تسجيل الدخولMILLIE'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 POVThe flight landed in Barcelona just after noon, local time. Leo pressed his face against the airplane window, eyes wide."Mama, we're in Spain! This is where I was born!""That's right, mi cariño." I unbuckled him as the plane taxied to the gate. "Do you remember anything about it?"He scrunched up his face, thinking. "I remember... It was sunny. And you were sad a lot. But you sang to me at night."My throat tightened. He'd only been three when we fled back to the States. I didn't think he'd remember anything."Well," Braham said, ruffling Leo's hair, "this time your mama won't be sad. We're all together."We collected our luggage and picked up the rental car—a large SUV to fit all five of us. Braham drove while I navigated, my hands trembling slightly as I recognized landmarks I'd tried to forget."Where are we staying?" Callie asked from the back seat."A hotel near... near where Leo and I used to live." I glanced at Braham. "I thought maybe before we go to the pack to
MILLIE'S POVThree days after the interrogation, I made my decision."I want to go to Spain," I told Braham. "Before the ceremony. Before they set a date."He looked up from the reports Will had sent over. "To find your mother's family?""Yes. But not just because I want to meet them." I sat down across from him. "Because it's the smart move politically."That got his attention. "Explain.""The Council said I need to prove I understand what it means to be pack. That I need to learn your ways, earn respect, show I belong." I pulled out my mother's letter. "How do I do that better than by going to my mother's pack? Meeting my grandfather? Claiming the heritage that everyone says I'm too human to understand?"Braham nodded slowly. "It would show initiative. Respect for tradition.""More than that. If my family accepts me—if the Silverpine Ridge pack acknowledges me—then I come back with their blessing. Their endorsement." I leaned forward. "I'm not just some random hybrid who married the
BRAHAM'S POVWe intentionally chose to ignore the media or whatever anyone had to say about the celebration of our son’s birthday so we didn’t open our laptops or phones to check anything that’d ruin the mood. People’s opinions about us were nothing close to the least of our problems. Millie sat on the edge of our bed, staring at the marriage contract we'd shown the Council. The document that proved her mother had honored pack traditions even while marrying a human. "I've been thinking," she said quietly. "About my mother's family. The Silverpine Ridge pack in Spain."I sat beside her. "What about them?""I need to decide something." She looked at me. "Do I try to find them first? Go to Spain, introduce myself, try to reconnect with the family my mother left behind? Or do we focus on the mating ceremony first, make me officially recognized as your mate, and deal with Spain later?""What do you want to do?""I don't know." She folded the document carefully. "Part of me wants to meet
ROY HUNTER'S POVI scrolled through the social media posts on my laptop, a satisfied smirk spreading across my face. Video after video from Leo's birthday party—the bounce house, the dragon cake, Millie laughing with other parents while children ran around.And beneath every video, the comments were vicious."Her sister is barely alive in a hospital and she's throwing parties?""That poor baby Martha had was born premature because of HER. And she's celebrating?""Werewolf or not, she has no heart.""This is why humans shouldn't be allowed in pack leadership. No sense of loyalty or family.""They're eating her alive," I said, turning the laptop so Vivian could see from where she sat across my desk.She leaned forward, reading. "Good. The more they hate her, the harder it'll be for her to integrate into pack structure.""Exactly." I closed the laptop. "The wedding during Martha's coma was a gift. Now the birthday party while Martha's recovering? Perfect optics."Vivian was quiet for a m
MILLIE'S POVLeo woke us up at exactly 6:47 AM on February 2nd, his birthday, by jumping on our bed and shouting at the top of his lungs."I'M FOUR! I'M FOUR YEARS OLD TODAY!"I groaned, pulling a pillow over my head. Braham laughed, catching Leo mid-bounce and pulling him into a hug."Happy birthday, buddy.""You promised dragons!" Leo wiggled free, his energy already at maximum despite the early hour. "And a bounce house! And a cake that looks like a dragon! You promised!""We did promise," I said, sitting up and pulling him into my lap. "And we're keeping that promise. Everything you asked for.""And you're married now! You got married like I asked!" He beamed. "This is the best birthday ever and it just started!"Braham and I exchanged glances over his head. We hadn't told him about the pack meeting, about the traditional ceremony we'd need to complete. To Leo, his birthday wish had come true—his parents were married, and that was all that mattered."Come on," I said, tickling him
MILLIE'S POVWill approached us as we stood. "Millie? Are you okay?""I don't know," I said honestly. My voice sounded strange to my own ears—distant, disconnected. "I don't know what I'm supposed to feel right now.""There's no 'supposed to,'" he said gently. "Whatever you're feeling is valid. Thi
MILLIE'S POVThe courthouse steps seemed steeper than I remembered.Braham's hand was warm and steady in mine as we climbed them. Callie walked on my other side, her presence a silent comfort."You don't have to do this," Braham said for the third time this morning. "You can still walk away. Read t
RENAN'S POVI stared at my laptop screen, tabs open to five different jewelry websites, three proposal planning blogs, and a YouTube video titled "How to Propose: Expert Tips."This should not be this complicated.I'd fought in territorial disputes. I'd negotiated peace between hostile packs. I'd m
ROY’s POVThe drive home from the Council building was silent as death.I sat in the back seat of my father's car, Vivian beside me staring out the window with tears streaming down her face. Our father drove, his hands gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles were white.No one spoke. No one dare







