LOGINSage's pov I was speechless. My daughter had just laid her heart bare in front of me, and I had no words to respond. She wanted them. She wanted to make this her home."I do not know what to say," I finally managed. "I cannot just leave my life behind. Everything I have built, everything I have worked for, it is all out there. And I cannot leave you here, Milo. I will not leave you. But I do not know what to do. I do not know how to make this work."I looked at her small face, at the hope shining in her eyes, at the trust she had placed in me. "Your safety is more important than anything else. More important than my comfort, more important than my fear, more important than anything. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe."Milo nodded. "Alright. I know you will make the right decision for me."But as I looked at her, I felt like I would not be able to. The weight of her expectations pressed down on me, and I did not know which path was the right one.****The next day, I found
Sage's pov"Nothing is impossible. Do not let my father's words make you believe that."I shook my head. "I do not want to talk about this right now. Please. Just leave."The look he gave me was heartbreaking. His eyes were full of something I did not want to name, something that made my chest ache and my throat tighten. He opened his mouth as if to argue, then closed it again. He nodded slowly."At least when you decide to leave," he requested, "Tell us. Give us a chance to say goodbye. Do not disappear in the middle of the night like a thief. I do not want to wake up one day and find out you are already gone."The image was so ridiculous, that I could not help but laugh a little. Kael's lips twitched in response. We both chuckled, the tension between us easing just slightly.I gave him a tired smile. "I will not run away. I promise."I opened the door for him, and he paused in the doorway. Our eyes locked for a long moment. The air between us was thick with everything we had not said
sage's pov "Nothing is going on between Kael and me. You have nothing to worry about."The old Alpha King studied me for a moment, his cold eyes unblinking. "I do not care about that. Whether something is going on or not, I want you to reduce your contact with him. Stop spending time with him. Stop letting people see you together. It does not matter if it is innocent or not. Perception is everything, and the perception right now is that you are a distraction."I nodded. "Sure. No problem. Is that everything?"The old Alpha King waved his hand dismissively. "For now. You may go."I stood up and walked toward the door. My hand was on the handle when his voice stopped me."One more thing," he said. "You should think about settling down already. Your age, and the fact that you already have a child, reduces your worth on the market. You are not getting any younger, and your options are limited. My son deserves better than someone who comes with baggage. Keep that in mind."I did not reply
Sage's povI felt my body getting hotter just looking at him. It was crazy. He had always been this handsome, with his sharp jaw and his dark eyes and the way his hair fell across his forehead. I had noticed it before, when I was too young and too foolish to know better. But now it was getting more intense, more overwhelming. Because the reason I had hated him in the first place was fading away. The anger that had fueled me for seven years was crumbling, piece by piece, and without it, all that was left was him.My body felt hotter. My skin prickled. My breath came shorter. I swallowed hard and forced myself to look away, to focus on something other than the curve of his lips, the line of his jaw, the way his hands rested on the steering wheel."Let's leave this gloomy place already," I said roughly.Vex put the car in gear and drove. The detention center faded behind us. But we were not heading toward the pack house. The streets were unfamiliar, the buildings smaller, the lights dimme
Sage's povI was too stunned to speak. I could only watch Vex as he walked beside me, his hand still holding mine, his face set in stone. His parents' voices echoed behind us, but he did not look back. He just kept walking, his grip firm and steady, as if he had been waiting years to do this and was not going to let anything stop him now.I could not believe this could ever happen. Vex defending me. Was choosing me over them.So Vex truly never tried to kill me. The shock collar had been sabotaged by his brother. The rogue had been sent to kill me by someone else. Vex had been cruel, yes. He had been arrogant and dismissive and emotionally cold. But he had not wanted me dead.We got outside. Vex released my hand and walked to the driver's side of the car. I climbed into the passenger seat. He got in, slammed his door, and then slammed his forehead against the steering wheel.The thud was loud in the quiet of the car."What are you doing?" Vex did not lift his head. "Why did you let
Vex's povMy father waved his hand dismissively, his face still red with anger. "This is nonsense. This does not connect anything. You have a video of Carson in a workshop. You have a video of yourself picking up a collar. You have a video of a rogue being released. None of this proves that Carson tampered with the specific collar that was used on that specific rogue."My mother nodded, stepping closer to the cell. "That is right. How do you even know it is the same rogue? And even if it is, this is something that happened seven years ago. Why are you dealing with it now? Why dredge up the past?"I looked at my mother, then at my father. Their faces were hard, unyielding. "It is never too late to get justice for Sage," I said.Carson laughed from inside his cell. "Justice? She deserves what happened to her anyway. She is a Blackwood. Her father was a traitor. Her mother died of shame. The whole family is cursed. She should be grateful she is still breathing."My father turned to Sage
Kael's POVThe inside of the vehicle was silent. None of us had spoken since we climbed in. Cass was driving his eyes fixed on the road ahead. Vex sat in the passenger seat, his arm pressed against his side where a bullet had hit him."We need to get these out," Cass tightly said. He pulled over to
Sage's POV"Shut up," Clara snapped, her grip on the knife tightening against my throat. "What can a child do? She is seven years old. She is nothing."Her question was answered immediately. Clara's body went stiff behind me. Her arm locked in place, the knife pressing harder for a moment before st
Sage's POVI launched myself toward my daughter, shadows screaming around me, my hand reaching for her. But the infected holding Milo tightened its grip on her neck, and I froze."If you make a single step closer," Clara's weak voice came from behind me, "she dies. Right here. Right now."I stopped
Sage's POVThe shockwave rippled through the car, shaking the frame, rattling the windows. The vehicle shuddered but held. Good thing it was built strong, military grade, designed to withstand more than just a bumpy road. Debris rained down on the roof, clattering like hailstones, and I ducked my h







