LOGINJodie"I swear on my wolf, Jodie, I never saw a single text about a pregnancy!" Calden says, his hands shaking at his sides as he steps even closer. "I never knew you were carrying my child! Do you honestly think I am such a monster that I would force you to donate blood to Enid if I knew you were pregnant? I would never have let anyone lay a finger on you or touch a single drop of your blood!"I stand there staring at him, completely bewildered by the panic and desperation written all over his face. He is shouting, his throat working hard as he tries to catch his breath, looking at me like he is begging me to believe him. For a second, my mind spins. He genuinely sounds like he had no idea. But how could that be? The memory of that awful afternoon back at Silver Moon flashes in my head so clearly it makes my stomach turn."Don't stand there and play innocent with me, Calden," I say, my voice trembling with old anger as I glare right back at him. "Enid explicitly told me that afterno
JodieA dry, bitter scoff slips past my lips before I can stop it. The quiet sound echoes off the high marble walls of the corridor, turning Calden’s desperate expression into something even more raw and pained."An apology?" I ask, keeping my voice flat and quiet while every word cuts straight through the space between us. "You really think a simple word like sorry can just wipe away everything that happened? You think it erases the torture, the neglect, and being treated like dirt in your pack house?"Calden flinches as if I just slapped him across the face. He opens his mouth to speak, but I lift a hand to cut him off."I sat in that abandoned, run-down building out in the woods waiting for you, Calden," I continue, looking him dead in the eye while my hand rests firmly over my belly. "Every single minute I was trapped out there in the cold, I kept telling myself my husband would come through that door and save me. But you didn't. You lost every right to stand in front of me the se
JodieI rub my wrist where Calden’s fingers touched me, taking two steps back to widen the gap between us. The skin still stings from the sudden spark of our mate bond, but I keep my eyes locked on his face, refusing to show any sign of weakness.Enid watches me pull away, her mouth curling into a bitter sneer. She looks at Calden, then turns her glare back on me, taking a heavy step forward into the middle of the hallway. Her expensive shoes clatter sharply against the stone floor as she places herself directly between us, blocking Calden’s line of sight completely."Are you completely out of your mind, Calden?" Enid screeches, her voice echoing loudly down the quiet corridor. She crosses her arms over her chest, gesturing wildly at my dark green dress and the rounded swell beneath it. "Look at her! You are standing here groveling to a traitor who ran away from Silver Moon! She's been whoring around with Lycan royalty the second she got out of our territory! Look at her stomach! She
JodieThe quiet click of my low heels against the polished floor echoes down the long marble hallway as I step away from the back entrance of the presentation stage. I let out a slow, steady breath, resting my palm over my rounded belly. The speech went off without a single issue, the international press took endless photos, and the applause from the crowd was loud enough to fill the entire pack house.We did great, Lila says in my head, purring with pride. We definitely did great, I think back, a small smile touching my lips as I smooth down the side of my dark emerald dress.I am just about to round the corner toward the private administrative wing when loud, frantic footsteps break through the quiet of the corridor. Someone is running down the hall at full speed, their heavy boots slapping hard against the marble."Jodie! Jodie, wait! Please, stop!"The voice cuts through the air like a rusty blade, making my knees go rigid. I freeze instantly, the warm feeling in my chest evapora
KaiserI adjust the collar of my formal jacket, taking a slow breath as I step through the grand entrance hall. The place is packed to the brim, but the sheer amount of security standing near every pillar and hallway is impossible to miss. These Lycan royals don't play around when it comes to territory defense.Right beside me, Evelyn is bouncing on the balls of her feet, her eyes wide as she looks at the stone arches, the high polished ceilings, and the massive crystal banners hanging above the main hall."I still can't believe we're actually inside," Evelyn whispers, clutching her small formal clutch bag against her side while glancing at two imposing Lycan guards stationed near the archway. "The Lycans have kept their borders locked tight for decades. They never let anyone in. When the Bristol Pack got the official invitation for this event, I knew I had to come, even if my own pack Alpha thought I was being ridiculous for skipping our convoy to ride with you.""You practically bad
CaldenThe high ceiling of the MoonCrown exhibition hall spans above us, filled with warm lighting that catches on glossy display cases and decorative banners. I step past the entryway, my boots echoing against the polished floor, taking in the organization of the room. Every table is numbered, every display board is positioned to guide crowd traffic smoothly, and encrypted media relays sit at strategic corners to stream the event without a single wire showing. It is sharp, modern, and ridiculous in its efficiency.Whoever designed this layout understood the job perfectly. My mind automatically compares it to the messy event setups back at Silver Moon, where we spent twice the money for half the result because nobody bothered to track the administrative spend. I can't help but admire the brainpower behind it all."Look at those fake crystal pillars, Calden," Enid says loudly, her hand tightening around my forearm like a clamp. She sneers at a carved archway near the entrance, leaning







