ログインHis voice was soft when he asked, “Are you mad at Daddy?”My breath caught.I didn’t answer right away. I just held him tighter, brushing my lips against the top of his head, breathing in the familiar scent of shampoo and dreams.“No, baby,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “Just sad
ELENAHe said it. Just like that."Because I was a coward."And for a moment, I didn’t breathe. Didn’t blink. I just stared at him, this towering Alpha, folded in on himself like the weight of everything he’d done was finally more than he could bear.It wasn’t what I expected. It wasn’t defensive. I
DEREKI was more nervous than I had ever been in my entire life.And that included some truly horrible moments. Moments when life and death had been in the balance.Worse than when Aiden had been in the hospital, his little body limp and pale against white sheets, machines screaming at me that I mig
ELENA"I’m strong enough to travel," I said.The words came out firmer than I expected. My voice still felt like it didn’t quite belong to me—too quiet, too dry—but I forced strength into it anyway.My mother narrowed her eyes at me across the hospital room, arms folded, posture stiff with tension.
ELENAThe first thing I felt was cold.Not the kind of cold that settled into your bones. Not the chill of snow or wind. It was sterile, dry, antiseptic. The kind of cold that came from machines humming, filtered air, fluorescent lights. A hospital.I blinked slowly, and the world came into focus in
DEREKToday was going well.Which, lately, felt like a miracle.The meeting room was warm with early sunlight, and the Stormfang delegation finally looked less like they wanted to skin me and more like they might—possibly—listen. The Icelandic pack had been guarded since our arrival, especially with
“Is Logan coming to the wedding?” she asked casually.I exhaled. “He’s… busy. Alliance Summit and all that.”I really didn’t want to field more questions about Logan and our “upcoming” nuptials.Her brow lifted, but she let it go. “Well, I was going through old letters the other day and guess what I
DEREKThe Masquerade Ball was a different kind of spectacle than the Alpha Ball. Where last night had been about power and alliances displayed openly beneath the amphitheater’s vast sky, tonight was meant to be a night of mystery, of fresh starts, of the Moon Goddess weaving her golden thread betwee
DEREKThe envelope was waiting for me when I returned to my office, a plain, unmarked thing sitting at the center of my desk.I had been expecting reports from my intelligence network, updates on the rogue factions, or perhaps another denial from Moonstone about a pre-summit meeting. But this was so
DEREKThe Moonstone estate’s main number rang four times before someone finally picked up.“Moonstone Residence!” a small voice chirped. “Who is this?”I blinked. “Who is this?”“I asked first,” the kid replied, then paused dramatically. “And since it’s our house phone, I win.”A grin tugged at my m







