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
The lump in my throat grows thicker, and I squeeze her hand. “We saved him,” I whisper. “All of us. I couldn’t have done it alone.”Ronnie’s expression softens. “You might be right about that,” he says, glancing down the hall toward the closed door of Ryder’s room. “An alpha is only as strong as his
Through the haze, I catch flashes of light between the trees. The cabins. The faint, familiar glow coming through the healer’s windows. Relief flickers through me, almost there.“Jake!” Parker’s voice roars through the clearing. “Open up! Now!”The door bursts open before he even reaches it, and eve
** Paige’s POV **As the pack hall finally begins to empty, the low hum of voices fades as wolves drift out in twos and threes. Some head home to their families; others linger, having quiet conversations. The heavy tension that filled the room has eased, replaced by a fragile calm.I should feel rel
Ronnie stares like I’ve just said something insane. “You’re a Moon Child, Paige. You’re her descendant.”I blink again, completely lost. “And that means… what exactly?”He looks around the room, incredulous. “Do none of you listen to me?”“Shit,” Callen curses at the same time I realise what he’s ta







