Chapter: CHAPTER 3ANNA“What the hell?”The words slipped out before I could catch them, my gaze darting from Liam to Tyler, then to Kyle, and finally settling on Henry. Their faces were a mosaic of determination and mischief, their eyes gleaming with an intensity that told me they weren’t joking. The Winterveil quadruplets—those infamous heartthrobs from the rival pack—were dead serious about this insane proposal. But no way in the world was I about to entangle myself with them, fake or otherwise. My heart still ached from Ryder’s betrayal, and the last thing I needed was to dive into another whirlwind of drama.“I’m not interested,” I muttered, turning on my heel toward the door, my bare feet sinking into the plush carpet. The thought of escaping this surreal hotel room was my only lifeline.“You haven’t heard the catch yet,” Henry called out, his voice a warm undertone that halted me mid-step. His brow furrowed, a hint of curiosity flickering in his hazel eyes.“And I don’t want to hear it!” I s
Last Updated: 2025-09-06
Chapter: CHAPTER 2ANNAMy heart sank like a stone dropped into a still pond, ripples of pain spreading through my chest. I took a deep, shaky breath and squeezed my eyes shut, clinging to a fragile hope. This had to be a dream—a cruel, fleeting nightmare that would dissolve if I waited just a moment longer. But when I opened my eyes, the scene remained unchanged. Ryder and Enid were still tangled together, their bodies pressed close on the silky blue sheets, and worse, they were staring at me with a mix of amusement and disbelief, as if I were the one who’d lost her mind.“R-Ryder,” I stammered, my voice trembling like a leaf in the wind. “What… what is this?”Enid let out a soft, mocking chuckle, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulder as she propped herself up on one elbow. “What does it look like, Anna? Or did you pick up those thrift-store glasses to match your gown?” Her tone was honeyed venom, dripping with condescension.I glanced down at my beautiful red dinner gown, the fabric that ha
Last Updated: 2025-09-05
Chapter: CHAPTER 1ANNAIt was utterly magical.My heart fluttered like a swarm of delicate butterflies as I twirled through the exquisite suite Ryder had reserved for our special night. The room glowed with the soft, golden light of a sparkling chandelier that cast prismatic reflections across the walls. Plush velvet chairs invited me to sink into their embrace, and a grand bed, draped in silky blue sheets, promised a dreamlike escape. The air carried a faint scent of lavender, adding to the enchantment. The annual Intercollegiate Hockey Championship, hosted by my school, Willow-Hills High, had been a triumph from the moment it began. For the first time in our pack’s history, we’d clawed our way into the finals, a feat that filled me with pride. My boyfriend, Ryder Willson—son of the Pack’s Alpha and the fearless captain of our hockey team—had thrown a house party to celebrate our success, inviting elites from every school that had battled on the ice. The thought of it all made my chest swell with
Last Updated: 2025-09-04
Chapter: CHAPTER 272Lucas’s POVThe morning sun filtered through the garden’s sprawling oak trees, casting dappled shadows across the grass where I knelt, my heart thumping with a rare lightness as I played with Noah and Lily. My pulse steadied, my throat easing as Noah’s giggles echoed, his tiny hands tossing a ball, his pulse racing with joy, his heart bright. Lily’s eyes sparkled, her pulse calm as she ran circles around me, her throat tightening with laughter, her heart fierce with the carefree spirit of childhood. My hands trembled slightly, not from fear but from the warmth of this moment, my eyes stinging with love as I watched them, my stomach settled for the first time in weeks. Hope was inside with Vivian, her pulse strong, her heart steady in her crib, a tiny beacon of our family’s resilience. My throat burned with gratitude, my pulse quickening as I tossed the ball back to Noah, his eyes burning with delight. But beneath it all, a shadow lingered—my throat tightened, my heart thudding wi
Last Updated: 2025-10-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 271Olivia’s POVThe suffocating dread that had haunted me for weeks, like a chain around my heart, had finally loosened, leaving my pulse calm and steady, a quiet rhythm I hadn’t felt in too long. My heart beat with newfound strength, my throat no longer raw with fear, my eyes free from the sting of constant tears. Sitting in our living room, surrounded by the warmth of our home, I felt life knitting itself back together. My hands rested steady in my lap, my stomach settled as I watched Noah and Lily chase each other around the couch, their pulses light, their hearts bursting with giggles that filled the air. Hope, our tiny miracle, slept peacefully in her crib, her pulse strong, her heart fierce despite her fragile frame. My throat tightened with love, my eyes glistening as I gazed at her, my heart swelling with the realization that we were healing, that Austin’s shadow was fading. But a fire burned in my chest, my pulse quickening with a fierce need—not for fear, but for closure.
Last Updated: 2025-10-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 270Lucas’s POVThe hospital’s scent clung to the air as I stood in the NICU, my heart pounding like a relentless storm against my ribs, each beat heavy with relief and lingering dread. My pulse raced, my throat raw from the weight of the past weeks—Olivia’s fear, the kids’ trauma, and the dark plan I’d set in motion to end Austin’s threat. My eyes stung, my hands trembling as I sat on the chair, the pain in my injured leg a constant ache, my stomach churning with the secret I’d shared with Olivia. I’d told her about the ricin, the prison attack, the slow agony awaiting Austin, and her reaction had surprised me. Her pulse steadied, her eyes softening with a happiness I hadn’t seen in weeks, her throat easing as she stood beside Hope’s incubator. “He’ll be gone, Lucas,” she’d whispered, her voice light, her heart lifting, her eyes glistening with relief. My pulse faltered, my throat burning as I nodded, my heart thudding with a mix of guilt and satisfaction, my eyes burning with the
Last Updated: 2025-10-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 269Noah’s POVI sat on the squishy chair in the waiting room, my heart going thump-thump fast. My hands were all shaky, and my tummy felt wiggly, like worms crawling inside. My throat felt funny, like I swallowed something too big, and my eyes got all stingy as I looked at the bright lights in the therapist’s office. Everything was scary since the bad man, Austin, took me and Lily away. His mean voice kept ringing in my head, saying Lily wasn’t my real sister, making my heart feel all mixed up, like when my crayons get all jumbled in the box. I loved Lily, but sometimes I wasn’t sure, and that made my tummy hurt more. My pulse went fast, my eyes all watery as I hugged my stuffed bear, Mr. Snugs, tight. Then Lily came out from her talk with Dr.Wills her eyes all shiny and happy. She ran to me and hugged me, her arms warm and squeezy. My heart felt big, but my throat got tight, and I didn’t know why she hugged me so sudden. My pulse slowed a little, my eyes still stingy as I hugged he
Last Updated: 2025-10-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 268Lily’s POVThe world felt too big sometimes, like it was pressing down on my chest, making my heart thump hard and fast, like a bunny running from something scary. My throat all tight and scratchy as I sat in the therapist’s office, the soft blue walls and squishy chair doing nothing to calm the flutter in my tummy. Everyone kept asking if I was okay—Daddy, Mommy, Aunt Vivian, even Uncle Ethan—their eyes all worried, their voices soft like I was a glass doll that might break. But I was okay, wasn’t I? My heart felt steady, my eyes stinging a little as I fiddled with the hem of my dress, my hands shaky but sure. I didn’t feel broken, not like they thought I should be. That bad man, Austin, who took me away from my family, he said mean things, called himself my daddy, said Mommy and Daddy only kept me out of pity. But I didn’t believe him. My pulse calmed, my throat easing as I remembered Daddy’s warm hugs, Mommy’s soft voice promising they loved me, really loved me. My heart glow
Last Updated: 2025-10-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 267Olivia’s POVI sat beside Hope’s incubator, her tiny form a fragile beacon in the chaos of my mind.My pulse raced, my throat raw from unshed tears, my eyes stinging as I watched her steady breathing, her pulse calm, her heart strong despite her prematurity.My hands trembled, my stomach churning with the relentless fear that Austin’s shadow still loomed over us, his taunting words about a backup plan clawing at my sanity.Lucas stood nearby, his pulse steady, his eyes burning with concern. My heart thudded, my throat burning as I felt the weight of his gaze, the strain between us lingering like a bruise. “Olivia, you need to go home,” he said, his voice low but firm, his heart resolute. “Take a bath, rest. I’ll stay with Hope, make sure she’s safe.”My pulse faltered, my eyes narrowing with resistance, my throat tightening with the fear of leaving her.“I can’t just leave,” I snapped, my voice sharp, my heart aching with protectiveness. “What if something happens?”Lucas’s pulse quic
Last Updated: 2025-10-08