EllaI watched as my father pulled Logan away from the party… to play a game of chess.“Oh no,” Ema’s voice echoed in the back of my mind. “Not this again.”Her words made me wince. I was suddenly reminded of a boyfriend I’d had when I was younger; my father had pulled a similar stunt, using a game of chess as a gauge for the boy’s worthiness to be my boyfriend.Needless to say, we weren’t together after that. My boyfriend turned out to be a rather sore loser and stormed out angrily. I could still remember my father’s words: “See, Ella? Never waste your time on men who don’t know how to lose.”But this shouldn’t have bothered me in the same way. Theoretically, at least. Logan and I were not really in a relationship, nor would we ever be, as far as I was concerned.“I’m just worried about his business prospects,” I told Ema when I felt her teasing nature begin to work its way out in response to the racing of my heart. “That’s all.”“Mhm. Sure.”Turning my attention back to Clara and Da

EllaThe moment we entered my childhood bedroom, an overwhelming sense of nostalgia washed over me.Nothing had changed since I last lived here—literally. I hadn’t lived in this penthouse since before college, and yet my parents never changed a thing.Band posters were still tacked to the walls, their colors somewhat faded but nonetheless holding the spirit and angst of my teenage years. Stacks of old novels, their spines well-worn from my anxious fingers, lined the bookshelf. Even my vanity was still covered with haphazard jewelry and makeup from my ‘emo’ days.I felt exposed, as if Logan was unwittingly peering into a window of my past life. It was funny, how this room felt perfectly normal to me. But now that someone else was here, in my teenage self’s space, it suddenly felt cringy and weird.“So, this is your old stomping ground, huh?” Logan asked, a playful smirk settling on his lips as he wandered around the room. His eyes seemed to linger on every little detail, which only mad

EllaThe water in the bathtub had gone lukewarm long ago when I finally pulled myself out, wrapping up in a towel.After drying off, I slipped into my pajamas and sat on the bed, book in hand, fully prepared to lose myself in another world. My wolf was unusually quiet, and for once, I relished the solitude. I knew that she was mad at me for ending things with Logan earlier, but she would understand with time.However, just as I was beginning to really get into the story, a knock sounded on the door and broke me from my reverie. I sighed, placing the book face down on the bed.“Who could it be at this hour?” I muttered, walking to the door and cracking it open. Just as I expected, there stood Logan, leaning against the frame with a cocky smirk on his face.“I couldn’t sleep,” he said. “Bored out of my mind. Can I come in?”I eyed him warily. “I’m not just here to entertain you when things get slow, Logan.”His grin widened as he lifted a wine bottle and two glasses. “What about now?”I

EllaThe morning light broke through the thin curtains, casting a pale glow on the cream-colored walls of the hotel room.My eyes flickered open, feeling the weight of an arm wrapped around me. For a brief moment, I relished in the comfort and warmth that it provided. But then it all came crashing back—what happened last night, how I had allowed myself to lose control, how I had let Logan into my bed.Regret washed over me like a tide. I couldn’t believe I had allowed things to go so far. Pushing Logan’s arm away, I untangled myself from the bedsheets and sat up abruptly.Logan stirred, blinking away the haze of sleep. Confusion washed over his face as he saw that I was already standing, frantically gathering my clothes off of the floor and trying to cover myself.“What’s going on?” he asked. “You okay?”“Just… get out of my bed,” I muttered, avoiding eye contact.He paused, but there wasn’t complete surprise in his eyes, maybe just a tinge of disappointment. “You regretting last nigh

EllaThe moment I stepped into my office for the first time after that whirlwind of a trip, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. I slumped into my chair, staring blankly at the stack of paperwork on my desk. Each document seemed to scream for my attention, but my mind was elsewhere.Logan.The very thought of his name sent a rush of mixed emotions swirling through me. The intensity of the last few days had left me emotionally drained, a confusing tangle of yearning and doubt. We had slept together, yes, and I had pushed him away.But it wasn’t just him. It was my wolf, too.She was gone. Not sleeping, not tired, but… dormant. She was so angry with me for pushing away our fated mate that she disappeared entirely, and I didn’t know how to get her bag. No amount of mental begging over the past two days had solved the issue.No matter how much I cried, no matter how much I yelled, she was just gone. It was as if it was her way of reminding me that I had royally messed up with Logan, and I