Where We StandRHEA'S POVFive days later. “Mummy! Grandma took me to an ice cream shop!” Sekani announced the moment I stepped into the hospital room.The sound of his excited voice was the first thing that hit me, followed by the cool scent of antiseptics and the soft hum of machines. I smiled gently as I closed the door behind me. “Oh, did she?” I asked, walking toward Pa Dennis' bed. Sekani was perched on Ma Lisa’s lap, his legs dangling off the edge as he scooped ice cream from a bright blue bowl. He grinned at me, his lips already smeared with vanilla. “Yeah! And she let me get two scoops!”I let out a soft chuckle. “Two scoops? That’s a lot of sugar, champ.”Ma Lisa winked at me over his head. “It’s only once in a while.”Miles was seated in the chair beside the window, his head still wrapped in bandages. A single crutch leaned against the wall beside him. His right arm was in a cast, but he looked better and stronger. I was relieved when the doctor said his gen
Bruises Beneath the SkinMILES’ POV Holmes eased the car to a stop in front of Rhea’s house. The sun was just beginning to peek through the early morning clouds, casting long shadows across the driveway. Rhea was standing on the porch with Sekani at her side. His suitcase was already packed and resting at his feet. Rhea had dressed him warmly for the day, zipped him into a soft navy hoodie. Her hair was tied back in that same no-nonsense bun she wore on work days. She was already in her scrubs, her arms folded across her chest. They both looked like a portrait I could never quite touch. Like something behind a glass frame, beautiful and distant. I pushed the door open, gripping the crutch in my left arm, and stepped out with effort. My leg still ached with every step, but I was getting better. I limped up the short path to the porch. Sekani didn’t smile nor rush toward me, he just stared down at his sneakers. We've not had any time alone since my parents left. He wasn’t avoiding m
Team Sekani MILES’ POV Taking Sekani to his game was the highlight of my day. We weren’t exactly on the same page yet, but I could tell, he was glad I came. He didn’t say it outright, but it was in his eyes, in the way he kept glancing over from the field like he wanted to be sure I was still there. The sun bathed the school field in warm, golden light, casting long shadows over the grass. Kids ran in every direction, their colorful jerseys flashing with movement. Sekani didn’t know it, but under my tracksuit, I was wearing something special. The moment the game kicked off, I unzipped my jacket, revealing the custom jersey underneath; black and white, with “SEKANI 10” bold across my back. I was here for him. Win or lose. “Let’s go, Sekani! That’s my boy!” I yelled, cupping my hands around my mouth. He looked over mid-run, his curls bouncing as he smiled, just for a split second. It was enough. My heart did a full backflip. I had never done this before—being a dad. I wa
Wild Dreams and Small Victories MILES’ POV The next morning, we strolled into the arcade just after a heavy breakfast that Sekani nearly inhaled. Sekani was hyper and excited. The boy was all wired up and jittery with excitement. He had begged we hit the arcade before heading back to the hotel room. Something told me it was the late-night ice cream from last night still working its sugary magic. Rhea had warned me, ‘no too much sugar,’ but we had silently agreed it would be our little secret. I shrugged as we approached the glass doors. “Well, you should enjoy your weekend,” I said, pulling the door open and letting him race ahead. The lights nearly blinded me as I walked inside with Holmes trailing behind. Machines blinked and beeped. Kids shrieked with joy or rage, depending on whether they won or lost. It was sensory overload. Sekani’s eyes went wide like he had walked into Disneyland. “Whoa!” he gasped. Then, grabbing my hand, he tugged like a determined puppy. “Come on! Lo
Rhea's POV "Well done, everyone." "Well done, Nurse Marston," some "Well done, Dr. Patel."We greeter each other after the surgery. I stepped out of the surgery room and headed to the dressing room, where I pulled off my scrubs, gloves and cap.My entire body felt like I had been jammed by two trucks. I had not rested since Friday. Well, that was the result of assisting in two major brain-cracking surgery, one of them was a stand in. Thank goodness it was all over. I heaved a breath of relief and washed my face with the water running from the tap. Now, all I needed was to eat, get a massage if possible and take a long required nap.I haven't spoken to Sekani or Miles since yesterday. I wipes my face and hands and started to leave the bathroom. Although I trust Sekani with Miles, I felt bad that I had not spoken to him since yesterday. That's not like me. "Sekani. Oh, my boy. I hope he is getting along with his father already," I muttered. As I walked down
MILES POVWeekend rolled quickly, soon, it was time to take Sekani back to Rhea. I didn't want to part with him. The weekend I spent with h was one of the best weekends of my life.Although I hated to be apart from Sekani...and his mother, I was happy that at least I had bonded with my son. I also got a invitation for dinner from Rhea. She had called me late afternoon after I had that lunch taken to her. She had been very grateful and for the first time since we met again we had a lengthy conversation over the phone.My leg had healed over the weekend, and I didn't need a crutch again. Who wouldn't heal after almost getting everything you wanted? We drove back to Rhea's residence after lunch. When we arrived, Rhea was waiting for us on a porch. She was a casual gown that stopped just above her knees and her now blonde hair flew in the air. Sekani barely waited for the car engine to die before he jumped down, running towards Rhea. I smiled, wore my shades and reached behind to get th
Drawing Boundaries, Breaking Hearts RHEA'S POV I was still dumbfounded by Miles' words that day. And it had been a long time since anyone left me that speechless. I can’t even explain why my brain stalled. Maybe it was how sudden it all came crashing down on me. Maybe it was the leftover emotions stirred up by his kind gestures: the lunch delivery, the videos of Sekani smiling, the quiet way he was trying to make up for lost time. It was nothing. And I was determined to draw the lines again. We had agreed to co-parent, not drift back into whatever dangerous territory that used to be between us. And we hadn't spoken in days. I only let him pick and drop Sekani off to school, and I made sure I wasn't the one handing Sekani over to him. I have no feelings for him anymore. For crying out loud, I moved on already. And I hoped, for his sake, that he would stop chasing after feelings that would only end up hurting him. Sekani was the only bond left between us. And it needed to stay that
A Song for the Broken RHEA'S POV I walked back into my bedroom and climbed into bed, refusing to let my thoughts drift anywhere dangerous. I lay there, my hands folded across my chest, my eyes fixed on the blank ceiling. In my head, I started running through the list of my patients at the hospital, thinking about their recovery processes, anything to keep my mind from wandering to Miles and his presence here. I had been off work for three days now, and tomorrow, I would finally return to face a new head doctor. I was oddly looking forward to meeting Dr. Mario. With my contract at Crimson General ending in six months, I needed to win him over. I needed the recommendation of a sitting head doctor from my previous establishment to be eligible for a license to run an independent clinic of my own. Somewhere between worrying about licenses and picturing what Dr. Mario’s face would look like, I must have drifted off. Because the next thing I heard was Sekani’s small voice, tugging me bac
MILES’ POV My boots echoed off the concrete walls, the sharp, deliberate rhythm of my fury. The hallway stank of damp cement, rust, and sweat. A single bulb flickered overhead, throwing shadows across the narrow passage as Evans and Rico flanked me on either side. "Alpha," Evans began cautiously, voice low, "it’s been weeks. Word of Yuri’s disappearance has spread across multiple packs. He's still an Alpha, not a rogue. This could get—" "He acted like a rogue," I snapped without slowing my pace. "He doesn’t get to wear that title in my presence. He ran off with my woman. Hid my son. Lied to my fucking face for years.” Rico sighed beside me. “I’m not defending him, Alpha. I’m just saying—you’ve already won. Sekani loves you. He trusts you. He looks up to you like you put the moon in the sky. What else is there to prove?” I stopped in front of the steel door and turned, my voice quiet but lethal. “What about Rhea, Rico?” Rico and Evans exchanged a look, but I didn’t give them time
Storms Come in White CoatsRHEA'S POVThe morning meeting was supposed to be routine. We had just concluded rounds and gathered in the conference room for the weekly neuro case debrief. A handful of nurses, residents, and specialists sat around the long table. Dr. Mario stood at the head, flipping through the patient files with a clinical detachment that could freeze blood.I sat near the middle, trying not to feel too visible. I had submitted the case summary from the Neuro ICU late last night, working extra hours to ensure everything was accurate. I knew it was thorough. I knew it was clean. Knowing Dr. Mario proved a difficult nut to crack, I had taken my time to go through it. I would never give her any reason to think she was right about me. I had tried to remain as quiet as possible since she resumed.If only horses were wishes.Dr. Mario suddenly snapped the file shut, her eyes scanning the room before settling on me. “Nurse Marston,” she said in a sharp and clear voice. “Is th
A Wrong Kind of ComfortMILES POV I gulped down another shot of whiskey, eyes glassy, staring at nothing. It had been almost a week since I left Crimson Peak and returned to Snowfall, but the ache in my chest hadn’t dulled, not even a little. Rhea’s words still played on a loop in my head, like a song I couldn’t turn off. 'I'm sorry, Miles. I don't. I don't love you anymore.' So this was what it felt like. This must have been what she went through back then, those long nights I told her I didn’t love her. Now I was the one suffocating in it. And yet, somehow, she survived it. She lived through the same agony I was crumbling under. I poured myself another shot. Then another. Sekani would be coming for the weekend soon, and I needed to pull myself together. I couldn’t be a shitty father to my son. But even that thought wasn’t enough to stop me. The bottle in my hand was more familiar than comfort. News about Sekani had spread through the pack like wildfire. My mother, as expect
Not Everyone Gets a Happy Ending RHEA'S POV An uncomfortable silence stretched between us after that confession. Miles still looked stunned, like he hadn’t fully processed it yet. But I kept telling myself not to feel bad. I did the right thing. Not everyone gets a happily ever after. I stared down at my hands, twitching my fingers restlessly. It took only a few moments before he regained control. When he did, his expression hardened, jaw tight, unreadable. Just like I had always known him to be. This was the part of Miles I had married. Business mode. He straightened up as we moved into talking about Sekani’s welfare. He said he would visit on weekends when Sekani wasn’t in school, and that Sekani would spend the full weekend with him. He also mentioned dropping by during the week if his schedule allowed, especially now that his project in Crimson Peak was still running. He said he would be around more often in these early days. I nodded along. I had no issues with that, as long
Fate Don’t Wait MILES' POV Even before full consciousness returned, my chest was already pounding. My wolf stirred first, restless, growling with excitement like it knew something I didn’t. Then came the warmth, a quiet, familiar kind that wrapped around me and soaked into my skin. The soft scent that followed was unmistakably Rhea's. My eyes fluttered open. Confusion hit first. My brows pulled together at the sight of the unfamiliar bedroom ceiling. Where the hell—? Then it all came rushing back. The storm. Sekani. The singing. Her voice. And suddenly, I realized I wasn’t alone. There was a weight on my chest. A soft, delicate kind. I turned slowly and carefully. And every muscle in my body locked up when I saw her. Rhea was lying against me. Her head was resting on my chest; her hand draped across me. My damn heart nearly jumped out of my throat. She wasn’t just beside me. She was in my arms. I froze. No sign of Sekani anywhere. How the hell did this happen? Before I cou
A Song for the Broken RHEA'S POV I walked back into my bedroom and climbed into bed, refusing to let my thoughts drift anywhere dangerous. I lay there, my hands folded across my chest, my eyes fixed on the blank ceiling. In my head, I started running through the list of my patients at the hospital, thinking about their recovery processes, anything to keep my mind from wandering to Miles and his presence here. I had been off work for three days now, and tomorrow, I would finally return to face a new head doctor. I was oddly looking forward to meeting Dr. Mario. With my contract at Crimson General ending in six months, I needed to win him over. I needed the recommendation of a sitting head doctor from my previous establishment to be eligible for a license to run an independent clinic of my own. Somewhere between worrying about licenses and picturing what Dr. Mario’s face would look like, I must have drifted off. Because the next thing I heard was Sekani’s small voice, tugging me bac
Drawing Boundaries, Breaking Hearts RHEA'S POV I was still dumbfounded by Miles' words that day. And it had been a long time since anyone left me that speechless. I can’t even explain why my brain stalled. Maybe it was how sudden it all came crashing down on me. Maybe it was the leftover emotions stirred up by his kind gestures: the lunch delivery, the videos of Sekani smiling, the quiet way he was trying to make up for lost time. It was nothing. And I was determined to draw the lines again. We had agreed to co-parent, not drift back into whatever dangerous territory that used to be between us. And we hadn't spoken in days. I only let him pick and drop Sekani off to school, and I made sure I wasn't the one handing Sekani over to him. I have no feelings for him anymore. For crying out loud, I moved on already. And I hoped, for his sake, that he would stop chasing after feelings that would only end up hurting him. Sekani was the only bond left between us. And it needed to stay that
MILES POVWeekend rolled quickly, soon, it was time to take Sekani back to Rhea. I didn't want to part with him. The weekend I spent with h was one of the best weekends of my life.Although I hated to be apart from Sekani...and his mother, I was happy that at least I had bonded with my son. I also got a invitation for dinner from Rhea. She had called me late afternoon after I had that lunch taken to her. She had been very grateful and for the first time since we met again we had a lengthy conversation over the phone.My leg had healed over the weekend, and I didn't need a crutch again. Who wouldn't heal after almost getting everything you wanted? We drove back to Rhea's residence after lunch. When we arrived, Rhea was waiting for us on a porch. She was a casual gown that stopped just above her knees and her now blonde hair flew in the air. Sekani barely waited for the car engine to die before he jumped down, running towards Rhea. I smiled, wore my shades and reached behind to get th
Rhea's POV "Well done, everyone." "Well done, Nurse Marston," some "Well done, Dr. Patel."We greeter each other after the surgery. I stepped out of the surgery room and headed to the dressing room, where I pulled off my scrubs, gloves and cap.My entire body felt like I had been jammed by two trucks. I had not rested since Friday. Well, that was the result of assisting in two major brain-cracking surgery, one of them was a stand in. Thank goodness it was all over. I heaved a breath of relief and washed my face with the water running from the tap. Now, all I needed was to eat, get a massage if possible and take a long required nap.I haven't spoken to Sekani or Miles since yesterday. I wipes my face and hands and started to leave the bathroom. Although I trust Sekani with Miles, I felt bad that I had not spoken to him since yesterday. That's not like me. "Sekani. Oh, my boy. I hope he is getting along with his father already," I muttered. As I walked down