Serena’s POVThe weeks that followed blurred together in a haze of rejection and desperation. Job after job, interview after interview, each one ending the same way. "We'll be in touch." "Thank you for your time." "We've decided to go with someone else." My savings were nearly gone, and the baby seemed to grow heavier in my belly with each passing day. I'd started showing just enough that I had to be careful about how I sat, how I stood, how I dressed. Another reason employers found to look elsewhere.Today had been no different. Three interviews, three polite rejections. I was walking home in the gathering dusk, my feet aching and my mind spinning with worry, when I heard the screech of tires.I looked up just in time to see a sleek black sedan swerving to avoid me. I'd stepped right into the street without looking, lost in my own misery. The car came to a stop just inches from where I stood frozen.A woman emerged from the driver's side, her face etched with concern. She was elegan
The creature stared at me for quite a moment before smiling widely and his next words hit me like a slap."Of course, you'd have to marry me first."I recoiled as if he'd physically struck me. "What?""The power of Bloodburn isn't something I can just give away freely," he explained, his tone maddeningly casual. "It requires a bond, a commitment. Marriage is the most binding contract humans have, so that's what I require."Disgust rolled through my stomach in waves. "Are you insane? You're engaged to my mother!"But instead of looking ashamed or concerned, the creature threw back his head and laughed. The sound was rich and genuinely amused, as if I'd just told him the most delightful joke."I don't see any problem with that," he said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "In fact, it adds a certain... poetry to the arrangement, don't you think?"I stared at him in horror. "You're talking about marrying a mother and daughter. That's sick. That's—""That's power," he interrupted,
Ryker’s POV The house was easier to infiltrate than I had expected. Alpha Kane's security was impressive by normal standards, but normal standards didn't account for the abilities that came with being what I was. I'd slipped through shadows that shouldn't have been able to conceal a man my size, moved with a silence that defied the creaking floorboards of the old mansion.Now I sat on Kane's bed in the master bedroom, perfectly still in the darkness, waiting. The plan was simple – drag Kane outside where Alec and Jaxon were positioned, then deliver the beating I'd been promising myself since learning what the bastard had done.The sound of footsteps on the stairs made my muscles tense with anticipation. Kane was finally home.The bedroom door opened, and Alpha Kane stepped inside, reaching for the light switch. When the room flooded with warm yellow light, he froze, his hand still on the wall, staring at me with a mixture of shock and rapidly growing anger."What the hell are you doi
Serena’s POV The words felt like a punch to my gut and left my lips wide open."You're thinking too hard about this, Serena," he said. "You don't have to be surprised. I know everything about you. Every detail of your life, every secret you think you're keeping."My heart hammered against my ribs. "How is that possible?""Ryker is a close friend of mine," he said, and my blood turned to ice water. "Or rather, he was."The words hit me like a physical blow. I pressed myself back against the leather seat, my mind racing. Had Ryker sent this creature after me? Was this some twisted form of punishment for what I'd done?"He sent you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "He sent you to—""Oh no," the creature interrupted, his smile widening. "Quite the opposite, actually. Ryker and I are enemies now. Have been for some time."Despite my terror, I found myself leaning forward slightly. "Enemies?""Very much so. Which is why I find your current situation so... interesting." His eyes glit
Serena’s POV The morning had started with such promise. I had dressed carefully for my job search, choosing a professional blazer that didn't yet show my growing belly and comfortable flats for what I knew would be a long day of walking. I'd printed out copies of my resume the night before, highlighting my qualifications and experience with the kind of optimism I hadn't felt in months.But each interview had ended the same way. Polite smiles followed by vague excuses about "needing someone with more experience" or "looking for a different skill set." By the fourth rejection, I could see the pattern forming. Something was wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on what."We'll be in touch," the last interviewer had said, though we both knew no call would come.Now I walked down the busy sidewalk, my resume folder clutched tightly in my hands, trying not to let the disappointment overwhelm me. I needed this independence, needed to prove to myself that I could build a life without relying o
Ryker’s POV I sat hunched over my computer in the dim light of my office, scrolling through various documents and reports. The glow of the screen reflected off my face, highlighting the sharp angles that had grown more pronounced over the past few weeks. Work had become my refuge, the one place where I could focus my mind on something other than the mess my personal life had become.The soft knock on my door interrupted my concentration. "Come in," I called without looking up.Jaxon stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a quiet click. He studied me for a moment before speaking. "You look better than when you first left the house," he observed, settling into the chair across from my desk.I finally glanced up from my screen, a slight smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "That's because I've found something else to keep me busy.""Work has always been your escape," Jaxon noted, though there was no judgment in his tone. "What's got your attention this time?"I leaned back