ログイン"Don't try to talk me out of it," Lydiasa snapped. "I know you have a soft heart, Lanka. You’re a good soul, but some things are unforgivable. I brought you here to see how we handle those who think they can replace you. I didn't bring you here to change my mind. Just stand back."Serena, hearing this, turned a look of pure poison toward me."Lydiasa, you and my grandmother were closer than siblings! I know if she were alive, she’d protect me! I’ve always treated you like my own blood! She's already claiming the pup is Andrew's, and still you want to drag her to the OR? You crazy old bat!""Don’t you dare bring up your grandmother. She was the epitome of integrity, pure as the first snow. If she knew her own blood was out here wrecking homes and lying about legacies, she’d break your legs herself! Since you say I’m like a grandmother to you, let me teach you the lesson she would have!"Lydiasa’s face was hard, but I saw a flicker of pity in her eyes. Pity for her old friend, maybe, bu
I pulled my hand back from Andrew’s mouth, feeling the cold air hit my damp skin. Before I could even process the adrenaline of the bite, I realized the chest I was being held against was solid, warm, and entirely too familiar. The scent of pine and crushed mountain herbs hit me—a scent that used to mean safety.Belatedly, I realized the arms wrapped around me weren't those of a stranger. My heart, which had been hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird, finally slowed. I felt the tension bleed out of my muscles as I leaned into Andrew’s heat, my head resting against his shoulder for just a second too long.Andrew pulled his hand away, his eyes narrowing as he inspected the damage. He looked at me with a mix of genuine annoyance and a strange, helpless kind of amusement."Developing a taste for it, are we?" he muttered.His jaw was still healing from our last scrap, and now his palm was a mess of fresh teeth marks. The irony wasn't lost on me; I’d bitten the exact hand I’d slashe
"Relax, it's just me." That low, gravelly vibration of a voice came from right above me.I only realized then, my heart hammering against my ribs, that the chest I was being crushed against was one I knew by heart. The scent of cold pine and rain hit my nose, and despite everything, a wave of unwanted relief washed over me. I’d been too wound up in the chase to notice who had caught me.The steel in my muscles turned to liquid, and I let out a long, shaky breath, loosening my teeth from his skin and leaning into Andrew’s heat.Andrew pulled his hand back, shaking it out. He looked down at me with an expression that was a mix of irritation and absolute helplessness."Jeez, Lanka. You’ve developed a real taste for my blood, haven't you?"His chin was still marked from our last run-in, and now his palm sported a fresh set of jagged tooth marks. The kicker was that I’d bitten the exact spot on his hand I’d previously sliced with a card back at the manor. The wound had barely started to kn
I was still on edge after finding out Lucas was back in the ward, and facing Julian Park now made me feel even more out of my depth. Julian seemed to sense my tension; he didn't try to close the gap between us, keeping a respectful distance."I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for days to discuss transferring your brother to a different facility, but your phone’s been a black hole," Julian said, his voice soft but steady.I tightened my grip on my sleeves. "Julian, I’ve been thinking. I don't think my brother can handle the shift in pack vibes or a long flight right now. I’ve decided he stays here."Julian looked genuinely taken aback. "But we had a verbal agreement. The private lab was all set to prioritize his recovery."I shook my head, my jaw set. "Don't sweat the details, Julian. My mind is made up. I'm sorry."As I turned to head back toward the clinic, Julian’s voice sharpened with a hint of urgency. "Lanka, do you actually know the truth about what happened back then?"I st
I barely caught any rest last night, tossing and turning until the witching hour when I crept over to check on Lucas’s forehead. By the time I finally drifted off, the sun was already high, streaming through the gaps in my curtains.I craned my neck to look at the bed. Lucas was buried in the duvet, his back to me, not moving a muscle. I reached out, giving the kid’s hair a gentle rub."The sun’s burning our tails, Lucas. Time for us slackers to roll out of bed."He didn't move. I propped myself up on my elbow, letting out a soft chuckle."Don't fake it, I know you’re awake. Get up, eat some breakfast, and I’ll drop you off..."I froze mid-sentence. My pulse slowed to a crawl and the blood drained from my face.Lucas’s skin was radiating a terrifying heat. I turned him over, and my heart stopped. A crimson mess was smeared under his nose, a heavy nosebleed having already soaked through half the pillowcase."Lucas! Lucas, wake up! Andrew!"I was paralyzed with fear for a split second b
I couldn't take the words back once they were out. Trying to keep my dignity, I trudged to the linen closet, grabbed a spare blanket, and tossed it at Andrew where he lay sprawled on the couch.I was ready to turn on my heel and vanish when a strange, loud noise tore through the silence of the room. It was visceral, twisting through the air. Andrew and I exchanged a puzzled look until the sound made a return performance.It was my stomach. My face instantly burned, a deep crimson flushing my cheeks. It was impossible to play the ice king when my own body was betraying me like a starving pup.Before I could cover my belly and bolt, Andrew reached out. His large, warm palm landed flat on my stomach, giving it two gentle, firm pats. I had taken off my heavy jacket, leaving me in a thin knit shirt; I could feel every ounce of heat from his skin through the fabric.I froze, my heart racing a mile a minute. My wolf was pacing under my skin, confused by the sudden intimacy.Andrew let out a
I let out a shaky breath, pressing my face into the solid, warm expanse of Andrew’s chest. My damp hair clung to his skin, the cold droplets creating a sharp, stinging itch against his collarbone.Andrew’s jaw tightened, his pulse drumming a steady, heavy rhythm beneath my ear. "Stop the performanc
Serena was clutching a cold compress to her face, her scent spiking with an artificial, sharp distress. "I’m just so envious," she hissed, her voice trembling with practiced fragility. "Lanka has you so completely wrapped around his finger that he lets him act this recklessly without a single conse
"Don't let the innocent act fool you; even the pups are playing for keeps these days. In the junior pack, Leo shared his only piece of sun-dried meat with a stray, so his mate dumped him on the spot and moved into Jerry’s den. She even ratted Leo out to the Alpha for sneaking a human device into th
I shoved the office door open and bolted, my breath hitching, but I nearly collided with someone standing right in the hall.It was Serena Wolfe. She looked at me with that practiced, honeyed concern that never reached her eyes. "Lanka? Why are you upset? Did Andrew snap at you again? I’ll have a w







