LOGINCorie POV:The moon was just beginning to rise, casting a soft glow over the lawn.The charcoal in the grill crackled to life, sending a smoky aroma curling into the cool evening air.At the makeshift barbecue site we had set up, everyone was busy, laughter drifting through the dusk.I arranged the freshly washed vegetables neatly onto plates while Jace hauled a heavy wooden keg of ale.Evelyn stepped up, handing a massive platter of seasoned meat to Ryan."You're amazing! I can't believe you got the fire going so fast," she gushed, her voice practically dripping with exaggeration. "Every time I try, my eyes burn from the smoke and the charcoal won't even catch."Ryan gave a subtle smile, taking the platter and laying the thick cuts of meat across the rack one by one."Well, naturally," Jace chimed in cheerfully. "We—uh, I mean, I do barbecues all the time."Ryan shot him a swift look.Jace just offered a knowing wink in return.They had truly become good friends, much like Evelyn and
Ryan POV:And just like that, my life in the village began—My very first taste of an existence where I didn't have to stay coiled tight like a loaded spring twenty-four hours a day.Every morning, I woke up at the first light of dawn to train.By the time I wrapped up my session, it was perfect timing to whip up a simple breakfast for Corie.I’d watch her finish every bite, then see her off at the door.In this village, I wasn't the Alpha's son.Nobody gossiped about how I failed to take first place in the combat tournaments.Nobody pitted me against Lucian, comparing us blow for blow.And my father wasn't sitting in his study, dismissing my reports with a scowl, calling me reckless and short-sighted.I was just an ordinary guy.All I had to do was live my quiet little life, and love one woman.Corie never asked where I came from or where I was going.And I never pried into her past either.We both guarded a tacit understanding, treasuring the fleeting present we held in our hands.~
Ryan POV:I signed the lease that very day. The cottage sat just down the path from Corie’s—far bigger than her tiny space.It was perfect. I could crash at her place, or she could stay at mine.Since she wasn't ready to explain my presence to the rest of the world yet, I wasn't about to push her.We’d take it slow.The village itself was a strange, fascinating place, wedged right at the border where three separate packs met.For as long as anyone could remember, all three packs had neglected this dead zone.There were no joint patrols, no clear ruling authorities, yet the crime rate never spiked.Over the years, rogues had drifted in for various reasons, quietly forming a self-sustaining settlement.The village didn't even have a name.Everyone had their own secrets, their own reasons for moving here, and nobody asked questions.It felt like a forgotten corner of the world.Fortunately, the locals were surprisingly warm.As a newcomer—just another rogue on paper—I got a ton of help f
Ryan POV:I pulled Corie tight into my arms, holding her like the priceless treasure she was, covering her skin with relentless kisses.In that final, shattering moment of release, Cruz had suddenly roared awake from his deep sleep inside my subconscious.“Mate!” He had howled into my soul.In a peak of blinding ecstasy, our bond had snapped into place. We became completely, irrevocably each other's.My heart hammered so violently against my ribs it felt ready to burst through my chest.Corie—the woman I loved with every breath in my body—was my true, Fated Mate.A hurricane of emotion raged through my chest.Shock, explosive joy, fierce protectiveness, overwhelming gratitude... all of it tangled together, crashing over me in heavy, deafening waves."Corie," I whispered against her ear, my voice thick. "I am never, ever leaving you again."She was still floating in the sweet, warm aftershocks of our pleasure.She clung to me tightly, wrapping her smooth legs back around my waist."Ry
Corie POV:His kiss deepened, devouring my breath until I collapsed into a soft mess against his chest.His hand slid up my thigh, tracing the curve of my hip before settling at my waist. The heat and sheer power radiating from his palm made every nerve in my body snap taut."Can I, baby?"His raspy, magnetic voice vibrated straight against my ear."Mmm..." I nodded, lost in the fever.He cupped my face, searching my eyes with a gaze so fierce, so intensely focused, it made me feel like the most precious treasure in the world.Golden wolf-fire burned in his eyes.He leaned down for a tender kiss as his hand cupped my breast, squeezing gently before his fingers stroked across the hardened peak.A choked moan broke from my throat."Ryan..." I whimpered his name, but he swallowed the rest of the sound into another deep kiss.Then, reality hit me like a splash of cold water.Panting heavily, I trapped his hand against my chest, arresting his movement."No, wait... your wounds aren't heale
Kinsley POV:Ryan had been staying with me for a few days now, and I watched the life color back into his face day by day.Honestly, the care I provided was minimal at best.The biggest reason was Meave.After treating Ryan last time, she updated her formulas.She upgraded both the tonics and the poultices, making them far more effective than before."The revised blend should be far more aggressive," she murmured, lifting her tired eyes.Days of relentless brewing and testing had left her completely exhausted.I rushed to guide her into a seat."Meave, a wound like his is exceptionally rare. Why pour so much effort into developing a specialized remedy?"She looked up at me, a cryptic, knowing smile playing on her lips."Who knows when it might come in handy? As Healers, our minds must always stay one step ahead of reality."I copied down the revised formula, sealing the finished powder into glass jars and carefully labeling each one.Part of me desperately wished Ryan might benefit fr







