INICIAR SESIĂNCassian:~~~I slice my claws clean through the rogueâs neck.The remaining rogues leaping off the wall like the cowards they are, their howls of retreat fading into the night.My chest heaves, every breath burning from the wounds still knitting themselves shut. But I donât care about the pain.All I see is her.I rush to Angelâs side. She stands in the middle of the carnage, drenched in rogue blood, soaking her clothes, like a scene from a horror movie.Her crimson eyes still glow with that otherworldly fire, the markings on her skin pulsing.She looks like a goddess of death and vengeance, and fuck, sheâs never been more beautiful.I stop in front of her, wrapping one arm around her waist, pulling her against me, as the other hand cradles her face, thumb smearing the blood on her parted lips, her long canines visible.She leans into my touch, those glowing eyes locking onto mine.âCassian,â she whispers hoarsely, her voice raw from the power that just tore through her. âIâm sorry I
Angel:~~~âGo. Now. I need you safe.â Cassian says, and I've never felt so useless.He wants us safe, but what about him? What if I don't get to see him again?I look into his eyes and almost protest, yet I know if I stay here, I will only be an extra burden.I let him go and follow Virus, and as we turn a corner, I cast a final look back to see them race out.We walk down the dimly lit corridor and head down to a basement and toward the underground safe room, my heart hammering so hard it feels like it might crack my ribs.Every step away from the front doors pulls at me like invisible chains.My mate is out there, the man I just got back together with after years of pain and misunderstanding.What if something has already happened to him? What if any delay now prevents me from ever seeing him again? The thought makes my stomach twist.Cassian just marked me, and he's weak now since I'm human and he'll regain his strength once the mark manifests.Did I make the right decision leavin
The upcoming scene is rated 18+ and involves blood and killings. Please skip it if you are uncomfortable. ~~~ I give the command, my voice tight. âVirus, take them now!â I growl. Cynthia moves fast, taking Sophie from Mom as she stirs. Angelâs eyes flash with protest, but I don't give her time to argue. I push her gently toward Virus. âGo. Now. I need you safe.â She hesitates, fingers brushing mine one last time, then follows Virus down the hall. My chest aches watching them disappear, but there's no time to waste. I step out of the mansion, Mom and Dad behind me. The moment the door closes behind us, Dad shifts into his huge black wolf, Mom shifting right after, her silver-gray wolf shaking out her coat, eyes bright and fierce. Gunshots and snarls fill everywhere, my men firing, trying to hold the rogues back as more leap over the high stone walls, eyes glowing with that wild hunger to destroy. I let the shift take over after years. It burns, familiar and raw, droppi
Cassian: ~~~ After cleaning Angel and laying her in bed, I join her, my body still thrumming from the heat of the night as I slide under the sheets and pull her against me. She's mine. Fully mine. She finally said the words I've been craving since I found her. Now, there is nowhere she can go where I won't find her. I look at my mark on her neck. She is human now, so it will take time for my seal to fully appear on her skin, but the bond is set. âMine,â I whisper against her skin. âYou are mine now, my fallen angel.â I press a soft kiss to her temple. âCassian. I will kill you if you betray me.â She mumbles in her sleep, and I smile, tightening my arm around her. âI won't, not in a thousand lifetimes.â ~~~ Morning comes too quickly. But Sophie waking us makes it pleasant. I smile at her innocent question, then panic when she asks if I hurt her mommy. But having her acknowledge me as her father feels like a blessing I never deserved. My family. My world. ~~~ Evening arriv
Melinda: A few days ago⊠~~~ âPack your things; we are leaving this damn house,â my brother says angrily, rubbing the spot where Cassian had hit him. I shake my head. âNo. I'm not leaving. Not after everything Cassian and I have been through together.â âBeen through? Don't be stupid, Mel; that loser clearly has no feelings for you. He didn't even care about Lucien when he kicked you out! Snap out of it already!â he growls, losing his patience. He's angry. What about me? I'm the one facing the collapse of my life. If Angela is truly alive, everything I have built these past years is in jeopardy. âYou leave with Beth if you want. I am staying. There is no way he will discard me and his son. Trust me.â âYou're coming with me, and that's final!â I lean back, a slow, cold smile spreading across my face. âOh yeah? What if you leave without me, or I tell Beth your little secret? You know the one.â His face pales. âMel, you wouldnât dare,â he says, and I raise a chall
I wake up from the sunlight peeking through the heavy velvet curtains of my bedroom. For the first time in five years, I wake up to the familiar, steady thrum of a heart beating against my back. Cassianâs arm is draped over my waist, his palm resting flat against my stomach as if even in sleep, he is ensuring I donât vanish again. I bite back a silly smile. I'm warm, I'm sore in all the right places, and I'm finally, truly home, where I belong. I move my hand to feel the spot where he marked me last night, but just then, the sound of small, frantic footsteps running down the hallway reaches my ears. My heart leaps into my throat. I know that gait. I know the rhythm of those tiny feet. The door bursts open with a definitive thud. âMommy? Mommy!â She looks at me with disbelief, longing. Before I can even sit up, a small, energetic weight launches itself onto the mattress. The bedsprings in protest as Sophie starts jumping, her pigtails flying wildly. âYay! I found my mommy!â I







