“Esther…” His voice was a rasp, barely human.“Yes,” I breathed. “I’m here.”He sagged against the wall, sliding down until he was crouched, hands braced on his knees. His claws melted back into fingers. Sweat ran down his temple.The guards stared, mouths open. One muttered, “What the hell…”“It’s
Esther’s POVThe first sign that the night was different came as a low, rolling tremor under my bare feet. The Blood Moon Pack compound sat silent, but the walls themselves seemed to vibrate like the inside of a drum. Outside my barred window, the moon was swollen and white-blue, leaking silver down
“Sir?” one guard hesitated. “The east cell is—”“Do as I said.”When they seized her arms, she jerked against them, eyes blazing. “You can’t do this.”I stepped closer, lowering my voice to a snarl. “I can. And I will.”Her chin trembled but she didn’t look away. “I came here because I thought you m
Esther’s POVThe hall outside Nicholas’s office smelled of cedar and iron, the scent of him. Even after six years, it still crawled under my skin. I kept telling myself I wasn’t here to plead or to crawl. I was here for Carl.I paused before the huge carved doors, palms sweating despite the cold. In
If I told him the truth, would that Nicholas resurface? Or would he crush me harder for daring to lie all these years?Carl stirred again, his small hand twitching against mine. His skin was warm, feverish. The monitors blipped warningly.I bent over him, my hair spilling around his face. “I’m here,
Esther’s POVThe clock on the pediatric wing wall ticked so loudly it felt like a hammer inside my skull. Each second was another beat of dread. I’d sat through dozens of these checkups before—Carl’s symptoms waxing and waning—but tonight something in Dr. Reynold’s expression made my stomach lurch b