Fallen 8

Fallen 8 Summary

Meadow finds herself facing a man named Alaric, who appears completely unhinged and terrifying. Despite his disturbing behavior and the rumors of his cruelty, he calmly admits to stalking her, which sends a chill down her spine. Alaric insists that they are married and that they need to discuss what comes next, but Meadow vehemently denies any memory of the previous night and the sudden appearance of a ring on her finger. She is desperate to escape the situation and contact her best friend, but her phone mysteriously disappears, only to be returned to her in a mocking manner by Alaric.

 

The tension between them escalates quickly as Alaric physically restrains Meadow, ignoring her protests and warnings. Despite her resistance, Meadow feels a confusing mixture of fear and attraction, especially as Alaric leans in close and claims that she has wanted him since the moment he first watched her. He teases her with memories she struggles to recall, blurring the lines between reality and what might be a dream or manipulation. Alaric’s confidence and dark charm unsettle Meadow, leaving her breathless and conflicted.

 

Alaric offers Meadow more than just a marriage—he promises to give her what she truly wants, hinting at intimacy and revenge. He challenges her denial of desire, tracing his fingers along her body and suggesting that he will take her virginity and fulfill her hidden wishes. Despite her attempts to maintain control, Meadow is overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment and Alaric’s dominance. He ends the chapter by asking her to be his wife, entwining their fingers as a symbol of the binding connection he insists they share.

 

Fallen 8 Summary

 

Meadow finds herself facing a man named Alaric, who appears completely unhinged and terrifying. Despite his disturbing behavior and the rumors of his cruelty, he calmly admits to stalking her, which sends a chill down her spine. Alaric insists that they are married and that they need to discuss what comes next, but Meadow vehemently denies any memory of the previous night and the sudden appearance of a ring on her finger. She is desperate to escape the situation and contact her best friend, but her phone mysteriously disappears, only to be returned to her in a mocking manner by Alaric.

 

The tension between them escalates quickly as Alaric physically restrains Meadow, ignoring her protests and warnings. Despite her resistance, Meadow feels a confusing mixture of fear and attraction, especially as Alaric leans in close and claims that she has wanted him since the moment he first watched her. He teases her with memories she struggles to recall, blurring the lines between reality and what might be a dream or manipulation. Alaric’s confidence and dark charm unsettle Meadow, leaving her breathless and conflicted.

 

Alaric offers Meadow more than just a marriage—he promises to give her what she truly wants, hinting at intimacy and revenge. He challenges her denial of desire, tracing his fingers along her body and suggesting that he will take her virginity and fulfill her hidden wishes. Despite her attempts to maintain control, Meadow is overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment and Alaric’s dominance. He ends the chapter by asking her to be his wife, entwining their fingers as a symbol of the binding connection he insists they share.

CHAPTER 0008

Meadow’s Perspective:

This man was utterly unhinged.

Completely and undeniably insane.

Perhaps, alongside the chilling rumors about his coldness and cruelty, people should also whisper about the fact that he had a screw loose somewhere in his mind.

I shook my head in disbelief, setting my fork down on the plate with a sharp clink. “So, exactly how long have you been stalking me?”

I braced myself for a denial, expecting him to refute the accusation outright. But the longer he remained silent, the colder a shiver ran down my spine.

Because he didn’t deny it.

Instead, he calmly said, “That’s not something that matters right now, Meadow.”

I let out a sharp scoff. “If that’s not important, then what exactly is?”

Alaric leaned forward, his eyes hooded and fixed on me as he intertwined his fingers and rested his hands on the table.

A sudden wave of panic surged through me—not the kind that comes from fear, but the kind that made my legs instinctively press tightly together beneath the table.

And that was precisely the problem.

I shouldn’t have been feeling this way—not when I was sitting opposite a madman who insisted we were married. Not when I was desperately trying to rebuild my life from the ruins Juniper and Tyler had left behind.

Not when I knew nothing about this man except that he was terrifyingly powerful and had absolutely no right to know my name, let alone slip a ring onto my finger.

Yet, here I was, my legs crossed tightly, my mind a whirlwind because he was looking at me like I was the most fascinating thing he’d ever laid eyes on.

And if I’m honest, I kind of liked that.

“Like I said,” he murmured, his voice low and steady, “you’re my wife now. We need to discuss what comes next.”

“Alaric, I don’t remember anything from last night,” I said, throwing my hands up in frustration. “I woke up with a massive rock on my finger, and as far as I can tell, you forced it on me. So no, I’m not your wife, and there’s absolutely nothing to talk about.”

Fed up with his evasiveness and, frankly, his entire act, I pushed myself up from the chair. All I wanted was to grab my phone, text my best friend Nova, and catch the next flight back to Seattle—far away from all this madness.

So much for a relaxing weekend getaway.

I felt a brief wave of relief when Alaric didn’t follow me into the bedroom, but that relief vanished quickly when I realized my phone was nowhere to be found.

Not in my purse. Not on the bed. Not anywhere in the room.

And worse, I had no idea if I even had it on me last night.

“Looking for this?” came his voice from behind me.

I whipped around, breath catching as I came face to face with Alaric. He loomed over me, and my eyes widened when I spotted my phone clenched tightly in his hand.

For a fleeting moment, relief swept over me.

“Thank—” I gasped, but before I could finish, he tossed the phone behind me without hesitation.

I spun around just in time to see it land on the bed.

“Are you kidding me?” I shot him a glare.

Before I could move toward the bed, his hand shot out, gripping my waist and pulling me flush against him.

“Alaric,” I warned, trying to ignore the warmth pooling low in my stomach. “Let me g—”

“You don’t remember what happened last night, do you?” His voice dropped darker. “Then let me refresh your memory.”

Before I could respond, even blink, he swept me up and threw me onto the bed.

A startled gasp escaped me as my back met the soft mattress.

I stopped breathing entirely because within seconds, Alaric was on top of me.

One hand pinned both of mine above my head effortlessly, while the other supported his weight as he settled between my legs, his body hovering just inches from mine without actually touching.

“This counts as assault,” I hissed, though my rebellious thighs locked instinctively around his hips. “I hope you realize that.”

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, and I glared at him, hating how my body betrayed me at his touch. “Add your stalking habit to that, and we’ve got ourselves a criminal.”

“Meadow—”

“Get off me.”

“You don’t really want that.” His voice was barely a whisper, yet it tightened something deep inside me.

“Oh really?” I scoffed, wriggling harder against him. “And who the hell gave you that idea?”

Alaric’s eyes darkened, lips curling into a sinister smile. “I’m your husband, Meadow.”

I froze.

My heart pounded fiercely against my ribs, but it wasn’t fear—at least, not entirely.

His breathing grew heavier, ragged yet controlled, as if he was teetering on the edge of something and barely holding on.

Slowly, he leaned in, his face mere centimeters from mine. “You want me, Meadow.” His breath, cool and minty, brushed against my skin, and my mouth parted in response. “You’ve wanted me since the moment you saw me watching you from upstairs.”

“I haven’t—”

“Don’t deny it, baby girl.” His thumb traced the side of my neck, and I shivered.

“I feel like your memories are coming back now,” he murmured, eyes drifting down to my lips. “Are they?”

Reluctantly, I closed my eyes as fragments of memory flooded me—my legs spread wide, his mouth on me, the overwhelming sensation of being deliciously undone.

But that had to be a dream, right?

Or was it—

“We didn’t do anything,” I said, swallowing hard. “You said so yourself. Or were you lying?”

Alaric hummed softly as his lips grazed my jaw, then chuckled. “I’m many things, Meadow, but a liar isn’t one of them.”

His breath brushed against my ear. “And you’d remember if I fucked you.”

A soft whimper escaped me.

God, I was so utterly done for.

I tried to squirm free from his hold, but every attempt was useless.

“Let’s not waste any more time,” his voice deepened as he lifted his head to look at me. “I can give you what you want. Just say the word.”

His lips twitched into a knowing smile. “Surely, you remember me saying that?”

I did. I definitely did.

Gathering the last shreds of my rationality, I said, “Revenge. You mentioned that, right? Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I wouldn’t waste my time chasing revenge against someone who always wins.”

A thick lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard.

I wasn’t lying. Juniper always came out on top. Always.

“I’m not talking about revenge, Meadow Russell. That’s not what you truly want.”

I opened my mouth to retort but stopped when his fingers began to trail slowly down my side.

“I’m talking about this.”

My breath caught as I felt the hem of his t-shirt lift, his hand brushing over my thigh, inching toward the waistband of my panties. I squirmed beneath his touch. It wasn’t a question.

It was a promise.

“Alaric…” My chest rose and fell rapidly, my lips parted as I struggled to breathe.

His fingers hooked lightly into the waistband of my underwear, teasing me mercilessly.

My core throbbed relentlessly.

“You want me to take your virginity, don’t you?”

I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t. Fucking. Breathe.

“I will,” he said softly. “And I’ll even give you the revenge you’re pretending not to want. All you have to do is keep my ring on your finger.”

At last, his other hand released mine, but he paused, lifting my left hand between us and entwining our fingers.

“Be my wife, Meadow.”