LOGINSamuel and Aleah stood by the roaring fire, the Nwa territory alive with cheers and howls. The Elder glanced at Samuel, resigned. It was done; the marriage was final. They danced, they celebrated, and then Samuel’s gaze locked with Aleah’s. Together, they stepped forward, chanting into the flames.Lucas darted to Ava, shoving her toward the woods. She sprinted, clutching Liam tight, almost reaching the road. Then she saw it, a wave of blue light, draping over the trees like a blanket. Ava inhaled sharply and pressed on.The wolfs dropped to its knees, entranced. Samuel chuckled. “Who’s your king now?”“You are,” they all murmured.“Aleah,” Samuel grinned, kissing her hand, “I’m into this. Now go pick a pretty girl and bring her to the bedroom. Don’t mess this up, woman” He turned, whistling as he walked away.Aleah returned with a blonde woman, her fairness a stark contrast to Aleah’s darker features. Samuel, now propped up naked against the pillows, commanded, “Come here.” The woman
Ceremonies of the clan-partyThe scene felt like it had been ripped straight out of some ancient, torch-lit hall, massive wooden tables, a lavishly adorned one for the clan leaders. Zara’s gaze was locked on Jackson and Chloe.“Got something to say, Zara?” Jackson asked, raising an eyebrow.“You broke the rules, Jackson,” she replied, swirling her wine casually.“And you wouldn’t be sitting here if you’d laid a finger on my mate,” he shot back, his tone sharp.“Hey, let’s keep this civil,” Hakon interrupted as Damien approached, his eyes fixed on his mom.Damien gave a quick nod to the group. “Can we talk?” he said to his mom.She glanced at Jackson, who gave a silent nod of approval.“Who’s this, and…”“He’s my mate, and you’ve got a little brother,” Chloe blurted out before Damien could finish.“Mom, I missed you,” Damien said, pulling her into a hug. “I’ve been getting these headaches, is the…”“Damien, just peek into the future and get it over with,” Chloe interjected.“Alright, l
Jackson Clan"Mom," Salem asked, "how do I look?""Your hair's dark, just like Hunter’s, and your eyes are blue," Chloe replied. "I’m sorry it had to come to this, but we can fix it now if you’re ready.""Can we do it during the clan ceremonies? I mean, everyone’ll be there by then.""Of course. I’ll see you next week, Salem," Chloe said, then added, "And listen… I know it’s tough, but try to give him a chance, okay?""Alright, Mom. I’ll try."Jackson walked in, pulled Chloe into a hug, then went straight for Zarek, scooping him up and planting kisses all over his face as the kid giggled."Chloe, I swear, I could watch him all day," Jackson said, grinning."No kidding. He’s a great kid, handsome, too," Chloe said with a smile. She paused. "Oh, I talked to Salem earlier. She reminded me about the clan ceremonies.""Yeah, that’s going to be something. You’ve never been to one, and we still need to be careful, we haven’t sniffed out that mole yet.""What if we drop a hint to the tracker?
A sharp rap at the door startled her. “Come in,” she called, her voice steady despite the jump.Trendorus stepped inside. “There’s someone at the gate claiming to be your brother. Says he wants to see you.”“What?” She froze, then quickly placed Zarek in the crib. “Get Jackson. Lock down every exits and make sure the dungeon is prepped. We’re about to have company.”Trendorus blinked at her. “What?” “Got a problem taking orders from me, Trendorus?”He smirked, his gaze lingering just a second too long before he looked away. “Not used to it yet. But fine, I’ll handle it, Chloe.”Did she miss something? She paced, waiting for Jackson. When he finally strode in, he grinned. “Chloe, missed me already?” He moved in for a kiss.She pushed him back. “Jackson, James is here.”“What the fuck? How he found you?” Jackson’s face hardened.“No time. Just stay close,” she said, grabbing his hand.They walked into the throne room, fingers intertwined. James turned, his eyes narrowing as he saw Chloe
Sophie found Hakon pacing the throne room alone, his frustration palpable. He despised the idea of teaming up with Zara. This clan needed strength, not distractions. He spun around, nearly crashing into Sophie.“Hakon,” she said, brushing his arm.“What do you want, Sophie? I’m busy,” he snapped.“You’re wound tight. Let me help with that,” she replied, taking his hand and placing it on her chest.He yanked his hand back. “What the hell are you doing?”“Oh, I see. You’re more of a...”“Enough,” Hakon cut her off, but she leaned in, her lips meeting his just as Salem walked in. He shoved her back, sending her stumbling. “What’s wrong with you?”Salem clapped slowly. “Sophie, maybe you’re trying too hard. Learn to seduce first.”“A child like you can’t give him what I can,” Sophie shot back with a smirk.“A child?” Salem raised an eyebrow, turning to Hakon. “What do you think?”“Don’t listen to her,” Hakon said, glaring at Sophie. “If I were you, I’d transfer to another clan if you can’
NO, Jackson sprinted toward her. Chloe braced herself, arms outstretched, eyes shut tight.She was ready, well, mostly. A sharp pang of regret hit her, but damn it, she loved him.Then, silence.Chloe cracked her eyes open to find spirits swirling around her. The vampires hesitated, stepping back.“Back off,” a voice cut through the chaos. “She’s not the cure. I am. James.”She whipped her head around just as Jackson reached her, and her legs buckled. Everything seemed to drag, like the world was stuck in slow-mo.The spirits vanished. Jackson scooped her up.“Take one step closer, and you’re dead,” he growled. “Zara, control your men.” Without another word, he turned and strode off.Hunter jolted awake to the baby’s wailing. “Alright, alright, I’m on it,” he muttered, scrambling out of bed. He peeked into the bedroom empty. Checked the bathroom. Nothing. “No, no, no, no,” he muttered, dialing Jackson frantically.“She’s gone; I don’t...”“I know. She’s headed here,” Jackson snapped,







