Mag-log inSERA'S POVI fell silent.Gabriel's words were still echoing in my ears, like thunder in broad daylight."What?" I whispered.He sighed, his hand still stroking little Lucas's cheek."After this, I'm going to turn myself in to Marcus. I'll ask him not to come after you, not to bother you, not to bother our children.""No.""Sera...""NO!" I nearly shouted. Lucas squirmed, startled by my voice. I lowered my volume, but my anger didn't subside. "You're not doing that. I won't let you."He looked at me with soft eyes, but that softness only made me angrier. "It's the only way.""Liar! There's always another way!""There's no other way.""I don't care! I won't let you go!"Gabriel carefully placed Lucas back into the incubator, then did the same with Ethan and Noah. One by one, with gentle and loving movements, he separated them from my embrace. I wanted to scream, wanted to reach for them again, but my hands were still weak."Listen. As long as I'm free, Marcus won't stop. They'll keep s
SERA'S POVThe first sound I heard was the sound of machines.The second sound was the sound of breathing. Heavy breathing, sometimes broken, like someone trying to hold back tears.I tried to open my eyes. My eyelids felt heavy, as if weighed down by a thousand tons. White light pierced my retina, making me blink several times before finally getting used to it.White ceiling, fluorescent lights, the smell of antiseptic.I was in a hospital.I tried to remember what happened. The black cars that surrounded us, then the pain in my stomach. Seizures, panic, then Gabriel carrying me to the car.I turned my head slowly. My neck hurt. There was a stinging sensation on its left side, like a fresh wound, but I didn't care.Next to the bed sat Gabriel.He was crying.Gabriel Bloodfang, the man who never showed weakness, who always stood strong in front of anyone, who used to destroy enemies without blinking, he was crying. Tears streamed down his face, wetting his cheeks that had started to s
GABRIEL'S POVTwo weeks later.Her condition didn't improve. It got worse.At first, it was just small declines. Her heartbeat weakened a little. Her blood pressure dropped. The doctor said that was normal for a coma patient. But then her fever spiked and wouldn't go down. An infection spread through her body. The antibiotics weren't working as effectively as hoped.Dr. Chen called me into her office that afternoon. Her face was serious, more serious than usual."We need to talk."I sat in the chair across from her, my heart pounding erratically."Sera's condition is weakening. The infection is spreading, and her body isn't responding to treatment the way we hoped.""What do you mean?""It means that if there's no significant change in the next few days, we could lose her."I gripped the armrest of the chair tightly. "No. Is there anything I can do? Anything."Dr. Chen looked at me for a long moment, then sighed."There is one way, but it's outside conventional medical practice. I can
GABRIEL'S POVI stood in that hallway for two hours, leaning against the cold wall, staring at the operating room door that never opened. Sometimes I sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair, then stood up again, then paced back and forth, then sat down again.I couldn't lose her.I wouldn't be able to live without her.I'd already lost so much in my life.If she left, what was the point of me holding on?I clasped my own hands, trying to stop the shaking. It didn't work.The door opened.I stood up tense.Dr. Chen walked out.I stepped closer. "How is she?"She took a long breath. "All three babies survived."I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The babies were alive. My children were alive. But why was the doctor's expression still flat? Why wasn't she smiling?"All boys, all healthy. One of them is a bit smaller than his two brothers, but no serious issues. They're in the NICU for observation.""And Sarah?" My voice was hoarse.Dr. Chen was quiet."Doctor? HOW IS SARAH?"She looked
That night, we didn't end up leaving.The bags were still scattered in the car. Two small suitcases, a bag of food, blankets, and the remaining cash. The small house felt empty after we'd nearly cleared it out. But we were too exhausted to move everything back inside. I left the things in the car.Sera sat on the edge of the bed, her face deathly pale. I prepared a glass of warm water for her, but she refused. Her eyes were blank, staring unfocused at the wall. I knew she was still thinking about what happened that afternoon."You need to rest," I said, sitting beside her.She nodded weakly, then lay down. I covered her with a blanket, kissed her forehead, and walked to the kitchen to put away the glass.But ten minutes later, I heard a sound from the bedroom.I ran back.Sera was lying in bed, her body shaking violently. Her face was flushed bright red, sweat soaking her forehead and neck. I touched her forehead. Burning hot."Can you hear me?"She groaned, her eyes squeezed shut. He
GABRIEL'S POVI sped away from that grocery store. In the rearview mirror, the old building grew smaller, then disappeared around the bend. My chest felt tight, not because I was out of breath, but because I knew our time in this town was up.When I got home, Sera was sitting on the front porch. Her big belly made it hard for her to move freely. Her face was pale, her eyes tired, and I could see how exhausted she was."Gabriel?" She stood up with difficulty, reading my expression. "What's wrong? Why are you home early?"I turned off the engine, got out, and walked toward her without saying a word. I hugged her, feeling her big belly press against mine, feeling small kicks from inside."We have to leave," I whispered.She was quiet. Not surprised, as if she'd already expected it."Hendricks knows who I am. He won't report me, but sooner or later someone else will find out. We can't stay here anymore.""Where to?""Abroad. Canada or Europe. Somewhere the pack has no influence.""I can't
SERA's POVTwo days after the encounter in front of that shop, I fell ill.Not an ordinary sickness. This was excruciating stomach pain, cramping, stabbing from the inside. I knew the signs—my period was coming. But this wasn't a normal period. This was the worst one in months.Maybe it was because
SERA's POVThe medicine started working. The pain in my stomach slowly subsided, fading into a faint ache—but there was another pain that no pill could cure.The pain in my heart.I lay on the mattress, hugging my pillow, staring at the small window that showed the Seattle night sky, and suddenly,
GABRIEL's PovThe meeting room.Twelve elders sat in a circle around the long mahogany table, old faces full of greed and ambition. I sat at the end, in the Alpha chair I never truly wanted. The seat beside me was empty—no Sera, no one.Elder Aldric began."Alpha Gabriel, we've discussed this many
I put the necklace down on the bed and walked towards him.One step.He stepped back.Two steps.He stepped back again.Three steps, his back was against the door frame, and there was nowhere left to retreat.I stopped right in front of him, only inches separating us. I could hear his breath quicke







