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
** Paige’s POV **Through the glass, I see them… Ryder and Remy. Their bodies tense, eyes glowing faintly gold in the darkness. Even from here, I can feel their energy, wild and alive, humming through the air like static before a storm.Relief slams through me so hard my knees almost give way. They’
** Poppy’s POV **It’s been a nice, slow morning at the clinic, no one bleeding, no one screaming, and no one trying to leave this world before their time. Just peace, coffee, and the large delivery of medical supplies to sort through.I’m halfway through stocking the herb cupboard when the door cre
** Paige’s POV **After two stories, Jax is asleep. He’s peaceful, content and safe. The way it should be.I press a kiss to his forehead before slipping out, easing the door closed behind me. The sound of low voices drifts up from downstairs, the kind that makes my stomach twist even before I know
“Different?” I pull back enough to meet her gaze. “Pops, you could have three heads and blue skin, and I’d still claim you. We’ve been through too much for a word like ‘half’ to mean anything.”Her laugh breaks through the tears, shaky but real, and the sound loosens the knot in my chest.Ronnie exh







