MasukAvaThe 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
EvelynThey'd cleaned me up like I was going to a funeral.Fresh clothes that actually fit, though I had no idea how they'd gotten my measurements. A shower in a bathroom that was bigger than my childhood bedroom. Even someone to brush my hair, though I'd drawn the line at makeup."You look lovely,"
HildaThe water was almost too hot, but I didn't complain.I sank deeper into the copper tub, letting the heat work into muscles that had been locked tight for days. Steam rose around me, carrying the scent of something floral—lavender, maybe, or jasmine. Whatever it was, it was a hell of an improve
"She was a healer. But she thought a lot about balance." Lyra leaned forward slightly. "She said that for every force that destroys, there has to be a force that protects. Otherwise everything falls apart."I studied her face. "And which one am I?""I think you're both."The honesty in her voice hit
"Lyra."She looked up at me, hair falling across her face. "What?""Come here."She climbed onto the bed, straddling my lap. I could feel the heat of her through the thin cotton, could smell her arousal mixing with that floral scent.I kissed her again, harder this time, my hands roaming over her ba







