The Darkest Wolves

ts, Miguel and Cielo, sat beside her, their expressions stern, watching her every move. She put the phone on loudspeaker, f

forced sorrow. "I'm so sorry. I know I've done terrible things, but I love Jerome. We love each other. That'

shing. Miguel raised an eyebrow while Cielo gestured with h

ued, now wiping at her dry eyes as if wiping away tears. "Please,

hrough the silence. "Fine," she said coolly. "I'll

ad before Natali

atisfied looks, clapping the

e carrying a note of pride. "You d

pathetic as possible. Cry, beg, kneel, whatever it takes to make her feel sorry

of their expectations. "I understan

help, Jerome won't have a choice but to make you his m

"You know what's at stake. This

bt gnawed at her. Could she really

was louder than usual, more charged. Excitement buzzed in the air, and Natalie cou

a girl rushing past.

uickly. "Elvie and Amelia are having a matc

epeated to herself,

e wasn't sure what was going on, but she didn't have time to

ld. As she entered the library, the sudden quietness of the space made her uneasy. T

asn't t

ws casting soft light across the rows of books. She he

ey watched the match between Elvie and Amelia. She squinted, trying to make sense of t

her? Could she pull off this act convincingly enough? The minutes ticked

med simple enough: make Emily feel sorry for her, convince her that Jerome was already in love with Natalie, and that the only solution

wrong. But then she reminded herself of what was at stake: the Luna

oor to the libr

expected to see Emily walking through the door, but it wasn't her. I

phone. It was almost ten. Emily

he would force, the apologies she would cry. But beneath

atalie fidgeted with her hands, staring at the door, waiting. Bu

wasn't

ore. Ten o'clock came and went, and still, the d

as all a trap? What if Emily had set her u

again, where the crowd at the field seemed to be growing louder. The match was still go

brary door creak

ding in her chest as she slow