LOGINAfter Kane and Selena had fallen asleep, and when Cassius was nowhere to be seen, I went back to my room and began to think about what he had proposed.I weighed out my pros and cons, listing them like a teenager deciding whether she should get her favorite makeup or not. It almost felt amusing to debate with myself like that, but at the same time, it was also a very big fight within me.I wanted to marry for love. And the fact was — Cassius loved me. But I couldn't reciprocate the same kind of love and affection for him, and that made me very sad.Cassius loved our kids. He loved Kane and Selena, and he was willing to go to any length for them. This — this proposal — was what he was willing to do for them.So, while weighing the pros and cons, I finally focused on the one thing that mattered the most — Kane and Selena. Their happiness, their safety, their health, and their well-being were the most important things to me. Nothing else mattered, not even my own happiness or my wish to
His words stirred something in me. I wanted to marry him, in spite of whatever had transpired between us, but I was still not able to get myself to do it. Why? Maybe it was because of the fact that he doesn't love me, or the fact that he has fallen out of love and he's doing all of this out of duty. I don't know what it was, but it just didn't feel right to simply marry him.But his proposal was just perfect. We needed this protection. And however self-righteous I was, and whatever self-respect I carried, it did not matter more than what my kids mattered to me. It did not matter more than their safety, their innocence, and their childhood.If we could give them — take away half of their fears and give them double the happiness they're experiencing now — I think I would be the luckiest mother in the world. Maybe we would be the luckiest parents in the world."Let me think this through and get back to you," I said to Cassius and walked out of his room.This room — it reminded me of a lo
Standing outside the room where my kids slept and finally seeing a smile break out on my mate’s face made me realise something. It is high time I rein control over everything. And wh=ith that announce them and make sure they are secure even without me. Today, my pack judges my mate and my kids, but that has to change. And it will. When she becomes my wife and my mate.Tucking Sienna in her bed, I stared at her serene face like I used to always and went back to my own chambers. Tomorrow is the big day.The morning came late or maybe I was restless to even give into sleep. I called for my beta, Jackson, to call on Sienna to my chambers. I could communicate with Jackson on mindlink but not with her and my kids. Even that would change.Sienna walked in following Jackson who nodded once at me and left. She took in my room, her eyes roaming around, looking at each and everything carefully, before she found a chair by the window and sat on it."What is wrong, Cassius?" she asked.I sat in fr
Selena fell asleep faster than I expected.One minute she was shifting slightly, adjusting her position beside Kane, and the next her breathing slowed into that steady rhythm that only came when exhaustion finally caught up. Her hand rested lightly against the blanket between them, not gripping, not tense—just there, like she needed to feel his presence even in sleep.Kane stayed awake a little longer.I could tell by the way his breathing didn’t fully settle. His eyes stayed half open, watching Selena for a moment before drifting toward me.“You should sleep,” I whispered.He shook his head faintly.“Not yet,” he muttered.That stubbornness was still there.Good.That meant he hadn’t shut down completely.I adjusted the blanket near his shoulder, careful not to brush the injured arm. Even the smallest movements still made him tense slightly before relaxing again.“Does it hurt more now?” I asked quietly.He hesitated before answering.“A little,” he admitted.That honesty mattered.Mo
Night settled in slowly, and with it came the kind of quiet that made people think too much.The lamps in the hallway had been lit, and patrol shifts had already changed twice since sunset. Everything was running the way I had ordered—guards posted, rotations tightened, inner paths watched more closely than usual. On paper, everything looked secure.But inside the residence, security didn’t feel the same as peace.I stayed near the doorway for a while longer, watching Sienna stand beside the wall, her attention still fixed inside the room. She hadn’t gone back to sit beside Kane yet, but she hadn’t moved far either. Just enough distance to prove to herself she could.That mattered.Even if she didn’t realize it.Inside, Selena leaned against Kane’s shoulder while he rested back against the pillows. He looked tired, but calmer than before. The tightness in his face had eased slightly, though he still kept his injured arm close to his body.They were talking again—soft voices, slow sent
Standing outside the room felt strange.Not unsafe… just uncomfortable. My body kept telling me to go back inside, to sit next to Kane again, to keep my hand on him so I could feel every movement. Even standing just a few steps away made my chest feel tight, like I had forgotten something important.I leaned lightly against the wall, trying to slow my breathing. The hallway wasn’t noisy, but it wasn’t quiet either. Footsteps passed now and then. Voices drifted from farther rooms. Doors opened and shut somewhere down the corridor. None of it was threatening, but my body reacted to every sound like it might be.Cassius stayed beside me without speaking. I was aware of him there, steady and calm, not crowding me, not pushing me to talk. That helped more than I wanted to admit.Inside the room, I could hear Kane and Selena talking quietly.Not loud.Not playful.Just talking.That alone felt like something important.“I don’t like this,” I said finally.Cassius turned his head slightly to
“Hey!” I tapped his cheeks again. “Alessio.” This time I tapped harder, almost ready to slap him if he didn’t respond. “Alessio! You’re scaring me.” I muttered, leaning over him, trying to shake him awake.
Someone was kissing me. More specifically she was. I smiled without even opening my eyes. Turning onto my side, I faced her keeping my eyes closed and hugged her closer. Her giggles filled my ears and my smile widened even more if possible. “Hey.” She murmured, and I peaked one eye open.“Hey.” I r
I agreed to one day. Just one. It should have felt simple. Instead, it felt like the beginning of an ending. But the joy and relief on Alessio’s face was invaluable. I stood in my bedroom staring at the half-open wardrobe, my fingers hovering over neatly fold
“He is their father.” Austin’s voice made me freeze. I turned to look at him. “He is right?”“What?”“I see the way you two are. The Mate bond comes to life when you stand beside him. And Kane resembles him in every possible way.” As if I didn’t know that.“What difference does it make?” I asked Au







