LOGINXARION'S POVThe moment I arrive at Renzo's territory, I know something's off.It’s not what I see that raises every alarm in my head. It’s what’s missing.Resistance.There's no blockade at the gates. No armed guards stepping forward to demand what the hell I'm doing here. No one trying to turn me away or make this difficult.Just… open gates and a clear path straight to his mansion.It's too easy.I cut the engine and sit in my car for a moment, my hands still clamped around the steering wheel, my pulse thrumming steadily in my ears.My wolf is on high alert, pacing restlessly inside me, every instinct warning that this could be a trap.'Careful,' he growls. 'This feels wrong.'I know.But I don't have a choice.If Renzo has Megan, if he's the one who took her, then I'm walking into this house whether it's a trap or not.I dart my eyes to the rearview mirror and catch sight of the two cars behind me, my gammas waiting for my signalAnd then I notice something else.The car that's be
DANIELLE'S POVBrett nods, pulling out onto the road, and Skye twists in her seat to look at me, her eyes wide with alarm."Danielle, what the hell are we doing?" she hisses, her voice rising slightly. "This is insane.""We're following Xarion," I reply flatly, crossing my arms. "What does it look like we're doing?""I know that," she counters, her tone sharp now. "But why? What's the point of this? What did he say to you?""Nothing worth repeating," I grit out. "He stonewalled me, Skye. He wouldn't tell me anything… wouldn't let me see Megan's brats, wouldn't even let me touch him. And now, I need to know where he's headed. Because wherever it is, it's serious. He's up to something. And I'm willing to bet it has something to do with Megan."Skye fidgets in her seat, her fingers twisting together. "Danielle, are you sure about this? I mean… what if he finds out we're following him?""He won't," I bite out, shooting her an pointed look now. "Not if we're careful.""But if he does…" Sky
DANIELLE'S POVThe second Xarion's car disappears down the street, I let the mask drop.And I mean completely.My face twists, my molars grinding into dust, and I have to press a hand against my stomach because I genuinely think I might vomit.Right here. Right now. All over the spotless driveway of Xarion's stupid house.That entire conversation was torture.Absolute, humiliating, soul-crushing torture.Standing there, pretending to care about Megan and her pathetic little brats, acting like I was worried, like I was concerned, like I gave a single damn whether she lived or died?It took everything in me not to laugh in his face.Or scream.Or both.I wanted to throw up every single word I said. Every soft tone. Every gentle expression. Every fake smile I pasted on my face while I asked about those kids like they were anything more than obstacles in my way.“Poor kids. Children need their mothers."The words rot in my head now, and I have to swallow down the bile rising in my throat.
XARION'S POV"If you need someone to talk to," Danielle continues softly, stepping closer again, "I'm here, Xarion. I know we didn't end things well last time, but… I still care about you. I always will. You don't have to go through this alone."I don't respond.I just stare at her, my jaw set, my wolf rumbling low in my chest."Are Megan's kids inside?" she asks after a moment, glancing toward the house. "I'd love to see them. Maybe I could… I don't know, help somehow. Keep them company. Make them feel better.""Don't worry about that," I interrupt flatly.Her expression darkens with irritation for just a second, betraying her. But it's gone so fast I almost miss it."The twins are overwhelmed, Danielle," I continue, keeping my tone firm. "With everything happening with Megan's kidnapping. They don't need to see people right now."She hesitates, and I can see the frustration working its way across her features before she forces it down."That's fine," she concedes, though her voice i
XARION'S POVOf all the people I expect to see standing in my driveway right now, Danielle isn't even in the top hundred.I stare at her, my mind scrambling to catch up with what I'm seeing.Danielle.Here. At my house. Right now.She walks toward me, her face arranged into an expression I haven't seen on her in… ever, actually. Concern. Soft, genuine-looking concern, the kind that makes her eyebrows pull together just enough to suggest she's worried but not so much that it creates lines.It's unsettling."Xarion," she calls, her voice gentle. Almost tentative.I adjust my posture, arms crossing instinctively. "What are you doing here, Danielle?""I came to see how you were doing," she replies, stepping closer. I blink, caught completely off guard for a moment. "What?""I heard what happened," she continues, her voice soft. "Concerning Megan. I wanted to check on you."Danielle. Came here. To check on me. About Megan.For a second, I just stand there, trying to process the fact that
XARION'S POV“Xarion?”I freeze.That voice…“Are you here?”My mother.Relief hits me so hard I have to catch my breath."In the kitchen," I call back.A moment later, my parents appear in the doorway.My mother's face is drawn with concern, her eyes immediately landing on the twins, and my father's expression is unreadable as always, his assessing gaze scanning the room."We heard what happened," my mother announces quietly, stepping into the room and heading straight for me. "About Megan."I nod once, stiffly. "News travels fast, doesn't it.""Are you alright?" she asks, though her attention is still on Maverick and Makayla."I'm fine," I mutter. "It's the twins I'm worried about."She moves toward them immediately, kneeling down beside them, and her expression softens."Oh, my sweet darlings," she murmurs, reaching out to brush her hand over Makayla's hair. "How are you holding up?"Makayla's eyes fill with tears again, leaning into her touch. "We're scared, Grandma. We want Mommy
XARION'S POVThe bar I end up at is a dive.And I mean that in every sense of the word.It's hidden away in the rougher side of Arkon, the kind of place where the neon sign glitches every few seconds and half the letters are burnt out. The windows are grimy, the paint on the door is peeling, and t
XARION'S POVDanielle pushes off the pillar and walks toward me, her heels clicking against the pavement with that familiar confident stride. Her expression is carefully neutral, but I can see the calculation behind her eyes.I instinctively tense, my posture stiffening as she closes the distance
VANCE'S POV"For what Maverick said earlier.” Megan says softly. “About… about their father. I know that probably made things awkward."I shake my head, squeezing her hand gently. "Don't apologize. They're kids. They're curious. It's natural.""Still," she murmurs, looking down. "I don't want you t
XARION'S POVHer words hit me hard like a ton of bricks, and I take a step back, my hands dropping to my sides."Megan…”"I can't do this anymore, Xarion," she continues, her voice shaking. "Every time I turn around, you or your father are there, trying to control my life, trying to take my kids. I







