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 ** I’m still shaking when Parker pulls me in closer, his arms wrapping around me and Jaxon. The blanket is warm, but it’s not doing much to stop the way I’m trembling. Jaxon’s little hands clutch my shirt, and he presses his damp cheek against my chest. I keep imagining him out the
**Paige’s POV **Callen’s home. He’s right here, looking as if nothing ever happened, but it still doesn’t feel real.He’s sitting beside me on the couch, his thumb tracing lazy circles against the inside of my wrist like he’s been doing it for years. Like he didn’t almost die. Like I haven’t spent
** Remy’s POV **“I’ve just found Jaxon running towards the town. Someone get back to the house now!” Parker roars in the mind-link.Dread hits me harder than I expect. My mate is in danger. Thoughts of hunters dragging her off, torturing her for days on end for information flash through my mind.My
I whimper at the loss, but before I can fully react, he shifts lower. His hands gripping my thighs and his hot mouth closing over my p*ssy as his tongue slides over my clit. I see stars. The sensation sends me soaring, and I clamp a hand over my mouth to muffle the scream I can’t contain as he licks







