LOGINI pulled out my phone. Texted Marcus: *Hey, status update? How's pack defense going?* The response came immediately: *All quiet. Rogues haven't returned. Nate, where are you? You and Alpha Jeremy disappeared—* *With Rose. Handling mate bond stuff. Be back soon.* *Good. Give Rose my best. Tell
"No." Rose's voice was firm. "We're doing this. We're getting answers. We're—we're ending this so I can go home." Home. She called Crescent Moon Pack home. Despite everything. Despite the threats and attacks and war. That was—that was everything. A car approached. Old. Beaten. Not pack vehicle
"He's right." Dad sighed. "Cas, if Rose is determined—and it sounds like she is—we need to work with that. Make the meeting as secure as possible. Get the information. And if it's a trap, we're prepared to respond." Uncle Cas was quiet for a long moment. Then: "Fine. But we do this my way. Full va
The Rejected Mate Nate pov I stood in my father's office, having just delivered the news about Jessica's contact with Rose. Dad looked furious. Uncle Cas looked—lethal. Both processing the information at vampire and Alpha speed. "Jessica Matthews contacted Rose directly," Dad repeated. "Afte
"Then that's something for pack justice to sort out. Not for my mate to handle personally." His voice softened. "Rose, please. Don't do this. Don't meet Jessica. Don't leave Nightshade security. Don't—don't give extremists another chance to hurt you." "But if she has information that ends the war—
*I'm sending you proof. One piece. Then you decide if you believe me.* A photo appeared. Grainy. Taken from distance. But clear enough. A wolf I recognized. Standing with known rogues. Discussing something. The timestamp showed two days ago—the day before the ultimatum messages started. I zoom
My Cheating Mate Jeremy pov Emma had finally fallen asleep around midnight, Grace tucked safely in the bassinet beside our bed. My mate was exhausted—had given birth, fought hunters, watched me nearly die, and nursed our daughter all in the span of eighteen hours. She deserved rest. I couldn't
For a moment, nothing happened. Then golden light—the same healing light I'd seen when he healed Alpha Richard—began to emanate from Lord Castellan's hands. Jeremy's back arched off the bed. His eyes flew open, unfocused and filled with pain. A scream tore from his throat. "Jeremy!" I gripped hi
Tears were streaming down my face now, silent and hot. I clutched the phone tighter, reading the words again and again. *"Months."* They'd been watching us for months. Before Dr. Chen was even recruited. Before the Black River war. Before any of this started. Which meant Dr. Chen wasn't their on
"Jeremy—" Emma's voice, distant somehow. Careful. I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. My vision was tunneling, rage so pure and absolute that it burned through everything else. Every thought, every feeling, every ounce of composure I'd built over months of therapy and healing—gone. Obliterated by







