initially woken up. By the time I was done with the food, pulling away the tray, I rested on the headboard, sta
Lily What I was seeing was definitely not an illusion.His eyes traced mine, holding me captive under his stare. I stood frozen, my mind racing.‘Why was he here?’ was the first thought that came to my mind. And suddenly everything else came rushing back.I held the door tighter as I realised my mistake. I shouldn't have opened it in the first place, but how on earth was I to know that it was him?I wanted to turn away as soon as possible but my body hadn't kept up with my mind yet.Looking over him, something coiled in me. He looked strange. Different.It wasn't his appearance. He still looked like an asshole. The way he stood was strangely…awkward or was it just in my imagination?. But there was just something so strange about how he looked.Why should I care how he looked? What mattered was why on earth he was standing here in the first place.This was the first, no, second time he had been here since id officially moved in— if one could even call it that. The first time…Images o
Lily“I know what my next question is.” I saidHe looked up from the documents while the taste omelette I'd just had was fresh in my mouth.He'd called me to his office again for breakfast. My instinctive refusal died at his stare. I had a feeling that this was going to be a regular thing.Without giving him a chance to speak, I asked.“Why did you choose me to plan the Gala?” I asked, “Was it because of our agreement or Emilia?”“Thays two questions,” he pointed out,“Oh,” I flushed instantly. I didn't know why I was so embarrassed when it was just a fluke but either way, I wasn't taking anything back. The seconds felt longer as I waited for his answer. I wasn't searching for validation, I just wanted to know.His icy blue eyes met mine.“I know you don't believe in what I say— for good reason, but that's the truth. I wouldn't entrust this to anyone else out of pity or a whim.” he said,“Every word I said in the meeting room was true. Your work as an event planner before entering t
LilyWhen dinner came hours later, I'd stepped down wearing the pyjamas I'd taken. There wasn't any need to dress fancy when there was nobody to impress.The air held that same awkwardness from before, yet my heart was more settled. Ignoring the tumble in my belly as I murmured a greeting, I focused on the food immediately for the second time that day to stave away the tension.I'd barely forgiven him, so I was far from eager to start a conversation. That is, until his throat cleared next to me.“How was work?” He asked“It was fine. I did everything you told me to.” I replied curtly before finally looking up to face him, “This isn't part of the deal.” I said. The clunking of cutlery stopped when he looked at me.“What do you mean?” he asked. Under his gaze I could only shrug.“We…we only agreed on you asking things regarding the baby. There's no need to make any other conversation.” I faltered at first, but at least I made my point clear. I was already weary of false pleasantries
Lily “What?” I gasped, were it not for her smile I would have believed it was a prank. But her expression remained the same. “It's true. I'm guessing it'll be revealed in a meeting later, so try not to act unsurprised.” she said as she pulled away. I could still barely catch up with her words.“But…why?” I asked incredulously. As far as this company was concerned, I was hired as a secretary. “I suggested it, but it was Alexander who gave the final call.” she replied, shrugging.My mind went blank instantly. Yes, I was an event planner before losing my job. Yes, I enjoyed it and despite my initial joy when I first got this job, I still couldn't compare it to the thrill. But why would he do this?And a Gala at that? I had dealt with planning for large parties and weddings, but a Gala wass something else, much less an Annual Gala of what was one of the largest conglomerate hotels.The real question was what he was thinking when accepting this. Did he decide this the night before afte
Lily‘Was I doing the right thing?’That was the first thing I thought the moment I locked my door. Leaning onto it, I closed my eyes.The buzz of adrenaline hadn't stopped racing and my thoughts were still going to haywire.It was Malina’s words yesterday that was the tipping point. She was trying to assure me that I could leave, yet it had done the exact opposite. Somehow her talking about ‘fathers’ sent a different trim of thought entirely. It remained stuck in my mind throughout and the day after, especially after the incident with Alexander.My mother raised me just fine and I hadn't borne any resentment, especially not after knowing the truth of his absence, but could I say the same for my child? Not to mention that he wasn't going to be entirely human in the first place. That issue had bothered me for the longest time, settling doubts even if I was stubborn enough to try to deny them at first. It wasn't just being a werewolf. Even if I was resolute on helping there was noth
Alexander ‘They were footsteps.’That was the first thought that entered my mind as I met her gaze. The tapping sounds were footsteps coming from her and I hadn't noticed it until she was right in front of me, just like the last time she was here. It was ironic. I'd been so focused on her that I didn't notice her presence until it was too late, twice.But then came the question; why was she here?Under the lights, she looked slightly flushed. I could sense her slightly quickened heartbeat yet her face remained neutral and expressionless. There was something different about her gaze. The hardness from the walls shed built up was still there, yet there was a hint of something else. Resignation? Curiosity? It took me a few more seconds to realise that I was openly gaping. Before the embarrassment could set in, she'd moved away, taking her place on the seat beside me, her usual place.I trailed her frame but then noticed the empty space on the table. I took action swiftly, sending a qu
Alexander “I would have thought you'd be asleep by this time.” He chuckled. It grated on my ears.“If you thought so, you wouldn't have called.” I replied smoothly, keeping the scathing anger inside.“So you were expecting my call then?”“My Beta informs me of every contact coming through the pack. You of all people should understand.” He chuckled again as if I'd told a joke and it took everything in me to not crush the phone with my bare hands.“Isn't that funny? My Beta has the tendency to run around, being in places he's not supposed to be in. He's quite a troublemaker you see.”A knot formed in my gut. Of course, now he would mention Sirius. He'd left the city anticlimactically after days of monitoring, less than a week after I'd moved Lily into my home. After his disappearance, there had been no other ‘incidents’, hunters or rogues or otherwise. His presence alone was proof of Marcus's actions yet now he was pinning it on Sirius being a ‘troublemaker’.“Does that explain his p
Alexander Ever since that night she suffered the nightmare, I'd been paying more attention to her. The only things I knew or wanted to know in the past were the things that I counted as important. Things to let me take advantage of her, but now I was taking notice of everything, even if it was in our spare interactions and my glances in meeting rooms.‘She bites her pen when she's nervous.’‘She knows that I'm staring at her.’‘She's stubborn. Immensely stubborn.’‘She's better at hiding her emotions than I thought.’As I continuously offered dinner and expectantly got rejected, I still kept that in mind, noticing what she often asked for and what the pack members brought her.“She prefers meat, no doubt due to the baby.”“She likes anything citrus aside from peaches.”‘She still isn't sleeping well.’I knew that her nightmares still persisted. Every night the tug of restlessness that woke me up told me so. I stayed at the locked door, wondering if it would be acceptable to break it
Lily In the night, I was prepared for another round of nightmares. Skipping over the melatonin, I silently braced myself for the semi-sleepless night.I woke up as usual in the middle of darkness. I didn't feel any different nor did I have a nightmare. Sitting up, I was about to pick up my phone when th I noticed the shadow beside me A scream nearly left my lips until I realised who it was. My fears instinctively turned to anger and hostility.“How the hell are you here?” I bit out, hostile despite my racing heartbeat.On the other side of the bed, sitting on the chair, Alexander stared agape, like he hadn't expected me to be awake.‘My suspicions were correct then,’ I thought. It came together, the slight hints of scent so faint I thought, hoped, was my imagination. The occasional feeling of warmth and the strange emptiness when I woke up.Not to mention the hints of voices I heard in my dreams. Comforting words I swore were just my imagination.‘I’m here. Nothing would hurt you,’
Lily“Alright then,” Claire smiled victoriously, “I'll leave you alone now.”I smiled tiredly as she packed up her tools, taking the empty dishes with her. Under Claire's instructions — which were more like commands, I was forced to take things easy, eating constantly and sleeping or relaxing every other time in-between. She often came over to make sure I was eating well.The results were drastic. The weakness that had plagued me for weeks faded during the first few days and I felt fuller. Even though I was set on going to work the day after the first few days, the routine hadn't changed. The results of her second search were partly disappointing yet not. I should have known that sleeping pills weren't allowed for pregnant women and the last thing I wanted was to endanger him in the first place. She gave me melatonin pills in its stead which was equally as effective yet I couldn't take them constantly. I didn't mind. Some sleep was better than none at all. Although napping in the