LOGINAlanza’s POV
"Why are you staring at your plate like it’s a death sentence?"
The voice belongs to Alpha Reynaldo. It is heavy, gravelly, and vibrates against the mahogany table. I don't look up. Instead, I focus on the steam rising from the expensive takeout my brother Pascual brought home. My mother is hovering nearby, her movements frantic and apologetic as she serves the man who rules our lives. She keeps murmuring excuses about the meal, but Reynaldo isn't listen
Alanza’s POV"Just keep your head up," Sombra says, her voice a steady anchor inside my mind. "You are doing fine. One step at a time."I take a slow breath, forcing the stale, crowded air into my lungs. It helps. I let it out slowly, trying to shed the layer of panic clinging to my skin.Lucia is already moving, her hand firm on my wrist as she tugs me toward the back of the house. "Let's find the kitchen," she shouts over the bass. "I need a drink, and you look like you need to hold something."I follow the back of her head, using her as a shield to part the sea of dancing bodies. The air in the kitchen is thinner, cooler, and the music loses some of its teeth once we pass the doorframe. A group of shifters stands around a marble island, their laughter ringing out over the sound of ice hitting glass.Lucia reaches over the counter and grabs two red cups. She holds them out, her eyes scanning the row of bottles next to the sink. "Pick your p
Alanza’s POV“Are you actually going to get out of the car, or do I need to drag you?” Lucia asked, her voice bright with a teasing edge that didn’t quite mask her own nervous energy.I took a shaky breath and looked out the window at the dark road. We had left the bright lights and constant hum of Granite City behind miles ago. Now, the tires hummed against a narrow strip of asphalt that cut through the deep woods of the Westwood pack lands. It was the kind of place that felt empty to a human but crowded to a shifter. Every shadow between the trees felt like a pair of eyes.“I’m coming,” I whispered, though my fingers stayed locked around the door handle.A strange, cold itch started at the base of my neck and crawled down my spine. It was that heavy, wrong sensation that usually preceded a disaster. Beside me, Lucia noticed the way my shoulders hunched toward my ears. She reached over and squeezed my hand, her p
Alanza’s POV"You have to be kidding me," I said, leaning into the glass of the full-length mirror.The girl looking back wasn't the one I usually saw. Lucia’s jeans gripped my legs in all the right places, showing off muscle I didn't realize I’d built. I twisted around to check the view from behind. London’s brutal training sessions were finally paying off in ways that had nothing to do with fighting.Lucia sat on the edge of her mattress, her own floor buried under a literal mountain of discarded shirts. She gave me a smug grin. "What did I tell you? We’re officially the same size."I smoothed the denim over my hips. It felt strange. "I’ve spent years being the 'big' friend. This is actually a little disorienting."Back when I was stuck doing all the grocery runs and cooking, I’d managed to sneak enough extra portions to keep a soft layer of comfort on my frame. It wasn't much, but it was a security blank
Alanza’s POV"So, is it like a constant fluttering from your stomach all the way up to your chest?" Lucia asked.She moved her hand in a wide arc, tracing a line from her belly to just under her ribs. I gave her a slow nod, feeling the heat rise in my neck."And does your skin actually prickle when you hear him speak?" she pressed.I nodded again, looking down at the table."Do even the most normal things he says start to sound... suggestive?"My face burned. "Yes," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper.Lucia let out a triumphant hum and picked up her burger. "Congratulations. You have officially crossed the border into Flirt Town. This is your very first crush, Alanza."She took a massive bite, closing her eyes with a groan of pure satisfaction. After she swallowed, she pointed the half-eaten burger at me like a witness in court."Not my first," I muttered.I th
Luciano’s POV“Did you fix the chainsaw?”Lindsie looks up from the tool, his fingers slick with dark fluid. He gives the cord a sharp pull. The engine coughs, sputters, and then settles into a rhythmic, angry growl that vibrates through the concrete floor of the basement. He holds it up, the metal teeth catching the overhead light. It is ready. I should be focused on the task, but my mind is still echoing with the sound of Alanza’s laughter.I just hung up with her. I actually pressed a kiss to the glass of my phone screen like some obsessed teenager. Even worse, I am standing over a mangled body with a heavy ache in my pants because the mere memory of her voice turns me on. I am definitely going to hell. I might even get a front-row seat.I tuck the phone into my pocket and look down at the mess. The man on the floor is a Crystal Lake spy, or what is left of one. He was supposed to be dead by now, but his healing factor is stubbo
Alanza’s POV"Alanza, I really don't think this is a smart move." Luciano sounds like he is vibrating through the phone. I can picture him pacing his office, jaw tight, probably crushing the life out of a stress ball or the edge of his desk."It doesn't matter what you think, because I am going." I cringe as soon as the words leave my mouth. I sound like a child throwing a tantrum. Standing up for myself is a new muscle I am trying to flex, but right now, it just feels like I am playing dress-up as a rebellious teenager.I never actually had a rebellious phase. My sister, Jimena, handled enough of that for both of us. I remember her constant whining about how Mom and Dad were ruining her life with their rules. They just wanted her to stop dating a new boy every week and focus on her future mate pairing. She eventually grew out of it. Maybe it is finally my turn to be difficult."Alanza, please listen to me.""No." I cut him off before he can
Luciano’s POV"You're positive?"I didn't wait for an answer before crushing my cigarette into the glass tray. It joined a dozen others, a small mountain of ash and filtered ends. The air in the motel room was thick enough to choke a normal man, a gray fog that clung to the pe
Alanza’s POV"Can you tell if she's carrying, Sister Loreen?"My mother leaned in, her voice thin with a desperate kind of hunger. She didn't like waiting for answers, especially not from me. I stood there, feeling like a specimen under a microscope, while the old woman let he
Alanza’s POV"Hold still, or I will end up pinning your ear to your scalp," my mother snaps.She jerks a section of my hair upward, the comb scraping painfully against my skin. I stare at my reflection, watching her hands move with a cold, practiced efficiency. There is no lov
Alanza’s POV"You aren’t seeing the full picture yet, Alanza," Pascual said. He didn't look away. Instead, he started tapping his index finger against the wood of the table.Tap.Tap.Tap.The sound echoed in the quiet room, grating on my nerves. I p







