LANDON:Leaving the room, I instructed one of my housekeepers to change the sheets to a fresh set. I didn't want Venita to confront the bloodstains upon returning from her shower. Why did I stop despite her pleas for me to continue? A justifiable reason could be that the blood was disturbing me. As an Alpha, I typically had control over my wolf and trained myself over the years not to be affected by blood. The sight and scent of it usually didn't faze me. However, tonight's events with Venita proved otherwise. Her blood had affected me in a way I hadn't anticipated, challenging the very control I prided myself on. In there, with her, I fought and questioned the boundaries of my own strength and self-discipline. This was a conflict that left me vulnerable, messing with my wolf's instincts, and creating an internal struggle I wasn't accustomed to. It would be bad if this could happen because it meant that I would lose control at the sight or scent of Venita's blood. Why? What was speci

LANDON: Fuming, I couldn't believe she had left without a word. In a fit of rage, I hurled the glass of vodka from my table against the wall. "That little human!" I seethed. No one has ever managed to get under my skin like this. No one!The day had been terrible, and I knew my bitterness had affected everyone around me. The frustration wouldn't go away. It clashed with my usually composed self, stirring up a need to hunt and kill. It was awakening the beast in me. Would this turmoil fade, or was it the beginning of a chaotic phase I couldn't escape? The uncertainty ate at me, and I struggled to relax before my darkness consumed me all because of her.The construction meeting for our upcoming resort had just concluded, and I was taking a moment to unwind in my office before calling it a day. As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, my phone suddenly chimed to life, breaking the silence that had settled in the room. It startled me, and I glanced over at the device, wondering who could be c

VENITA:I swam in and out of consciousness, my thoughts and vision cloudy. Where am I? My hands gripped cool, soft sheets, the scent of lavender, lingered on the pillows. I remembered a strong chest carrying me. Not carrying, it seemed like we were flying of some sort. That would be crazy with the law of gravity. I also remembered someone pressed against me, soft lips, and that familiar scent that sent me wild. Placing my fingers against my nose, the sweet masculine scent teased me. A heat wave pulled together in between my legs. My eyes flew open and slowly, they adjusted to the low light. I spied a lamp next to the bed and flipped it on. Blinded temporarily by the light, I closed my eyes and collapsed back on the bed. There was a weakness in my body. A faint pain on my side too. The last thing I remembered as I sorted for a way back to the city was being approached by a group of four masked men. I thought they wanted to rape or rob me. But they went on and on asking about something

VENITA:A month flew by in a blur. I spent it endlessly searching for jobs and researching my bewildering condition. Sadly, all I found was a connection to some form of shifting, a knowledge that made me chuckle. Shifting into an animal? That seemed impossible. The internet obviously told a lot of meaningless stories. Times were tough, and the bills were piling up. I was running out of options for both Sasha and myself. No job prospects in sight. Landon and I hadn't crossed paths in this past month, not since the night we left his place. There was no reason for us to. He had found a way to have all my medication with their instructions delivered to me. During certain nights, an inexplicable longing for anything related to him would engulf me. Even catching a whiff of his scent would have been enough. However, I sternly reminded myself that he was now part of my past. "This job interview is a huge opportunity. Just gather your confidence and give it your best shot," Simeon cheered me

VENITA:"Why did the teacher have to call you? And, why do they keep referring to you as her father? I don't appreciate that! I don't. She doesn't have a father and I want her to understand and accept that. It would be unfair to have someone come into our lives and stir up something we have been longing for only to disappear shortly," I fumed, snorting in between as tears blurred my vision. Landon drove like a man possessed, weaving through traffic with urgency like an ambulance on a life-saving mission. The worry written on his face was noticeable, and it struck me how much this situation mattered to him. It was like he was on the verge of losing something immensely precious. This level of concern was unusual, especially for someone who usually enjoyed every chance to showcase his commanding presence. I found myself releasing five minutes' worth of fear and frustration, ranting at the thin air and a little bit at Landon. But Landon remained uncharacteristically silent, focused on ge