Masuk**Cole's POV** The next morning, pack patrol takes longer than I intend. Three hours covering the eastern and northern borders with six of my best men — checking markers, reviewing overnight reports, listening to my beta Dane walk me through a breach in the northern fence line that was flagged before dawn. I give the right instructions. I ask the right questions. I look like an Alpha who has his mind entirely on his pack's security. I am getting better at pretending. The truth is I have not slept. I lay in my bed last night staring at the ceiling and thinking about DNA results and a pregnancy that should not be possible and an elder who is already composing his victory speech. I dismissed the patrol at the eastern gate just after nine and walked home alone through the back path that cuts through the small patch of woodland behind my house. The trees are still and grey this morning. The ground is soft under my boots. Everything smells of damp earth and last night's light ra
**Cole's POV** I look at elder white for a long moment and scoff at his audacity. How dare he stand in front of me and negotiate terms like we are equals sitting at a trade table? "Are we understood, Alpha?" he repeats. "We are understood," I say. "And since we are making conditions—" I take a slow step toward him and watch him hold his ground with visible effort. "If the DNA results come back and tell a different story, I will not be returning to apologize." He frowns. "What do you mean a different—" "I will be returning," I continue quietly, "to banish every single member of this family from my pack. Permanently. No return. No appeal." The room goes very still. Sabrina makes a small sound behind me. Elder White's face does not crack but something behind it does — a hairline fracture running straight through the centre of his certainty. "You would not—" "Banishment," I say, "is an act of mercy." I let that sit for a moment. "Because what I would actually be enti
**Cole's POV** “It’s a pregnancy test. I’m pregnant, Cole,” Sabrina says with a conflicted smile tugging at her lips. The words land in the room like something dropped from a great height. I look at her. Really look at her — the bathrobe, the bare feet, the way she is holding that test like a shield and a confession at the same time. Then I look at the test. Then back at her face. "No you're not," I say nonchalantly. Sabrina blinks. "Excuse me?" "You heard me." I take a slow step into the room and close the door behind me. "You are not pregnant. You found out I was coming here — probably your father called you the moment I left that meeting room — and you had just enough time to come up with something dramatic enough to distract me." I tilt my head. "I won't buy it!" Sabrina lets out a shaky scoff, like she’s holding back tears. “I swear, Cole… I’m not lying,” she says, her voice trembling. “I’m pregnant. And the pup is yours.” "Yeah, right... Which pregnant shewo
**Cole's POV** "Alpha, I'm sorry to disturb you, but the elders are requesting your presence in the meeting room immediately," my secretary says just as I step out of my office, ready to continue the search for Maya as my new daily routine. "Did they say what it's about?" I ask, already irritated at the thought of them wasting my time. "No, Alpha. They only said you should see them before you leave the building." I glance at my wristwatch and exhale slowly. I don't have time for this. But I've been avoiding them for weeks — ever since Maya's kidnapping. Fine. I'll hear whatever they have to say. I make my way to the meeting room and find Elder White, Miriam, Thomas, and Marcus already seated. They straighten and lower their heads the moment I step in. I don't acknowledge it. I walk straight to the head of the table and sit. "What is this about?" I ask, my voice flat. A brief look passes between them before Miriam speaks. "We believe it is time to consider holding a funera
**Shawn's POV** I look at Stella and the hope on her face hits harder than anything. She came down here because she thought I had news about Maya. Dropped whatever was happening upstairs without hesitation — because she believed I'd found something. And now I have to take that away from her. "No," I say. "I'm sorry. I don't have anything on Maya yet." The hope drains out of her expression slowly. She exhales through her nose and looks ahead at the windscreen. "Then why am I in this car?" "Because I need to tell you the truth," I say. "About everything you wanted to know. About Hank and Dimitri and what has been going on. I don't want any more lies between us. I don't want any more half truths or things left unsaid." I reach out and turn her face toward me gently. "You deserve to know everything." She looks at me for a moment with a frown and sighs softly. "Fine," she says. "I'm listening." I look at the steering wheel. "My brother Marcus had debts," I say. "With Hank and D
**Shawn's POV** I’ve been sitting in this parking lot for eleven minutes, waiting for Stella to come down.I know because I’ve checked the clock on the dashboard four times already while my head pounding, relentlessly from last evening drinks. The hangover has settled behind my eyes the second I woke up and hasn’t eased since. I lean back against the headrest, squinting toward the entrance of Stella’s building.What is taking her so long to come down???My gaze lingers there anyway… and before I can stop it, my mind drifts back to this morning. --- (Flashback) Aunt Lisa is at the counter when I walk into the kitchen. Fully dressed in a red formal dress and heels. Her locs are pinned up. Different earrings from last night — somehow even larger. She doesn't look like someone who broke into an apartment less than twelve hours ago. She looks like she owns the place and has simply been waiting for me to remember that. There is a full breakfast on the table. I look at it. The
**Stella's POV** (Moments prior to Shawn finding Stella) My ribs scream with every breath, but I force myself upright against the wall. I need to get to Noah's pickup at 2 PM. The hospital clock reads 1:18 PM. That means that I still have forty-two minutes. 'But the Council building is tw
**Stella's POV** "Thanks. So kind of you to notice." I start to close the door. "Now leave." His hand shoots out, catching the door. "Get dressed. We're going out." "I said I don't want to—" "And I said I'd answer your questions." He raises an eyebrow. "Or were you lying about wanting answe
**Stella's POV** "Mama!" The word shatters me. My baby's voice—the sound I've been desperate to hear for what feels like an eternity. "Noah!" His name tears out of me like a prayer. I try to move forward, but my legs won't cooperate. Shawn's arm tightens around my waist, the only thing
**Stella's POV** "Let's continue in a civil manner," We all murmur in agreement. The elder nod with understanding. "Alpha Grant, you're implying Mr. Black introduced Miss Matthews to illegal fighting as a source of income?" Elder Morrison's voice is ice. "I'm saying it's a possibility worth co







