LOGINPeggy pressed the glowing coin into the Warden's palm.The figure—tall, shrouded, neither male nor female—examined it, then, without a word, they stepped aside.A door appeared where there had been nothing.Peggy walked through.***Killian's Living RoomThe atmosphere was heavy with grief.Katherine sat rigid in her chair, her face carefully controlled. Kael slouched on the couch, another glass of whiskey in his hand, his eyes red-rimmed but dry. Killian stood by the window, staring out at nothing. Annie perched on the arm of the couch, her hand resting gently on Dante's shoulder.Dante sat with his head buried in his hands, elbows on his knees, completely still.Not crying.Just... broken.Annie's voice was soft when she spoke. "I'm so sorry, Dante. I'm so, so sorry for your loss. Peggy was—she was incredible. And I know that doesn't help, but—""It's such a tragic thing," Katherine said quietly. "She had great potential. She could have been one of the most powerful witches of her g
Dante's hands moved to the hem of Peggy's shirt, and she didn't stop him. He lifted it carefully, his fingers trembling, needing to see for himself—needing to know if it was real.The incoming death mark on her back had always been there. But now it was red.Bright, angry red, like her veins had been filled with fire instead of blood.Dante's breath left him in one sharp exhale."I thought I was ready," Peggy whispered, her voice breaking. "I thought I'd accepted it. I thought I could face death with dignity, with peace. But now that it's really happening—" A sob tore from her throat. "I can't. I can't, Dante. I don't want to die.""Peggy—""It's not fair." Her voice rose, desperate and furious and heartbroken all at once. "It's not fair. I'm twenty-six years old. I should have decades left. I should get to live. I should get to have a future. Have kids. I'm a good person, Dante." She inhaled through the tears. "Why do i get to die so soo, and a monsters like Belarie are left to walk
Jeffrey moved closer to Annie, and before anyone could react, he reached out and took her hand. Killian’s entire body went rigid. He stepped forward— “It’s okay.” Annie’s voice was quiet but firm. She didn’t pull away. She just looked at Jeffrey, and something inside her… knew. She couldn’t explain it. Couldn’t rationalize it. But looking into this boy’s eyes felt like staring into a mirror that showed her the future instead of the present. This was her son. “Don’t let him come close,” Kael said sharply, his hand moving toward his weapon. “We don’t know if that’s true. This could be one of Belarie’s tricks. We don’t know what he is—” “I know,” Annie said, her voice steady with absolute certainty. “I don’t know how I know. But I do.” She looked up at Jeffrey, tears filling her eyes. “I don’t understand… How are you here? So tall and… grown? I just had you days ago. You’re a baby. How are you standing here telling me you’re from the future?” “Wait.” Killian’s voice cut through
Belarie stood transfixed, watching the fire robot cradle Jeffrey with a gentleness that shouldn't have been possible. The baby's tiny hand rested against the robot's glowing chest, and he was calm—peaceful in a way he hadn't been with anyone else.Belarie's mind was swirling, melting, fragmenting into pieces he couldn't quite fit back together.Five hundred years of planning. Of singular, obsessive purpose.And now—Now, he couldn't even hold a knife steady.He raised his hand, and fire spiralled from his palm, forming a portal that burned bright against the stone walls. Without a word, he grabbed the terrified hospital worker by the arm and shoved her through it.She stumbled into wherever the portal led—probably back to the hospital, back to her own baby—and the portal snapped shut behind her.Onika's eyes searched his face, trying to read what he was thinking and what he was planning."What are you going to do with him?""Stop looking at me like that," Belarie said, his voice rough
Belarie's grip on Onika's wrist was iron. His eyes bored into hers with an intensity that made her breath catch."There's more work to be done," he said softly."Let me go." Onika tried to pull away, but his fingers didn't budge. "You have the baby. Our deal is done. Let me—""Look at me."The compulsion slammed into her again. Her eyes snapped to his against her will, her body going rigid.Belarie's voice dropped to that terrible, silken tone she remembered from the balcony. "You will stay in this monastery. You will not leave. You will not do anything. You will remain until I say otherwise. Do you understand?""Yes—" The word choked out in her throat.The compulsion settled over her like chains she couldn't see but could feel in every cell of her body.Belarie released her wrist.Onika stumbled backwards, her hands flying to her throat even though there was nothing there. She tried to take a step toward the door—her body simply wouldn't obey. She could move around the space and coul
Killian stood frozen on the highway, trying to process what Dante had just told him.Onika took your son.The words didn't make sense. They couldn't. Onika—loyal, fierce, protective Onika—had taken Jeffrey the moment Annie gave birth and delivered him straight to Belarie.But there was no time.No time to rage, no time to break, no time to let the hybrid fury building in his chest explode into the violence it wanted to become.Annie was still bleeding out miles away, and she needed Katherine's healing spell. "Mom, get in the car." Killian's voice was flat, controlled—the kind of control that comes right before something shatters. He turned to Katherine. "Now."Katherine didn't argue. She slid into the passenger seat of Candice's car, and Killian was behind the wheel before she even closed the door.The engine roared.And they were gone.The remaining group stood scattered across the highway like survivors of a shipwreck—Kael, Dante, Candice, Darius, Eloise, Lady Eden, and Lady Eliana
Doctor Owen's Fertility Hospital was having one of those quiet and normal mornings until the front doors flew open so hard the glass broke with a very loud bang.Five men with guns burst in fast. Their faces looked angry and tight. They pointed the guns from one person to another and the people wer
Alpha and his brother's convoy rolled to a stop in front of a fried chicken restaurant. The front signboard read ‘Peg & Pam Fried Chicken House’Their car engines roared. They slammed the car doors as they climbed out of the car.Alpha stood in the middle, Kael and Dante stood beside him, Onika st
Dante blinked twice, leaned back on his chair, and chuckled. That Kind of chuckle that said I've been waiting my whole life for this kind of drama. “Yeah, I know she's carrying your child but can we go back to the part where you said she's your woman?”Kael cut in “Dante you knew about this? How lo
Annie felt her breath lock in her chest. She didn’t move away. She didn’t even blink.For a heartbeat, their noses almost touched.Then and right there Alpha stopped himself. His jaw tightened—while he tried to control himself. He pulled back slowly and deliberately as if he was fighting himself.







