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
“Enough!” Remy’s voice cuts through like a blade, sharp and furious.He steps from the shadows at the edge of the circle, his presence commanding in a way I haven’t seen before. He locks his eyes on me, and they blaze with something between defiance and devotion. Then, without hesitation, he closes
Remy is the first to speak. “Now that we know what Greg could be, we can’t leave this hanging. Hunters don’t act without purpose. If he’s still out there, he won’t stop watching. And if he’s not… then we need to know who he reported to.”Parker nods, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
He doesn’t notice me at first, too busy waffling on about his truck and how it can go “super fast, faster than Uncle Callen’s wolf, probably.” That earns him a rumbling laugh from Callen, who scoops him closer. Paige beams at them both, brushing Jaxon’s hair back.Then Jaxon finally turns, and his b
**Paige’s POV ** Much to my disappointment, Ryder had a late-night patrol. Which meant he didn’t mark me, just kissed me softly and sent me off to bed. I can’t deny I needed the rest, though. Even without him, I’d ended up curling into his sheets, deciding to spend the night in his bed, anyway.







