LOGIN~Samantha~I gave up on sleep around seven. Got dressed. Splashed cold water on my face. Stared at myself in the mirror until my reflection started looking like a stranger.The knock on my door came at seven-thirty."Come in." I was too tired to care who it was.Lila entered. She looked better than the rest of us, cleaned up, rested, focused. Like the mine hadn't almost killed her yesterday."We need to talk." She closed the door behind her. "About the shadow array.""Killian already told me. Three components. Twins, royal blood, Shadow vessel." I sat on the edge of my bed. "What else is there?""He got it wrong. Or rather, incomplete." Lila pulled out a different scroll from her bag. "I found this after he left last night. Was going through the documents more carefully."She unrolled it on my desk. "What am I looking at?""The actual requirements for the shadow array." Lila pointed at three circles drawn in a triangle formation. "Royal blood. That's you. Twin keys. That's Devon and
~Samantha~"I'm saying I don't know! I don't know what I feel or what I want or how to fix any of this!" I was yelling now. "And you pressuring me for answers isn't helping!""I'm not pressuring you! I'm trying to save our marriage!""Maybe our marriage can't be saved!"Dominic's face went blank. "You don't mean that.""I don't know if I mean it or not. That's the problem. I don't know anything anymore."A knock on the door cut off the tension. We both froze. Stared at each other. Neither moved.Another knock. "Sam? You in there?" Killian's voice. Muffled through the door.Dominic's jaw clenched. "You've got to be kidding me. Did you invite him over?""I didn't invite him." I moved toward the door.Dominic's hand shot out. Grabbed my wrist. "Don't.""He might have important information.""He always has 'important information' that conveniently requires him to see you alone.""You're doing the same thing you just apologized for. Now, you need to chill.""It’s hard for me! He's in love
~Samantha~By the time we returned to Silver Crescent Pack, Reynold met us with about twenty warriors. Took one look at our condition and started barking orders."Medical team to the front entrance! Get stretchers." He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Killian. "What happened to him?""Curse acceleration. Arrow wound. General stupidity." Dominic was still half-supporting Killian de
~Samantha~"And as their father, my opinion and commands doesn’t count." His voice was flat. "Alright then, they can stay with us but when bad things happen, don’t say I didn’t warn you three.""Thank you, Dad." Devon wiped his face. "We promise we'll fight harder than last time.""Not when you are still a baby." Dominic's Alpha tone came out. "I’m only let
~Samantha~"Everyone still breathing? Can we get going now?" Lila was the only one who looked fine and seemed eager to leave. "Or do we have to wait till Alpha Dominic says so?" She shot him a side eye. "Good enough to walk for a couple of minutes." I managed."As long as my curse doesn’t take over, I’m good." Killian coughed.
~Samantha~Killian spun. Caught a blade aimed at his back. Twisted the attacker's wrist until bones snapped.But he was breathing too hard. Moving too slow. The curse was burning through him and fighting was accelerating it."Killian, fall back!"
[DIANA’s Point of View]
[SAMANTHA’s Point of View]
[ALPHA DOMINIC’s Point of View]
[SAMANTHA’s Point of View]







