LOGINPOV: CassandraThe years didn’t turn over with an explosion. They shifted slowly—through unhurried mornings, afternoons that didn't wait for disaster, and nights that were no longer consumed by escape plans.NightFang was stable. Not because threats had ceased to exist, but because everyone knew exactly where they stood. The boundaries were clear. The decisions were firm. There were no secrets lurking, waiting to detonate.I noticed the change in the smallest details.In the way I woke up without checking the window first. In the way my breathing remained steady when I heard footsteps in the hall. In the way I brewed tea without calculating the worst-case scenario.This house—I called it home now, without hesitation.Iris ran through the sitting room, her hair tied back messily, her small giggles filling the air."Mother, look!" she said, holding up a drawing she’d just finished. "I made us."I moved closer. The drawing was simple—three figures standing in front of a building with a h
POV: CassandraThat morning didn't bring any grand changes. There were no signs in the heavens, no screaming premonitions. NightFang went about its business as usual—calm, stable, and true to itself.And because of that, I knew my decision hadn't been born out of a fleeting impulse.I woke up earlier than Iris. I brewed tea and prepared a simple breakfast, letting the routine flow without any rush. My hands weren't shaking. My chest didn't feel tight. I didn't feel chased by anything. For the first time, I wasn't making a choice from a place of trauma.Iris came down shortly after, her hair a bit messy and her eyes still heavy with the remnants of dreams."You're up early, Mother," she said, climbing into her chair."I am," I replied. "I wanted to enjoy the morning."She nodded, accepting that without question. She had always been perceptive—and lately, she’d been calmer. She had more faith in the world.After breakfast, Alice took her away for her lessons. I stood before the living r
POV: CassandraThe night was still. It was so quiet that the silence felt like a mirror, forcing me to look deep inside myself.Iris was already asleep. Her breathing was rhythmic, her hands clutching the edge of the blanket—an old habit that refused to die. I sat on the edge of her bed longer than I should have, staring at that small face with a tangle of emotions. She was safe. She was whole. And that really should have been enough.But my mind wouldn't stop racing.I went back out to the NightFang balcony, where the night wind always blew soft and cool. The torchlight on the stone walls flickered gently. This place had given me sanctuary—not just a physical refuge, but the mental space to think without being chased by fear.I found myself thinking about my first marriage.The vows spoken with such absolute certainty. The conviction that love was enough to make me close my eyes to the red flags I should never have ignored. I remembered how I had slowly vanished—not because I was for
POV: OrionThe NightFang council chambers had never felt small, but that morning, the air inside felt denser than usual.I sat in the Alpha’s chair, my back straight, hands folded atop the blackwood table that had witnessed decades of monumental decisions. Before me, the NightFang elders sat in a semi-circle. The same faces—stern, calculating, accustomed to reading power like a map that could be manipulated.“We are not questioning the security,” one elder began, opening the floor. “We are questioning the direction.”I gave a brief nod. “Please, continue.”“Cassandra Vale,” he went on without hesitation. “She is now at the heart of NightFang. With her child. With you.”I didn’t interrupt. I waited for him to finish his thought because, in politics, cutting someone off is often seen as a confession.“Will she hold an official position?” another elder asked. “Or is this merely a temporary phase?”I took a slow breath. “She doesn't need a position.”Several eyebrows shot up. Glances were
POV: IrisI knew something was different, but I didn't have a name for it.It wasn't like the day the guards doubled. It wasn't like the nights when the alarms blared. This was different. Slower. Like the air wasn't so heavy anymore when I took a breath.I saw it in the little things.The way Alpha Orion always walked a bit slower when he was with Mother. The way Mother no longer stopped mid-stride to glance behind her. The way they stood close together without touching, yet without pulling away.I sat on the floor of the study, stacking my wooden blocks. One... two... three. My little tower was leaning, but I let it be. From where I sat, I could see into the kitchen. Mother was pouring tea. Alpha Orion was standing beside her, slicing fruit. There were no loud voices. No orders."Iris," Mother said without looking up. "Don't stack them too high. They’ll fall.""I know," I answered. "If they fall, I can just build them again."Alpha Orion looked over at me. "That’s a good plan."I gav
POV: CassandraI only realized how natural the morning had become when I stopped counting the minutes.There were no emergency schedules. No thoughts of whom I had to protect first. No urge to scan every corner of the room before sitting down. Iris woke up with tangled hair and half-closed eyes, then walked straight to the kitchen without once looking over her shoulder—a tiny habit she never would have dared before."I'm hungry," she said plainly."Me too," Orion answered from the doorway, his tone light.I looked over. He was already standing there, sleeves rolled up, his hair still a bit messy. He didn't carry that overbearing Alpha aura. He wasn't barking orders. He was just someone starting the day with us."Soup or toast?" I asked out of reflex."Soup," Iris answered quickly."Toast," Orion said almost at the same time.I let out a soft sigh. "You two need to reach an agreement."Iris turned to Orion. "We can have both."Orion nodded as if that were the most logical decision in t







