er’s

ve stepped b

s a grandfather clock, the pendulum swinging back and forth in a steady rhythm. The walls are cream, matching the outside of the house, and dark red curtains surroun

par

oman that’s staring up at me from

insecurities bubb

oking at

eyebrow and drags down my cheek. No one has ever openly gaped at

, her voice more a qu

s strange woman mak

e to take c

at threatens to rise to the surface. Stare at me all you want; you

ite it being the cheape

opy king bed and reading nook that overlooks the property. I j

repeats, her grey eyebr

ilence, the only sound the faint

orst social skills in the w

o take out my wallet. I hand her my ide

udies them, turning t

lly turns to the sleek desktop computer. Electronics look out of place from the

screen, her face on

my feet, un

out, and she stops to glance at me. Fi

says carefully. “But if you’ll excu

and leaves the room, walking towards

e clock and crackle of the

not to

ong with my card. Maybe th

ill I g

e me, followed by the voice of t

voices a

himes so lo

mid

m exha

I want to bury myself under the co

t and sink into the cushions, letting t

t there b

g time and as I wait, I focus my gaze ou

t find

ca

and he doesn’t have the

the first place and what put the ou

he love of God,

I jolt out of my half-asleep state. I

h

y h

he’s been replaced by a pale, bleach-blonde Alpha, with c

d he cocks an eyebrow as he stares

r out of my eyes and face him. “Yes?” I ask,

, and it takes all my

a foot taller and a hund

n-up and fitted black trouse

o run away, but I’m frozen in

into a smirk, and a ch

I’m prey which is ridi

there’s nothing about me physically that stands out,

very attrac

ey’re too occupied with their Omeg

wards me is not

e murmuring something, but I’m hypnotized b

e last time I’ve

eavenly, and goosebumps prick a

ing mouth

ty, Harper, I

austed, and I still ha

me, the fireplace illuminating the icy

ips form into a thin line as I

sudden mood change. He says “upgrade” like it’s a di

an a little

e’ll leave so the woman

ve no su

ds my suitcase, and I take another step

el safe wi

safe with any

it, because he loo

uietly. His brow furrows as he st

Aurora know h