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
** Paige’s POV ** Ryder appears not long after we finish eating, his hair still damp from a shower. His shirt clings to his chest, like he didn’t dry off properly. He looks exhausted, but more himself than yesterday. His eyes find mine, and he smiles. “Hey,” he says, his voice still a little sle
** Callen’s POV **I let out a sharp whistle, and the kids freeze mid-sprint like someone hit pause. A couple of them groan, and a few flop dramatically into the grass, and one tiny omega throws his arms up and yells, “We demand extra time!”I grin, shaking my head. “You demand nothing, Greyson. You
Parker shrugs. “Anyway, I should get going. Just wanted to check in.”“Do you want to come in?” I hear myself ask before I’ve had time to second guess it.I mentally slap my hand over my mouth. Why did I say that?He hesitates, just a second, but it’s enough to make my stomach twist with uncertainty
“They’re fine,” I manage. “They’re home. Parker got them home. No one touched them.”His eyes flutter closed again for a moment, like just hearing it is enough to make his body relax. Like she’s the lifeline he was holding onto through all of this. Not me.The door swings open behind us, and Ryder s







