Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 111 - Chapitre 120

Jaxon: The file on Cassandra Romero had been sitting on my desk for three hours. I have read it six times. Nothing changed or improved. If anything, every page only made the situation worse. The photographs were spread across the dark wood surface in front of me, each one taken in a different country, a different year, a different identity. In one image she stood outside a hotel in Prague. In another she was captured entering a private event in Argentina. The most recent photograph had been taken less than a month ago. New York. I leaned back in my chair and rubbed a hand across my jaw. The office was quiet except for the hum of the city beyond the glass walls. Lewis stood near the window, reading through another report. Neither of us spoke for several moments. There wasn’t much to say. The facts were ugly enough on their own. Cassandra Romero. A professional hunter. Specialized in identifying and acquiring rare bloodlines. Eight years of confirmed activity, three different co

Jaxon: The digital scoreboard flickered once, then locked. NYU, second round. The hall erupted. A wall of sound hit me, a mixture of screams and frantic clapping. Beside me, the faculty members jumped up, their faces flushed with academic triumph. I stayed seated. My palms hit my thighs in a rhythmic, controlled clap, my face a mask of professional indifference. Inside, my wolf paced. He didn't care about the university's prestige or the prestige of the round. He cared about the girl center stage, her chest heaving, her eyes wide with a victory she had bled for. I watched her. I didn't look at the professors or the cheering crowd. I tracked the way she exhaled, a long, shuddering breath that seemed to deflate the tension in her shoulders.The organizers opened the barriers, and the hall turned into a sea of chaos. I remained in my seat, a silent observer in the eye of the storm. Emberlyn found Kimberly first. They collided in a mess of limbs and shrieks, a whirlwind of relief. Then

Emberlyn:I didn’t know where Jaxon was taking me. At first, I didn’t question it. That probably said something about me. A few weeks ago, getting into a car with Jaxon Sullivan and allowing him to drive me somewhere without explanation would have driven me insane. I would have demanded answers within the first two minutes.Now, I sat in the passenger seat watching the city pass by through the window while he drove. Part of me was curious. Another part simply enjoyed being beside him. One hand rested casually on the steering wheel while the other occasionally shifted gears. He looked relaxed. That alone was unusual.Jaxon was always carrying something. It was either responsibility or stress. Even when he looked calm, there was usually tension beneath the surface. Today felt different. He seemed lighter somehow.The realization made me smile.“What?” His voice broke through my thoughts.I blinked. “What?”“You’ve been smiling at me for the last thirty seconds.” Heat rushed to my cheeks

Jaxon:I had spent years learning how to separate emotion from duty. It was the only reason I was still alive. A man in my position couldn't afford hesitation. Every decision carried consequences, and every weakness was eventually discovered by someone willing to exploit it.That was why I sat in the faculty section of the auditorium looking perfectly composed while the second day of the competition unfolded around me. No one looking at me would have guessed my mind was somewhere else entirely.On the stage, students from universities around the world answered questions with confidence that belied their age. The audience applauded after every correct response. Professors whispered among themselves. Families leaned forward in anticipation.To everyone else, it was just another academic competition. To me, it was another room I had to secure. My eyes swept over the audience for what had to be the twentieth time since the morning began.I wasn't just watching Emberlyn anymore. I was watc

Emberlyn:I could still feel it beneath my skin. Whatever had happened in that corridor hadn’t disappeared simply because I had stood back up. It was quieter now, buried somewhere deep inside me, but it hadn’t gone away. It was waiting.Every step back toward the waiting room felt heavier than the last My fingers brushed the pendant hanging around my neck without thinking. It had cooled completely, but I couldn’t forget how it had burned only minutes ago. The sensation still lingered against my skin like a memory that refused to fade.I pushed the door open. Four heads turned toward me at once.“There you are!” Ruth exclaimed, crossing the room in three quick strides. “I was about to come looking for you.” I forced a smile.“Sorry. I just needed some air.” She studied me carefully.“You look pale.”“I’m okay.” The lie came naturally. She frowned, clearly unconvinced, but before she could ask another question, one of the competition officials stepped inside.“New York University, you