LOGIN“I only detected five scents in the pack centre,” Bastian says. “The sixth entered here.”He points to a patch of flattened fern that none of us had even looked at.“They were already travelling together.”“That’s what we thought,” Leo says.Bastian doesn’t answer. He simply keeps moving, following
** Jake’s POV **Every instinct I have is telling me to turn around. To go back to Poppy. But Bastian is right. She’s safe. My wolf knows it, and my soul knows it. And maybe this is exactly what she needs. Time with Alaric without the rest of us hovering. A chance to learn the man beneath the disast
** Bastian’s POV **Silence returns to the cabin. Good. Most people think silence is empty; it isn’t. Silence is the best time to gather information. The coffee machine clicks as it cools. Someone walks by the cabin with a slight limp, their steps uneven. Poppy takes another sip of her coffee. There
Her brows knit together in the most adorable way.“I’ve seen him walk into burning buildings because someone was trapped inside. Stand between children and rogues without blinking. Track a wounded wolf through a blizzard with nothing but a drop of blood and instinct.”“He doesn’t hesitate?”“Never.
** Alaric’s POV **Maybe we are monsters. Just not in the way humans tell stories about. We’re wolves, alphas, predators by nature, protectors by choice, but no matter which way you look at it, we are dangerous.“I’m sorry,” I say.Her laughter fades. “For what?”“The coffee shop. The bus station. F
** Alaric's POV ** Poppy’s smile fades as her gaze suddenly loses focus. For a heartbeat, she doesn’t seem to be looking at either of us at all. “Are you okay?” I ask. She blinks and rubs lightly at her temple. “I don’t think I’m ever going to get used to that.” “The mind-link?” I ask. She nods
“I don’t want to do this out here,” I say quietly.Jake’s fingers tighten around mine for half a second before he forces himself to loosen them. Leo’s eyes widen a fraction.“Inside?” he asks, his voice lower now, rougher.I nod.It’s not because I’m ashamed, because I’m not. I just don’t want any o
** Poppy’s POV **I wake up slowly. For a moment, I don’t know where I am. Warmth surrounds me, the steady weight of a blanket pulled up to my shoulders, and the faint scent of smoke.Then I realise two things at once. First… I’m not alone. Second… I didn’t run. My heart stutters as memory rushes ba
** Poppy’s POV **I can feel them on either side of me. Jake’s hand in mine, warm, steady, and ever so careful. Leo’s palm at my waist, restrained, barely there, as if he’s afraid that even that is too much, and my heart is beating like it’s trying to escape my chest.This is what I wanted, what I n
“I didn’t know if I should come tonight,” I admit. “I thought maybe… tomorrow.” My voice sounds smaller than I intended.Leo shifts slightly, not stepping forward, just redistributing his weight. The sound of his boot against the wood makes my stomach flip.“You don’t have to be here if it’s not wha







