Flooded EmotionsElara's POV:Just when I thought Harden was here to hurt me again, Arthur barged in, standing between both of us and giving me the courage to speak up. I turned to Arthur, pressed my hands to my head, and gave myself a small head massage, expressing my stress due to Harden's presence."What's wrong, Elara?" Arthur asked. I lowered my tone, enjoying our small display of closeness by having his hand wrapped around my waist, "Please ask him to leave; I can't deal with all this right now."Immediately, Arthur turned to Harden, "You heard her. She needs space to recover. It's best if you leave," he stated sternly.Harden stared hard at me, waiting for confirmation, I guess he couldn't believe his eyes that I could act this way. Arthur was here, and he dared not lay his hands on me. My lips curled with a slurring smile that only he would notice, and I rolled my eyes at him."You heard him, leave," I added. Harden continued to gape at me, paused for a moment, and then was ab
He Can't Hurt You AnymoreElara's POV:I could bet my life on it: Caitlin wanted me gone, even if it meant I wouldn't be freed from those gangs. I continued to ponder many things during Arthur's dismissal.In less than an hour, Arthur returned with an abundance of food, a feast fit for a celebration. I wondered if someone was joining us, and just like he read my thoughts, he responded, telling me it was because I had refused to eat the previous day.Seeing so much tasty and fresh food which I couldn't resist, my stomach grumbled, giving me away, and I grinned at Arthur embarrassingly.I could almost hear him taunting me in his thoughts for denying myself food.He opened all the dishes, from the main course to the side dishes, placing them on the tray, and then brought it in front of me. I couldn't help but wet my lips."I'll feed you. Don't object," Arthur insisted, more like an order.I didn't object; I just did as told by opening my mouth to receive spoonfuls. He was so careful and
If OnlyHarden's POV:As I sat alone in the dimly lit room, my mind wandered back to the memories I shared with Elara. Despite my best efforts to push them away, they flooded my thoughts like waves crashing against the shore of my consciousness. I felt unsettled, and soon anger kicked in, stirring my emotions. To release some of the tension, I went to the training room and picked up my boxing gloves.I couldn't help but recall the countless little things she did for me in the past. The way she would pack my lunch with a note hidden inside to express her never-ending love for me, the gentle touch of her hand running over my face when she thought I was asleep as she read to me, and the way she always seemed to know exactly what to say to lift my spirits despite the constant pressure from my father, who always forced me to be just like him.If the situation were different, maybe I would've spent my life with the love of my life, my mate. I wished she wouldn't be so blind to see that I st
Knight In Shining Armor"You don't have to be sorry," I murmured. My mind flashed back to the first time he kissed me in his car, where he said it didn't mean a thing because it usually happens with adults. We'd been having more moments after that one, and it just kept on getting better. Were they the same as the first one, which didn't mean a thing? I sought to ask him but waved off the thoughts. It's an embarrassing topic anyway.The room turned silent for a while with Arthur scrolling down his phone while I fidgeted with my fingers, swinging my feet, and staring closely at him, my eyes almost boring holes if they could."Do you have something to say? I can feel your eyes on me," he said without losing focus on his phone."Why did you ever agree to help me with my father's case?" I asked."Me?" he asked as he withdrew his attention from the phone, an almost confused look on his face, "When did I ever agree to help you?" He denied."You didn't help me directly, but you went through t
*Warning*Arthur's POV:As soon as I left, I jumped into my car, reversing aggressively before driving out of Elara's home. I knew I had to end this threat now because there was no telling what would happen after I left the country.I recognized the handwriting on the paper; it wasn't hard to figure out who it belonged to. My fist clenched on the steering wheel as I hit the accelerator, wasting no time to reach the Graham estate.I stopped by my parents' house, and luckily Caitlin was at home. I barged into the dining room and went to Caitlin's side immediately. Startled to see me, my mother called, "Arthur, you're here?""I want to speak with Caitlin for a moment," I said."You came at the right time; have dinner with the family before you leave." My father offered, but I didn't bother to respond to them, just led Caitlin out of the room down to the patio."What are you doing?" I asked her, and for a moment, she seemed confused with furrowed brows. "Huh? What am I doing? I was about
*The Guilt Within*Harden's POV:I stormed into Caitlin's room, forcing the door knob open and entered. My anger still boiling beneath the surface, the image of my mother lying unconscious in the hospital bed haunted me, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of what she had done to Mother."Baby, you came here; I was about to come," Caitlin said as soon as she met my eyes."What the hell were you thinking, Caitlin?" I attacked her with words, not letting her finish, my voice laced with fury.Caitlin looked up, startled by my sudden change of tone. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she seemed taken aback by my intensity. "H-Harden, I..." she stammered, clearly at a loss for words."Caitlin, what did you do to Mother?" I asked, trying to be as subtle as I could this time. This is the Dawn pack, and I shouldn't make a huge fuss here, and I shouldn't completely disregard Caitlin's role in our pack. Losing her support would only weaken us further, and I couldn't afford that, especially no
*Towards the Sun*Harden's POV:The morning sun crept through the windows, casting a soft glow across my office lounge as I woke up from my slumber. Memories of last night flooded back, but they felt distant and hazy, clouded by the fog of alcohol and desire. As I slowly regained my senses, I realized I was not alone in bed.Turning my head to the side, I saw Melissa, the office secretary, lying beside me stark naked, her features softened in the gentle morning light. Guilt gnawed at the edges of my conscience as I remembered asking her to spend the night with me. I also recalled calling out Elara's name, and then the ecstasy that followed, but it wasn't her. I felt bad for using this woman as a stand-in for the night. I wiped my face with my hand, frustrated.Careful not to disturb her, I slipped out of bed with the sheet hanging loosely on my waist and went to the bathroom. I filled the bathtub and ran a quick bubble bath.The events of the previous night weighed heavily on my mind.
*By Your Side*Elara's POV:I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out my dress and trying to calm my nerves. I had a few moments to spare before heading out for the interview at the club. Just as I was about to grab my purse, my phone rang. It was Jaxson again. I rolled my eyes, knowing what he was going to say."Hey, Elara.""I'm about to leave for an interview. Can I call you later?" I asked."I'll be quick," he replied, his voice laced with concern. "I still can't shake off the feeling that I need to do something.""Jaxson, we just talked about this. I appreciate your willingness to help, but I can handle it," I replied, trying to sound convincing."But Harden's being unreasonable. If I can just talk to him, I'm sure he'll come around," Jaxson persisted.I sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and gratitude towards my friend. "Jaxson, you can't just go against Harden like that. He's still the leader of the pack. If you challenge him, you might end up turning rogue. Your family c