LOGINSERAPHINA The house has never felt like this before.Not even during war.Not even during loss.Not even when I hid my grandsons from things that wanted to devour them whole.This is different.Alive.Watching.Waiting.“She’s close,” I whisper.Michael looks up immediately.“How close?”I don’t answer right away.Because I’m listening.Not to sound.Not to movement.To something deeper.Something ancient.Something that doesn’t belong to this world yet, it is forcing its way into it.“Now,” I say.And everything changes.The walls pulse.Not crack.Not break.Pulse.Like the house itself has a heartbeat.And it’s syncing with hers.With Lira’s.With the child.“Everyone in position,” I command.No hesitation.No questions.Because when I sound like this isn’t practice.This isn’t caution.This is survival.Aristotle is already there.At her side.Of course he is.His hand wrapped around hers tightly, steady and unyielding.“Stay with me,” he murmurs.Lira doesn’t answer.She can’t.
CASSAIN “Sit, Cassain,” Elder Varos says.I don’t.“I didn’t come here to sit.”“You summoned the council,” Elder Maelis adds.“And we answered.”“I didn’t summon you,” I correct.“I called this meeting.”A beat.“Difference?”“I expect results.”Silence.Even if they don’t like it.Even if they’re already preparing to argue.They always argue.Always stall.Always think.While enemies move.While people bleed.While things spiral.Not today.Not with me.“Then speak,” Varos says.“I will.”I step forward.Into the center of the chamber.Where decisions are supposed to be made.Where power is supposed to mean something.Where they’ve been failing.Repeatedly.“All interactions with the shadow master ends today,” I say.No buildup.No softness.Just truth.And command.The room stills.Then—Murmurs.Of course.Because that wasn’t what they expected.That wasn’t what they wanted.“You’re asking us to sever—” Maelis begins.“I’m not asking.”Silence.Immediate.Sharp.Because they hear
ARETHA“I hate this feeling.”“What feeling?” Alexis asks, not looking up from her phone.“This one.”I gesture vaguely.“The one where everything is quiet but you just know something is about to go wrong.”She nods“That’s not a feeling.”“What is it then?”“Pattern recognition.”I glare at her.“You’re annoying.”“And you’re dramatic.”“Pregnant,” I correct.“A very important detail.”She finally looks at me.Deadpan.“That doesn’t make you less dramatic.”“It should.”“It doesn’t.”I sigh.Because arguing with Alexis is like arguing with a wall—A very intelligent, very sarcastic wall.School is over.Students are leaving.The sun is dipping low.Golden light spilling across the campus.Everything looks normal.Peaceful.Safe.And I hate it.Because nothing about our lives is ever just normal anymore.“You’re tense,” Alexis says suddenly.“I said that already.”“No,” she replies.“You said you feel something.”A pause.“I’m saying it’s getting closer.”That makes me stop.Immediate
CASSAIN Something feels… off.And I’ve learned the hard way that’s worse.Because danger announces itself.Power surges.Enemies strike.But this?This quiet shift?This subtle misalignment?That’s where mistakes happen.That’s where people die.I step into the room.Our room.Mine and Evelessa’s.And there she is.Standing by the window.Back to me.Still.Calm.“You disappeared,” I say.No response.I close the door behind me.“I’ve been looking for you.”She turns.And there she is.Evelessa.Perfect.Flawless.Exactly as she should be.And yet my chest tightens.Because something in me doesn’t settle.“I needed a moment,” she says softly.Her voice—Right.Her face—Right.Her presence—Wrong.I step closer.Careful.Observing.“What kind of moment?” I ask.“A quiet one.”“With you.”She walks toward me.Slow.Graceful.Familiar.“You’ve been distant,” she continues.“That’s not like you.”I tilt my head slightly.“And this is?” I ask.She smiles.Soft.Inviting.Dangerous.“I mi
ALEXANDER “This is getting ridiculous.”“That’s your opening line?” Alexis shoots back.“It’s accurate.”“It’s lazy.”I glance at her.“You’re alive, aren’t you? Be grateful I’m not opening with something worse.”She rolls her eyes.“Focus.”“I am focused.”“No,” she says, scanning the crowd ahead of us, “you’re irritated.”“Same thing.”“Not even close.”I exhale slowly.Because she’s right.Again.Annoying.But right.The campus is too full.And that’s exactly the problem.Because under all these movement and voices.There’s something else.Something wrong.“You feel it?” I ask.“Yes.”“How many?”She tilts her head slightly.Listening.Not with her ears.With something deeper.“More than three,” she says.“Less than ten.”“Spread out?”“Yes.”“Organized?”A pause.“…no.”That makes me frown.Because disorganized threats?They’re harder to predict.Harder to control.Harder to contain.“They’re testing again,” I mutter.“Not testing,” Alexis corrects quietly.“Escalating.”Of cours
LIRA"Arrghhh"I know it before the pain even starts.Before the tightening.Before the shift inside me that doesn’t feel like movement but it t feels like awakening.I pause mid-step.The hallway stretches too long in front of me.Too quiet.Too still.“Aristotle,” I call.He stops immediately.Turns.Sees my face.And everything in him sharpens.“What is it?”I inhale.But it doesn’t help.“It’s early.”“How early?”“Too early.”Silence.The pain hits.It’s not gradual.It doesn’t build.It strikes.Sharp.Violent.Like something inside me just clawed its way forward—Demanding space.Demanding control.I gasp.My knees nearly buckle but "It hurts so bad." I hyperventilate“Hey...”Aristotle is in front of me instantly.Hands on my arms.Steady.Firm.Not panicking.Thank God he's not because I might actually lose control.“It’s happening,” I say through clenched teeth.“No,” he replies immediately.“It’s not supposed to—”“I didn’t ask what it’s supposed to do,” I snap.“I’m telli
EVELESSA "The sea hates hesitation. To be in charge of the sea is to make sure you are never uncertain at any given moment."I stand barefoot on the jagged rocks overlooking the dark stretch of water behind Seraphina’s house. The wind claws through my hair, whipping it around my face like it wants
SEBASTIAN "Nonsense! What do you mean there's nothing you can do? Our clan has been insulted so you must do everything to get Evelessa your betrothed and mate with her so we can get our place back and regain our pride."The council chamber is dark, the curtains drawn tight like and around the lon
EVELESSA I’m halfway across campus with Aretha beside me when I began feeling uneasy“Do you feel that?”Aretha glances sideways at me.“Feel what?”“Like something is about to happen.”She stretches her arms above her head casually.“That’s because something is always happening around you.”Fair
CASSAIN I feel restless, my wolf is pacing.My vampire side is worse.Maddox is awake.Something is wrong but I have no idea what it is that is wrong.I sit up slowly on the edge of the bed and drag a hand down my face. The room is quiet, but it doesn’t feel calm. I glance toward the empty side o







