LOGINAvaThe first thing I heard was a low, tired voice, reading words I couldn't quite catch yet. My body felt heavy under the sheets, pinning me to the bed. I could hear the steady rasp of my own breathing. My open eyes blinked dryly in the dim light.I opened my eyes wider. A small, pale room with a c
AvaDad let go of the shackle and sat back, his face relaxing from the concentration. He was quiet for a long moment. Then his eyes met mine."Baby," he said gently, "do you want to know what happened?"Something in his tone made my chest tighten. I had a feeling that this was a truth I wasn't ready
AvaHe stepped out of the blackness, edging closer, until I could finally see him. Unbelievable. He was so young, the age he was when...when he died. His warm brown eyes, both of them, looked at me with a fond smile.I stared, my mouth hanging open, unable to make a sound. My dad. Standing in front
LeviI settled into the chair by her bed and took her hand in mine, rubbing my thumb over the back of it. "Hey, Ava. It's Levi," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I just talked to Sofia. We had some things to say to each other."I sat there, rubbing her hand, trying to find the words Maya and
LeviI sat with my father in his room, a week after Hilda's funeral. Some families had already packed up and left the pack after becoming human. Others had stayed, unsure of where else to go.My father wheezed beside me, the hiss of his oxygen tank an ever-present sound now. He was thinner, frail, h
MayaI zipped Sofia's dress as best I could with my good hand. The collar was tricky. I fiddled clumsily with the small metal fastening. "There, perfect," I said, releasing the dress and stepping back.Sofia blinked hard at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was pulled back in a neat bun. The dr
I tried to move toward them but my legs buckled and I dropped to my knees in the dirt."What did you do to me?"Falco didn't answer, just looked at me with an expression I couldn't read—something between guilt and resignation and determination all at once.The engines were right outside the clearing
Hilda Gar spoke up for the first time, his accent thick. "Ten minutes of chaos we can do. Getting out after is the problem.” "Vehicles are staged two miles back the way we came. Soon as you blow your charges, you fall back to the rally point. Don't wait for me, don't wait for anyone. If I'm not th
She watched me for a long moment. "Okay." "Thank you." She went back to her room. I heard her close the door, softer this time. I cooked dinner. We ate in near silence. Mira did homework at the table while I cleaned up. Normal night. Normal routine. Except I kept seeing Garrett on our couch. Kep
AvaThey collided hard enough that I heard the air leave Falco's lungs.Levi hit him high, shoulder into chest, drove him back into the car. The door panel buckled. Falco got his hands up but Levi was already swinging. First punch caught him in the jaw, snapped his head sideways. Second one landed i







