LOGIN"Me neither. Caden, we're both—we're both learning. Both trying. That's—that's okay. As long as we're honest. As long as we—we talk instead of assuming. As long as we give each other chances to fix mistakes." "Honest communication. No assumptions. Multiple chances." He was still holding my hand. S
"You felt it?" My voice was small. Hopeful. Terrified. "Caden, you actually felt the mate bond? You—you recognized it?" "Yes. Not immediately. Not when we were talking at the gathering. But after—after I was alone and thinking about why you looked so upset—it hit. The certainty. The pull. The—the
The Next Generation Hope pov I lay on my bed facing the wall, knees pulled to my chest, trying not to cry anymore. The mate bond was—excruciating. Every instinct screaming that Caden was mine. That he should be here. That watching him with Emily was wrong on fundamental level. But he'd looke
I went upstairs. Found the second door on the right. Knocked quietly. "Come in." Hope's voice. Muffled. Like she'd been crying. Fuck. I'd made her cry. Had devastated my mate before even realizing she was my mate. I opened the door. Hope was sitting on her bed, eyes red, looking—looking vulner
"I didn't want to hurt her feelings. Didn't want to—to make things awkward since we're friends and train together and—" I stopped. "I was being a coward. Should have been honest months ago instead of letting her build expectations." "Yes. You should have." No judgment in Dad's voice. Just observat
The Next Generation Caden pov I watched Hope Reed-Castellan leave with her family, and something in my chest twisted. She'd looked—gutted. Devastated. Like something had broken when we were talking. And I—I didn't understand why. We'd just been having normal conversation. Me and Emily planning
I looked at Grace, who'd successfully stacked three blocks and was clapping for herself with pure joy. "Is that why you're still here?" I asked quietly. "Because you think the threat is still active enough to need constant vampire presence?" "Partially." He didn't turn from the window. "But most
My Cheating Mate Emma pov The kitchen smelled like garlic and rosemary—a roast I was attempting for the pack dinner tonight. Grace was in her playpen in the corner, babbling at her toys with the intense focus only a thirteen-month-old could manage. She'd just started walking last week, and now e
My Cheating Mate Grace pov I didn't understand why everyone was so serious all the time lately. Mama and Daddy kept having quiet conversations that stopped when I walked into rooms. Uncle Cas didn't smile as much, even when I showed him my new drawings. Grandpa Richard kept checking all the w
My Cheating Mate Emma pov The Council's response arrived six hours after we sent our letter. Not through email or phone. Not through diplomatic channels or formal messengers. It arrived as a coordinated attack on three of our allied packs simultaneously. I was putting Grace to bed when the







