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
Of course, that’s when Jaxon pipes up. “Uncle Cal,” he says, wrinkling his nose. “Why are you kissing my mummy?” Heat floods my cheeks. I turn away, not sure whether to laugh it off or pray for the ground to swallow me up. Callen crouches down to Jax’s level, his smile wide. “That’s a good que
He nods and stands to take it all in. “It’s looking good.” Parker’s voice floats into my head through the mind-link. “She’s in the bath now with a face mask on. She’s relaxed, Rye. So don’t rush, you’ve got plenty of time.” I let out a sigh of relief, closing my eyes to settle my nerves. I can i
** Paige’s POV **“That was so much harder than I expected,” I admit, my eyes meeting Ryder’s.“You held your ground,” he says, voice low, pride and fury mixed in his tone. “You didn’t back down once.”“I wanted to,” I admit, my throat tight. “The way they looked at me… like I didn’t belong. Like I
That gets him laughing properly, the sound healing something in me. “We’re not that mystical, Paige. Some of us run businesses, some work in town, some do online stuff. The pack has investments too, thanks to Ronnie. We make it work and live comfortably.” I sink back onto the sofa, deciding to dis







