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
Ryder’s knuckles go white against his knees. “And I wasn’t there. I left you open for someone like that to get his claws into you.” “Ryder,” I whisper, but he’s already shaking his head. “No. I should’ve checked on you. I should have protected you both. Instead, I gave him the perfect chance to
** Paige’s POV ** I’m still shaking when Parker pulls me in closer, his arms wrapping around me and Jaxon. The blanket is warm, but it’s not doing much to stop the way I’m trembling. Jaxon’s little hands clutch my shirt, and he presses his damp cheek against my chest. I keep imagining him out the
**Paige’s POV **Callen’s home. He’s right here, looking as if nothing ever happened, but it still doesn’t feel real.He’s sitting beside me on the couch, his thumb tracing lazy circles against the inside of my wrist like he’s been doing it for years. Like he didn’t almost die. Like I haven’t spent
“Breathe in through your nose,” Ryder says gently, his voice barely above a whisper. “Feel your chest rise. Count to four in your head. Now let it out slow through your mouth.”Jaxon obeys, a steady breath escaping his lips.I blink, surprised by the calm stillness in my normally fidgety son. His ch







