MikaelaThe second we stepped into Scarlet Pack territory, I felt it. That shift. That tension crawling under my skin.The pack members gathered fast, like they’d been waiting all day for Ryan to return. Their Alpha. The one they bowed their heads for and smiled at. But when their eyes slid to me? It...that was different. Those looks weren’t warm. They weren’t welcoming. They were sharp, like knives pressed against my throat.I heard it before I saw it, the whispers darting from one mouth to another.The triplets squeezed my hands tight, their confused little faces glancing up at me. Lisa leaned closer, whispering, “Mommy, why are they staring at us?”I forced a smile for her, even though my stomach was twisted in knots. “It’s nothing, baby. Just stay close to me.” God, I hoped she believed me.Ryan, of course, didn’t notice, or maybe he just didn’t care. He walked ahead, all shoulders and authority, the pack drinking him in like he was their savior. He didn’t even slow down for us.
MikaelaWe combed through the thick woods like our lives depended on it, because mine did. My son was out here somewhere. The trees were thick and the shadows were playing tricks on my eyes, and every sound made my heart slam harder.At least Ryan had finally shut Lydia up. He’d snapped at her so hard she actually went quiet for once. Thank God. The last thing I needed was her voice poisoning the air while my child was missing.“Keep breathing, Mikaela,” Ryan muttered as he pushed branches out of the way. “We’ll find him. I promise.”I shot him a glare so sharp it could’ve cut bark off the trees. “I don’t need your damn promises, Ryan. I need my son.”He flinched but didn’t argue. Maybe he knew I was right.We pressed deeper. The forest seemed endless. I did t stop, I couldn't. "Declan honey?!" I yelled out again, but nothjng. He didnt respond. Where did he run off to? "Wait a second. I hear something," Ryan muttered as he sniffed the air.I heard it too. It was a cry. My heart ju
MikaelaThe car kept moving steadily, wheels humming over the dirt road as we drove deeper into Scarlet Pack territory. I pressed my forehead lightly against the window, watching the trees blur past. I didn’t want to be here. Not with Ryan. And definitely not with Lydia.I’d already made it clear to him, I wanted nothing to do with either of them. My only concern was my children. That’s it. I swore to myself that no matter what Lydia spat out, no matter how sharp her tongue got or no matter how much it hurt I wouldn’t let her get into my head. For the kids’ sake, I couldn’t.Still, I could sense it. Her insecurities. They poured off her like bad perfume. She was scared, terrified even that I’d somehow take her place at Ryan’s side. I almost laughed at the thought. Me? Go back to Ryan? The same way she had crawled her way into his life when mine was falling apart? Hell no. Ryan was my past, I wasn’t planning to repeat.I scoffed quietly at the thought, shaking my head. That door was
RyanBy the time morning came, we were all set to leave this damn place. The engines were already rumbling when we finally pulled out. It was me, Mikaela, Lydia, the kids, and a couple guards following behind in another SUV. I took the driver’s seat, l didn't trust anyone else with it. Lydia sat shotgun, of course, while Mikaela and the kids were in the back.I kept my eyes on the road, hands steady on the wheel, but truth be told, I wasn’t all there. Every couple minutes, I found myself checking the rearview mirror. At her, Mikaela. She hadn’t said much since we left. Her eyes were glued to the kids, her shoulders tight like she was holding herself together with nothing but sheer will. Every so often, she’d lean forward, adjusting a seatbelt or asking, “Are you comfortable back there?” like her whole world depended on their answer.And me? I kept thinking, Three months. That’s all I’ve got. Three months to make her stay.Lydia’s voice broke through, light and airy like she was jus
RyanI walked straight into the hospital without slowing down, not giving a single damn about who was glaring at me or whispering under their breath. Let them. They could scream, they could curse me out, hell, they could tell me I wasn’t welcome here a thousand times over, but none of them could actually stop me. Not unless they wanted broken bones.I wasn’t here to fight though. Not this time.One of the nurses froze the second I caught her eye. Poor thing looked like she wanted to vanish into the damn wall. I stepped closer, lowering my voice just a little so I didn’t scare her half to death. “Someone was brought in recently. Where?”She stammered, pointed down the hall. “T… third door on the left.”That was all I needed. I muttered a rough “thanks” and kept moving. My boots hit the floor too hard, too loud. My stomach was in knots, but I kept my face stone cold.I turned the corner, amd I spotted them immediately June. And my three childtenThe second their little eyes landed
MikaelaGod, my head. It felt like someone had slammed a rock against my skull, then decided to keep pounding for fun. I groaned, trying to shift, but even that tiny movement made the room spin like a carnival ride had gone wrong. Where the hell was I?I blinked slowly, forcing myself to focus. The sharp, sterile smell hit me first, disinfectant, bleach, that cold hospital air I hated so much. Just the place I didn’t want to be.My eyelids felt like they weighed a ton, but after a few tries, I finally pried them open. The lights above stabbed at my eyes, making me squint until everything wasn’t a blur anymore. Shapes turned into walls, walls into ceiling, ceiling into… reality.“What… what happened?” I muttered under my breath, though I already knew.And then it hit me.I passed out. Just collapsed like some fragile doll.I groaned again, sinking deeper into the comfy bed. Of all the things I could’ve gone down from, injury, fight, or even a damn rogue attack, it had to be stress? A