ROSE “No reason? What about the contract? Our agreement?” His body pressed down on me, and I felt the butterflies fluttering madly again. “I just told you I wasn’t thinking.” “Then, I’ll give you something to think about the next time this happens, you ungrateful cub—.” I frowned. “Why do you keep calling me ‘cub’? I’m not a kid—.” “Shut up, Rose.” Rum grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head as his face came dangerously close to mine. “The next time you plan on leaving me like that, you better make sure that I can’t find you. Because when I do… I’ll make you regret even worse for doing it twice to me.” I didn’t dare to breathe. I couldn’t look away from those fierce blue eyes. And then, very slowly, I felt it—large, strong and pulsating like a violent heartbeat—entering me, pushing at my walls, stretching my insides nicely to its shape. A glorious sensation blew me over. My lips parted with a moan of surprise and delight escaping into the dimness around us. “Ah….”
ROSE Bright white light. A sense of comforting chill washed over me. It was like diving into an ocean of warmth—only it wasn’t cold and wet…and long. Sunbathed wood, grass and metallic stones swarmed into my nostrils as a wide stretch of calm green and calm blueness greeted me like an old friend. The familiar feeling felt strange and slightly frightening. Like I should be expecting something. Yet I had no idea what to expect. “This is….” I stared in awe at the span of peaceful waters laid before me like a blue mirror. “Is this…?” His silence gripped me. All of a sudden fear settled in me. I shifted closer, tucking myself into his back like a security blanket. It was then he turned to me. Surprised at first, then sympathetic. Or so I thought. “What’s wrong with you?” He squinted in slight irritation. “Never seen a lake before? They’ve got one at the—.” “Park.” I straightened, feeling silly. “I know.” I avoided his gaze and tried to survey the unfamiliar surroundings.
ROSE A cold chuckle followed by a—WHACK! My butt hit the soil with a thud—which would be louder if it was B.A.D.’s toilet floor—and then the side of my body slammed against something blunt—a tiny bump in the ground. “Ooph!” I winced, the sheer pain instantly shut down my reflexes. “Hold her,” the deep voice growled. And I was grabbed and flipped around harshly, then pinned to the ground. Fuck. Different place, same thing. Why can’t these people just be nice? Scarface knelt down, his smirk clear as the blue sky behind him, and then glided his fingers down the curve of my cheek. “I asked you a question, pup. And it’s rude to not answer it.” And Wacko burst into another series of high pitched cackling. “After you, me.” “Goddess bluff…,” groaned the female voice. “Must I be here?” “Can you speak?” Long, thick fingers slid around my neck, tightening. I pressed my lips together even tighter. And the fingers tightened some more. “Answer me.” Those dark green eyes came cl
ROSE “Rum….” I dashed over and knelt beside him, rubbed his back to help him breathe. “Breathe, Rum… Breathe….” “Ha!” He clutched the ground hard, as though begging it to give him some air, his knuckles turning white. “HA!” I was lost. Frightened. What do we do when someone in front of you has a panic attack? Think, Rose. Think! Air. He needs air. NO. His airways are blocked. He needs something to balloon them so air can go through. I grabbed the sides of his face, but he pushed me away. “Leave me alone—.” He coughed and gasped deeply and heavily, as though someone had his hands around his neck. “Get the fuck away from me!” “No….” I cried and grabbed his face once more, then covered his mouth with mine. He tried to push at my shoulders—but I slid my hands around his head to the back and pushed it towards me just as his lips parted more and I sealed his mouth with mine. Pain stung my throat from the inside, but I kept going, pressing my body against him so he’d breathe thr
ROSE Suddenly, I feel like an old motorcycle. Until, of course, I pulled down my hood and Rum tipped my chin. Ellis’s eyes couldn’t get any bigger while Elena rushed towards me with an even paler look. Both reactions told me that my condition has worsened. “Goddess me…,” muttered Elena as her fingertip lightly touched my wounded skin. I winced hard, the heat of pain seared the back of my eyes, tearing them. “Jesus Christ, stop touching her!” Rum shouted at the healer. “Can’t you just use your eyes?” “If I could just use my eyes, I wouldn’t touch it! I need to touch it to FIX IT!” The godmother blasted back. Glaring at her annoying godson, she ordered, “Lie down, Rose. It’ll be painful. But I need you to bear with it.” Rum was immediately by my side, about to help me get on the bed, when Elena snapped, “You–out. Now.” She glanced at her husband. “Both of you, men. Out.” “I’m not going anywhere without her.” Rum slapped Elena’s hand away when she tried to grab his wrist
RUM “Mmm….” I jerked my gaze to the bed. “Blast it, she’s awake. She’s going to move. Stop her,” the Luna ordered, both her palms still hovering over Rose’s neck—which didn’t seem to look any better, colour wise. I was right back on the stool and leaned close to whisper into Rose’s ear as she stirred some more. “Hey Rose, it’s me.” “R…am?” She was about to lift her hand to rub her groggy eyes when I gently pressed on her wrist to stop her. It’s still a little scratchy but thank goodness she can still talk. “Yes. Rum. You knocked out for quite a while there. Don’t! Don’t move. Elena’s still treating you.” And the poor girl froze—in a super adorable way that made me want to kiss her entire face. “You can relax, stupid girl. Just stay still.” I had to stop myself from reaching out to touch her. “Oh…kay…,” she whispered. “How do you feel?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking. “Less… pain….” But she was still wincing and I felt my heart drained. The wheels in my min
ROSE "Rose." Rum sidestepped his mother to the bedside. "Are you alright?" he whispered. I blinked at him and then at the woman beside him, her gorgeous features puckering with concern. "I… I'm alright." Rum sighed in relief. "Jes—." He halted at Elena's glare and said, "I mean, blast it. You gave me a scare." "Is she your mate?" asked the soft, silky voice. And Rum swung around at his mother while I stared at her, horrified. "No!" Rum retorted. Then, to her surprised doe eyes, he added, "She's my assistant." Quickly, I nodded. Fiercely. "Assistant?" Those slim light pink brows wrinkled with curiosity. "What is she assisting you on?" And the white couple coughed knowingly. "Rose is hungry," said Rum, moving to the table. "Can we eat first?" After a glance at his mother, the superstar werewolf sighed. "I'll explain everything to you as I eat." ***** Werewolves make the best beef stew. Now I know why Rum complains about them back home. Home…. Rum is definitely hom
ROSE He kissed the side of my head then pressed his lips into my lips to muffle his groan of bliss, and I felt his body tensed up. Then, it relaxed again. And I felt another kiss on my forehead then his lips spread into a smile. We sat there, in the dim glow of the oil lamp, in each other's arms, listening to our heavy breathing coming down, our heartbeats becoming normal. “There's something you need to know. This place is nothing like the human world.” There was a snigger in his voice. I breathed in and sighed. “I’m aware. I see nothing but trees and rocks. I mean, this inn is by far the only man-made structure I’ve seen.” And it’s made entirely out of rocks. “I mean the bathroom, cub.” He pulled back and kissed my cheek. “There’s no shower.” And he flashed a bright smile. I was shocked. Werewolves' existence is one thing. But no showers? “You’re kidding.” “I’m not. Want me to show you how to use the facilities?” I don’t like the smug smile on his face. ***** SPL
ROSECarefully, I picked up my iPad and the impatient phone and turned towards the exit of the office. I thought to answer the call once I’m outside, but it stopped buzzing. So I moved cautiously towards the elevator, when it arrived just as I halted to push the button for it. The doors opened and my handsome Alpha King appeared, worried as hell. ‘Why didn’t you answer my call?’ he demanded.I rolled my eyes. ‘Because I’m getting through a door with this.’ I pointed at my huge belly. He was about to carry me like a bride when I slapped his hands away. ‘Stop it!’ I hissed. ‘You want everyone to know?!’ ‘Wheelchair. If you ever missed my call again.’ He stepped aside for me to enter the metal carrier. ‘Alright, alright…’ I chuckled. ‘So how was it?’ He asked, glancing at my iPad. ‘Did she approve it?’ ‘No.’ I sighed. ‘It’s too extravagant. The actress specifically asked for more grounded styles. She wants people to relate more to acting than her beauty.’ And Keithen scoffed. ‘Goo
ROSEI rolled myself onto him, loving the way my skin rubbed against his, feeling his warmth and heartbeat against mine, as well as the vibrations of his chuckle. He swept the sticky damp strands off my face, hooking some around my ears, then combed the rest to the back of my head with his fingers, and all the time, I had my eyes closed, savouring the moment. And he chuckled some more. ‘You want another round?’ he whispered. My eyes burst open, and his arms squeezed my bare waist as he laughed. ‘I’m hurt, cub. You look like a car was about to hit you.’ I shifted closer to his face—my breasts scraping his hard chest, and he grunted a little—and kissed him on the mouth hard, delivering all my passion, all my apologies. Immediately, his mouth opened and he shifted to push me forward, so that his tongue could dive in a little more, consuming me breathless. Just as the familiar desires stirred inside me, I pulled back, tore my lips from his and captured his face with both hands, tryi
ROSEI’m a werewolf, aren’t I? Okay, not entirely. Just half wolf, half human. But that still counts, right? There’s still some wolf inside me to make this work! This has to work! Concentrate. Focus, Rose. Think of the gate. I could be at the beach, or the back alley. Does it relocate to the same place twice? Or does it choose a new place each time? ‘Rose, are you having a headache?’ asked Joy. I opened my eyes and evaluated my best friend for a while. Then, I made up my mind. ‘Joy.’ I grabbed her shoulders. ‘I’m about to tell you something that nothing in Science can ever explain.’ ‘O…kay?’ I could see the wheels of her mind churning to come up with the plausible reason for my sudden strange behaviour. ‘Is it Harry Potter kinda something?’ I nodded firmly. And she mouthed ‘O’, with a knowing gaze. But behind that gaze, I still caught her disbelief. ‘It’s alright to not believe me. Just promise me that you won’t tell a living soul.’ I was staring at her so hard, I could almost
RICHARDA video showing Richard in his midnight blue shirt with his arm stretched across the desk. The files shifted and a sketch of a female figurine in a puffed up flowy gown with petals in her hair and on her lashes and lips. Richard was flabbergasted. He turned back to the CEO, his mind churning furiously to come up with the best excuse to save his ass. ‘When Rose brought me that design, I thought to myself: this is something that ambitious Annie would use. It’s extravagant and flamboyant. Wouldn’t it be nice to distract her with this, so my precious gem can focus on levelling up her skills? She can’t be stuck in the B.A.D. crap all the time.’ Richard felt deflated. His world was crashing down into dust. ‘Y-You set me up.’ The CEO laughed heartily. ‘You flatter yourself too much, Richard. Set ups are for my equals. This is just a test. But you scored full marks.’ The young rising star slammed his palms on the desk and glared at the CEO—the woman who had previously doted on hi
ROSE‘... the winner of this styling face off is—.’ The emcee’s eyes rolled left to right repeatedly as he read the card. His brows knitted as a mutter of disbelief spilled from his mouth, ‘Annie from B.A.D.’ My insides sank to the deepest parts of my spirit. ‘YES!’ Annie shrieked out victoriously. With a smugful grin, she cast a look of condemnation in my way. ‘I told you she’s a fake! She can’t style at all! Extraordinary—ha!’ That was… … unexpected. I thought I had a good chance. I really did read Miss Jewel’s comments wrongly. ‘Oh! The main judge has something to say!’ The emcee shoved Annie aside to make way for the retired supermodel, Jinda Avengelistford, who gracefully took the centrestage at an astounding height of six feet. ‘Based on the styling standards, Miss Annie has met every single one.’ She turned to the head of B.A.D.’s styling team and flashed a warm smile. ‘It was exciting—your unexpected. There is still a difference between professional and personal styling.
KEITHEN ’CUT!’ The director’s frown was as clear as the blue sky outside. I could tell that he’s been trying to hold it in. But the shit’s about to explode. ‘Rum.’ He forced a smile. ‘Are you sure you’re not unwell?’ I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve said this: ‘I’m fine.’ ‘Then what’s the problem?!’ The older guy grabbed his hair, about to go crazy. I stared at the line of the script that was shoved into my view. Instantly, the clog in my throat grew real. As real as the reality I’m about to face in an hour’s time. ‘Maybe Rum’s upset that this is all going to end for him soon.’ I looked up and a pair of kind eyes smiled back at me. Sherry patted my shoulder as that sweet smile turned into a sympathetic one. ‘I bet he misses all this. Don’t you, boss?’ I chuckled dryly and looked down again. ‘I’m not your boss, Sher. I’ve said it many times.’ That’s it. No matter how hard you try. You can’t fight reality. You just can’t. You can stay hidden around her. It won’t ma
RICHARDA day before the styling competition… ‘Go right in. She’s wrapping up the conference call,’ said the lovely PA of Miss Jewel. The young man in his stylist’s midnight blue shirt and grey bubble pants grinned sweetly and nodded. ‘Thank you, Celia. You look lovely today.’ And the PA gave her usual polite smile. Richard entered the glasshouse of an office and settled himself in the same chair he’d always been in whenever he’s here. A minute turned to three… and then it felt like ten. Richard’s fingers began to tap with impatience. He thought of checking his phone for an update from the private investigator he’d sent to tail Rose. The thought of Rose brought a grin to his glossed lips. Miss Jewel must have called him in to talk about Rose’s resignation, and he was prepared to sacrifice his precious time and help the agency convince Rose to retract it. There is no way the CEO wouldn’t agree to his one and only condition: that Rose stays as his stylist for as long as he’s wi
ROSEBANG, BANG, BANG!I stared at the door, unable to breathe. Unable to stop the tears. Unable to shut him out. ‘OPEN THE DAMN DOOR, ROSE!’ thundered the Alpha King. ‘YOU BETTER GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION RIGHT NOW!’ Hands clamped my ears. My head kept shaking in disagreement. My chest screaming: go away! Please, go away! ‘I know you’re in there! Open the fucking door!’ The banging continued. The same hands now clamped my mouth. To stop me from telling him to stop. Stop the noise, or someone will report him to the police. You’re a fucking celebrity! Stop it, Keithen!‘I’m counting to three. No open door, and I’ll fucking shift right here! Hear that, Rose? Footsteps! People are coming out. They’ll see me—.’ The hands were back on my ears. Shutting out his voice. My feet shuffled back, away from that enraged door. Hide. Go and hide, my mind told me. And I did. I scampered back to my room and slammed the door shut. Locked it. Then backed away, towards my bed. The second my calves bum
RICHARD‘I told you it’s not going to happen!’ the young man hissed into his phone. The female voice at the other end of the line screamed curses. ‘Everyone’s been talking about your peach silver outfit—more than mine! What happened to the black jacket! You said you’d wear it.’ Richard Black rolled his eyes at his reflection in his bedroom mirror. ‘She wanted to change it. What else can I do? Say no? Has your precious Rum ever said no to you regarding his outfit?’ ‘I can’t let her win that competition,’ chanted Annie. ‘Dan’ll have my head!’ ‘I’ll get you a chopping board then.’ ‘You lying son of a bitch! You didn’t keep your end of the deal—have you any idea the sacrifice I made for that article?’‘Sleeping with a reporter instead of some big shot? You call that a sacrifice?’ Richard scoffed. ‘You’re a whore, Annie. Everyone who knows you knows that. The models—they talk. A hell lot.’‘And you think your Rose is a virgin?’ ‘SHUT UP!’ Richard shouted back, and the ugly chuckle r