LOGINHis mouth twitches slightly, but he doesn’t quite smile.“Good,” he says.Good? I stare at him.“That’s not an answer.”“No,” he agrees. “It isn’t, but you also didn’t ask a question.”My hands clench at my sides, which is more Leo’s style than mine. I force them to relax.“Ronnie…”“When something
** Jake’s POV **That baby should have died. The thought swirls in my mind, no matter how many times I try to push it aside. I’ve seen enough births to know the difference between a close call and a miracle. That wasn’t a close call; it was impossible.I stand at the end of the bed, watching as the
“Poppy,” Jake’s voice calls, softer than before.I glance over at him. He’s watching me now.A flicker of unease slides through me.“Yeah?” I call back, forcing a small smile.His gaze narrows slightly, as if he’s trying to piece something together that doesn’t quite fit.“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Jake watches me closely.“I’m fine,” I insist, before he can say anything. I know he doesn’t fully believe me, but he doesn’t argue.We step out into the corridor together, and I hear a few voices drift in the distance. “Jake,” Leo says quietly beside me. “What’s going on?”Jake exhales slowly as
** Poppy’s POV **Spending my first night after completing the mate bond back in the clinic was not on my bingo card, but here we are. I wake up stiff. Like I slept too heavy for too long. Jake and Leo insisted we spend the night here, which makes no sense. Yes, I had a bit of a funny turn, but I r
The baby cries a second later, strong, clear, alive. Relief floods the room. I hand the baby to my assistant, who quickly runs through checks before passing him to Mum.My chest tightens at the sight, but it’s tainted by an uneasy feeling, because I just witnessed a miracle, and in my experience, th
Cora hands me a small paper bag that she pulls from behind a cushion. “This is the only real option you have for right now, until you can visit a human doctor to arrange something long term, which I don’t suggest you do until your current heat cycle is over.”I open the bag and peer inside to find a
** Paige’s POV **Remy carries me into the bathroom, which is already filled with steam. Ryder was right. I am in fact unable to walk. When I had tried to stand, my legs were like jelly. Parker had caught me, steadying me, before Remy had scooped me into his arms. I had protested that I’d be fine to
I suck in a shaky breath, lifting my head just enough to meet Callen’s eyes again. He gives me a small, knowing smile as he brushes away the last of his tears.“Go on, baby,” he whispers. “Let them help you now. We’ll be right here.”Callen kisses my head, and Ryder leans over to press a chaste kiss
My heart squeezes at that, and I take a breath before I speak again. “I am ready. If you are sure you can wait for me to decide if I want more kids, that you are okay with it if I decide I don’t want any more, then I’m ready to complete the bond with you both.”“Shit,” Callen curses, and I look at h







