Shadows on her heart

ella

of pine and damp earth. It hit me like a punch to the gut, triggering memories I wa

pled under his shirt as he yawned. "Let's see if the people here have gotten an

as it had when I left years ago. It was unsettling how familiar it all felt, like whispers from the woods were

la? Is t

s. The whispers disappeared as I turne

ie woman,Sarah.Though we

time had drawn on her skin. Before I could

acking with emotion. "Nobody ever helped comb my hair like y

my own sanity and leaving people like Sarah behind. People who migh

ther figure walking tow

sh! Babe, you are finally back. I thought

the familiarity of the gesture s

is life treating you?" I

en she smiled brightly and rubbed my shoulder. "It is going to be better now that you

urse, I did great at university. I had to. There was no room for

er the small crowd that had gathered. M

nt Pack. The man I had loved for as long as I c

oment, time seemed to collapse. I felt stripped b

an I had become. In that moment, I wa

having vivid flashbacks. Like I was sucked rig

ve openly, in front of everyone, whi

emotion I had kept hidden, only to be met with icy di

by my side, not a girl with a schoolgirl crush. A woman with lineage...not an orphan by any chance."H

did n

as what drew me to him. His bitterness, his coldness...it f

s not, and somehow, tha

Instead, after hours of turmoil, I made a

m, I froze. From within, I

hed the door slightly ajar, peering inside

Moana. Their bodies moved together in a r

led the room, each one like a kn

Tears streaked down my cheeks before I even realized I was crying.He barely

ho lay back with a lazy, satisfied smi

red, grabbing his pants and pulling them on wi

call me Be

me to talk to you. To understand why you rejected me. But

your words, girl. You are talking to your future

th scorn. "Grow up, Arabella. Did you really think you were

part. "Sweetheart, did you really think you stood a chance? Pathetic." She glanced at A

ked at him, pleading for some semblance of the person I t

is next words were like shards of glass. "You are pat

slammed the d

memory of his words followed me like a shadow, haunting me for days,

o me when you realize no

of flas

o turn around, get back i

unexpected happened

is voice barely a wh

rward and hugged me. A formal hug, but his warm

I managed to say

ring myself to

hispered into my ear

as he doing? Why was he

k my arm. "Come with me. I need to discuss some

, unable to react. But we did

private cabin. The door clicked shut behind

entilators, casting a golden-orange glo

ap between us, pulling me i

finally pushed him away, my

se, full of somethin

rt you badly. But things have ch

to tell me you have turned over a new leaf? I am

oser. "But I have my reasons. R

y defenses crac

hose be?" I asked, my voic

ain right away. It will take tim

ou want me to trust you after everythin

ect you!" His voice ro

at? Your

he dangers of being with me. But I was wron

ted me, Alpha Asher. Made

t time, I saw something break in him. "I need you to f

ond, a knock on the

through, urgent. "Ever

His usual sunny demeanor was

urbance at the

se than I thought."The tension in the a

going on? " I asked, my v

sts. "That is what we