LOGINGABRIEL'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
GABRIEL'S POVThe next day.Sera was still sleeping soundly next to me, her face peaceful, her arms wrapped around her big belly bulging under the thin blanket. I looked at her for a moment, listened to her steady breathing, then kissed her forehead softly before getting up.She didn't wake up.I showered, put on the same worn-out shirt and ragged jeans as yesterday. In the bathroom mirror, I stared at my own face. Short hair, a clean-shaven strong jaw, a thin mustache starting to grow back. I'm still handsome, Sera said, but all I saw in the mirror was an ordinary man. Not an alpha. Not a CEO. No one.I smiled bitterly at my own reflection.I used to be accustomed to expensive suits and coffee from a fancy espresso machine. Now I eat peanut butter toast standing in the kitchen, not having time to sit down because I'm afraid of being late. Old Man Hendricks doesn't like his employees showing up late.The drive to the grocery store takes fifteen minutes in that old car that sometimes m
That night, after Gabriel cut his hair and shaved his beard, something shifted between us.It wasn't just his appearance, back to how he used to be, young, sharp, handsome with that perfectly sculpted jaw. It was also the way he looked at me. There was fire there. A fire that had been out for so long, now burning again.We ate dinner in comfortable silence. I sat at the kitchen chair, enjoying his homemade chicken soup, this time better than usual, maybe because he had more time or maybe because he was trying to make me happy. Every now and then he'd glance at me, smile a little, then go back to his food.After eating, he cleared the dishes without being asked. I watched his movements. The way he walked, the way he turned around in that narrow kitchen, the way his t-shirt sleeves tightened when he lifted the pot.Everything reminded me of our first nights together. Those nights in that luxury apartment, when he was still the feared Gabriel Bloodfang, and I was still innocent, curious
I close my eyes tighter, trying to drown the incessant ringing sound into the darkness behind my eyelids.Punishment.The ringing stops again. The brief silence feels more suffocating than the sound itself, followed by the vibration of message notifications. One, two, three times.I do not move. My
As lunch neared its end, the atmosphere in the room grew quiet. Gabriel had not spoken much. He only ate slowly, occasionally observing my face as if making sure every detail of my expression was recorded in his memory.After swallowing his last bite, he placed his fork and knife down with movement
Gabriel pulled out a chair for me, a simple gesture that felt incredibly personal when it came from him. I sat down slowly, feeling the satin dress that wrapped my body as if it was recording every bit of my nervousness. Gabriel sat across from me, watching without blinking, as if he was studying e
I did not know how I was still able to walk toward the elevator. My legs felt as if they were not touching the floor, my chest tight. My mind was filled with the image of David leaving with a pale face, and Gabriel’s sharp gaze like a blade.The elevator chimed and the doors opened. We stepped insi







