LOGINROY HUNTER’S POV"They've been gone for days," Vivian said, her pacing more frantic than usual. The sharp click of her heels against my office floorboards sounded like a countdown I didn't want to hear. "No ceremony date announced. No public appearances. The Alpha King just... vanished with his mate and half his inner circle. Does he really think he can just put the entire Pack Council on hold while he plays tourist?""Not vanished. Traveling." I leaned back in my leather chair, staring at the map pinned to my wall. I preferred the term maneuvering. Braham Gothan didn't do anything without a tactical purpose. "Will Reid's office filed a formal notice with the High Council stating that Millie-Rose Harvey-Gothan needed to 'attend to family matters' before the ceremony could proceed. It’s a legal stalling tactic, but a valid one under the Old Laws.""What family matters?" Vivian stopped, her hands on her hips, her eyes flashing with that familiar, sharp irritation. "Her father's in a
MILLIE'S POVTwo days later, Vicente called us together after breakfast."He decidido," (I have decided,) he announced, "que iré a Estados Unidos contigo." (that I will go to America with you.) He looked at me. "Para presentarte formalmente a la manada de tu compañero. Para darles mi bendición como tu abuelo y como Beta de Silverpine Ridge." (To formally present you to your mate's pack. To give them my blessing as your grandfather and as Beta of Silverpine Ridge.)My heart leapt. "¿De verdad?" (Really?)"De verdad. Y traeré ancianos de la familia. Representación adecuada." (Really. And I will bring family elders. Proper representation.) He smiled. "No puedes enfrentarte a ese Consejo sola. Eres Oslo. Vienes con tu manada detrás de ti." (You cannot face that Council alone. You are Oslo. You come with your pack behind you.)"Cuando?" (When?) Braham asked."Mañana. Reservaremos vuelos hoy." (Tomorrow. We will book flights today.) Vicente looked at his wife. "Millie se quedará aquí para
MILLIE'S POVMy grandmother—Abuela Millie, as she insisted I call her—didn't let go of my hand for the rest of that first day.She led me through the pack house, showing me everything. "Esta era la habitación de tu madre." (This was your mother's room.) She opened a door to reveal a not-so-big bedroom, preserved exactly as Juana had left it twenty-eight years ago. A bed with a handmade quilt. Books in Spanish and English on shelves. A hairbrush still sitting on a dresser."She love to read," grandma said, switching to heavily accented English for my benefit. "Siempre con un libro. Incluso cuando se suponía que debía estar entrenando o ayudando con las tareas del paquete, la encontrábamos en un árbol en algún lugar, leyendo". (Always with a book. Even when she was supposed to be training or helping with pack duties, we would find her in a tree somewhere, reading.)I picked up one of the books—a worn copy of poetry. LA HISTORIA DE UNA CHICA VAGABUNDA. (THE TALE OF A WANDERING GIRL.) My
MILLIE'S POVBeside him sat a woman with silver hair pulled back in a braid, her hand gripping the arm of her chair so tightly her knuckles were white. Her eyes—the same shape as my mother's, the same shape as mine—were already filled with tears.My grandmother."Abuelo," (Grandfather,) I said, my voice trembling. "Soy Millie-Rose. La hija de Juana." (I'm Millie-Rose. Juana's daughter.)For a long moment, no one moved. No one breathed.Then my grandmother made a sound—something between a sob and a gasp—and stood so quickly her chair scraped against the floor."¿Juana?" (Juana?) she whispered, taking a step forward. "No, no... eres su hija. Eres..." (No, no... you're her daughter. You are...) She pressed her hand to her mouth, tears streaming down her face. "Eres nuestra nieta." (You are our granddaughter.)"Sí, abuela." (Yes, grandmother.) My own tears started falling. "Vine. Finalmente vine." (I came. I finally came.)Vicente stood slowly, his movements deliberate. His voice was roug
MILLIE'S POVThe man standing before me had my mother's eyes—the same gray-green that I saw in the mirror every day. For a moment, I thought this was him. My grandfather. The man my mother had loved and left.But then he spoke again, and I realized my mistake."Soy Mateo, Gran Centinela de Silverpine Ridge." (I am Mateo, Grand Sentinel of Silverpine Ridge.) He inclined his head respectfully. "Tienes la cara de tu madre. Te habría reconocido en cualquier lugar." (You have your mother's face. I would have recognized you anywhere.)"¿La conocías?" (You knew her?) My voice came out barely above a whisper."Todo el mundo conocía a Juana Oslo. Ella era la hija del Beta, amada por la manada. Se suponía que se casaría con el hijo del Alfa, pero..." (Everyone knew Juana Oslo. She was the Beta's daughter, beloved by the pack. She was supposed to marry the Alpha's son, but...) His expression softened. "Nos afligió cuando se fue.” (We grieved when she left.)"Juana?" I blinked. "My mother's name
MILLIE'S POVI couldn't sleep that night. I kept thinking about the woman I'd been here—alone, terrified, barely surviving. And the woman I was now—not as scared, and surrounded by people who loved me. Still fighting, but not alone anymore.Around 2 AM, I gave up and stepped out onto the small balcony. The city lights twinkled below, peaceful and quiet."Can't sleep either?" Braham's voice came from behind me.I turned to find him in the doorway, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. "Too nervous."He joined me on the balcony, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "You know what I keep thinking about?""What?""That Leo remembers this place. Remembers you bringing him to the park, buying him bread, keeping him safe when you had nothing." He rested his chin on my shoulder. "He remembers you being his whole world. And tomorrow, he gets to see you claim your heritage. Show him that his mother comes from strength and legacy and family.""What if I fail?""Then you fail trying. Which is bet
MILLIE'S POVI should have pulled away.Should have put distance between us after that kiss, should have retreated to the guest room and pretended my entire body wasn't still humming from his touch.Instead, I stood there in his living room, my fingers still twisted in his shirt, staring up at him
ALPHA BRAHAM'S POVAfter breakfast, which I'd cooked while Millie watched like she couldn't quite believe an Alpha knew his way around a stove, Leo disappeared upstairs and came back with paper and colored pencils."The dragon!" he announced, spreading everything on the coffee table.We gathered ar
ALPHA BRAHAM'S POVConvincing Millie to leave her mother's house had been war.She'd stood in that living room yesterday evening, arms crossed, jaw set, looking every bit like the woman who'd faced down a mob of reporters without flinching."I'll be fine," she'd said, voice steady. "I've been handl
MILLIE'S POVThe moment I stepped outside, the world erupted. Camera flashes sparked against my skin. Voices collided into a wall of noise; shouting my name, shouting questions, shouting accusations. The air was thick with heat and dust, carrying the sharp scent of trampled grass and too many bod







