ElaraTo say that I was taken aback would be putting it lightly. Alaric, the lofty and unapproachable Alpha who couldn’t even bear to crack a genuine smile when a child was begging him to, was apologizing… to me?I didn’t know how to respond. This might very well have been the first apology of his l
Alaric took his seat at the head of the table, appearing extremely pleased. He began eating with enthusiasm, savoring each bland bite as if it were a gourmet meal. I was surprised than an Alpha like Alaric wouldn’t have the finest dishes available for dinner—this seemed like nothing more than “nutri
ElaraAlaric and I stood on opposite sides of the kitchen, moving in sync as we prepared the meal. Neither of us spoke, rhythmic sounds of chopping and stirring the only sounds that filled the space between us.I couldn’t help but steal occasional glances at him. Maybe he wasn’t as cold or unfeeling
I frowned. “I can sleep somewhere else. A guest room, perhaps.”He shook his head. “That would raise questions. It’s best to maintain appearances, even within these walls.”The idea of sharing a room with a man I hardly knew didn’t exactly excite me. But, thinking of Ella and Zoe and the importance
ElaraToday marked the first day that both Zoe and Ella would attend kindergarten together. But not just any kindergarten—this was the most elite private school in the pack. It was leaps and bounds ahead of the public school that Zoe used to attend.Early in the morning, I carefully laid out their c
During the ride, Zoe stared out the window with wide-eyed wonder, her face full of excitement and curiosity. “Look, Mommy! That building is so tall!”“Yes, it is,” I replied, smiling at her enthusiasm.Ella sat quietly beside her, hands folded in her lap. I turned to look at her. “Are you excited to
ElaraThe two of us returned to the house in silence. The car was eerily quiet without Zoe’s constant chatter, and I wasn’t looking forward to spending an entire day in Alaric’s house without the sound of her voice.As we stepped into the grand foyer, Alaric turned to me.“Tomorrow is the children’s
Elara We immediately returned to the school, where we found Zoe and Ella sitting in the principal’s office. Both girls were sniffling, tears and snot running down their faces. Their hair and uniforms were both disheveled, signs of a physical altercation having taken place. The principal explaine
The school was bustling when we arrived, the parking lot teeming with parents and kids, all hurrying toward the bright red doors at the front of the building. Alex’s grip on my hand tightened as we approached, his eyes wide as he took in the sea of unfamiliar faces.“It’s okay,” I whispered, crouchi
ElaraThe house was alive with the all-too-familiar chaos of a school morning. Somewhere down the hall, Ella was shouting at Zoe about taking too long in the bathroom, and Zoe’s shrill rebuttal wasn’t far behind. The smell of toast lingered in the air, mingling with the faint bite of fall that crept
ElaraThe air that night was quiet—quieter than it had been in weeks. The house had settled into the kind of stillness that only came with exhaustion, the last embers in the fireplace flickering softly behind the glass. Even the wind outside had gone still, barely rustling the edges of the curtains
ElaraThe lanterns flickered softly against the night sky, their warm glow swaying in time with the breeze that danced through the courtyard. Even from this distance, I could still hear the faint music from the reception, the low murmur of conversation punctuated by bursts of laughter.But out here,
ElaraThe music was soft and sweet, drifting lazily over the twinkling lights strung across the open-air pavilion. Everything felt golden—the warm glow of lanterns, the hum of conversation over glasses of bubbly champagne, the faint crackle of the bonfire flickering in the distance.But none of it c
“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice cracking ever so slightly. “Thank you for giving me this.”I ran my fingers through his hair, gently pushing it back from his forehead. “You don’t have to thank me for anything, Alaric. This baby… it’s part of both of us.”His hands remained on my stomach as he li
ElaraThe house felt different as we stepped inside, the soft click of the door behind us sealing out the world beyond. It wasn’t just the warmth that greeted me, or the faint glow of the early morning sun filtering through the windows—it was something deeper. A stillness. A kind of quiet I hadn’t r
I wanted to tell her she was wrong—that this wasn’t some grand destiny I had been walking toward all my life. But I couldn’t. Not when I had felt it myself. That surge of power that wasn’t entirely my own. The way it had shattered the chains and driven Sarah back like she was nothing more than air.
ElaraThe sunlight hit harder than I expected, even though it had only been hours since I’d been trapped in that cavern. I squinted against the sudden golden rays of the morning sun, blinking rapidly as my eyes adjusted. But the others—the moonwolves—weren’t as fortunate.They stumbled as they emerg