“As long as you’re with me, we’ll face this together,” Jared said, his voice steady but fierce. “You’re the one I love, Georgia. Not Seraphina. That part of my past is dead.”Georgia hesitated, eyes dropping to the floor. “But…”“No buts,” Jared interrupted, gently lifting her chin so she met his gaze. “Don’t forget, I’m still the Alpha. And when it comes to us, I decide what stays, and what doesn’t.”A flicker of defiance flashed in her eyes, but she only nodded. “Alright… if you say so.”She stepped back, her voice softening. “I should get going. There are chores I’ve been assigned, and I don’t want more trouble.”Jared let her hand slip from his. “Fine. But Georgia, look at me.”She paused at the door, turning halfway.“I meant every word,” he said. “And if anyone dares question my loyalty to you, they’ll answer to me.”Her lips curled into the smallest smile. “We’ll see if you still mean that when Seraphina starts playing games again.”She left before he could respond, leaving him
I’m home! Who missed me?” Georgia called out as she stepped out of the car, her voice light with forced cheer, but her eyes scanning the surroundings with a quiet longing.The breeze welcomed her instantly, warm and gentle, brushing against her skin like a familiar hug. The scent of wildflowers, fresh earth, and sun-warmed grass swirled around her as she stood still for a moment, breathing it all in.She closed her eyes briefly, letting the moment sink in.It had been so long, too long, since she’d felt anything close to peace. No deadlines. No Jared. No Seraphina. No pretending to be fine.Just this place.The countryside looked just as she remembered it. The winding road, the small wooden gate, and the rose-wrapped cottage just ahead, glowing under the lazy afternoon sun. The gravel shifted softly beneath her feet as she took a slow step forward, her heart beating a strange rhythm in her chest.“I missed you too,” she whispered under her breath, even though no one had answered her y
Chapter 44 It was a brown new day, Georgia sat up slowly, the scent of warm pancakes and something sweet, maybe syrup or cinnamon, drifting through the cracked door. Laughter echoed faintly from the kitchen below. The triplets. Their giggles had always been the best alarm clock.Georgia pulled the blanket tighter around herself and let her eyes wander across the room. A photo of her pregnant self with Anna, both of them in oversized hats, smiled from a dusty frame on the dresser. Her throat tightened. So much had changed. She got dressed slowly, slipping into a soft cardigan and jeans, brushing her fingers against the dresser’s edge like she was gathering strength from every memory carved into the wood.Downstairs was loud. Beautifully, wonderfully loud. “Mom! Mom! I made you toast but I licked the butter first!” Kelsey announced, proudly holding up a half-eaten slice. “You what?” Georgia gasped, laughing as she caught the toast and pulled her daughter into a hug. Kelvin sat
Georgia felt it before her phone even rang.That flutter in her chest. That ache she couldn't quite name.When Jared’s name lit up her screen, her breath caught, not from fear this time, but from something deeper. A pull she didn’t want to resist anymore.She stepped out onto the porch and answered, her voice soft and breathy, almost like a confession. “Hey.”Jared’s voice poured through the line like warm honey. “Hey, baby. You okay?”God, how could three words sound like a warm embrace?“I’m… getting there,” she said quietly. “It’s been a long day.”There was a pause on the line. The kind that said more than words ever could.“Didn’t want to push,” Jared finally said. “Just needed to hear your voice.”The way he said it, low, reverent, almost worshipful, made her heartache most beautifully.“You miss me?” she asked, leaning against the porch railing, eyes closed.“More than I should,” he replied without hesitation. “More than I know how to hide.”Her lips parted, a soft breath e
"Oh no, you can’t come with me," Georgia said firmly, kneeling in front of the triplets as they stood in their pajamas, eyes wide with hope. "Your mommy is working as a maid in the palace. It’s not a place for kids to run around.""But why not?" Keira’s voice cracked. "We’ll be good. We won’t make noise. We just want to see where you go.""Yeah," Kelvin added, clutching the hem of her coat. "You said we’re a pack. Packs stay together."Georgia sighed, brushing Kelsey’s curls from her eyes. "You are my pack. But this isn’t a fun visit. It’s work. And it’s dangerous. There are people in that palace who wouldn’t think twice about hurting someone like you.""Someone like us?" Kelsey whispered, her bottom lip trembling.Georgia felt her heart twist. "Someone without power. Without protection. I need you to stay here, be safe. Please, for me.""When can we come?" Keira asked, blinking fast to stop the tears."Soon," Georgia promised. "Next time I visit, if things are safer… I’ll bring you w
Chapter 47"Mommy!" Keira's cry sliced through the stillness of the night.She stumbled through the winding paths of the palace garden, her small hands clutching at the bushes as if they'd lead her home. Tears blurred her vision, hot streaks running down her face as she choked on sobs."Kelvin! Kelsey!" she cried louder, voice cracking. "Where are you?!"She had run. Her little heart couldn't take the shouting, the fear, the way Caleb's voice boomed and echoed like thunder. She just wanted to hide. She didn't mean to leave her brothers behind. She didn't mean to get lost.Now, everything around her was dark and strange. The flowers didn’t smell like the ones at home. The garden paths were too neat, too long, too cold.Her knees gave out as she collapsed beside a marble fountain, curling in on herself and wrapping her arms around her legs. She rocked gently, trying to steady her breathing."Mommy…" she whispered, broken. "Please find me..."A soft rustle. Footsteps. Calm, slow, sure.J
“Keira! Kelvin! Kelsey!”Georgia’s voice cracked against the night air as she ran through the stone-paved paths of the grand palace garden, her bare feet slapping against the cold ground. Her heart thundered in her chest as her eyes darted in every direction.“Babies, where are you?!”Her breath was shaky, fogging in front of her in the cool breeze. Moonlight danced on the leaves, but it offered no comfort. Every shadow made her chest tighten. Every silence made her ears ring louder.She pushed through hedges, not caring about the scratches on her arms. The palace guards had told her they last saw the children near the back entrance, but there was no trace of them. Not a sound. Not even the rustle of tiny feet.Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she blinked them back.You can’t cry now. You have to find them.They’re just kids... your babies.“I shouldn’t have brought them here…” she whispered to herself, her voice laced with guilt. “They don’t deserve this... not to be shouted at like th
Chapter 49The garden was quiet. Too quiet. Only the soft rustle of leaves and the sniffles of the children broke the silence. Georgia clutched Keira tightly, her chest rising and falling fast. Jared stood a few feet away, his eyes still fixed on the little girl who had clung to him moments ago. Something in his gaze… something deep and unreadable.Keira tugged at Georgia’s sleeve. “Mommy… is he mad?”Georgia looked down quickly. “No, baby. No one’s mad.”Kelsey looked up from hugging his sister. “He looks mad.”Jared blinked, finally stepping forward. “I’m not mad,” he said, kneeling slowly so he was level with them. “I just… didn’t know.”Georgia swallowed hard. “Jared…”He looked up at her. “They’re yours?”She hesitated… then nodded, whispering, “Yes. They’re mine.”All three children looked between them, confused but quiet.Jared’s brows drew together. “All three?”“Yes,” she whispered. “Triplets.”Jared stood a few paces away, his gaze fixed on the family before him. His
All that happened last night felt like a dream… or maybe a nightmare. Jared jolted awake, his heart pounding as he noticed the empty space beside him. Georgia wasn’t there. His eyes darted around the room, the reality of the morning crashing in. She was gone.“No,” Jared muttered under his breath, his mind racing. How could she leave after everything that had happened? After all the promises, after all the pain he’d fought through to get here, to get them back together? The silence felt suffocating.His body froze, a sudden noise breaking through the stillness. He could hear something, footsteps, soft whispers. And then a child’s laugh.Jared’s heart skipped a beat as he recognized the voices. Georgia. The kids.Without thinking, he sprang from the bed, his muscles still stiff from the battle the night before. He quickly moved toward the source of the sounds, his bare feet making almost no noise on the cold wooden floor.“Why?” Georgia’s voice was low, almost trembling with disbelief,
Thought for 5 seconds“Mum… who are you talking to?” Keira’s small voice trembled in the heavy silence as she stood in the doorway, her blue eyes wide with curiosity and fear.Georgia’s breath caught. She swung around, her wolf‑sense snapping back into place. Before her, in the dim glow of the cabin, stood not only Jared but two more children: Kelsey, clutching a ragged stuffed fox to her chest, and Kelvin, arms folded, eyes fierce with hurt.“Keira,” Georgia whispered as if the name itself were fragile. She turned fully, heart pounding. “This is…” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard. Then she squared her shoulders. “Kids, this is Jared.”Kelsey’s grip on her fox loosened as she peered at Jared. “Daddy?” she asked, hope and confusion warring in her tone.Kelvin’s scowl deepened. “You made Mum cry,” he accused, voice low but shaking with anger.Jared’s chest tightened. He knelt slowly, placing his coat gently on a nearby chair before rising again. “Kelvin,” he said, voice soft. “
Jared had made his decision, he would go see them, no matter the storm waiting for him. His wolf paced inside him, restless, agitated. It had been too long. The bond he once tried to bury now clawed at his chest, demanding resolution.He summoned Caleb with a low growl in his tone. “You’re in charge of the pack until I return. No one disturbs me unless it’s war.”Caleb gave a firm nod, sensing the shift in Jared’s aura, the Alpha was on edge.By the time Jared reached Georgia’s territory, the moon had begun to rise, casting silver light over the forest path. Her scent hit him first, wildflowers mixed with fury. It tightened something deep in his core.He stepped out of the vehicle and barely took two steps before the door to her cabin burst open. Georgia stood there, her posture rigid, eyes glowing faintly gold. Her wolf was close to the surface.What are you doing? Here? I never asked you to come “You think you’re the only one who’s been hurt?” she spat, voice low and trembling with
Jared woke up before dawn, the faint light of morning creeping through the cracks in the windows. He couldn’t shake the feeling of her touch on his shoulder the night before, the way she had looked at him, her voice both soft and firm, a promise wrapped in uncertainty. It’s not forgiveness, Jared. Not yet. But you’re here. You’re not gone anymore.He had never felt a glimmer of hope so fragile yet so powerful.When he left Georgia's home, the weight of his past still hung heavy around his neck, but it was lighter than before. He wasn’t sure if it was her quiet acceptance of his presence or the faintest hint of something more in her eyes, but it was enough. It was a thread he could grasp onto.The sun hadn't yet fully risen, and Georgia’s village was still asleep when he saddled his horse. Her words echoed in his mind: “Don’t get too comfortable. I haven’t forgiven you.”But that was okay. He hadn’t expected forgiveness. He never had. Not immediately, at least. All he wanted was the c
"She’d heard it all, his broken vow whispered into the shadows, his desperate promise to bring Georgia back. Her heart leaped at the mention of her favorite lady, but doubt clawed at her chest. Could words fix what betrayal shattered? Could a king truly undo the past? Swallowing her nerves, she stepped into the flickering torchlight, ready to face him.""Do you think words will be enough? That she’ll just forgive you because you finally grew a spine and remembered you have a family?"The voice came from behind him. Sharp. Unexpectedly.Jared turned, his body tense, his hand instinctively brushing the hilt of his dagger. But it wasn’t an enemy.It was Mara, one of the palace maidens. Young, barely past twenty, but known for her sharp tongue and loyalty to Georgia. Her brown eyes held a storm he hadn’t expected."You were listening," he said quietly, not as a question, but a statement."The whole palace heard your voice, my Lord," she said. "Maybe you were trying to make sure we did."H
“Let’s take a break? No, Serafina, I'm done.”Jared's voice was cold, each word slicing through the thick silence like a blade. “You’re exhausted… pathetic.”Serafina froze.“What?!” Her voice cracked like lightning splitting the sky.She stormed toward him, fury burning in her eyes. “Are you being serious right now, Jared?”“You’re not listening to me, Serafina! You never listen!” he snapped, fists clenched at his sides.Her lips curled. “Oh, I’m listening now. I’m listening to the man who once swore I was his destiny suddenly acting like I’m the burden. How convenient.”“I heard you,” Jared said, voice low and hard. “But this... whatever this has become between us, it’s toxic. It’s done. It should’ve ended a long time ago.”The silence that followed wasn’t calm.It was the kind of silence that came before something exploded.Serafina took a slow step back, her chest rising and falling. “You think you can walk away from me? After everything? After me?”“Yes,” he said simply, stepping
"She’s unfit for her role, you know," the maid whispered, her voice sharp as broken glass. As they gossip about serafina.Serafina froze behind the corner, her fists tightening until her nails carved red moons into her palms."Mad," another murmured. "Dangerous."Their words swirled through the stone halls like smoke, curling around her throat, choking her.She should step forward.She should slap the girl so hard her descendants would feel it.Her body trembled with the urge, raw, hot, violent, but she didn’t move.Not because she couldn’t.Because they weren’t worth it.Serafina turned on her heel, her boots clicking sharply on the marble. She didn’t look back, didn’t let them see the wildfire rising in her chest. She marched past them like they were less than dirt.Her face, cold as winter.But inside?Inside, she was crumbling, screaming, clawing at the walls of her own ribs.They dared.They dared.She shoved through the palace doors and into the open courtyard, the evening sky b
"Do it clean," Serafina said coldly, her eyes never leaving the horizon. "Yes, my Lady," Kae murmured, already melting into the shadows like smoke.She stood there for a long moment, fists still trembling, feeling the sting of broken skin and broken trust. The air was thick, hot, like it could swallow her whole.She turned, cloak swirling, and stalked back through the palace gates. The guards didn’t dare meet her gaze.Good. Fear was easier to command than loyalty.Each step she took echoed loudly, bouncing off the cold marble walls. She didn't slow down. She didn’t look back. Her blood pounded in her ears, louder than the roaring whispers of servants scrambling to get out of her way.She didn’t care.She didn’t care about their looks, their mutterings, their prayers.She had a storm inside her chest, and it needed somewhere to go.By the time she reached her quarters, Serafina was breathing hard, her chest heaving. She threw the heavy doors open and let them slam behind her.Sile
"Where is he?" Serafina’s voice sliced through the humid morning air like a blade. No one answered. The soldiers in the training yard froze mid-swing, the clang of steel against steel dying in the tension. A few exchanged glances, daring each other to speak. She stormed forward, barefoot still, blood dried around her knuckles, her once-glorious nightgown hidden now under a dark cloak she had grabbed from her closet. Her hair was wild, her eyes two burning embers that promised nothing but ruin. "I said—" she roared, fists clenched at her sides, "WHERE IS HE?!"A young squire, no older than fifteen, pointed a trembling finger toward the center of the field.Caleb.He stood with a training sword in hand, mid-spar with another knight. His back was to her, unaware of the storm about to crash into him.Serafina didn't walk to him. She charged."CALEB!" she screamed, her voice cracking the air like thunder. The boy turned, confused, then his eyes widened in horror.It was too lat