FAZER LOGINEMMELINEāŖļøāŖļøāŖļøāŖļøI was walking through the garden, enjoying the crisp morning air, when I saw Callis. She was heading towards the main gate, a small leather bag slung over her shoulder, a rare sight. My steps faltered, my heart giving a small, surprised jolt. Callis rarely left the estate unless it was for urgent medicinal supplies.āVacation?ā I asked, a smile tugging at my lips, unable to hide my surprise and a genuine spark of delight for her. It was long overdue.Callis stopped, a faint, almost shy smile touching her usually stoic face. āApparently,ā she said, her eyes meeting mine, a hint of something resembling relief in their depths. āFinnās idea. Said I needed to āreacquaint myself with not being on duty.āā She rolled her eyes, but there was a warmth there. āIāll be back, Emmeline. Donāt let the estate burn down while Iām gone.āI laughed, a warm, genuine sound. It was good to see her like this, even if it was fleeting. āNo promises, Callis,ā I teased back, shaking my head. ā
EMMELINEāŖļøā«ļøāŖļøā«ļøThe first slivers of dawn were just painting the sky when I stirred, a deep, contented sigh escaping me. I stretched, my muscles still pleasantly sore from yesterdayās quiet, intimate moments with Darius. The bed felt warm and safe.I opened my eyes, expecting to find Darius still beside me, but the space next to me was empty. I blinked and then saw him. He was already halfway dressed, his broad back to me, pulling on a dark tunic.āYouāre up early,ā I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep.He turned, a faint smile on his lips, his eyes soft. āI want you to come with me,ā he replied, his voice low, a gentle invitation. āTo the southern fields. Theyāve finished the new orchard line. I want you to see it.āI pushed myself up, leaning against the headboard. Trees? After everything, after the chaos, the battles, the sheer scale of the challenges we still faced, he wanted me to see⦠trees? It seemed almost absurd.āYouāre taking me to see trees, Darius?ā I asked, a hint of a
EMMELINEāŖļøā«ļøāŖļøā«ļøāŖļøI spotted Sylas just past the garden wall, walking towards me with someone new. My curiosity immediately sparked. It was a woman, tall and strikingly beautiful, moving with an easy grace that spoke of confidence.āEmmeline,ā Sylas greeted, his usual gruff demeanor softened just a touch. āSomeone I want you to meet.ā His gaze flickered between us, a hint of something shy, almost hopeful, in his eyes.The woman extended her hand without hesitation, her smile warm and genuine. āRhea, Luna,ā she introduced herself, her voice clear and strong.āEmmeline,ā I replied, shaking her hand firmly. Her grip was strong, steady. I immediately recognized the subtle aura of a Lycan, powerful and grounded. A thought, a very obvious one, clicked into place. āAre you and Sylas⦠together?ā I asked, a playful grin tugging at my lips.Rheaās smile widened, a hint of blush rising on her cheeks. āYes,ā she confirmed, glancing briefly at Sylas, who shifted his weight, looking uncharacterist
EMMELINEā«ļøāŖļøā«ļøāŖļøThe sound of Valenās enthusiastic chewing filled the quiet dining chamber. He was tearing into the meat, a small, fierce predator in training. It was only his second time trying real food, and heād already proven his preferences. Mashed vegetables? Ignored. Shredded meat from my plate? Absolutely devoured.I watched him, wide-eyed, as he made happy, guttural noises, tiny bits of cooked beef clinging to his cheeks. It was both disgusting and utterly adorable. My son, a carnivore from day one.Callis chuckled warmly from across the room. āThat boyās going to chew through bone before his second year, Emmeline. Just you wait.ā She had a point. He gnawed on that meat like a tiny wolf.āHe gets it from his father,ā I said, reaching out to wipe a smudge of meat from his chin. He just shoved another chunk in, oblivious, already reaching for more. My heart swelled with a mixture of amusement and pure, unadulterated love. He was everything.When he finally finished, leaving a
DARIUSš±š±š±Two moons. Two whole moons had passed since the Gathering, and sometimes it felt like two lifetimes. The initial, fragile peace had deepened, settled into something more substantial, more real. The estate, once a fortress humming with frantic anxiety, now resonated with the sounds of life. Most importantly, it resonated with the sound of Valen.And he moved, too. Crawling. He was everywhere, a small, determined tornado of baby energy, trying to claw his way towards everything he wasnāt supposed to touch. The decorative carvings on the coffee table, the flickering flames in the hearth, the stack of important, very breakable, parchments in my study ā nothing was safe. He gripped with a strength that was frankly unsettling for a baby his age, his tiny fingers latching on with an iron vise. He was more advanced, faster, stronger than any baby Iād ever seen. It was fascinating, terrifying, and deeply, profoundly prideful, all at once.One morning, the proof arrived, a little
EMMELINEš®š®š®š®I stepped into our room, my arms full of folded cloths Iād just collected from the nursery. My eyes, almost instinctively, darted to the crib. It was empty. My heart gave a familiar, sickening lurch, a quick, sharp stab of panic that always seemed to accompany Valenās absence. It was an instinct now, this immediate fear, a reflex born from weeks of terror.Then, Callisās voice echoed down the hall from a neighboring room. āHeās with me. Relax, Luna.āA breath I hadnāt realized I was holding shuddered out of me. āThank the goddess,ā I muttered, leaning against the doorframe for a moment, letting the wave of adrenaline subside. I set the folded clothes onto a nearby chest, my hands trembling just a little. My bones ached less these days, the deep, pervasive soreness from the birth and the aftermath of the attack slowly receding. But the feeling, that lingering vulnerability, hadnāt left my body entirely. Neither had the fear.I was just reaching for my robe, intending
MICHAELāS POVā āā āā āā āā This was beautiful. Absolutely fucking beautiful. I stood a good distance away, close enough to feel the heat radiating off the flames, far enough to be safe from any stray arrows or desperate lunges. The estate, or whatever shithole the Lycans had been using as their hideou
EMMELINEā āā āā āThe rough hands of the lycan guards practically threw me inside. I landed hard on the cold stone floor, the air knocked right out of my lungs. I gasped, trying to suck in some air, my chest heaving like Iād run a marathon. Which, technically, I kind of had.āEmmeline! What the hell
EMMELINEā āā āā āThis night had gone straight to hell. One moment, I was in a grand banquet hall, surrounded by laughter and music, and the next? I was running for my damn life through the dark forest, my lungs burning and my heart hammering against my ribs like a war drum.I had no shoes on now, no
EMMELINEāS POVā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā Ugh, all that fancy food and forced smiles were starting to give me a stomach acheā¦I needed a quick escape to the ladies' room before I painted the pristine white tablecloth with my dinner. I told Darius I needed to pee ā a totally believable excuse, right? ā and slipped ou







