I was feeling down the next day. In the back of my mind, I knew it meant I was at that point in the cycle where my heat was due in a week or so. My face turned red the more I thought about it. The night with Alphas in such proximity certainly didn't help my cycle.
My wolf was more on edge today and likely will for the following days. The upcoming hectic schedule involving campaign for our book fair meeting the twin's family, it made my stomach swoop. Hopefully, everything will be alright.
I was needier, colder, and found myself distracted in my head more than I could admit.
The night before was something else. I have no words to describe the time spent with Rowan and Reed. For a second, I completely forgot that we had been apart for five years. That's dangerous t
I took a trembling breath as I held his gaze, lifting my steady hands to reach for his shoulder. The fabric underneath my palm was soft, luxe, almost slippery, and probably Italian. My gaze flickered between his eyes and his lips, urging him to make a decision I could not."Look at me, Erin."I did. Because a single touch seemed to undo my will, and this was not how it's ever been, not how it's supposed to be."Moons!" Rowan cursed under his breath, a barely-there whisper that sent a wave of heat up my spine nonetheless. "Could I," The Alpha breathed and stopped, the unspoken question lingering between us.I nodded, almost imperceptibly, but he caught it with ease, the air coming out short.&nb
/Reed's POV/"Take this." The sound of the letter hitting the desk almost broke me out of my thoughts. I stared as my father leaned back in his chair, lines marring his face. He looked older than his age, purple hues under his eyes and shoulders drooping.My brother was quick to tug at the folded envelope, pulling out a single piece of paper. His eyes widened as he read it over, mouth parting in a low gasp."Dad...this is...""What is it?" I asked, peering over his shoulder when he handed me the paper. Gripping at the edges, I roamed my eyes around, mouth forming in a thin line. 
Charles stepped out from the car, wearing a tailored dark navy wool jacket over a white shirt, with matching trousers. His hair was brushed into a loose, bronze wave on top, clipped short on the sides. He glanced toward me and then did a slow sweep, taking in every person around us.“Are you ready, Miss Erin?”“Charles”, I breathed. “Have you recovered from your fever?”“Yes. I will escort you to the office today.”“Is that necessary?”“I have orders from the top.”My mouth folded together, grimacing as I knew who he referred to as the top. Rowan and Reed.
I weaved through the throngs of people and made my way outside the hall, breath caught in my throat.The question irked me, a sad, bitter reminder that’s it is, in fact, the truth. Reed and Rowan put forward the proposal for their sake, and I jumped on it to save my company.On the way to the top floor, I saw Damon leaning against the elevator. It almost startled me, a low gasp slipping out, my hand reaching out to automatically steady my pounding heart.“Hey,” The Alpha said after clearing his throat, pushing himself off the wall and closing the distance between us.My head snapped up, allowing our gazes to meet. Damon looked tired, I thought distractedly, a hint of pu
I was in the kitchen, acquiring something for breakfast, as per usual, having chosen to omit the meal my family tended to eat as a collective. In my defence, I had a tiring week and deserved much-needed sleep. Until that call from Reed demanding me to show up on time for the dinner with his mother.My mother had strolled in as I finished up, a plate topped with a couple of toasted bread, a messy egg on top and orange juice. She was overdressed, her hair done up, and her face full of makeup. Where was she going this early?From behind her back, my mother presented a thick, brown parcel that she extended towards me."It's from your mates," She said as I took it, content in a manner that stung my insides. I looked up at her in disdain, but she d
I felt small looks thrown my way but somehow managed to prevail, holding my head high. There was no way I was going to let them affect me anymore. Before I could take a step further, a little girl came bundling down and almost crashed into my legs. My arms steadied her before she could hit the ground."Are you quite alright, my love?" I asked delicately, bending down to her level. She couldn't be more than five, dressed in a set of pyjamas with teddy bears printed on them.The pup's eyes widened, almost glimmering underneath the ceiling lights as she pouted. "I am so sorry for ruining your pretty dress."I shook my head. "You didn't. It's fine. See." I did a little twirl to assure her when her lips broke out in a wide grin.
A pin drop silence settled over the room, heavy and suffocating. My mouth tasted like bile, and there was a plate full of food sitting right in front of me, fully aware that if I were to take a bite, I would actually be sick and throw up. Ryan was only speaking the truth, albeit at the wrong time.“Ryan…” Reed sharply exhaled, his hand reaching out to steady my bouncy thigh, mildly applying pressure. “That was out of line. I would like you to apologise….”“This is bullshit!” The Alpha got louder, fuming, raising from his chair and slamming the napkin on the table. “Every one on this table but you two know the truth! No one wants to talk about it, but I will not accept a degenerate knotwhore as my sister in law….”“Yo
My eyes fluttered again, facing the inky darkness of the ceiling. I made a pitiful sound, fingers curling into the blankets and tugging them closer. Nothing worked. Ever since I got back from the dinner and tried to drown my sorrows by sleeping, it was not helping. I turned to face the nightstand, meeting the blaring red numbers.It’s four in the morning.Before I could stop myself, my legs worked on their own, up and out of bed, being pulled forward by an invisible string. The air in my room turned chilly when I pried the doors of the window open, shivering slightly.With my arms crossed together, I stared at the hazy sky, a lazy swirl of orange and red, light barely breaking out of clouds. The dawn was filled with tension that made me