All Chapters of The Darkness Between Us: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

BRIELLA.Morning came far too early.I was tired as hell because my body had been too keyed-up for any type of good rest last night. It had taken forever to actually fall asleep after I got back from Tala's run—too long spent replaying what happened at the lake. The peacefulness. The shadows.But most of all, it was him.A familiar set of brown eyes had appeared in my dreams, holding me captive even when he did nothing in particular. And that was the real problem. Something inside of me was still shaken, still restless, still hung up on him.The blaring of an alarm clock shattered the half-asleep state I’d been in. It was silenced after two half-hearted attempts but didn’t end up as a casualty of war this time.Silver linings and all.A deep groan left my lips before I dragged myself out of bed and into motion. Autopilot was always a useful setting that got my ass up and going.Dressing up had never really been my thing, never finding the importance of it. As long as I had clothes on,

BRIELLA.“Okay. Final verdict time!”Cassie turned towards me with one hand on her hip and the other fanning herself.“Hot enough to make Damon threaten every male within a five-mile radius?”I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve definitely achieved that goal.”Her lips curled in a wide grin. Then her attention was aimed at me. I smoothed my hands down the fabric of my dress down even though there weren’t any wrinkles in it. I was beginning to have second thoughts about wearing this dress.The fact that no alterations were necessary surprised me. It fit like a glove, hanging in that shop like it was waiting for me. Merida, as the older woman had insisted that we called her, told me that her daughter designed it. She knew that the dress belonged to me, or at least that was what she had told us.Cryptic didn't begin to cover it.I’d never come close to wearing anything like dress before, so it was completely out of my comfort zone. Cassie had done one hell of a makeover. The girl staring b

BRIELLA.The moment Cassie and I stepped into the gathering hall, every instinct I possessed screamed at me to turn around and leave.It was almost unrecognizable here. The familiar packhouse gathering hall had been transformed into something beautiful. Soft ivory fabric cascaded from the exposed wooden beams overhead, creating elegant drapes that seemed to float beneath the ceiling. Thousands of tiny lights wove through garlands of greenery, casting a warm golden glow over everything they touched. Candles flickered from the center of each table, their light dancing across polished glass and silver accents.The scent of fresh flowers, rich food, and expensive perfumes mingled together, creating an interesting combination. Light reflected off crystal decorations hanging overhead. Women in beautiful gowns moved through the crowd while guys in tailored suits gathered in small groups, talking and laughing.It felt less like the packhouse and more like a wedding reception. Or a scene from o

RYDER.The silence stretched between us like a living thing. Not exactly awkward. Just... charged. Electric.All I could focus on was Briella.The way moonlight painted silver highlights through her hair. The way her beautiful eyes remained locked on mine. The way her pulse fluttered wildly beneath the delicate skin of her throat.'Mate,' Axel purred, having the time of his life.I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.'Yes, thank you. I'm well aware.''How come all you're doing is staring? Perhaps try talking to her, dipshit.'My jaw tightened. Axel could be a real asshole sometimes, but he was right. And I couldn't seem to stop.I was the future Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack. I regularly negotiated disputes between pack members. Could address dozens of wolves at a time without hesitation. Yet somehow, standing in front of one woman had rendered me completely useless.‘She probably thinks you’re weird,’ he whispered as if telling me a secret.‘You’re not helping,’ I snapped.Briella sh

RYDER. "...and then Cassie had the audacity to hand me a microphone."I leaned back against the loveseat, already grinning because I could tell exactly where this story was headed."She didn't.""Oh, she absolutely did." Briella covered her face with one hand, groaning dramatically. "She told the DJ it was my birthday.""I'm guessing that it wasn't your birthday.""Nope!" she said, popping the p, and smiling fondly at the memory."So, everyone thought they were celebrating you?""Worse. They started chanting my name."I lost it. The sound of my own laughter filled the room, and judging by the way Briella dissolved into giggles herself, neither of us had any hope of recovering anytime soon."I panicked," she managed between breaths. "I was trying to escape through the emergency exit when Cassie physically shoved me onto the stage."My stomach hurt from laughing. I hadn't laughed this hard in a long time."That's what cousins are for," I told her, thinking about my own cousins."She's l