LOGINTerence didn’t answer. He looked at me instead.“It isn’t my decision,” he said quietly.The Beta stood, dropped to his knees in front of me, and clasped his hands together. “Please…”I looked away, jaw tightening. This was my chance to make sure history truly didn’t repeat itself. To put Vivian beh
Ellie’s POVTerence didn’t say anything for a long time after I finished talking.The fire had gone cold in his study. Outside, the wind howled ominously around the eaves of the house. I shivered, remembering all too well the cold I’d felt last night, the cold that might have turned me into a popsic
“Mom.” Nico’s voice came thin and wiry from the exam table. He pushed himself up on one elbow, swaying a little where he sat. “Stop. She saved me. She gave the plant to me as a present. She didn’t know.” He swallowed, wincing as his fingers lifted to touch his raw throat. “Please don’t blame her.”S
Ellie’s POVI was already moving before the leaf hit the ground.I dropped to my knees beside Nico. His back had bowed off the step, legs trembling as a thin line of spit gathered at the corner of his mouth. I slid a hand under his head so he couldn’t crack it on the stone and took a breath, then fo
Dominic’s POVBy the time I made it home, I was dead on my feet. And yet, there was so much to do that I hardly had time to take a thirty-minute nap before I was moving again.My Beta was waiting for me in my study, and looked up from behind the desk, giving me a curt look.“You look exhausted.”“Ni
I let myself out and stood on the porch for a moment to catch my breath.“You’re leaving already?”I jumped, whirling around to see Nico sitting on a swinging bench off to the side. He was only wearing a sweater, no coat or hat or mittens, his cheeks flushed from the cold. He didn’t seem bothered by
My jaw tightens.“Did you also hear about the massive pitfall trap on that ‘easier’ route? Yeah, I’m quiet sure you did.”“And just what are you implying?!” Karina snapped.“That you messed with me before,” I hissed. “And people don’t change.”The room goes dead silent.Karina’s face twists. “Like I
Ellie POV The mountain watches us long before we reach it.By the time we gather at the clearing at its base, the air has turned sharp enough to sting when I inhale too deeply. Cold clings low to the ground, seeping up through the soles of my boots, settling into my calves.Even in daylight, jacket
Ellie POVThe cafeteria was too loud for what we were doing.Trays clattered. Chairs scraped. Laughter burst and faded in uneven waves, the normal chaos of lunchtime pressing in from all sides. And yet, sitting across from Abigail, it felt like we were alone inside a glass box, everything else muffl
Dominic POVEllie reached the stage with the professor and instead of stopping where she was supposed to, instead of waiting for the applause that never came, she reached out and took the microphone from the professor’s hand.A ripple of confusion ran through the hall.My pulse spiked.“I passed,” s







