LOGINLucien: It's starting.The moment I read the message, I quickly looked up and out the window.Sure enough, six men were walking up the street.They were split into two groups of three.One group had just come out of the grocery store where Lucien had been waiting.The other group included Vale and two large, muscular men. They were standing outside a bookstore, bothering the owner. The two bigger men stayed close to the frightened woman while Vale talked to her.My hand slowly tightened into a fist as I watched him.My heart sank when the woman rushed inside the store, then came back carrying a thick envelope. She handed it to Vale.He slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket before saying something to the two men with him.They immediately separated and headed in different directions.One of them walked straight toward the diner.“Shit,” I muttered.The man was huge... probably around six-foot-three and at least two hundred and fifty pounds.He shoved the diner door open with
Orion: I'm in the diner on Market Street. Overlooking the main business area. I'll see if I can get some information from the staff while I wait.Lucien: Got it. I'm at the grocery store farther down the street.My booth was near the back of the diner. It gave me a clear view of both the front door and the street outside, but it was hidden enough that people wouldn't notice me unless they were actually looking for me.A moment after I sat down, a quiet, nervous-looking server hurried over and placed a laminated menu in front of me.“Here you go.”She wouldn't look me in the eyes. Instead, she kept glancing nervously through the windows toward the sidewalk outside.She was human, and my heightened senses let me smell the fear coming off her. That alone told me everything I needed to know.Everyone in this town was terrified.Tax day wasn't something anyone looked forward to.“Thank you,” I said kindly as I accepted the menu.“Uh... would you like something to drink? Coffee... maybe?” s
I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel, trying to keep the nervous energy running through my body under control. Thankfully, it hadn't completely taken over. My mind was still clear, sharp, and focused. I was ready. I knew we were driving straight into a very dangerous situation, but I was prepared for it.I'd do anything for my son.“How do you feel about all this?” Lucien asked as I turned onto a dirt road.“To be honest... I feel like shit,” I muttered. “The last thing I want is to hurt my brother, but just like I told Selene, Kael is what matters most. I'd walk into the deepest part of hell for him, and if hurting my brother is what it takes to bring him home safely, then...” My voice faded. Did I really have it in me to do that?Yeah... I did.“Well... so be it,” I finished.“Fair enough,” Lucien replied.Now that I'd finally gotten past the strange jealousy that had taken over me when we first met, I realized I actually liked Lucien. He reminded me a little of Jaxon, pro
“You mean besides my inch-long canines when I shift?” Jaxon asked with a grin.“You know exactly what I mean,” Orion replied.Jaxon smirked, lifted his shirt, and showed the semi-auto pistol tucked into the waistband of his pants. “I’m covered, my man.”“And what about you?” Orion asked, turning to Voss.Voss raised one eyebrow, slipped his hand into his laptop bag, and pulled out a snub-nosed revolver. “We’re good,” he said with a quick smile.“Okay, then,” Orion replied.He looked completely focused now. His attention was sharp, and he carried himself like a leader again... confident and determined in a way I hadn't seen for quite some time. Seeing him like that made me feel relieved. It was clear his mind was fully back where it needed to be.“you both just stay alert,” Lucien said. “I don't know how Varek plans things, but he might already expect that we're trying to find him. If that's true, he could decide to do something reckless.” He shrugged as he motioned around the house. “
“Kael’s safety is the only thing that matters to me,” Orion went on. “I’ll do whatever it takes to bring him home safely. Hopefully,” he added, making his voice a little lighter, “Varek calls soon so we can trace where he is. That would be the best outcome.”Orion looked toward the window behind Selene. “Looks like everyone else has arrived.”A truck and an SUV had pulled into the driveway. A few seconds later, Lucien, Elias, Voss, and Jaxon walked inside. As soon as they arrived, the tension between Orion and Selene faded, and I was thankful for that. I honestly hadn't known what to say... or whether I should've said anything at all.“How’s everybody doing?” Lucien asked as he stepped into the kitchen. “Has Varek called yet?”“Not yet,” I answered.“Good.” Voss pulled his laptop out of his backpack. “I don't want all the action to happen without me.”“It has to happen soon,” Jaxon said. “Varek doesn't seem like the kind of person who enjoys waiting.”Everyone else agreed. From the lo
My phone started ringing, and my heart jumped straight into my throat. My hands were trembling as I picked it up. The number was unknown. My mouth instantly went dry, and I just stared at the screen. Could it be Varek... finally calling to hear my answer?A full day had passed since the meeting, and I was at Orion’s house. Voss still hadn't arrived. Without him, how were we supposed to trace the call? For a second, I thought about calling Orion to come sit with me, but I needed to know if Kael was safe. Even though Lucien and the others weren't here yet, I decided to answer anyway. I'd think of some excuse to make Varek call me again later. More than anything, I just wanted to hear my baby’s voice one more time.I took a deep breath before answering on the fifth ring. “This is Elara,” I said, my voice rough and shaky.“We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty—”“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I muttered angrily, ending the call with a swipe. My hands were shaking serio
I threw my engagement ring into the toilet, and then we left. Before getting into the car, I blocked Travis’s number. In less than a day, my life had completely changed.Now we were on the worst road trip ever, heading toward a future I never planned. Kael, however, was trying to stay positive.“Is
In just a few seconds, everything in my life flipped completely. It felt like my world had been turned upside down, shaken hard, and then thrown away. I had a son? Was this really happening? So many thoughts and emotions rushed through my head at once. How could I have walked away from Elara? I ha
Stacks of forms, spreadsheets, and bank papers were spread across the desk in front of me. All of them showed the same thing. The pack was in serious trouble. When they called and begged me to come back after my father died, part of me thought they just wanted an easy plan for a new alpha. No need
We didn’t unpack and went straight to the store after taking everything out of the car. Kael spent the drive looking around the town. I was happy to see a new park had been built. It had a playground, a small baseball field, and, to Kael’s excitement, four basketball courts.“I can walk here,” Kael







