LOGINCiara's POV“You feel it too, don't you?”Valerio's voice was low, almost demanding, and his fingers remained wrapped around my wrist while he stared directly into my eyes. The golden glow in them had become so intense that I could barely recognize the normally calm man sitting before me. I tried looking away, but something inside my chest tightened whenever our eyes met, and the frightening part was that I didn't entirely want him to release me.What the hell was happening to me?“Valerio, take your hand off her.”Dax's voice was dangerously quiet. Before I could react, he caught my other hand and firmly separated my wrist from his brother's grip, pulling me against his chest. His golden-red current immediately surrounded us, and I felt his wolf stirring violently beneath his skin.“Mine,” he growled, his arm tightening around my waist. “She's mine, Valerio.”But Valerio wasn't even looking at him.His eyes followed me as Dax pulled me farther away, and the intensity of his gaze made
Ciara's POV“Are you sure that's necessary? Because I'm starting to think you people enjoy examining me.”The healer examining my stomach gave me a patient smile while adjusting his hand over the spot where my baby had been kicking for the past few minutes. It was barely morning, and I'd already answered more questions about my body than any woman should have to answer before breakfast.“Madam, we need to make sure your current and the baby's are stable before delivery.” the healer said calmly “They were stable five minutes ago.”“And we'd like to keep them that way,” Dax replied from beside me, earning himself an irritated look.He was sitting close enough to reach me whenever I needed him, and although he'd been behaving himself so far, I could tell he was paying attention to every little movement I made. Inara, on the other hand, had somehow managed to make the examination even more entertaining by insisting that the healers check whether my baby was getting enough rest.“Because
Dax's POVThe abandoned guard station was exactly where Ayla said it would be, near Shadowfen's outer boundary, far enough from the main estate that Lance could remain unnoticed unless someone knew where to look. I had expected him to flee beyond our territory after everything that happened, but apparently, my Beta still had enough respect for Shadowfen not to abandon it completely.That didn't make what he had done any easier to accept.I found him inside one of the old rooms, sitting beside a table with his head lowered. He must have sensed my approach because he was already standing when I entered, and the moment our eyes met, his entire expression changed. For a few seconds, neither of us said anything. Then Lance lowered himself into a deep, respectful bow."Alpha."I stared at him. It was the same greeting he had given me countless times, that same respect he'd shown even when we disagreed over important matters, yet hearing it now irritated me more than I expected."So you stil
Dax's POVI found Ayla in her laboratory, exactly where I expected her to be. It was already late, but several lights were still on, and she was sitting behind her desk with her attention fixed on the documents spread before her. She didn't bother looking up when I entered, although the slight pause in her movements told me she knew who had arrived.“If you're here to lecture me about sleeping, save it, Dax. I've survived centuries without someone reminding me what a bed is.”“Where's Lance?”Her hand stopped moving, and after a few seconds, she slowly leaned back in her chair.“Well, good evening to you too, dear brother.” She finally looked at me, studying my expression before releasing a tired sigh. “I wondered how long it would take you to come asking.”“Then you already know why I'm here.” I approached her desk, stopping directly across from her. “And I'd appreciate it if you didn't waste my time.”Ayla raised an eyebrow. “Someone's in a wonderful mood. How's Ciara?”I didn't wan
Dax's POV By the time our jet landed in Shadowfen, Ciara had fallen asleep again, although she woke almost immediately when I tried to help her from her seat. She insisted she was perfectly capable of walking, and judging by the look she gave me when I offered to carry her, I decided it was probably wiser not to suggest it a second time. I still kept an arm around her as we made our way out, though. Her stomach was getting heavier, and with the baby becoming more active lately, I wasn't particularly comfortable letting her move around without someone nearby. Shadowfen looked much the same as when we'd left. The estate was familiar, the guards were at their usual positions, and the atmosphere seemed almost peaceful compared to everything we'd experienced in the human realm. Ciara looked around quietly as we entered, and I noticed the small smile that appeared on her face. "Feels like we haven't been here in forever," she murmured. "A lot has happened." "That's putting it mildly."
Ciara's POVI had promised myself I would get some rest during our flight to Shadowfen, but that promise hadn't lasted very long. My laptop was already open, and I was halfway through another report concerning the Dagon empire while Dax quietly massaged my swollen feet, which were resting across his lap. He'd been doing this so often throughout my pregnancy that I barely needed to ask anymore, and honestly, with how heavy my body had become lately, I appreciated every bit of it.I leaned back against the cushions, enjoying the relief his fingers brought while trying to concentrate on the figures on my screen. Unfortunately, the little troublemaker inside me had other plans, because every time I adjusted my position, another kick seemed to follow. At this point, I was beginning to wonder whether my baby was simply impatient to come out or had already inherited Dax's habit of interrupting me whenever I was busy.I shifted slightly against the cushions again, trying to concentrate on the







