LOGINWe step out into the corridor together, heading towards the room we’d seen him go into. “Hey,” I call as we spot Jake’s assistant leaving the room opposite. “Have you seen Jake?”She looks up, relief flickering across her face as if she’s glad it’s not another emergency.“Yeah,” she says. “He stepp
**Poppy’s POV **After the tree of death tried to kill me, we head back into the clinic for breakfast. Jake leaves to check on his patients, promising to catch up with us soon. I want to tell him no, that I need him with me, but that will only worry him and Leo. I feel fine; the chill I had last ni
His 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
“Leo didn’t react this badly though, his biggest issue was the wound itself.” Callen shakes his head.“I think that’s the key.” Poppy’s eyes flick between the two men. “Leo was actively bleeding, which means most of the toxin would’ve drained out with the blood. Ryder has no open wounds, it’s trappi
Through the haze, I catch flashes of light between the trees. The cabins. The faint, familiar glow coming through the healer’s windows. Relief flickers through me, almost there.“Jake!” Parker’s voice roars through the clearing. “Open up! Now!”The door bursts open before he even reaches it, and eve
** Paige’s POV **As the pack hall finally begins to empty, the low hum of voices fades as wolves drift out in twos and threes. Some head home to their families; others linger, having quiet conversations. The heavy tension that filled the room has eased, replaced by a fragile calm.I should feel rel
The lump in my throat grows thicker, and I squeeze her hand. “We saved him,” I whisper. “All of us. I couldn’t have done it alone.”Ronnie’s expression softens. “You might be right about that,” he says, glancing down the hall toward the closed door of Ryder’s room. “An alpha is only as strong as his







