LOGINFor a beat, no one spoke. Then, he lowered Kaelani gently until her feet touched the ground, but he didn’t let go—his fingers slipping into hers, holding on like it was the most natural thing in the world. Kaelani’s gaze dropped to their hands. The contact stilled something inside her. No one ha
“You do.” He let his gaze drop—just for a second—to the space between them, the inches that still separated them. Then back to her. “But I meant it when I said I’d never leave you again… that was real.” A brief pause—not for effect, but because he meant it. “Not when it’s hard. Not when it’s me
Kaelani’s smile hit him harder than anything else had. For the first time, it was meant for him. Julian stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind him and shutting out everything beyond it—the chaos, the noise, all of it. In here— was his peace. His heart. His whole world. He move
The room. The light. The faces. A breath caught in his chest. “Kaelani…?” His focus sharpened. His room. His packhouse. Familiar walls and scent. But something was wrong. His gaze moved quickly—his mother at his side, Jace by the window. No Kaelani. Julian pushed himself upright, pain tear
She didn’t look at him. “Julian Hale… fugitive status removed.” Another keystroke. “Jace Romano… fugitive status removed.” Her fingers paused for a fraction of a second before continuing. “Garrick Blake… charges dropped.” A quiet tap followed. “Release scheduled for… tomorrow morning.” Then—
A brief pause. “Am I wrong?” Councilor Voss didn’t answer. He simply watched her for a moment longer before speaking. “What is it that you want?” Kaelani held the room for a moment. “What I wanted the day I stood before you in the Chamber of Elders,” she said. “What I asked for then.” “To liv
They drove for nearly an hour in silence. The farther they got from the packhouse, the more Julian’s pulse steadied… but the ache for his mate remained. Like a tether stretched taut in his chest, threatening to snap. At last, Jace turned onto a cracked service road lined with rusting signs and ove
Shit. If it was James or Elias, this entire plan was dead. But as the figure stepped into the sliver of golden light spilling from the hallway— Julian’s breath caught. It was his mother. Vanessa stood barefoot, silk robe tied loose over a nightgown, a half-full glass of wine in one hand. Her ey
The trees thinned as they crossed the old threshold into Blackthorn territory, the familiar scent of pine and ash settling like ghosts on Julian’s skin. He hadn’t been home in a week, but it already felt foreign. Too quiet. Too steeped in judgment. The gates opened for them. No fanfare. No welcome
Kaelani stirred. For a moment, she wasn’t sure if she was dreaming. The bed beneath her was too soft, the sheets too smooth. The scent in the air—wild jasmine and something unfamiliar. It wasn’t her bakery. It wasn’t her home. It wasn’t anywhere she knew. Her eyes blinked open slowly. The room wa







