ELIJAHMy eyes fall on her clothing, and my brows shoot up. She’s wearing a purple dress with long sleeves. That’s Rena’s dress. Why didn’t I notice this before?"Why are you wearing Rena’s dress?" I ask, frustration bristling in my voice. "I told you that I want Rena to keep them," I add, a little more firmly than intended, and she flinches. They were my gifts to Rena when she was my wife, and I wanted her to keep them.My preference in females was for those who wore light, pastel colors. They looked feminine to me. But only Rena’s body could rock a dark or muted colored dress, and I was drawn to the way she carried them. So I bought her this dark purple dress that, at first glance, looked basic. But when it clung to her curves, she looked like a goddess.Nixie pouts again and says, “She did not take them, so I decided, why let them go to waste? That’s why I wore them,” she smiles, but then frowns subtly, “Though it's a little tight.”I close my eyes briefly to calm the tide of frust

ELIJAHAn hour later, I am at the hospital where Nixie is admitted, waiting for the doctor. Dr. Smith walks out of the ward where Nixie is kept and approaches me with a serious face.“How is she?” I ask.“She’s conscious now. We found small amounts of poisonous Liomine herb in her blood. Usually, when ingested in such a small quantity, it does not harm the body of a shifter. But since Luna's body is recovering from the effects of wolfsbane, the herb’s effect was strong. If you had been an hour later, her situation would have turned critical,” Dr. Smith says, and I sigh in relief.I thank the doctor and get his permission to see her. Stepping inside the ward she is in, I find her in a blue hospital gown lying on the bed. Her arm is attached to an IV drip, with a clear tube snaking from a bag suspended above the bed to a needle inserted into her vein.She softly opens her eyes as I walk up to her and give her hand a light squeeze. She smiles at me weakly and whispers, “Looks like I’ll b

VERENAMy body trembles as I slowly turn around to face him: Elijah.His dark eyes fixate on me, tracing every inch of my form as if he's mapping my body in his mind. His inky hair is sexily combed back, and the gray suit drapes elegantly over his muscular frame."Rena," he whispers my name gently, causing my heart to skip a beat. As he moves closer, the fabric molds to his body like a second skin, emphasizing the powerful lines of his broad shoulders and chiseled chest."No!" I say firmly as I back away from him, my back hitting the cold glass. This man rejected me, banished me, and yet my heart dances in excitement when I see him. I hate this mate bond.Elijah pulls out a green dress and holds it in front of me. "This will look good on you," he says, watching me with a gaze that sends goosebumps down my skin.I clench my fist and look straight at him. "Why are you here?" I ask. In the distance, I can hear Ruth engaged in a discussion with the manager, unaware of what's happening her

ELIJAH Her betrayal leaves a bitter feeling in my chest, slowly morphing into anger. My jaw clenches. Who is that fucker who dared to touch Rena? Once I get my hands on him, he’ll wish that he were dead sooner. I need to ask her, and I need to know who it was. But all that anger died when I confronted her at the store. I don’t know what came over me, but I just stepped in to show her the dress I picked for her. What was she thinking while picking those ridiculous dresses? Not every dress can showcase the beauty she has. I hope she’d go with my choice. I remember the look in her eyes, the way her heart thumped in her chest when she saw me. A part of me likes to think it's because she still has feelings for me, but I can’t deny what I clearly saw in her eyes—hatred. My phone vibrates, bringing me back to the present, and I answer the call. Joshua speaks from the other side, “Everything has been going according to plan,” he reports in a serious voice, and asks, “Did Nixie suspect anyt

ELIJAHThe punch causes Joshua to drop to the floor with a loud thud. His words pierce me like a dagger, making it hurt more than it should. I yell at him, “I would have never hurt my pup if I knew it! I am not a monster!” Joshua gets on his feet and wipes the blood off his nose. “Does not change the fact that you hurt Rena, and your pup.” he glares at me. Dory shrieks, and everyone present takes a step back as Joshua lunges back at me with a ferocious kick. I dodge it, and land a hit on his gut. He falls on the desk on his back, and the papers fly off the desk. “Goddammit Out of all the places, they had to choose the Alpha’s office to fight? The maids cleaned the place an hour ago!” Derek complains from behind. He slips between us, and blocks Joshua’s path, “Man, calm down or — Argh!” Derek grunts as Joshua kicks him back, causing him to fly across the room and hit his head hard against the glass showcase. Irene rushes to him, “Oh Goddess! Derek!!” She holds his arm while he squi