LOGINTRISTAN"Alpha, what happened?" Daniel’s voice echoed against the cold stone walls of the cell.He stepped over the threshold, his gaze darting from me to the cooling body on the floor. He didn't need to ask if she was dead... the way she lay, limp and final, told him everything.He knelt beside her, his eyes narrowing as he scanned her body. "How did she get a blade in here?"I stood there, my chest heaving, the adrenaline slowly draining out of me. I didn't bother answering his question. It didn't matter anymore. "I don't know, and honestly, she just made things easier for us."I reached up and pulled my shirt over my head. It was soaked in Livia’s blood, heavy and sticky against my skin. I dropped it onto the floor, the fabric hitting the stone with a wet thud. Daniel stood up, his face grim. He whistled for a guard standing in the hallway. "Get the Alpha a clean shirt," he commanded, then turned back to me. "Did she say anything before she went?"I looked down at my own body. My
TRISTANLivia refused to speak, even after Daniel had worked on her, she kept her mouth shut. She wouldn’t give up the name of the person pulling her strings, and it was becoming obvious why: she was being controlled, a puppet on a string dancing to someone else’s tune.But I was finished playing games. If she thought she could demand to see me and trade a few words for leniency, she was dead wrong. I hadn’t told Yelena that it was Livia who had attacked me instead of her. If I had, my Luna would have insisted on dragging her through the pack’s brutal judicial process, and that would have killed any chance of finding the true enemy lurking in the shadows. I reached the holding cells, the heavy air thick with the metallic tang of blood and damp stone.The guards bowed as I approached, and one scrambled to slide the heavy iron bolt back. The door groaned open, revealing the chamber.Livia was hanging from the ceiling, her wrists locked in silver chains that hissed against her skin. T
YELENAPregnant? My best friend might be pregnant.The word hung in the air, sweet and heavy. Vivianne leaned back on the couch, her expression softening into a rare, knowing smile. "That's what I meant. Your head is finally catching up, but we won't know for sure until you actually take the test.""Oh, moon! I really hope it's true," Nyra said, her hands pressed against her stomach as if she were already cradling a secret. I smiled, feeling a surge of genuine joy for her. "It would be such good news. We could use some more happiness around here."Nyra finished off the last of the pancakes, her movements hurried, and stood up. "There's nowhere I can get a test kit around here, I’ll just have to do it when I get home."Vivianne and I both nodded, our excitement lingering.Then, a sharp, ringing sound cut through the room. It was Vivianne’s phone. She pulled it from her bag, glanced at the screen, and her face darkened. She didn't hesitate; she reached out and swiped it away, cutting t
YELENA"Tyler is dead."The words had been ringing in my head for a week now, ever since the guard brought the news. It was a heavy, hollow truth. He wouldn't get to see Tyla. He wouldn't get to see the life he helped create. I sighed, staring down at my plate, lost in the quiet ache of it all, until a soft voice pulled me back to the present."Ma'am, I wanted to ask where I should put this."I looked up to see our new housekeeper, Aria, struggling slightly with a large, heavy flower vase. I smiled, the weight of the past fading as I gestured toward the wall across from the dining table. "There, put it there, Aria. It would be beautiful there," I said.She nodded, walked over to the spot, and lowered it carefully to the floor. She stepped back, tilting her head to admire the view just as I did. "Indeed, it's really beautiful. This house will feel so much more lively now.""Thank you, Aria. Have you eaten?" I asked.She turned back to me with a kind smile. "Yes, ma'am. I'm going to
TRISTAN"Say yes," I heard her mother’s voice, and then Nyra’s, cutting through the haze of the room, assisting me.Yelena blinked, her gaze shifting as if she were shaking off a long, heavy dream. She looked at me, her eyes clearing, and a slow, tired smile spread across her face. She nodded, her fingers trembling as she reached toward me. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Yes, I'll marry you, Tristan Crosswood."The room erupted. Claps and cheers echoed off the walls, and even Claire joined in, clapping her small hands with delight. I felt a massive weight lift off my chest, a relief so sharp it almost hurt. I reached for her hand, my movements careful and steady, and slid the ring onto her finger. It looked perfect there. I leaned over the bed, gathering her into my arms, and pressed a long, soft kiss to her forehead.I had planned a grand, classic proposal at that restaurant we went to, but Livia had ruined that with her madness. Still, looking at Yelena now, I realized it didn’t m
TRISTAN"No, no, wait," I said. She froze, and I turned, pulling my mother into a tight embrace. The scent of pine and rain clung to her, the familiar comfort of home. "Oh, moon, I’m so happy you and Yelena are fine," she whispered against my shoulder before stepping back, her eyes shining with relief.Marie was still right there, wrapping her arms around my waist. "My brother is back." She squeezed me once before letting go, stepping aside to give us space."I knew he would be back soon. He’s so strong," Yelena said. She let out a soft, airy giggle, and for a split second, the light hitting her face made her look just like Claire. My heart skipped. I knew our new baby would be that beautiful, and the thought made my pulse thrum with a primal, protective heat.I couldn't wait to reach her. I couldn't wait to kiss the hell out of her, to prove to myself that she was still breathing, still here, and still mine.I moved past the others, my shoes hitting the floor with a heavy, steady
TRISTANMy eyes darkened instantly.“Stop,” I said, my voice low. “Just stop.”She didn’t. I don’t know if she meant to provoke me or if pain simply made her reckless, but she opened her mouth again.“It’s just tha...”“Yelena!” I half-yelled.She flinched and closed her eyes, her lashes trembling
NYRAThis was the third time.The third time a message like this slid into my phone like a knife under the skin.(Unknown: Stop searching for Tyler or you’ll weep over Claire.)My fingers shook as I read it again, then again, like the words would change if I stared long enough. They didn’t. They on
TRISTANI didn’t think of my birthday at all.If this had been when we were still together, maybe my fingers would have gone there without thought. But now? Now that we were divorced, now that everything between us was broken and messy and bleeding? I never imagined she would still use my birthday
TRISTANWhen Jackson called to tell me the result was out, I stopped everything I was doing.The file in my hand stayed open on the desk, my beta was still talking, but his voice turned into noise. My wolf rose to the surface instantly, restless, and pacing. Something was wrong.I could feel it in







