All Chapters of Inevitable Red Flag: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The library remained a tomb of silent parchment and old leather. Willow stared at the doorway until her eyes burned, the crushing weight of Roman’s absence settling into her bones. He had forgotten. For the first time since she was a pup, the silver-eyed tactician of the Vale Clan had broken his word to her.A hollow ache bloomed in her chest, a premonition of something fracturing. Driven by a restless, painful energy, she descended the stairs, intending to find him and demand an explanation.The Grant House was a sensory overload the air thick with the musk of unmated wolves, the sharp tang of spilled ale, and the thrumming bass of music that vibrated in her teeth. She checked the balcony, but it was empty. Just as she turned to retreat, a sound caught her ear a rhythmic, wet friction and a low, gutteral growl that didn't sound like conversation.Willow crept toward the stone archway of the secondary terrace, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She peered around th

"Willow? Willow Grant? Is that really you?"Matthew Ross stood before her, a flash of recognition lighting up his caramel eyes. "By the Moon, it is! The infamous Willow Grant who didn't even leave a scent trail for this poor, abandoned wolf all these years?"Willow managed a thin smile. "Hello, Matthew."He caught her in a bone-crushing bear hug, and despite her armor, Willow found herself returning the gesture. In Redwood Bay, Matthew had been like an older brother to her. But when she’d fled, her desperation to excise Roman from her life meant cutting ties with everyone connected to the Vale lineage.Matthew pulled back, his hands resting on her shoulders as he looked her over. "Has anyone told you what a fierce, beautiful wolf you’ve shifted into?"Willow shook her head, her fingers tightening around her glass. The air in the Vale Compound was thick with the power of the high-ranking families, and she felt the invisible pressure of a predator’s gaze nearby."If you've finished scen

Matthew’s caramel eyes locked onto hers, a knowing glint surfacing. "I know because my cousin never accepts a loss. And that" he pointed toward the dirt track where a fiery red stallion was now muscling ahead of the pack, while a white contender also surged forward to challenge the lead, "is Roman’s beast. He always puts his faith in Jordan."Willow’s lips parted. Roman’s horse? That meant the Alpha was here, presiding over the games. Her pulse spiked, and her eyes instinctively scanned the sea of faces in the auditorium. He was nowhere to be seen among the tiered seating of the common pack members. Shifters of his standing the high-tier Alphas and stakeholders never rubbed shoulders with the general public during the heat of a race.Then, her gaze drifted upward.There he was. High in the fortified V.I.P. gallery, shielded by reinforced glass that overlooked the entire Redwood Bay circuit. He stood at the very edge of the balcony, chest broad and powerful, hands buried deep in his po

The heavy silence of the night offered no comfort. Willow stood on the balcony of the Grant House, the cold air biting at her skin, but it was the hollow ache in her chest that hurt more. She had tried—she truly had—to let Tyler in. She had forced herself to endure his touch, to seek the solace of his kiss, but every time his lips met hers, she felt as though she were betraying a vow her soul had made long ago.The more she attempted to bridge the distance with Tyler, the more she felt herself fracturing. It was a special kind of self-inflicted torture, trying to ignite a spark with a man who was safe when her heart was already claimed by a predator. She had told Tyler from the start that her heart was a ruin, and though he had stayed out of a stubborn, hopeful persistence, Willow knew she was only hurting the one person who had been there for her during the darkest years in Manhattan.A soft scent of sandalwood drifted on the breeze just before a figure moved into the moonlight besid

Willow tried to keep her expression flat, though her inner wolf was pacing with a sudden, restless energy. "Oh, thank Goddess! I was beginning to think you’d actually withered away from the relief."Jade’s voice crackled with teasing laughter through the phone. Willow straightened her spine. "It isn’t like that. I don't care if she’s his fated mate or just a business associate. Did you really call me just to give me a report on Roman’s social life?"Willow could practically feel Jade rolling her amber eyes across the distance. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, babe! That’s exactly why you vanished into the night like a rogue. Don’t lie to me—I know how much you care. Consider this best-friend balm for your ego.""Shut up! I'm not lying," Willow countered, though the tension in her chest eased slightly. "And since I’m currently waiting to hear if I’m hired or if Mr. Cooper's gas killed my career, I really don't want to talk about the Alpha of the Lanka Clan."That shifted the focus, a