GABEEarlier that dayI had finally caught up with Frederick, tracking his movement any time he got close to my pack. I needed to find him for Mila. Figure out why he thought she was dead and why he would run away.Hopefully, I could convince him to come back to the packhouse to clean up. Then I can arrange a meeting with Mila. Honestly, I just wanted to see her again. Anytime I had business at the Aliz building, which wasn’t a lot, I would catch glimpses of her and her scent would torment me. A torment I deserved no doubt. But maybe this could happen.I had just stepped inside a roadside diner not too far from the pack’s borderline, when I spotted them. Frederick was sitting in a booth, talking with my mother. In daylight he looked vastly different. His dark curly hair was littered with streaks of silver, his brown eyes–so much like Mila’s–were dull and distant. My mother stopped talking the moment she saw me and almost shot out of her seat.“Gabriel, what are you–what are you doing
MILAI stared at the elegant gold printed acrylic invitation with a velvet black pocket adorned with a circular crest and thought how tacky. I walked towards the entrance where VIP guests stopped on the makeshift red carpet, cameras flashing. I bypassed it all, wanting to get this day over with. I had one goal and that was to get Amira back on my team. Deveaux fancied her and he loved her and I used it, I would be one step closer to being better than Arianna.I walked over to the bouncer when I noticed Randall and Leo having a very tense conversation.“Come on, Randall, just this once,” Leo said, gesturing towards the entrance. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked. I deserve to be in there.”Randall scoffed, adjusting the cufflinks of his designer jacket. “Deserve? You don’t get it, do you? That place isn’t for people like you. You don’t walk into a room like that unless you belong there–and you, Leo, don’t.”Leo gritted his teeth. “I’ve worked for this. I’ve done the dirty jobs, handle
TYLERI wasn’t sure what it was about Mila that got under my skin. She’d been avoiding me like the plague ever since I asked her to be my Luna. Maybe it was her legs, the way they seemed to wrap around me possessively when she had me tied down. Or her lips–the perfect curve when she smirked, watching me obey her every command. Then there were her hands, delicate but dangerous, capable of both seduction and destruction.I exhaled sharply, forcing my thoughts to halt before they drifted too far. This was not the time nor place. I wasn’t sure why I decided to come to this party or why Arianna invited me anyway. It wasn’t like we were on the same team. Maybe she was up to something. I ordered another drink, leaving the crowded space and headed outside to the rooftop. The low hum of conversation outside and the warm breeze did nothing to keep from thinking of Mila.Or at least I thought when I noticed Arianna approaching. Dressed to perfection, her presence commanded attention, though I kn
GABEJust ignore it. I thought to myself. This doesn’t have to be a thing.Or at least I didn’t want it to be, but the fact that Mila’s scent filled the small space of the elevator was proving it difficult to focus on anything else. Against Spencer’s wishes, I told myself to look straight ahead, to count the glowing floor numbers like they mattered. Lucky for me, the elevator doors weren’t reflective. But still my gaze kept betraying me.She leaned against the railing, arms crossed, gaze flicking to the numbers as we ascended toward the rooftop.“A rooftop party,” she mused, her red-painted lips curling into a smirk. “Nothing screams ‘we have too much money and not enough personality’ like drinking overpriced cocktails thirty stories in the air.”I huffed a short laugh, but my attention wasn’t on her words. It was on her.The soft glow in the elevator made her dark skin look even more radiant, casting warm highlights along the smooth lines of her collarbones. The red dress she wore was
MILAFucking fuck! Hot and bothered, and surrounded by people I hate. Just my fucking luck. Of course, Gabe would try to be so bold. Who the fuck tries to seduce someone at their wife’s birthday party. An asshole that’s who. For the first time in my life, I thought Tyler was a better man.I ignored the way my body tingled from his touch as I barreled my way through the party, the clinking of champagne glasses and artificial laughter grating on my nerves. I could feel his eyes on me and I didn’t dare turn around. Distance. I needed distance before I did something incredibly stupid. Rayne was about a ‘touch and lick’ away from jumping his bones in the elevator. Traitor.I inhaled sharply, scanning the crowd until I spotted Amira, lounging in the VIP section, draped in designer fabrics and social climbers. I squared my shoulders, mentally prepping what I would say, ignoring the hushed whispers and side-eyes from the partygoers. The shock was palpable. Arianna and I weren’t exactly subtle
TYLERI swirled the drink in my glass, watching the way the ice clinked together before bringing it to my lips. The whiskey burned on the way down, but it didn’t do shit to drown out the irritation gnawing at me.Mila walking in with Gabe. What the hell were they doing together?The moment she’d stepped into the party with him on her tail, I was done. Over it. The night, the drinks, the bullshit conversations—none of it mattered after that. Until now.Now, she was walking toward me with that same unreadable expression, but I wasn’t an idiot. She knew exactly what she was doing. Showing up with Gabe, acting like it was nothing. Like it didn’t mean anything. And looking fucking cute in the flirty red dress that showed off every curve that I wanted to run my tongue over.Fuck! This is why I couldn’t stay mad at her. She made my blood boil, but every time I wanted to hate her, I couldn’t. My body betrayed me, drawn to her despite the anger simmering beneath my skin. She infuriated me, but
ARIIt didn’t take long for me to lose Gabe at the party. Then I thought, Find Mila and I’ll find Gabe. But she was gone too. The last I saw, she was talking to Amira. So I searched for Amira instead and found her lounging in the VIP section, twirling her drink like she owned the place. I walked over and plopped down on the couch beside her.“So where’s your bestie, traitor?” I asked with a smile.Amira cocked an eyebrow, smirking. “Traitor? Pretty sure you weren’t calling me that when I joined your team. Or have you forgotten?”“Semantics,” I said with a casual wave. “Fashion is a battlefield, and lucky for you, I know how to win. So… what did you two talk about?”“Oh, you know. The usual.” She took a slow sip of her drink. “Fashion. Gossip. And finding a way to outshine you– and get Tyler back on my radar.”A nerve twitched in my temple. “I thought that’s why I invited you both here,” I said, teeth clenched in a tight smile.Amira shrugged and gestured around lazily. “Then where is
GABEA normal three-minute elevator ride turned into what felt like ten—maybe longer. I had to practically drag Tyler out when he swayed and nearly collapsed against the mirrored walls, muttering under his breath and pale as a ghost. I’d seen my brother drunk before—hell, we’ve all had our nights—but this was beyond his usual mess. This wasn’t "had a few too many beers" Tyler. No, this was "just turned twenty-one and doesn’t know when to stop" kind of wasted. The kind that makes you worry about alcohol poisoning and wonder if you’ll need to call an ambulance instead of a car.By the time I got him downstairs and to the car waiting for him, I was sweating like I’d run a marathon. Tyler kept stumbling in the opposite direction, tugging against me like dead weight.“I have to apologize to her,” he slurred, his voice breaking in a way that stopped me cold. “I didn’t mean to… I fucked up, man.”I tightened my grip on his arm and steered him back toward the car. “I know, buddy,” I said, tr
MILAI stared between the both of them before Lena spoke.Lena’s eyes widened. “You. Why–why are you here?”“Oh, relax,” I said, stepping inside and locking the door behind me. The click echoed louder than I expected. “How convenient. Two traitors. One hotel room. The universe really said, ‘Here you go, babe.’”Neither of them had time to react before I walked straight to Lena, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and slammed her face into the wall. Hard enough to sting, soft enough to not get us arrested for homicide. Balance.She gasped, tried to say something. I yanked her back, then shoved her forward again.“Don’t speak,” I hissed. “You’ve already said enough with those sabotage photos.”Behind me, I heard Amira shifting toward the door. I didn’t even turn around.“Take one more step and I will throw you out that window. I’m not saying you’ll die, but gravity’s a bitch and bones snap real easy from the ninth floor.”Amira froze.“Smart girl,” I said.Honestly from this height, it would
MILA“…just waiting for answers. Why did this have to happen? What could have prevented an incident that took two of the most important people in my life?” Alpha Gregory’s voice cracked just enough to sound human. He gripped the podium like it might run away if he let go, flashes from the cameras popping like fireworks behind a funeral. Arianna stepped up beside him, touched his arm–perfectly timed, perfectly staged. A father-daughter moment, photogenic grief included.But I didn’t care about them. My eyes drifted past them to Gabe. He stood stiffly off to the side, holding Noah like the only anchor he had left. He looked like he’d rather be anywhere else–expression blank, shoulders tight. I hadn’t seen him since he left the orphanage a couple weeks ago. No calls. No updates. We were both busy–him with God knows what, me trying to salvage my image from the dumpster fire of the fashion show. Oh, and also: still no sign of my dad. The meeting with Emily that was supposed to bring ans
MILAI stirred awake to the sound of birds and the sensation of warmth that had me feeling so good. A strong arm draped over my waist, the steady rise and fall of a familiar chest beneath my cheek. My heart stuttered as the scent of spice and dark chocolate filled my lungs–Gabe. It was oddly comforting, dangerously so. A moment of peace I had no business indulging in.Something tickled my nose. I cracked one eye open to find yellow flowers brushing against my face. That was when the realization hit.We were lying in a flowerbed.Panic jolted through me. I shot up, sending Gabe’s arm tumbling off of me. My breath came fast as I scanned our surroundings. Shit. Jenna’s going to kill me. Gabe groaned, shifting onto his back, his hand searching for mine. “Five more minutes,” he mumbled, his voice sleep-heavy, unbothered.I smacked his chest, ignoring the way my fingers tingle from the contact. “No, no, no. Get up. We fell asleep in a flowerbed. Jenna’s going to be pissed we messed up her
GABEOnly a bit of rain poured down on us. Just enough to soak through our clothes, but not subduing the heat between us. Each drop was a reminder that this moment–this reckless, inevitable moment–was real. That she was real.I wasted no time, removing my suit and tie and watched as Mila took a step back, letting the dress slip from her shoulders, pooling at her feet. Fuck, she was beautiful. The rain clung to her, tracing every curve, turning her rich, dark complexion into something luminous, like she was carved from the night itself. Her hair, wild and untamed, framed her face like a crown she never asked for, and yet, it was rightfully hers. Her lips, now swollen and soft from our kiss, looked as if they were made for nothing more than temptation. She was temptation, standing there with the storm raging around us, and I had never wanted anything more.I stepped forward, closing the distance, my hands cupping her face as I pulled her into a kiss that shattered whatever restraint I
MILA “Open your eyes!” Gabe opened his eyes and looked around the rooftop of the orphanage. The rain blurred the lights from the packhouse in the distance, casting a hazy glow over the rooftop, and for a second, it felt like we were kids again–hiding up here, pretending the world wasn’t as cruel as we knew it to be. “Wow, this place is really coming along,” Gabe said, walking through the rows of flowers. “She would’ve loved this, you know, if she was still here.” Great. Mood killer. I thought, trying to think of something soothing to say. I sighed, watching Gabe’s fingers trail over the petals, his touch softer than I’d ever seen. “She would’ve loved this,” he repeated, quieter this time, as if speaking more to himself than to me. I shifted on my feet. Even with the umbrella, the dampness of my clothes stuck uncomfortably to my skin. What was I supposed to say? That she was in a better place? That everything happens for a reason? Gabe would see through that in a second. Instead,
MILAI looked up at the sound of my name, my heart lurching at the unexpected voice.“Gabe?”He stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable, but his presence filled the room like a shadow creeping in.Why didn’t I notice him earlier? I wondered.He took a step forward, slow and deliberate, as if each movement was weighed down by something unseen. My pulse quickened.“What are you doing in here?” he asked, his voice low, suspicious.I straightened, stepping around the large oak desk to face him fully. I couldn’t let him see how rattled I was, how close I’d been to finding something–anything–that could help Laura’s case. Even though she couldn’t remember what had happened that night, she had told me she was trying to record everything. But her phone was missing, and I had a strong feeling it wasn’t just lost.I needed to find it before anyone else did.“I could ask you the same thing,” I said, stalling for time. I forced my voice to stay steady, to sound indifferent, but my fingers t
GABEThe sound of laughter and quiet chatter drifted from the other room, a cruel contrast to the weight pressing down on my chest. Hundreds of pack members from all over showed up for my father’s funeral, their hushed conversations and forced condolences mixing with the steady patter of rain against the windows.I knew he was a well-liked man, but damn—I hadn’t expected this many people. The sheer number made the already stifling atmosphere feel even more suffocating.Luckily, my mother had taken care of everything, handling the arrangements with her usual poised efficiency. She even managed to get Tyler temporarily released for the service, a feat that shouldn’t have surprised me, yet did.“Don’t worry, sweetie,” my mother said after speaking with one of the councilmen. “Everything is going to be cleared up soon.”I let the words wash over me, too numb to dissect their meaning. Instead, I focused on the business, temporarily handing Alpha Gregory control of the CEO position. He had
MILAIt was only a few minutes. That’s how long it took us to get from the orphanage to the packhouse. The grounds were eerily quiet despite the flurry of movement around us–guards murmuring orders, medical personnel working swiftly, and the distant wail of someone mourning. My stomach twisted as I took a step forward, my heart hammering against my ribs.We were stopped by the gates as Gabe spoke to the guards. I was too busy looking around, searching desperately for any sign of Laura. My heart was pounding, my breath ragged as I reached for my phone and dialed Camila.“Where’s Laura?” I asked as soon as she picked up.“Brian says her phone is still in Emily’s office,” Camila answered, her voice faltering. “Jenna and Alex are the way. They're bringing someone out on a stretcher, Mila.”Her voice broke and I nearly dropped my phone.No, no fucking way. “Gabe…” I said, barely a whisper.He looked at me, then followed my gaze. A stretcher was being wheeled out of the house with Arianna
LAURAI pressed my back against the cold stone wall of the packhouse, clutching the hacking device in my hand like it was the holy grail.Fuck. Why is this so scary?I took a moment to calm myself.No turning back, Laurie. You can do this.I wasn’t just a hacker. No, I was a field agent. A spy. A legend in the making. And… caught if I don’t stop talking to myself and get a move on. Just think like Mila.Crouching low, I scurried toward the back door, the one I personally disabled the security cameras for. Did it count as cheating if I was the one who helped Gabe set up most of these security measures in the first place? No. Absolutely not. It was called working smarter, not harder.I carefully turned the knob and slipped inside, holding my breath as I closed the door behind me. Step one: complete.Step two: don’t get caught.I tiptoed down the dimly lit hallway, dodging the occasional patrol or house worker. The packhouse wasn’t exactly Fort Knox, but Emily was paranoid enough to make