LOGINAdeline POV
The hum of the centrifuge hadn’t left my ears all day. Even when I turned it off, the sound stayed. It was like a huge reminder that I lived more with machines than people. It's been twelve hours of cross-checking data, calibrating instruments, and pretending the world outside didn’t exist.
By the time I peeled off my gloves, my hands had ethanol as a second skin. I was tired. The other researchers were long gone, leaving the lab echoing with every step I took. I closed the last file I was cross-checking, slipped it into the system, and told myself I would rest tonight. I had to pick the kids first, then go home to rest.
The sun had already started to dip when I reached the kindergarten. Laughter was the first welcome I got as it floated through the air, light and free. This was a time in my life I envied more than I admitted. I scanned the playground automatically, eyes sweeping past the clusters of parents waiting at the g
Queen Mother POVThe call came precisely as Nicole promised. Nicole’s voice was low and hushed, betraying only a fraction of the excitement she tried to mask. “Your Highness, the files are ready. Shadow recorder footage and audio of the courtyard encounter between the King and the Healer. It is as you requested.”I leaned back in my chair, letting the chill of the evening settle into my bones. My fingers hovered briefly over the controls before I opened t
Adeline POVI arrived at the cub school earlier than planned. The morning air still held the sharp chill of dawn, and the courtyard carried the hums of young wolves shuffling in clusters. I kept my hood low and my coat fastened, careful to maintain the same neutral aura I used this morning. Today, I wasn't here to meddle with anyone. I was just another visiting healer doing her rotation.The pastries were still warm inside the insulated bag against my palm. They were ordin
Adeline’s POVThirty million crystals.The number sat on my tablet screen like a wallpaper, bright and unapologetic. I had typed it twice, stared at it, deleted it, then typed it again. My assistant hovered at the edge of the desk, waiting for my final confirmation. The way she looked at me, it was like a junior surgeon waiting for a nod before making the first cut.
Vincent POVThe sound of Myra’s cry cut straight through my chest. The sight of the blood did worse.Her nose streamed red, and fresh blood bubbled from the corner of her mouth. She made a thin choking sound. I caught her before she fell forward, lifting her into my arms in one motion. Her small fingers clung to my collar, slick with tears.
Delilah POVI had decided to visit the manor. A soft presence could soothe the tension that has been around lately, and Vincent valued such attention around his daughter. The guards knew me and stepped aside without hesitation. The manor doors opened into warm light. Myra sat on the floor with her picture books spread around her. She did not look up immediately. She never rushed for me the way she did for him.
Adeline’s POVI was supposed to be running routine checks—at least, that was what I kept telling myself as I put on my mask and gloves over the bench.The only issue was that my stomach had that tight warning sign it gets when life is about to stop being simple. I loaded the last sample into the analyzer and keyed in the sequence. A soft beep answered me. The machine hummed







