LOGINBanners hung across the walls, pink and white, with “Congratulations” written in bold letters. Streamers dangled from the ceiling, and our dining room table was lost under piles of gifts wrapped in pastel paper.“What the hell?” I managed, my jaw dropping as Bella rushed forward with Theo balanced o
AriaA year had passed since Darren and I signed that treaty, and life had settled into something sweet, even with all its ups and downs.The scars on my chest had faded to thin white lines, and Darren’s wound was just a memory beneath his shirt. We’d become godparents to Bella and Liam’s little boy
AriaLunar Labs was reduced to a shell of its former self.The once-sleek and vibrant building, surrounded by lush gardens and pebbled fountains, was now barren and burnt. The glass walls were shattered, the halls within burned and destroyed. Those damn slurs were still painted across nearly every s
He didn’t hesitate. “No.”The word hung in the air for a long moment. The president blinked, clearly startled. “With all due respect, Mr. President,” Darren went on, leaning forward in his chair, “we’re not coming back. Not like that. After being deported, hunted, abused by your government—my people
AriaDarren and I stepped out of the car and faced the sprawling estate that was the human president’s home. My chest still ached faintly from my wound, the stitches long gone but the pain lingering. Beside me, Darren subtly favored his left side when he moved, still healing from the hole in his che
We stayed like that for a while, neither of us speaking. At some point, I must have begun to drift off again, too exhausted from the day’s events to keep my eyes open.But then, suddenly, the door burst open, shattering the stillness, and I jolted upright, wincing as the movement pulled at my wound.
Bella was quiet for another moment before she turned toward me and took my hands in hers. Her fingers were warm and solid as they wrapped around mine, and it was only then that I realized a single tear had slipped free during my speech. It was dry and sticky now from the breeze, but I could still fe
I blinked, confused, and pulled the sheets up against my bare chest as he climbed out of bed and strode fully nude across the room. “What?”“I need to show you something,” he said as he pulled the wardrobe open and began selecting some warm clothes.I didn’t press him further, sensing that whatever
AriaThe feeling of the warm sun hitting my cheek gently tugged me from sleep, but it wasn’t the most peaceful awakening in the world. Not with Bella’s voice still lingering in the back of my head.“You two should make it official,” she had said last night, her voice devoid of her usual teasing—she
AriaThe snow mobile ride back to the pack house the next morning felt long and quiet, but maybe that was just because I couldn’t stop glancing sideways at Darren’s profile over his shoulder. He hardly looked at me, but I could feel the way his fingers occasionally brushed across where my hands were







