After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

Arnold’s voice came through, casual but with an undertone of something unspoken. “Are you free today? Alex wants to hang out with Abby.”

Cole leaned against the wall, glancing toward Nora, who had gone back to reading but seemed slightly aware of his presence. He replied evenly, “I’m taking Abby out today. Maybe another time.”

Arnold let out a short chuckle. “You’ve been going out more lately.”

Cole smirked faintly, though there was an edge of something else in his expression. “Abby’s been opening up more.

She’s not as reserved as before.”

They exchanged a few more words before ending the call, but as Cole slipped his phone back into his pocket, something lingered in his mind.

Arnold knew all of this knowledge–probably even more than Cole did–but he had never been willing to teach

Nora.

His eyes darkened slightly at the thought.

The marriage between Arnold and Nora had always been surrounded by rumors.

Many people say that it was Nora’s underhanded tactics that forced Arnold to have to marry her in the first place.

Cole had believed it too, once. But after spending time with her, after seeing how she carried herself with quiet dignity, it was getting harder to reconcile that image with reality.

And then there was Linda–the woman who had somehow inserted herself between them.

been underhanded, wasn’t

ignore the fact that Arnold had always resented the very idea of ‘mates‘–that he had resisted his connection to Nora not out of hatred,

against fate, against something he couldn’t

wasn’t even aware of what he truly felt.

conversation stretching longer than either had

literature, even the nature of ambition. Cole found himself surprised

had a sharp, analytical mind, the kind that dissected

away, the sun was already beginning to set,

99.1%

through the large

soft amber glow bathed the room in warmth, making

finally closed her book, her fingers resting lightly

today,” she said,

in his chair, a relaxed smile forming, “You can ask me anything,

off guard by his gentleness. She had expected professionalism, maybe some casual politeness, but this–this warmth was unexpected. It lingered between them, like

room, Elisa had been getting along well with

had been a constant background melody

all preparing to leave, a strange but comfortable

step away, he found himself speaking without

slightly, her expression unreadable, but there was something steady in

of the car giving her space to think. Cole was different from what she

reminded herself, they were simply acquaintances. That was

with Alexander. She leaned against the doorframe of his office, arms crossed, a knowing smile playing

up at