CADE I woke up before her. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet; only a soft silver light poured in from the window, touching her skin like it worshipped her. She lay against me, her hair sprawled across the pillow, her lashes dark against her cheeks. Arden. I didn’t know what I had done in this life to deserve waking up beside her, but I knew one thing for certain: I never wanted to lose this. I brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, careful not to disturb her. Her breathing was soft and steady, and her bare shoulder rose gently with each inhale. She wasn’t mine by bond. We didn’t glow under the Moon Goddess’ seal or feel the pull that defined fate. But it didn’t matter. Because everything within me told me she was mine. I’d never met my mate, and I probably never would. And if the Moon Goddess was listening—if she ever paid attention to people like me—then I prayed she would make Arden my mate too. Because aside from Honey’s justice and betterment, I’d never wanted anyt
ARDEN “Is it really okay to do it here?” I asked as he led me to a pristine-looking house only a short ride away from the facility. He nodded as he opened the lights, showing a clean interior. He removed his jacket and turned to me. “I bought this when I was 19. I wanted to have a place close to Honey. Besides, it’s far from the city, so it’s very peaceful.” My mouth hung open for a moment, surprised that he already had a property so young. But then again, the True Alphas had been shaped to become leaders since they were young. They were on a different caliber. Before I could think too much about it, I felt his hand circle around my wrist and guide me to what I presumed was his room. I was engulfed by his scent right away, and I felt the longing in my heart intensify even further. “I want to do it,” I said before I could stop myself. He halted and turned to me with a small smile. “Do what?” he asked in a teasing tone. I clicked my tongue in frustration. “You already know, Cade
ARDENIt was silent for a while. There weren’t any lingering people in the garden, and the lights began to flicker off one by one, casting the space into deeper shadows. Finally, he looked up at the moon and said quietly, “I’m different from my family. I think you can tell.” I nodded, my eyes searching his profile, illuminated by the pale blue cast of the night. Cade sighed, then added, “I think you could have guessed it from our features and skin color. I look like I'm not related to her." He paused, and I took that as my cue to lean a little closer.“That’s because they aren’t my real family,” he confessed. My breath hitched, but I remained silent, allowing him the space to speak. “I was born far north of here, in a place I don’t even want to remember the name of,” he continued. “I was five when I witnessed my dad kill my mom right in front of me. We were starving, and he decided that dying together was the best way to escape our life.”“He tried to kill me, too.” A sharp sti
ARDENSister? Honey was… Cade’s sister?The word rang in my ears like a soft bell. For a moment, I stood frozen, staring at the two of them. The way she hugged him, how she looked at him like he was a star in the sky. How she hid behind him, making him her shield and her warmth.Before Cade could explain further, the same nurse from earlier popped her head through the open door. “Cade, dear?” she called out kindly. “Could you help get the ball out of the maple again? I swear the wind here has a personal vendetta against our afternoon games.”Cade turned to her, already smiling—a smile that was soft and boyish, one that made my heart stutter all over again. “I’ll be right back,” he told me, gently releasing Honey’s hand. “Wait—” I tried, but the words slipped out too late. He was already out the door, leaving me alone in the room with the sister I had mistaken for someone else entirely.Honey watched me with wide, uncertain eyes, her fingers wringing the edge of her cardigan.I shift
ARDENCade didn’t say much as he took my hand and began leading me away from the school grounds.“Where are we going?” I asked, my voice a whisper, careful not to shatter whatever fragile space we occupied.“It’s far,” he murmured. “But I want you to meet her properly.”Her.Honey.My heart thudded at the thought. I swallowed the sudden dryness in my throat and followed him in silence.He opened the passenger door of his car and waited until I climbed in. The interior smelled faintly of cedar and his scent, which comforted me instantly. He didn’t speak at first as he started the engine. Instead, he reached over and gently pressed my head back against the headrest, his palm lingering there.“Rest,” he said quietly. “We have a long drive.”I turned to him and said honestly, “Cade, I… I don’t think I can.”His hand moved to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “You can,” he assured softly. “Just for a little bit. I’ll wake you when we’re there.”How was I supposed to rest when I w
CADE I would always do everything for the people I loved. That was just who I was—no matter how much I tried to pretend otherwise. If they were in pain, I felt it acutely. If they cried, I could feel their anguish in my chest. It didn’t matter whether they knew how deeply I felt or even if they wanted me to carry that weight.The truth was—living this kind of life was… exhausting.So many nights, I longed to disappear. I wanted to close the door on everything, to retreat into silence and solitude. But I couldn’t.Because out there, someone always needed saving. And more than anyone, she did.I stared out the kitchen window, my knuckles tense as I leaned against the counter. My mother stood behind me, quietly drying a dish, while my dad sipped coffee at the table, both of them watching me like I was about to fall apart right in front of them.“You should go back,” my dad finally said. “Don’t miss school anymore.”I turned away from the window. “How can I when she’s like this?”A sile