MADDISON SNOWAnother scoff fell off my lips as I paced back and forth, my hand stuck in my hair. I was going crazy. I needed a bullion of nose powder to calm my nerves right now or I might just go up there and dismantle that bitch. ‘‘Can you calm down, Maddison?’’ Alan appeared down the stairs again. He was done taking up my stuff and had been off to dress my room. Seeing him down already only meant he was done preparing my space. “You promised to explain things to me. Why aren't you?’’ I almost screamed. “I did promise to explain but not here or while having you pace about like a crazy woman.” He snapped.I didn't even mind him calling me crazy cause I was indeed crazy right now. I urged to the stairs, almost bumping my shoulder into him as I climbed up. He followed behind me until we got to my bedroom. “What is she?’’ I asked once the door went shut. “She's Luna.” He blurted out. I scoffed. “I'm not in for some silly jokes right now.’’ And I really wasn't. “She is the Luna
GIA O'LEARY“Oh, hey. I was waiting for you.’’ Maddison forced a smile. She slipped her hand around Alpha Levi's arm, but it didn't last two seconds cause he yanked his arm away.He shot a glare at her, a disdainful one. “Never pull that with me again.’’ His voice held a daring warning.I didn't expect the way Maddison mellowed and quietly came to join us.I sighed. Distressed. Anxious. I really wanted to know what happened between them, why they got separated. The idea of having Maddison tend to Alpha Levi's therapy strangely didn't sit well with me. It was disturbing.Alan cleared his throat as t
LEVI EDELMANTheir screams added the most tension, leaving my heart in a stuff bend. I couldn't believe my eyes. What in the hell was Gia doing there, how long had she been eavesdropping on us?“What the fuck! Are you out of your mind?’’ Maddison screamed again, not helping to relieve matters at all.Gia seemed to notice my discomfort and rushed to me, running her hands on my chest.“Are you okay? Have a seat.’’ She tried to help me sit, but I didn't want to look weak before her.“I'm fine.’’ I didn't try to shove her off though. ‘‘What were you doing there?’’
GIA O'LEARYA gasp left my lips, shocked to my bones at the sudden turn of events. It had happened in a flash, and I'd never prepared to scale through such a position with Alpha Levi.With his face only inches away, his breath fanning my skin. My heart picked an eruption as the scent of his intoxicating cologne filled my nose.He looked equally shocked and stiffened beneath my butt. I swallowed, knocking my senses back in motion. I swatted my gaze from him and pushed my weight off his lap, but he pulled me back down midway, dropping me on himself once again.My eyes widened. Questioning.“How are you so innocent?’’ His
GIA O'LEARYThe meeting elapsed in a few hours. Unlike the way I had thought of it, it ended with smiles on my face. Aside from the part where I had to present Alpha Levi's speech to the crowd of highly respected persons in the hall, and the suffocating part where I realized Keegan's presence in the meeting, every other thing went smoothly.Some other Alpha's who couldn't make it to the meeting also had their Lunas represent them and they all welcomed me warmly without minding the fact that I was literally the youngest among them. They accorded me with equal respect and most of them asked after Alpha Levi too.I didn't tell them he wasn't well. Even if Alan hadn't briefed me beforehand on what answers to give, I'd have still to
GIA O'LEARY Dead silence befell the haze, shock crossing Alan's gaze as they met mine. But it quickly weared off his eyes, and he cleared his throat, shifting his gaze to the man who seemed rather puzzled. “What are you doing here?’’ Alan directed back at me. “I had to use the restroom. I lost my way back.’’ I swatted a glance to the man beside him. “And you, what are you doing here?’’“Oh. I came to have a word with my man here. Have you had your ice cream yet?’’ He straightened his shirt, stepping forward to leave. “I'm done with it. I'm pretty sure yours is an Ice river now. I got worried. I would have called, but I realised your number is not on my phone.’’ I noticed him stepping further away. “How did you get here?’’ He asked. The man remained standing behind him, almost as if he was uncomfortable with my presence. “You don't have to worry about me. I think he's waiting for you.’’ I said, waving my chin to the man. “You can finish up with him.’’“Oh, that.’’ Alan ruffled h
GIA O'LEARY My heart froze. My legs stiffened to my spot. Goosebumps covered my skin as the cold from the air conditioner in the room hugged me. It wasn't just about the cold from the air conditioning. It seemed an additional coldness emanated from him. I shuddered as his gaze lingered on my wet legs, slowly sizing me up with utilized efforts to leisurely take in every part of my skin, my curves through the towel, and my dripping face. What the hell was he doing in my room?!I followed his gaze as they left me to the floor. My heart literally burst at once, a gasp escaping my lips as I caught my panties lying helplessly on my dress. Just an inch away was my bra. “What the fuck are you looking at!’’ I screamed, rushed to the spot, and snatched them from the ground and away from his sight.Using one hand to hold the towel tightly against my chest, I shoved my other hand that fisted my underwear behind my back.“I heard you were back a few minutes ago. You didn't come to see me.’’ H
GIA O'LEARY I inched closer to her, sure to maintain a decent gap between us. I folded my arms in a manner that permitted her to go on with whatever she had to talk about. Her eyebrows ducked into a furrow, acknowledging me with a look that questioned my resolve. “You're going to stand and listen?’’ “I'm fine. Just go on with what you have to say.’’ I insisted stubbornly. Her presence was suffocating, I didn't want to spend too much time with her.“I'll make it quick then.’’ She stated. Just what I wished to hear. “What is your mission?’’ She blurted out, her lashes closing into a squint. ‘‘What?’’ I was completely taken aback.‘‘What is your mission in this mansion? Why is Levi keeping you here? Huh?’’ She barked. She didn't try to hide it from her mocking tone that I was nothing and simply a bait for whatever reason I was here. I knew that, but it still hurt so much, especially coming from her. “If I have a mission to accomplish, do you think it'd be appropriate of me to t
LEVI EDELMANThe moment I saw her step outside, my breath stalled for a second.Gia walked down the steps with her chin held high, dressed so simple yet so beautiful it almost felt like the world slowed around her. The soft breeze caught strands of her hair, brushing them gently against her cheek, and for a second, I forgot about everything.All I could think about was how I’d let my temper get the best of me last night.I hadn’t meant to leave her room like that. I only wanted her to understand, but the more I tried to explain, the more it felt like I was losing her. I knew she didn’t trust Alan, and maybe I was a fool for believing she could see him the way I did.&n
GIA O’LEARYI stared at him for a moment, waiting for the joke to land. But it didn’t.When he told me he wanted Alan to be Alpha, I had laughed, not because I found it funny, but because I couldn’t believe it. The words sounded so strange coming out of his mouth, like they belonged in someone else’s world, not his.But Levi didn’t even crack a smile. His face stayed the same, calm, distant, and sure.That was when the laughter died in my throat.“You’re serious?” I asked, my voice low, searching for even the smallest hint that he was teasing.
LEVI EDELMAN I watched her face closely, the way her brows pulled together, the way her fingers twisted the loose thread of her sleeve like her thoughts were stuck in knots she couldn’t untangle.She had asked me if I thought the maid was the one behind it. If I believed the herbs had really been found just like that, without some deeper plan hiding underneath it all.I leaned back a little, stretching my legs out with a deep sigh. “It’s not the maid,” I said simply. “She was set up.”Gia’s head lifted slowly, her eyes finding mine. I could see the question in her face even before she opened her mouth.“If the maid was really the one who stole the herbs, like I have said,” I went on, “she wouldn’t have meddled with them. She would’ve left them alone and waited for someone else to find them naturally.”Her lips parted, but no words came right away. She was quiet for a while, almost like she was replaying everything in her head, fitting the pieces together, trying to make sense of it
GIA O’LEARYI couldn’t sit still.I paced back and forth across the room like a caged animal, my mind spinning faster with each step. No matter how many times I tried to make sense of it, I couldn’t. My thoughts kept chasing each other in circles.Mia found the herbs. That should’ve been good news. It should’ve been a relief. But all it did was make my stomach twist tighter. If she could find them, did that mean she wasn’t the one who took them in the first place? Or was she smart enough to return them without raising suspicion? Maybe that was her plan all along. Maybe showing them now was just her way of clearing her name.The more I thought about it, the more lost I felt. None of it added up.My chest ached from the weight of it all. Someone had to be lying. Someone had to have tampered with those herbs, which means the person’s main intention is either to tamper with Levi’s heart or trying to lay Levi’s suspicion on me. I stopped pacing for a second, standing in the middle of the
MADDISON SNOWThe moment I heard Mia’s voice say those words, my whole body jumped. My heart skipped so hard I thought it would burst through my chest.She found the herbs? How?I stood up without thinking, the chair screeching behind me, my legs moving on their own. My mind was racing too fast, trying to catch up with the shock. I clearly remembered what Alan told me before. He said the herbs were properly kept, hidden, and safe. No one should’ve found them. No one.But here we were, Mia testifying she had come across the herbs while cleaning.I turned my head slowly toward Alan, search
LEVI EDELMANI knew Alan was watching out for me. His eyes kept moving between me and Gia, but I didn’t care. Whether he was worried or not wasn’t my concern. The only thing I cared about was the way Gia sat beside me, looking like her mind wasn’t even here.Ever since we sat down for dinner, I’d noticed the way her hands kept shaking. It wasn’t much at first, just small, soft movements but the longer it went on, the more it started to bother me. I hated it. I hated the way she looked right now.I watched her pick up her fork, her fingers barely steady enough to hold it. She didn’t even lift the food to her mouth. She just stared at the plate, like she was too lost in her own thoughts to even remember where she was
GIA O'LEARY I stood there, frozen. My mind couldn’t understand what I just heard.For a moment, I couldn’t even speak. My lips parted, but no words came out. I looked at Levi, hoping maybe I had heard wrong. But his face was serious.“Is that… is that even possible?” My voice sounded small, almost like it wasn’t mine.Levi’s hand reached for mine, warm and steady. His thumb brushed lightly over my skin as he gave me a small shake of his head.“Yes, so don’t worry yourself about it,” he said. His voice was calm, but I could feel the tension under it.My stomach tightened. I lowered my eyes, feeling the guilt that had been sitting heavy on me from the start. I had caused too much trouble, more than I ever meant to. I didn’t even know how to fix it, or how things had gotten this messy. It felt like every time I tried to breathe, the weight on my chest only got heavier.“I’m sorry, Levi,” I whispered. My throat tightened as I spoke. “I really am. I didn’t want to cause any of this.”His
LEVI EDELMAN. The magazine in my hand had been stuck on the same page for what felt like hours. My eyes scanned the words, but nothing stayed long enough to make sense. Every line blurred together, every picture looked the same.And it’s because my mind wasn’t on the pages. It was on Gia. I leaned back against the chair, letting the magazine fall loosely onto my lap.I didn’t know why it kept replaying in my head, the way tears fall from her eyes without so much effort amazes me. And now, thinking about it, I didn’t even understand why it made me laugh.I let out a low, dry chuckle, shaking my head at myself.I rubbed a hand over my face, pressing the heel of my palm into my eyes until the sting faded.A soft knock tapped against the door, pulling me out of my thoughts.“Sir,” a voice called, I know it’s a maid so I didn’t bother to reply. “Dinner’s ready.”I didn’t answer right away. My hand dropped from my face, falling back onto the magazine, still open to the same page I had
LEVI EDELMAN I don’t know how long I sat in the room. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, pressing against my chest, making it hard to breathe. My mind had gone too quiet, too heavy, like even my own thoughts had given up on me.I stared at nothing but feeling everything.At some point, I pushed myself up and left the room. I didn’t know where I was going. I just needed to breathe, or maybe I just needed to move, to remind myself I still could.I’d been trying not to think too much about Alan. Trying not to focus on how he always found a way to push Maddison away whenever I tried to lash out at her.I couldn’t understand it. Alan never did anything without a reason, but this time, I couldn’t figure him out.The thought stayed in my head, even as I turned the corner, heading for the door. But before I could step outside, I slowed down when I heard Keegan’s voice.I frowned, wondering what he was doing here and why he hadn’t told me.I took a step forward, and then I saw Gi