Riley's POV For a moment, he just stared at me, his eyes wide, unblinking. His jaw dropped slightly. The pain, the remorse, the exhaustion, all seemed to vanish, replaced by pure, utter shock. “Parents?” he whispered, the word barely a breath.I nodded, tears streaming down my face, a shaky smile blooming. “Pups. More than one, he thinks. He said it’s early, but…”“Pups?!” he roared, a genuine, joyful roar this time. He pushed himself up, ignoring his bandages, ignoring the pain, his arms reaching for me. “Riley! Pups! We’re having pups!”He pulled me into a fierce, surprisingly gentle embrace, despite his wounds. I nestled against his chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart, the warmth of his skin. The scent of him, filled my senses, comforting and familiar. This was where I belonged. This was what I had almost lost.He pulled back slightly, his hands cupping my face, his eyes shining with unshed tears of happiness. “A celebration!” he declared, his voice booming, filled with an
Riley's POV Hours passed, or maybe it was only minutes; I lost track. Damon was eventually stabilized, taken to a separate, more secure room. The doctor had been grim but said he would live, if barely. Eventually, the medical room emptied, leaving me alone with the quiet hum of equipment and the lingering scent of blood. The initial shock began to wear off, replaced by a deep, aching despair. I had to talk to Norman. I had to. This couldn't be how things ended. Not after everything. Not when I had such important news.I found him in a smaller, quieter recovery room. He was propped up on his bed, looking pale and drawn, his chest heavily bandaged. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. He looked exhausted, perhaps even more exhausted than he had looked when he was bedridden. I stood at the doorway for a long time, my heart pounding, gathering my courage. What do you say to a man who just stabbed his brother because he thought you betrayed him? How do you even begin?I took a d
Riley's POV The air still smelled faintly of smoke and blood, a grim reminder of the chaos that had swept through HornSide. A day had passed already, a long, agonizing day filled with hushed reports and the distant sounds of clean-up. The outlanders, by some miracle, had been pushed back, defeated. Our warriors, though battered and grieving, had held the line. HornSide was safe, for now. But the cost had been heavy.My own body ached with a deep, weary exhaustion, but it was nothing compared to the knot of dread that had tightened in my stomach ever since I’d seen Norman fall.Now, I stood beside Norman’s bed in the medical wing, a cramped, sterile room that smelled of antiseptic and lingering fear. The light was dim, softened by the heavy curtains drawn across the window. My gaze was fixed on his still, pale face. The slow, shallow rise and fall of his chest was the only assurance tha he was alive. That was all that mattered.Dr. Walker, with his tired eyes and steady hands, leaned
Norman's POVThe BANG that tore through the air was not a sound of celebration, nor a training drill gone wrong. It was the raw, brutal roar of war. My mind, still reeling from the devastating scene with Riley, snapped into immediate, terrifying clarity. I spun back towards Riley, who stood frozen in the training field, eyes wide. Her face was pale, streaked with tears, a mix of heartbreak and dawning terror. For a split second, my eyes locked with hers, and I saw the vulnerability there, the shock. My wolf gave a sharp, urgent whine. Despite the burning betrayal that still gnawed at me, despite the picture seared into my brain, the urge to keep her safe, to shield her from harm, was overwhelming. She was my mate. No matter what had happened, that bond, that instinct, was ingrained.“Riley! To cover! Now!” I roared, my voice cutting through the rising clamor, sharp and commanding. I didn’t waste time with words of comfort, couldn’t bring myself to. My hand, still trembling from the f
Norman's POVThe drive to HornSide was a grinding nightmare. Every mile felt like a hundred, every turn in the road a cruel delay.The few warriors in the truck were sensible enough not to engage in any conversation that might get me irritated. Their ability to keep shut is a clear evidence they knew something was boiling inside of me.The image was seared into my mind. Her face, tilted up. His lips, pressed to hers. The soft light of dusk. It looked… intimate. Consensual. It was a betrayal that ripped through me, tearing apart everything I thought I knew, everything I believed we had. The urge to hit something, to smash my fist through a wall, through anything, was a constant, vibrating tremor in my hands. When the truck finally pulled up outside the HornSide pack house, I barely registered the sounds. The greetings from HornSide warriors, the excited murmurs from my own troops, all faded into a dull roar. My vision was tunneled. My focus was singular. I stepped out, my boots hittin
Riley's POV With Zoey increasingly absent, drawn to Kirk’s glittering, fake charm, I found myself adrift. The troop was busy, preparing for the upcoming battles, and while I participated in discussions and planning, my 'light duties' meant I wasn’t out in the thick of the physical training. It gave me too much time to think, too much time to feel alone.It was during this time that I found an unexpected solace. Damon.He didn't make a big show of it. He wasn't loud or attention-seeking like Kirk. Instead, his presence became a quiet constant. After the daily planning meetings, when the other commanders dispersed, Damon would often linger. He'd find me poring over maps, cross-referencing my notes on outlander patrols, and he would just… be there.“Still analyzing, Riley?” he’d ask, his voice calm, without the condescension I was used to from other high-ranking wolves.“Just making sure we haven’t missed anything,” I’d reply, looking up.He wouldn't dismiss my work. He wouldn’t offer e