LOGINJenn’s POV I still couldn’t understand it. Morgan’s blood was dried under my fingernails. My own sweat had dried it off. The door to Liam’s room clicked shut behind me, and I leaned against it, letting my eyes close for just a moment. My hands were still shaking. I looked down at them pale, trembling, the skin cracked and raw from channeling power. I still haven't fully soaked through my clothes. Every muscle in my body screamed for rest. But I couldn’t rest yet, could I?. Not when the one person who had ever made me feel alive instead of just surviving might not live long enough to remind me what that felt like. But Liam was in that bed. And he wasn’t breathing on his own. I pushed off the door and walked to his side. He looked smaller than I’d ever seen him. The Alpha King, the man who commanded armies, who made Alphas bow, who had looked at me across a crowded ballroom and seen his fated mate lay motionless beneath white sheets. His face was grey. His lips were tinged with blu
Morgan’s POV Darkness. There was nothing but darkness around me in this place where nothing existed. No sound. No smell. No weight of my own body. I floated in it. Or maybe I didn’t. Maybe there was no “I” anymore. This is death, I thought. Or would have thought, if thinking were still possible. But just then, I thought I saw something flicker. Or maybe I’d imagined it or maybe there was no imagination. “Morgan.” I felt the voice everywhere. “Morgan, come back.” The voice felt so familiar. I was sure I knew that voice. “Mom?” There was no answer. Just the feeling of hands inside me. It pulled, gathering the pieces of me that had started to scatter. “Not yet,” the voice said. “You still have time.” I wanted to argue. I wanted to tell them – whoever was speaking – that I’d made my choice. I’d saved Tristan. I’d done one good thing. Wasn’t that enough? “No,” the voice answered, as if reading my thoughts. “You still have more to do. They need you.” As if in answer, the darknes
Morgan’s POV The letter crumpled in my fist, Tristan’s words burned into my chest. Even if it costs my life. He was walking into my father’s trap. Walking to his death. And I was the only one who knew where – and when – my father would strike. The garage was empty when I reached it. Most of the vehicles were gone—taken by the Alpha King, probably, when he’d rushed after Jenn. But there was one left. An old pickup, keys dangling from the ignition. I didn’t wait to think about who it belonged to. The engine roared to life. I slammed it into gear and barreled through the gate, ignoring the shouts of the guards behind me. Five hours. That was how long it would take to reach the cemetery from here. Five hours of roads I knew by heart, roads I’d memorized when I was seventeen and planning an escape I’d never been brave enough to make. I drove faster than I should have. Faster than was safe. The needle climbed past eighty, ninety, a hundred. The trees blurred past. The baby kicked hard,
Morgan’s POV The cell was cold after Jenn left, but I barely noticed. I sat on the cot with my hands pressed against my stomach, staring at the door she’d closed behind her. Her voice was still ringing in my ears—softer than I deserved, steadier than I’d ever heard her. No one deserves to lose their fated mate. Not even you. I didn’t know why she’d said it. I didn’t know why she’d meant it. But I couldn’t stop thinking about Tristan. He’d been through so much. My betrayal. My father’s cruelty. The year he’d spent waiting to die in a cell that smelled like fear and rot. He’d done everything to protect me, and I’d only realized it when it was too late. And me? I’d never thought about our child. Not once. I’d used it like a weapon, a bargaining chip against my father, something to hold over Wade’s head. I’d told myself I would sacrifice it if my mission ever demanded it. I’d meant it. But now… Something fluttered in my belly. Soft. Quick. I pressed my palm flat against the spot, w
Jenn’s POV “What do you want?” I gritted out. It was a stupid question. Of course I knew what he wanted. He’d even gone as far as using a truth serum just to get that information out of me once. A serum that almost cost the life of my baby. Still, I needed to buy myself time. Now, I was simply grasping at straws. I knew the mad Alpha had no use for Tristan anymore especially if he’d found out the man was no longer on his team. He could simply kill Tristan, but before then, he needed the information I knew. I needed to think of a way to get Tristan out of harm's way before I – “Quit playing games, Jenn Vale.” The mad Alpha chuckled. “I’m sure you know very well what I want. The last time we met, we had a full conversation about it, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten so soon?” I forced myself to stay calm and allowed the corners of my lips to curl into a smile. “Don’t blame me if my memory is hazy,” I said. “I have a lot of important things to keep my mind busy.Maybe the conversation
Jenn’s POV Most of what the northern King said, how he acted and carried himself didn’t sit right with me, but I chose to believe him. After all, what did I stand to lose if he was lying? It could be a trap, one part of me reasoned. But he must know that by now, I was ready for any traps. We didn’t totally trust each other. I was no fool and at this stage, I couldn’t fall for whatever tricks he had up his sleeves. “If you believe me,” Viktor said, as though he was reading my mind. “Then we should start moving. I don’t need to reiterate the urgency of this, do I?” Liam opened his mouth, but I pushed forward before he could say something that would condemn us both. “You will come with us? It’s the only way I can at least trust you a little.” A small smile flicked across his face, but his unreadable mask stayed in place. “I will come with you, of course. I’ve already made arrangements. A car is waiting outside. We’ll leave when you’re ready.” With that, he stood to his feet, nodde







