Darren's POV
The sea stared up at me, a black, churning bastard, its waves clawing at the pier like they wanted to drag me under. I gripped the fishing rod, the splintered wood biting into my palms, and cast the line out, watching it sink into the abyss. Seth slouched beside me, his own rod dangling limp in his hands, his face a sullen mask under the bruised sky. The kid was a storm cloud, all gloom and thunder, and it gnawed at me, seeing him like that. I didn't know how to fix it - didn't know how to fix much of anything anymore. My gut twisted, heavy with the weight of his silence, but I kept my mouth shut, letting the wind howl between us.
He'd been sulking all damn day, ever since Leah forgot his precious spring rolls and the sardines for that mangy mutt of his, Sharbo. I tried to muster something—some scrap of comfort, a grunt, a slap on the back—but it stuck in my throat like a bone. Seth just stared at the water, his jaw tight, his eyes hollowed out
Leah's POVThe moon light was spilling over the chaos that erupted the moment Leo and Seth burst through the door. My breath hitched, chest tight with a mix of relief and dread as Leo, all claws and menace, shoved Darren away from me with a force that rattled my bones. Darren hit the ground hard, rolling twice, his body twisting in ways that made my stomach lurch. Seth, my shadow in this human world, threw his arms around me, his voice a shaky whisper against my ear. "Boss, don't be afraid! I'm here!" he said, clinging to me like I was his lifeline. But I wasn't the one who needed saving - not yet.With a quick, hard slap, I knocked that kid out cold, his body slumping to the floor. Better unconscious than dead.Darren's lips peeled back, revealing a sinister grin, sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. His hands morphed into claws, jagged and cruel, and I froze, heart hammering against my scarred ribs. This couldn't be real. Darren had been disqualified by the
Leah's POVThe night pressed against my window like a heavy fist, the moon's bloody glare slicing through the dark, spilling over the floor where I sat, my face buried in my hands. Tears soaked my palms, hot and bitter, and my chest heaved with sobs I couldn't choke down.I didn't know why I was crying, but I couldn't control it at all.The door creaked open. The stumble of his boots got closer until Darren's shadow loomed over me, reeking of whiskey and cigarette.I immediately noticed that he was somehow different tonight.He swayed there, a beast unsteady on his feet, his presence clawing at the air."Leah," he rasped, voice thick and slurred, "what happened?"I jerked my head up, startled, my hands scrubbing at my face like I could hide the mess of me. "Nothing," I said, the word frail, barely a breath. "Nothing happened."He didn't move, just stared, his eyes glassy but sharp, cutting me open. Then I saw it - the gauze on
Darren's POVThe sea stared up at me, a black, churning bastard, its waves clawing at the pier like they wanted to drag me under. I gripped the fishing rod, the splintered wood biting into my palms, and cast the line out, watching it sink into the abyss. Seth slouched beside me, his own rod dangling limp in his hands, his face a sullen mask under the bruised sky. The kid was a storm cloud, all gloom and thunder, and it gnawed at me, seeing him like that. I didn't know how to fix it - didn't know how to fix much of anything anymore. My gut twisted, heavy with the weight of his silence, but I kept my mouth shut, letting the wind howl between us.He'd been sulking all damn day, ever since Leah forgot his precious spring rolls and the sardines for that mangy mutt of his, Sharbo. I tried to muster something—some scrap of comfort, a grunt, a slap on the back—but it stuck in my throat like a bone. Seth just stared at the water, his jaw tight, his eyes hollowed out
Leah's POV"Yes," I admitted, my chest tightening. "It happened. And no matter what we do, we can't undo it. So I think… the best thing now is for us to forget it."He snapped. "You mean you want me to forget we slept together?" His voice rose, raw and ragged, slicing through the hum of the restaurant.The door creaked open then, a waiter stepping in with a tray of dishes. He froze, eyes darting between us, then backed out as quick as he'd come, the door swinging shut behind him. I clenched my fists under the table. "Calm down.""How can I calm down?" Liam snarled, his control fraying. "I'm not you! I've got feelings, Leah - self-esteem! I don't just fuck someone and wipe it clean like it never happened!"The words hit like fists, bruising. I steadied myself, forcing the tremble out of my voice. "I'm pregnant now, Liam. I've got another man's child in me."He slammed the table, the dishes rattling, and shot to his feet. "A man who hat
Leah's POVI knew that look, that rhythm. I'd watched Lucas the same way once, peering through a door crack while I scrubbed floors, my hands raw and my heart bleeding for a man who'd never see me. The memory stung, sharp and relentless, a blade twisting in the soft parts I'd tried to kill off.I meant to drive off, to escape before he noticed, but his head snapped up, eyes pinning me through the windshield. Shit. I rolled up the window fast, tires crunching gravel as I swung into the parking lot. My door was halfway open when his hands yanked it wide, and there he was - too close, too real."Long time no see," he drawled, leaning in, white shirt half-buttoned and chest still bare enough to make my pulse jump. That rough edge hadn't dulled, billionaire or not.I climbed out, brushing past him. "Just here for some sardines. Feeding Sharbo. Then I'm gone."He stepped into my path, broad and unyielding, a smirk curling his lips. "How about dinner inst
Leah's POVCole's skin glistened with sweat, stretched tight over festering wounds that wept pus and blood, refusing to knit. His limbs jerked in jagged spasms, a puppet with cut strings, and a guttural moan clawed its way out of his throat, raw and pitiful."What did you do to him?" I asked, whirling on Leo, who stood a few feet away, his face a mask of cool detachment, clipboard clutched like a shield.He didn't flinch, just met my glare with those steady, unfeeling eyes. "I didn't do anything to him," he said, voice flat as the blade of a knife. "Finn hired some half-wit hacks to pick apart my enhancement tech. Tried to juice up werewolves on the sly, but they fucked it up. Now you've got these fucked up hybrids - half werewolf, half monster. They heel to Finn's every word, fight until they drop, but their bodies burn out fast. Can't heal worth a damn either."My mouth went dry, the words sinking into me like teeth. I stared at Cole, at the way his che