LilyTears brimmed at my eyes looking at the pregnancy test. Denial ran through me like a river, but there was no escaping those two lines.I swallowed thickly looking at it. the result was clear. I was pregnant for the one person I regretted ever meeting.....Two Months Ago the soft morning sunlight filtered through my bedroom curtains, a loud ring pierced the air. I groggily reached for my phone on the nightstand, squinting slightly.I smiled the moment I saw who it was, answering the call."Hey birthday girl! Guess who remembered to call you at the crack of dawn?" Malina's voice sang excitedly through the receiver, instantly pulling me out of my half-asleep state.I chuckled, my heart warming at the sound of her familiar voice. "Thanks for the wake-up call, but isn't this too early?""Come on, Lily! It's your special day! You can't waste precious time snoozing away. Happy birthday!" Malina's enthusiasm was contagious, and I couldn't help but smile wider."Thanks a lot Malina, I
LilyThe first thing that struck me were the surroundings. Velvet drapes framed the expansive glass panes, revealing a breathtaking view of the city's skyline, a world far removed from my own. Staring at the entire place only one thought repeated in my mind.Where was I?What happened?Confusion knitted my brows as I struggled to piece together the fragments of the previous night. Memories passed through my mind like an elusive shadow. Flashes of pulsating lights, the thumping bass of music, and the tantalising presence of the mysterious man teased my consciousness. Shutting my eyes tightly, I tried to catch hold of them, to make sense of what had transpired. It was to no avail. They remained as intangible as smoke slipping through my fingers.The image of him was vague. I knew he was handsome, remembered the deep voice that mingled with mine and yet I couldn't remember his face or name.My gaze drifted to the space beside me, where the enigmatic stranger should have been after a nig
LilyTime skipI stared down at the same object I had found a month ago. The sole relic from that mysterious night at the hotel when a stranger had whisked me away for a night of desire.The curiosity was the sole silver lining among the darkness, especially after what happened earlier today.……Earlier I stood straight against the multiple eyes that scrutinised me, a shaky smile on my lips as I tried blinking out the cold realisation seeping into my veins.The men and women sitting opposite me in my job interview held the same tension, looking at me as though I was alien to them.It had started well. Greetings were exchanged and polite pleasantries were said. My qualifications had successfully captured their attention.As I spoke about my past experiences and aspirations, there had been nods of approval and the occasional encouraging smile. The atmosphere had been professional, the questions straightforward, and with concealed joy, hope had bloomed inside me.But then…A subtle shif
Lily The Luminous Works Grand Hotel loomed above me, towering over all other buildings. Its glass facade sparkled in the sunlight, giving a glow that left me equally awestruck and intimidated. I stood unmoving at the entrance, my belly tumbling from trepidation as I looked at the place.Almost a month ago I came to this hotel for my party. Now however, I was here for a completely different reason.Taking a deep breath, I pushed through the revolving door into the place. Looking around at the grandeur of the lobby. There was no way I could be used to such a sight.I swallowed thickly, heading to the reception.“Excuse me. My name is Lilian Grace. I was brought here for an…interview ?” I winced inwardly as how timid I sounded.‘What if it was a joke or prank?' I flushed at the thought. I would be so humiliated at such a cruel joke.The clacking of heels rose from behind me but I paid it no mind until suddenly a voice came from behind.“Lillian Grace?”I swiftly turned to face the figu
LilyThe day had finally come. I had been at work for barely a week and had tried adjusting to my new space. With an office of my own and plenty of work to do, there was no time to mingle. I didn't mind, too engrossed in my new workload to be bothered.But now something new has come up. A memo had arrived in the morning, stating an impromptu meeting with several partners. One which I had to attend.And Alexander Sinclair, the CEO would be there.I was looking forward to it with a mix of excitement and curiosity. Finally, I would come face to face with the man who had hired me.As I entered the conference room, my heart was shaking with anticipation. The place held a long mahogany table surrounded by plush chairs. The large window offered a panoramic view of the cityscape.I took my seat, adjusting the stack of papers and a sleek tablet that held the details of the meeting.Moments passed, and the room gradually filled with the hushed murmurs of the arriving stakeholders. I glanced ar
Lily"Come on, where are they?" I grumbled in frustration.After what felt like an hour of searching, I finally found my prize. "Aha, there you are!" Relief filled me as I brought out the mint gum. I tossed one into my mouth, relief filling me as the cool feeling engulfed my mouth.Looking down, I groaned at the mess I made in my search. Everything that had been in my purse was spread out on the table. "Of course" I muttered under my breath, swiftly gathering everything together.The mint helped wash away the lingering taste of vomit. But I couldn't shake the almost daily bouts of nausea that had been plaguing me. The morning after the first instance, I had prepared myself for the illness to come, only to wake up all the same. I thought it was a fluke until the only moments after taking lunch, I threw up again.The constant cycle had gone on for almost a week now and I did my best to hold it in "If this keeps up, I might have to go to a hospital," I mumbled to myself, albeit rel
LilyI groaned, frustration filling me to the brim as I faced another dead end. Almost twenty minutes had passed since I left Alexander's office, but I hadn't found it.His office was the goal, but I'd committed my greatest blunder yet; I hadn't gotten the directions to it. I was in such a rush to leave Alexander's office that I hadn't thought to ask for it. I glanced at the document in my hand, sighing.Was I really going to fail my first official task like this?I began walking again. As I navigated the surroundings, I took note of the different places I passed—a lavish ballroom with crystal chandeliers, a chic lounge with plush velvet sofas, and a corridor covered with a stunning art collection. Luminous Works truly lived up to its reputation.Yet as I turned again, I found myself reaching another dead end. My internal compass clearly failed me.Direction had never been my strong suit but this time, I was completely lost.Just as I was contemplating my next move, a familiar voi
LilyAs I returned home, every part of my body weighed me down. My body ached and I could barely think.The rest of the night was a blur as I stepped into the bedroom, collapsing onto the bed.The mattress embraced me and I closed my eyes, slipping into a fitful sleep.In the morning, I woke up with a gnawing hunger. It was my fault for sleeping off without eating. I sighed getting off my bed.My bare feet padded across the cool, hardwood floor as I made my way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge for food, I stopped as I recognized a large pack. The same pack Lisa had given me yesterday.As she had instructed I waited in the hotel lobby after work. When she'd arrived, she came with a small pack, handing it over to me.“You can try it now or put it in the fridge for later.” she'd winked at me before bidding me goodbye.Even in my exhausted state, I still followed her instructions. Taking out the pack, I opened it, only to gasp.There, nestled within the container, was steak, accompani
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