By the time I was setting the table, a small smile tugged at my lips. The colorful plates looked inviting, and I knew the girls would be delighted to see this when they woke up. Like clockwork, footsteps sounded on the stairs, and soon Zoe and Ella appeared in the doorway. “Mommy!” Zoe exclaimed
Elara & Alaric Elara Alaric stepped into the room, his presence commanding as ever. His gaze swept over the scene: the scattered oatmeal, Zoe and Ella standing protectively in front of me, their tiny fangs poking out of their mouths. Grace stood a few feet away from me, a placid smile plastere
“There,” I said softly, setting the bowls down for them. “Eat up, and we’ll do something fun together later, okay?” The girls took their seats, looking a little wary but considerably less upset now that their bowls were filled with vibrant fruit and sweet honey. “Promise?” Zoe murmured, looking
Elara After breakfast, I was still reeling from Grace’s cruel words and actions. The girls had managed to eat their oatmeal—albeit reluctantly—and were now restless, looking for something else to occupy their day. Just as I was considering taking them out to the library to spend the afternoon, G
“Of course,” I said smoothly. “I’ll see to it right away.” She blinked, once again clearly taken aback by my lack of resistance. I took advantage of her silence and walked over to Zoe and Ella, who were watching nervously from the kitchen doorway. “Girls,” I said, crouching down to their level,
Elara It didn’t take long to decide: a picnic would be the perfect antidote to the rough morning. “Sure, we can have a picnic,” I said, ruffling the girls’ hair. “We’ll make cakes and sandwiches and spread a blanket out in the field.” Zoe clapped her hands. “Can Clyde come, too?” “Of course,
When she was finished, I glanced into the mirror. The difference was night and day. And I was sure Grace was going to have a fit when she saw me, which was all part of the plan. I wasn’t about to be walked all over by a woman who clearly didn’t want me here. With that, I headed downstairs. The gir
Elara We ended up on a soft patch of grass, the sun warming our faces as we settled on a checkered picnic blanket spread out in the field behind the estate. Zoe and Ella squealed with excitement, running in circles around the basket while Annie hovered a few steps away, looking unsure, and Clyde s
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