LOGIN** Jake’s POV **A minute later, the cabin door opens again. Callen steps out with far too much satisfaction written across his face. Poppy follows a second later. The moment she sees all four of us waiting, she hesitates, her steps faltering. Her gaze lands on me, then Leo. Then it drifts to Alaric
** Jake’s POV **My wolf practically whines in my head as my eyes track Poppy walking inside with Callen. Every second I spend with her makes every second away from her more difficult. “I know this is difficult,” Ryder says, pulling our attention back to him. “But for Poppy’s sake, you all need to
“Hey,” Paige says softly.“Hey,” I reply, my voice cracking. Her smile fades and her eyes narrow as she studies me. “What happened?”“Nothing, I’m okay.”Callen snorts a laugh, and I shoot him a look. “Callen, get out,” Paige orders.“Well, that’s rude.”“Out,” she demands, and he wisely retreats,
** Poppy’s POV **The door closes behind us with a soft click, and I finally take my first real breath in hours. I want to freak out. I want to shout that this isn’t supposed to be happening. But allowing myself to get worked up is not good for anyone or anything. Stuff will break, people will pani
“I was trying to figure you out,” he shrugs.“You were lurking.”Callen gasps. “Shadow boy was lurking?”Bastian’s eyes narrow. “Shadow boy?”“Oh, don’t worry,” I say. “It suits you.”For one strange moment, his expression softens. Not much, but enough that I see it. Enough that my heart skips a bea
** Poppy’s POV **The branch is still lying where it fell. I try not to look at it as we walk away, but my eyes keep finding it anyway. Split wood, torn bark, and leaves scattered across the ground as if it had exploded from the inside out. Because of me.One stupid argument. One moment when everyth
His words strike something in me. Has Ryder really been suffering that badly all this time? Has he been missing me as much as I’ve missed him? “You have no idea how important you are to us, Paige, but I promise, if you give us a chance, we will make sure you understand.” I nod, unable to speak
The silence between us stretches, but it isn’t uncomfortable. It’s full of everything we’re both thinking but not saying. Ryder glances at me now and then, and I can feel the weight of his gaze even when I’m not looking back. I let out a breath. “He’s really okay?” “He’s still healing,” Ryder
“So you already feel it that strongly?”Parker nods. “From the minute my wolf scented you.”“And how does that feel?” I dare to ask.Parker sets his beer down and leans forward slightly, his voice quieter now, more thoughtful. “It’s hard to explain, but I’ll try. It’s a pull. Like your soul recognis
I close my eyes and push through the haze, throwing everything I have into the mind link.“Danger. North woods. Hunters. Wolfsbane. Ambush.”It’s like yelling underwater, but this time I feel the pack stir, voices overlapping, questions surging into a jumble of sound I can’t comprehend.“Callen?!” R







