LOGINYELENAPregnant? 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
TRISTAN"What?" The word felt stuck in my throat, jagged and sharp. I finally found my voice, but it sounded like someone else’s. I took a shaky step toward her. The room felt like it was spinning, but I fixed my eyes on Livia. "Livia, is it true?"She didn't answer. She couldn't.For a heartbeat, she just stared at me, her face a mask of panic. Then, she lunged. She threw her arms around me, burying her face into my chest. Her tears soaked through my shirt, cold and sticky against my skin. "No, no, Tristan, it wasn't like that," she sobbed, her voice muffled against my chest. "It’s not what you think, it’s..."The guards didn't let her finish. They were on her in a heartbeat, their hands like iron shackles as they hauled her away from me. She screamed and fought, her heels digging into the floor, but they didn't even flinch. I just stood there, watching, my jaw tight enough to snap. I gave a sharp, single nod to the head guard. She would pay for this. Every second of my pain woul
TRISTANMy breathing hitched, coming back in slow waves. My muscles felt like lead, heavy and sluggish, but beneath the exhaustion, my wolf was already stirring, claws digging into the fog of unconsciousness. My body was healing faster than any wolf’s, the steady burn of my Alpha blood knitting bone and sinew back together. I kept my eyes shut, letting the darkness fade. Then, it hit me. Yelena. The image of her face burned behind my eyelids. I remembered the weight in my pocket... the ring, the promise I had been seconds away from making. I had been ready to ask her to be my mate, my life, my Luna.But then, the world had tilted.The floor had rushed up to meet me, and everything went black. Where was she? Was she hurt? The panic was a cold claw in my chest, sharper than any wound.I forced my eyelids to flutter open, desperate to see her face. Before I could even adjust to the light, a hand slipped into mine. It was soft, familiar, but it wasn't the warmth I was searching for
YELENAThree days.Three long, annoying, frustrating days and Tyler still hadn’t gotten through to me.He was supposed to be back yesterday. We were supposed to meet yesterday. And instead, his number kept going off as he traveled to the moon without a network. I called and called until my phone st
YELENAI didn’t know a person could feel whole again until I agreed to start dating Tyler. It was as if something inside me, something I thought had died, finally stretched and breathed.He was calm, gentle, and patient… He was everything Tristian wasn’t. Tyler made me laugh without trying, made me
NYRAI didn’t step into the hospital for days. I couldn’t. My body moved, but my heart stayed stuck in the moment Kenzie said the words that shattered me. I thought I was strong enough to handle anything... work, pain, stress but a mate’s rejection? That one punched straight into my chest and left
YELENAJackson stepped inside... and stopped.He froze for just a breath, but he didn’t look surprised. Not even a little. It was like he had already guessed I wasn’t alone, like he’d sensed it, the same way wolves smelled storms before they broke. His eyes dragged slowly over me and Tyler, the sp







