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
My father placed Grace in Jeremy's arms. She immediately stopped fussing, her tiny hand finding Jeremy's finger. "Hey, little one," Jeremy whispered. "I'm sorry I scared you. Scared your mom. I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere." Grace made a small sound, her eyes—still that newborn blue that w
"We can arrange that." My voice was darker than I intended. "Emma, whatever you want—" "No." She shook her head. "I want—I want her to be useful. To actually help undo some of the damage she's caused. And then I want her gone. Exiled. I don't care if she lives or dies, as long as she's never anywh
"That's not much of a choice," I pointed out. "It's more choice than she gave any of you when she told hunters about Grace's birth." His voice hardened. "Jeremy, Emma, I understand you want justice. Want punishment. But right now, you need tactical advantage more. Let's use Dr. Chen to destroy the
The reinforced door cracked open. Emma's face appeared, Grace clutched to her chest, Marcus standing behind them both with his claws extended. "We're okay," she said. "We heard the fighting. Dad killed one of them before they reached us." "There were three. Lord Castellan got the third." I pulle







