The silence that fell between Carolina and me after Delilah moved to the window wasn't comfortable. It was charged, thick with unspoken accusations and the lingering heat of our argument. I could feel Carolina’s eyes on me, a mixture of resentment and reluctant curiosity. She still didn’t trust me, not fully, and the weight of that mistrust was a tangible thing in the small room.“So,” she finally said, her voice still sharp, though lacking the outright aggression of moments before. “Where do we even start with ‘mapping out Zane’s territory’?” The phrase hung in the air, a daunting task in their current predicament.I pushed away from the table, needing to move, to physically grapple with the enormity of the situation. I walked to the fireplace, the stones cold and dusty, a stark contrast to the fire that burned within me. “We start with what you know,” I said, turning back to face her. “His usual haunts. His patterns. Where he keeps his enforcers. Who his key allies are.”Carolina sc
Craig’s POV The tension in the room crackled like electricity, and I could feel Delilah's gaze shift between Carolina and me, her expression a mix of concern and uncertainty. My heart raced at the weight of Carolina's words, their implications looming even larger in the cramped space of the old lodge. “Do you want me to walk into a trap?” I shot back, frustration leaking into my tone. My fingers flexed involuntarily as I struggled to keep my temper in check. “Rushing in blindly against Zane? It would be suicide, and I won't drag you down with me.” “Suicide is the way you’re living now,” Carolina countered, her voice sharp but laced with an undercurrent of desperation. “You think hiding here will solve anything? Running from them only buys us time. Time for what? For them to plan their move against you? You have to face them.” “I know what I need to do!” I snapped, my voice rising with the swell of anxiety and anger coursing through me. “But I need a plan, not another fight where w
Avery’s POV Alpha Zane? Luna Avery?” a gentle knock on the door brought us back from our own little world and I could feel Zane’s irritation as he curled his tongue and tutted. “And what is the problem now?” he wrenched open the door to reveal Dominic standing the other side looking hot and flustered from running. I frowned wondering what was going on. Pulling myself up from the bed, I sauntered over to the door and gently touched my mate on the arm soothing his anger almost instantly. “What is the problem?” I looked up at the mighty warrior with kind eyes. He bowed to me and looked slightly more relaxed. Zane sighed and rolled his eyes, I knew he wanted me to himself but something was going on otherwise we would not have been interrupted. “Its Carolina.” he finally uttered. “Carolina?” I exclaimed, a shiver ran down my spine. “What about her? Have you found her?” Zane demanded to know but Dominic shook his head. “Unfortunately not. But, we found this and if sends us into the d
Avery's pov The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow through our shared living space. Shadows danced across the walls as Zane and I sat on the couch, a pile of name suggestion lists and baby books precariously stacked on the coffee table. The excitement from our earlier conversation still buzzed in the air.“Alright,” Zane said, flipping through a book filled with names. “What do you think of these?” He pointed to a few options, reading them aloud dramatically, “How about ‘Gideon’ or ‘Ariana’?” I rolled my eyes playfully. “You know, I have to veto ‘Gideon’ right off the bat. It sounds like a character in a bad sci-fi movie.”“Alright, alright. No Gideon,” he chuckled, jotting it down as a no-go. “What about ‘Zara’? It’s strong, like you.”My heart warmed at his compliment, but a small part of me hesitated. “Zara is pretty, but it feels almost… too trendy? I’d want something with a bit of history.”“Fair point,” he replied, his pencil tapping thoughtfully against
Avery's Pov The warmth of his embrace eased the flutter of nerves in my stomach. With Zane's arms around me, I felt a mix of safety and excitement. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, peering into the unknown—terrifying but exhilarating all at once. "Have you thought about names?" he asked, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes, a spark of playful curiosity igniting his features. I laughed, the sound bubbling up like a burst of sunshine through clouds. "Maybe it's a bit too early for that, don't you think?” “Not at all,” he replied, his grin widening. “We can brainstorm! I mean, we have to be ready for the baby name book, right?” A new wave of amusement washed over me, and I couldn’t help but picture ourselves poring over names together. “Okay, if we’re doing this, I need to include your criteria for names,” I teased. “What constitutes a ‘Zane-approved’ name?” He pretended to ponder for a moment, placing his hand on his chin thoughtfully. “It has to be strong an
Avery's POVThe truth hung in the air, thick and heavy, as the reality of Kendra’s words crashed over us. I was pregnant. The phrase echoed in my mind, a blend of disbelief and a rush of emotions that felt almost overwhelming. Joy, fear, excitement, and anxiety erupted within me, a chaotic storm swirling in my chest.Zane’s arm tightened around my shoulders, grounding me as my thoughts spiraled. He captured my gaze, his eyes shimmering with a mixture of emotions that mirrored my own. In that moment, the world outside lost its significance, and all that mattered was us—what we had created together. “I—” I struggled to articulate my thoughts, words tumbling over one another in my mind. “What do we do now?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as I searched his expression for answers.“We figure it out together,” Zane replied, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “We take it one step at a time.” There wasn’t a hint of doubt in his demeanor, and as the gravity of my situation sa