LOGINOutside the house, the village is waking up. Voices are floated through the air, mingling with the aroma of a dozen breakfasts on the stove.Suddenly, my stomach rumbles, breaking the quiet.The boy chuckles while I smile, and it strikes me how happy I am at this moment. This instant connection I ha
Alexander’s POVI step inside Layla’s house and sniff the air, scenting this new presence. It’s sweet and calming, and it strikes me how unlike this is from how Camila’s newness in my life had been. There is no feeling here of losing myself, of becoming less, of needing something or someone else to
Alexander’s POVBefore I even see her, I sense my fated mate’s presence. It is a sharply sweet sensation—part the scent of the hunt, part the triumph of battle—all wrapped into one. I feel myself stepping closer, compelled by the idea of her. It’s as though I can see her hair and face and eyes befor
Alexander’s POVI sit alone in silence in the room they have given me to use, grand by Starfall standards, utilitarian and sturdy by my own.My own.Somehow, I must reconcile my own actions, my own self of the past five years with the wolf I have always believed myself to be, an Alpha leader who gui
Those of Starfall surround us. The air is heavy with accusation and apprehension. Wolves have little tolerance for magic, and the kind of dark magic Camila is suspected of usually means instant death for the practitioner. But we need information as much as we need punishment.Leona steps forward, lo
Layla’s POVStarfall needs a decent auditorium, I think, looking around the intersection of paths that formed a makeshift “village square.” It’s a wonderfully mundane thought during an insane time.I’d received a phone call not fifteen minutes ago from Healer Javier that Benjamin was showing signs h
Alexander’s POVSomething changed yesterday between us.There’s no doubt.The tension that had been growing finally eased when we slept together, replaced by a warmth that I know can fully return if we try hard enough. It’s a relief, honestly, even if Layla pushed me away afterward. She didn’t fully
This shouldn’t have happened. Having sex with Alexander after everything that happened recently… I must have lost my mind.“You should leave,” I mutter, standing. My voice shakes slightly, and I clear my throat to rid myself of the odd sensation.“Layla—”“Don’t,” I snap harshly. “Whatever you’re go
Layla’s POVHis mouth crashes to mine, hard and fast like a man who hasn’t had water in ages. His hands come up to cup my face, holding me in place as he claims my mouth.I can’t tell if he’s trying to silence me or punish me, and that only makes it worse.For a split second, I can’t move. Then, my
“I complete my assigned tasks.”Again, she offers no further explanation. The detached and cold response is just like how she was acting before she left, but it still doesn’t explain why she’s acting so weak. I know her better than that.“Prove it,” I order.A wrinkle forms between her brows. “What?







