LOGIN"Are we there yet?" Jayden whined, leaning his head against the passenger side window.
"For the hundredth time, no," Leona groaned from the driver's seat. "Who allowed him in the front?"
"Hey!" Jayden feigned outrage. "I am crucial to this operation! I provide morale!"
"Morale?" I chimed in from the back. "Is that what we're calling it?"
&nbs
"Goodnight, guys," I whispered down the upper hallway of the lake house later that evening.After receiving quiet goodnights from Leona and Jayden, I closed my bedroom door and sank into the heavy mattress. I had already changed into my sleepwear, brushed my teeth, and pulled my hair back into a loose bun.Throughout the evening, I had found myself repeatedly glancing toward Kade. The letter I had discovered in the library desk was burning a hole in my thoughts.His father had ordered the total destruction of the MoonKnight Pack. Ms. Williams's pack.Did Kade know about his father's deal with the Rogue Force? And why had the Mad Alpha targeted that specific territory? A whole pack couldn't simply vanish from record without high-level interference.Wanting answers, I reached into the
I sat in the hospital waiting room, absently twisting my fingers together in my lap to quiet my mounting anxiety.I had never stepped foot inside a medical facility for an actual illness. Like most warriors, my previous visits were strictly for battle wounds, torn ligaments, and sparring injuries. Sitting in a quiet waiting room to uncover an internal medical problem was entirely foreign territory.Jayden reached across his chair and gently covered my fidgeting hands with his own. I offered him a grateful smile and squeezed his fingers in return.A loud, exaggerated clearing of a throat shattered the quiet room, making me jump and pull my hand away from Jayden's."What on earth is taking them so long?" Kade grumbled bes
"Are we there yet?" Jayden whined, leaning his head against the passenger side window."For the hundredth time, no," Leona groaned from the driver's seat. "Who allowed him in the front?""Hey!" Jayden feigned outrage. "I am crucial to this operation! I provide morale!""Morale?" I chimed in from the back. "Is that what we're calling it?""I am here for emotional support," Jayden insisted, waving his hands around dramatically. "Nobody supports Kyra like I do.""Debatable, but I appreciate the sentiment," I laughed.I stole a quiet glance at Kade beside me. He had been completely silent since we pulled out of the driveway, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses as he scrolled through his phone or stared out at the passing tree line.
"I’m sorry," I mumbled for what felt like the hundredth time."Stop apologizing!" Jayden groaned, collapsing dramatically across the foot of my bed. "Just stop."I pulled a face in response. Due to the sudden medical emergency, the official match had been postponed until next week. That meant staying in BlackShadowed territory for seven more days—an extension none of us was particularly thrilled about.I felt guilty for being the reason our stay was dragged out. Although nobody complained, I knew everyone was eager to return home. A wolf couldn't stay away from their own territory for too long without feeling restless.We had also agreed not to inform Kaitlyn and Magnus about my mysterious breathing episode—at least not until I had been thoroughly evaluated at a proper regional medical facility. They already wo
The instant his skin touched mine, a wave of soothing warmth rippled through my nervous system, dampening the white-hot agony in my chest. I gasped at the sudden relief. His touch was firm, warm, and instinctively protective. Without thinking, I leaned my cheek into his hand.Kade gently brushed his thumb across my skin, wiping away the tear tracks. He kept his eyes focused entirely on his hand, deliberately avoiding my gaze as he repeated the motion on my other cheek.He voluntarily initiated contact just to comfort us, my wolf whispered in my mind, practically preening. Seeing you in pain pushed him past his control!Let's not jump to conclusions, I replied internally, trying to keep my expectations grounded. He's just handling a medical emergency.He cares about us! I can't wait to meet his wolf! she insisted, practically spinning in circles within my
Instinctively, I crouched down low beneath the windowsill, hoping to keep out of sight.Of course, a physical barrier wouldn't hide my presence from an Alpha. He had undoubtedly caught my scent the second he stepped onto the path. Why on earth had Kade come all the way out to this remote cottage of all places?"Well, aren’t you going to open the door?" his deep voice called out, laced with amused authority.Ugh. He knew I was in here. Scanning the room, I couldn't spot a single exit I could use without him spotting me.Ms. Williams looked at me in sheer panic. Her hands trembled violently, making my heart twist with guilt and sympathy. She had trusted me enough to disclose information about her past, and now she was forced to face the Alpha she feared.Sighing inwardly, I mouthed reassuringly to her, Don’t worry. Let me talk.Stepping toward the heavy timbe







