LOGINAlaric presses his lips together, giving a small wave towards the phone, and Bastian bows his head slightly. “It looks like Ronnie found something, we thought you might want to hear it,” Callen says. “Hang on.” Muffled voices come through the speaker, and something thumps before Paige speaks agai
** Jake’s POV **The silence that settles after Ronnie’s words is uncomfortable. For a long moment, no one moves. The forest seems unnaturally still around us, as though even the birds have decided this isn’t a conversation they want any part of. Ronnie clears his throat. “So,” he says, his gaze d
** 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
“They wanted leverage,” I say. “They wanted fear.”I look each of my mates in the eye.“So let’s give them the opposite.”Ryder rises too, stepping into my space with a mixture of awe and something far more primal.“Paige,” he murmurs, “we have another idea, but I’m not sure how you’d feel about it.
** Paige’s POV **I wake to warmth. Not sunlight or the lingering glow beneath my skin, but warmth that feels alive. That feels wrapped in love. The kind of warmth that only comes from my mates.Ryder’s arm is draped over my waist, heavy and protective even in sleep. His breath is slow against the b
** Ryder’s POV **The cabin door shuts behind the others, and the silence they leave behind feels charged.Paige stands in the middle of the room, breathing slowly, the weight of everything we just planned pressing down on her shoulders. The glow under her skin hasn’t fully faded. It pulses soft gol
** Paige’s POV **“What… what are you?”The question hangs in the air, and everyone goes still.Ryder’s protective instinct spikes like a cold gust of wind through the bond, but I lift a hand to keep him from stepping forward.I can’t blame her. I’m probably glowing again.My voice comes out steadie







