LOGINCharlie POVI set the droopy-eyed Jake down. Although the kid was struggling to stay awake, his hands were glued to my jacket."Stay right here, buddy," I muttered. "I'll be right back."He nodded and watched me head into the main sitting room.I was no coward, and I wasn't going to barge in looking like a panicked amateur. I walked straight back through the double doors as if I had just come in from my car.As soon as I did, Zachary came rushing down the stairs. He was sweating, and his hair was a mess."Charlie?" Zachary gasped, stopping short when he saw me. "Where were you? The guards said you arrived over three hours ago."I put on my smoothest smile. "I was on a long, drawn-out phone call in my car. Council stuff. You know how my dad is when he wants updates."Zachary let out a breath, running a hand over his face."Right. I'm glad you're here, friend. I really need to talk to you." He gestured toward the door. "Let's go to the guest house. It's quieter over there, and we can gr
Emma POVI couldn't eat or sleep. I just sat on my couch while the rest of my family moved around me like shadows.Anita sat on one side of me, her hand resting on my knee. Isabella was on my other side, occasionally offering me a glass of water or food I didn't want. Wesley kept making call after call.The words I had heard moments ago kept repeating in my head.Less than a ten percent chance of survival.It was a statistical way of telling me that Alexander was going to die.The doctors were doing everything they could, but decades of Meridian corruption were wrapped around his heart. They had explained that it had been planted in him when he was a child and had grown with him. Whoever did it knew his spirit was too strong to break easily, so they planted a slow killer inside his chest. Even if he survived exile and came back to claim his birthright, he wouldn't live to enjoy it.It was so deeply cruel.Through more digging, we had learned the full truth about his family line. Alexa
Charlie POVI hadn't spoken a single word to Emma since the moment she looked me dead in the eye and told me she hated me.Her voice kept echoing in my head. The hurt in those words stung every time I closed my eyes.For her, I would have dropped my ego and helped, but help whom? A rogue who had thrown the packs into chaos? The half brother of my friend, who had sworn on his father's grave that Alexander murdered Alpha Edward in cold blood?I couldn't bring myself to do that, but defending Zachary while wanting to fix things with Wesley and Emma was driving me crazy.Wesley was making the case against Zachary look airtight, pulling threads that were getting harder for me to ignore. To make matters worse, Wesley himself had been distant lately. I tried to convince myself that I didn't care, but I did. At the end of the day, Zachary was my friend, but Wesley was family and my best friend. I had screwed up with him in the past by sleeping with Barbara, and he had forgiven me. Having him
Emma POVMy body felt like lead when I opened my eyes. The exhaustion went deep into my bones, the kind that a few hours of sleep couldn't fix. Alexander was in the hospital, his people were waiting for news, and my parents were already terrified that I would collapse.I rested my head in my hands until a brief wave of dizziness passed."You're not going anywhere today," Anita said, walking into the room with a steaming mug. She set it on the nightstand and sat beside me."I have too much to do," I said, forcing myself to stand even though my knees felt shaky. "I need to check on Alexander and then visit the rogue camp. Staying here doing nothing is useless.""And what use are you going to be if you break down?" she said. "You're carrying a baby and stressed to the limit. One day indoors isn't going to ruin everything.""Who knows what Zachary or his people are planning against Alexander while we sit around?" I argued, pulling a sweater out of my closet. "I haven't heard a word from W
Wesley POVHaving survived Meridian attacks for most of my life, I recognized the shadow of that dark magic immediately. But what I saw in Alexander was far worse.When Meridian struck me, my wolf bore the brunt of the fever and corruption. Alexander's rogue wolf wasn't the main target here. His human body was actively deteriorating from the inside out.After leaving the hospital, I drove Emma back to her place first and stayed until Anita returned before heading to my own house. By the time I walked upstairs into the bedroom, it was past midnight. Isabella was sitting up in bed, yawning, clearly struggling to stay awake for me.She pulled her blanket off and got up to hug me, the softness of her skin and her lips making me forget what a hell of a day it had been."How is he?""Not good at all," I said, as she helped unbutton my shirt. "Honestly, we don't even need to wait for the final lab sheets to know it's a Meridian attack."A look of genuine sorrow washed over her face."That's
Emma POVThe drive out of Iron Wells was quiet. Wesley kept his eyes on the road, occasionally sneaking glances at Alexander through the rearview mirror.I sat in the back with Alexander, who leaned heavily against the door frame, using one hand to prop up his head. He shut his eyes, and every time the car hit a bump, his jaw clenched tight in pain."Here, move over a bit," I whispered gently, reaching over to shift his weight so he could lean back against the seat cushions. "Is your arm feeling stiff?"Alexander managed a tired smile, though it barely reached his eyes."I'm fine.""No, you're not," I muttered softly, guiding his head onto my shoulder. "We're going to the nearest hospital. They'll run tests, and if something's broken, they'll fix it."He let his head rest against me, his chest rising and falling in labored breaths."Sitting here with you... it feels like the happiest day of my life."I smiled even though my heart felt like it was breaking into pieces. I wished more th
The wooden floor of the community center felt cold beneath my sandals.“I’ll volunteer.”A girl in the back row let out a loud snort. Beside me, Sasha’s hand clamped onto my wrist, her fingers digging into my skin to pull me back down. I did not look at her. I knew that if I met her eyes, the logic
My father was screwing his secretary when I pushed his office door open. Wet slaps and grunts filled the room as he drove into her against the desk.My mother had spent three hours over the stove, squinting at a recipe she had memorized years ago. She packed my father's lunch and made me promise to
The Alpha house felt like I was entering it for the first time. Maids walked past me. Guards were posted at every corner, their eyes scanning the corridors. One thing was clear. Alpha Cameron was in the building.The four of us were in the main corridor like a line of silent competitors. Brianna had
LISA POVThe digital numbers on my alarm clock glowed a steady red. I watched them tick by from 5:59 to 6:00. My skin felt cold, and a dull ache rested at the back of my eyes after spending the night awake. I could hear the muffled sound of the television.I headed for the door. The living room was







