로그인Mate.The word rolls through me, low and possessive, but tonight it doesn’t feel overwhelming. It feels certain. Poppy swallows hard.“You calm it too,” she whispers suddenly.I frown slightly. “Calm what?”“That feeling.” Her eyes lift back to mine. “The pressure. The noise in my head. It gets quie
** Jake’s POV **The second Leo leaves the cabin feels wrong.It’s quieter and colder, even though the fire still crackles softly in the corner. Rain still taps steadily against the roof, and Poppy is still standing only a few feet away from me.But something shifted when he left. I felt it immediat
“I’ll be okay,” she whispers.I wish I believed that.Instead of answering, I lean forward until our foreheads touch, and for a second, everything else fades away. It’s just her breathing against me and the warmth of her hands on my face.“What if this thing isn’t new?” she asks quietly. “What if it
** Leo’s POV **“It’s not staying silent anymore.”The words have been stuck in my head for the last two fucking hours since Jake explained what happened at the clinic.I tighten my grip on the strap of the knife sheath sitting across my chest harder than necessary, checking it for the third time si
Of course, the voice remains completely silent. Coward.“So what am I?” I ask.No one answers quickly enough. Jake steps closer, crouching in front of me so I have to look at him and not the horror show printed on the paper in my hands.“We don’t know yet,” he says. “But we will.”I want to believe
** Poppy’s POV **The room feels too small and too hot.I swallow. “Not the same how?”Jake exhales slowly, reaching for another sheet. “Paige’s blood showed abnormal energy markers, mostly consistent with what Ronnie later connected to Dawn energy, cleansing, regenerative and life-based.”“Sounds l
Ryder goes to her first. I hang back, giving them space, but my focus doesn’t leave her. His hand cups the back of her neck, his voice low. I don’t listen to the words, not because I can’t, but because his tone is private, and I respect that, but I can feel the bond between them settle.I let out a
** Paige’s POV **The forest is quiet and still. The only movements are the leaves as they flutter in the breeze, and the enforcers who are spread out wide, keeping a perimeter around us.Remy’s the one who breaks the quiet. “There’s residue,” he murmurs, crouching beside the bank. “I can’t tell if
** Ryder’s POV **The moment Paige’s eyes roll back, the world goes sideways.Her body goes limp and heavy in my arms. For a heartbeat, everything inside me stops. Then the panic slams in all at once.“Paige!” I shout, shaking her gently. Her head lolls against my shoulder, her hair spilling over my
** Paige’s POV **Callen leads me to the bathroom, flipping on the small light over the mirror. The glow is warm and golden, giving the room a cosy feel. He rolls his sleeves and starts the water running in the tub.For a moment, I just watch him. The quiet focus on his face, the way his shoulders m







