When we walked into the kitchen an hour later despite not having enough sleep but still strong as fuck, every conversation stopped."Holy shit," Jordan said, staring at Axel. "Dude, didn't you have silver poisoning yesterday?"Axel shifted uncomfortably beside me. "I'm feeling better.""Better?" Marcus stood up from the table, studying Axel's face intently. "Your cuts are completely gone. All of them."I focused on my coffee, trying to look casual while panic built in my chest."Werewolf healing," Axel said weakly."That's not werewolf healing," Rikka said bluntly, approaching from behind with interest. "That's impossible healing. Let me examine you.""I'm fine," Axel said quickly, backing toward the door. "Really. Never felt better.""Exactly my point," Rikka pressed. "Yesterday you could barely stand. Today you look like you've never been injured in your life."I caught sight of Finn and Rex exchanging glances across the kitchen. Thomas was frowning at Axel like he was trying to sol
CallaA soft glow surrounded us as Axel moved above me, each movement sending gentle warmth through his body. I watched as the last traces of silver poisoning faded from his skin, the gray pallor replaced by healthy color."Don't stop," I whispered, my hands gripping his shoulders as faint moonlight filtered through our window.He groaned, his breathing becoming heavier. "You feel incredible. This connection... it's... fucking amazing."I could feel something responding to our intimacy, growing stronger with each shared breath, each synchronized heartbeat. His injuries were healing completely, muscle and bone mending as we moved together in perfect rhythm.His hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer as he kissed me deeply. Every touch sent electricity through my body, making me arch against him."I want to try something," I said breathlessly, my body still trembling from what we'd just shared.He paused, looking down at me with those storm-gray eyes, pupils dilated with desire. "W
He responded immediately as expected, his hands tangling in my hair as I pressed against him. We kissed like we were drowning, like we could somehow fix everything broken between us with just our mouths and hands."Calla," he breathed against my lips, but I could hear the concern still lingering there."Don't talk," I whispered, trailing kisses down his jaw. "Please. Just... let me feel something real."His breath caught as I found a sensitive spot just below his ear. "Baby...""I need this," I said, my voice barely audible. "I need you to make me forget everything else."Understanding flickered in his gray eyes. He knew I was using intimacy to avoid dealing with trauma, but he also knew I needed this connection right now. Needed to feel something other than emptiness.His hands moved to the hem of my shirt, fingers brushing against my skin as he slowly lifted it over my head. I shivered at the contact, already feeling more alive than I had all day."You're so fucking beautiful," he m
CallaThe morning light filtered through broken windows in the main hall, casting patterns on the concrete floor that were still stained with black vampire blood. Even though we'd scrubbed most of it away, dark patches remained like reminders of what we'd survived. I sat at the kitchen table with the pack, sharing what felt like the first normal meal we'd had in weeks."Pass the eggs?" Marcus asked, his weathered face more relaxed than I'd seen it since the attack. The weapons master actually smiled when Finn handed him the plate."So," Zara said, stirring her coffee with one hand while scrolling through her phone with the other. "Blake's approval ratings are still dropping. Forty-three percent now.""From what?" Jordan asked through a mouthful of toast."Seventy-two percent last month." Zara's grin was pure satisfaction. "My social media campaign really worked. People really still thinks he's having a breakdown."Finn burst out laughing. "You made an entire country think a senator lo
Pack leaders from the allied forces gathered in our main hall as dawn light filtered through broken windows. The emergency was over, but the work of understanding what had happened was just beginning.Derek Nightwind had silver streaking his dark hair and scars marking his weathered face. He carried himself like someone who'd lost everything and decided to make it count. "The vampire experiments were more extensive than any of us realized," he said, his voice heavy with grief. "My pack wasn't the first. We found evidence of at least thirty different groups targeted across five states."Sarah Moonfall nodded, her tactical experience showing in the way she studied our compound's damaged defenses. "They've been systematically weakening werewolf communities for months. Maybe years. This wasn't random predation."Bryan Ironwood spread documents across our table with careful precision. Bank records, government contracts, corporate shell companies - all connected to vampire interests and Bla
The new arrival caught the vampire forces completely off guard.Raven's blood magic battle with Ysara had left her unable to respond to the new threat. Her blazing red eyes blazed with frustrated power as she realized what was happening. Silver bullets forced her to abandon her magical position, diving behind concrete barriers as fresh werewolf voices coordinated attacks from the forest.Dante found himself trapped between vengeful werewolves and his original mission to capture me. The extraction plan Blake had paid him to execute was crumbling as coalition forces surrounded the compound.Vampire coordination collapsed as they faced attacks from directions they hadn't expected. What had been assured victory turned into chaotic retreat as the supernatural hunters became the hunted.Realizing her assured victory was slipping away, Raven abandoned her magical duel with Ysara completely.But as she turned to face the coalition forces directly, her burning crimson eyes found mine across th