CORA"There is really no other way out?" I swallowed on hearing Alpha Blake's voice. He was on the phone, his voice low, but I could still hear it from the door."Goddammit, Ken. You know I need to do this. I need to be a fucking family man to have it. Please, just..."I swallowed. A family man? "Talk to them. I am currently not there but..." He suddenly trailed off again, and I heard him clear his throat."I will call you back."I swallowed, taking a step back from the door. Before I could turn away, however, he had opened the door, his eyes meeting mine."Eavesdropping, darling?"I swallowed, pushing my hair away. I did hope he did not see the tremble in my fingers, however. "I...I was just... I just came back from my walk and..."He thinned his eyes at me, then gave a small sigh. "Actually, my dear. Come in."I swallowed hard as he stepped away from the door, his eyes holding a silent demand. I pushed my feet to walk despite the nervous cowering of my wolf, and I walked past him.

KEANNEThe bright lights of the morning felt like a dagger straight to my head. It wasn't really because I had drank, but because my wolf has never really liked the light.I am not a morning person, safe to say, and I pushed myself to stand, then closed the drapes, my eyes closed. It was late, I could tell and I said swallowed hard, then turned to the stairs. I had slept off on the couch, and my tie, the bottles, my shoes...I shook my head as I went upstairs, then without skipping a beat, walked into the shower. I peeled off my shirt, my reflection staring at me in what I thought was utter disappointment.I didn't mind it as I let myself out of those clothes, then closed NY eyes as the water pelted down my skin, scalding it. A weird feeling erupted inside me, something that I could only qualify ad being gloriously between pleasure and pain.And I liked it. The pain a little more.I turned to the mirror, my hair falling in front of me, my chest lightly heaving."This won't be easy...

CORAI picked the files, then walked to the desk and table Angeline had hurriedly put up for me inside Keanne's office. According to her, the secretary's office has been unoccupied for too long and needs to be cleaned out, so I had t share with Keanne, if he did not mind.I was almost sure he would flip out.I sat on the chair and heaved a sigh, then pushed the lose strands of my hair back. Taking the leverage that I was alone, I quickly removed a few buttons, then sighed, feeling less tight. The bkuse was actually loose, but I felt suffocated. Maybe by the anticipation, the proximity.I leaned and started to go through the files. I couldn't make sense of them at first, until I started to check the audits as Angeline had requested. I grabbed a open and heaved a small sigh, hoping to the moon goddess that I wouldn't mess it up.Minutes dragged by, and I swallowed, feeling myself grow tired and tired. Numbers were never my thing, and when I looked up, I could see them doing a dizzying d

I held my heels in my hand as I trudge away from the car that had brought me home, my chest lightly heaving with anger and regret. I probably should have stayed there with him. He was looking so emotionally wrecked, so emotionally broken. But I can't trust Jeanne's emotions. I can't trust that he, one second felt something, and the other second nothing at all. I can't trust that he would remain in that drunken need of his mate.I swallowed the bile that rose up my throat and walked to the front door. In between father and son, I wasn't sure who I was starting to hate more.I slowly opened it, but didn't quite let myself in, and Alpha Blake's unmistakable voice sifted to my ear."Is that so? Might be working for me, then."I wasn't so sure what he was talking about, and I walked in, only to meet Kiara, the desperate vixen sitting on a seat opposite him.She turned to me as I walked in, then gave a small smile. "He was all over her. He was extremely cold to me, and kept looking at her.

CORAI watched my reflection in the mirror, my eyes wide. I was wearing an elegant white dress, one that held my curves, then stopped right at my knees. The top was styled like a suit, and I ran my hands over my body in approval.I had piled my hair up in a messy bun, and with a small huff of approval, walked away. I walked downstairs, and Alpha Blake was sitting on the dining, engaged in yet another heated argument.I said nothing as I went beside him, then sat. He immediately dropped the phone, then turned to me. He gave a smile, and in that smile, I saw a glimpse of Keanne. I saw a likeness of him in that smile, and the connection I had felt last night surged through my brain once more.It felt like he had taken my hand on a spiritual journey to explore everything we could have been, without the complications. I gave a small smile, and Alpha Blake might have misconstrued it for him."You seem to be in a good mood."I nodded. "It's a beautiful day, after all. What is there to frown