로그인** Poppy’s POV **Shiver’s run through me. Starting from my chest and spreading out, but everything else calms. My heart stops pounding, my breaths come easier, and the cold that was creeping in is slowly replaced by a comforting warmth.It’s them, my mates. They’re anchoring me. Whatever this power
“Hey,” I say, dropping to my knees in front of her, not caring about the glass. “Look at me.”Her eyes snap to mine, and for a second, they’re not right. There’s something deeper in them. Something darker flickering beneath the surface like a storm trying to break through. The hairs on my arms lift.
** Jake’s POV ** The thought that I shouldn’t have left hits me hard and sudden, but I don’t know why. I’m halfway down the corridor in the clinic, the faint hum of the lights buzzing overhead, when something in my chest pulls tight. Not the mate bond exactly, but close enough that every instinct
** Poppy’s POV **Things have changed. Not just around me, but inside too. The voice has remained silent. Its presence is still there, watching, waiting, but somehow it’s more settled now. Content even. Which is surprising; I was sure it would be complaining about how close we were to completing th
** Jake’s POV **My eyes close for half a second, grounding myself the way I do when my wolf fights for control, or trying to.“You’re…” I start, then stop, because I don’t have a word for what she is right now.I move to stand directly behind her, both of my hands on her hips now. So close, just on
** Jake’s POV **My mate is unreal. She tastes like heat and something softer beneath it, sweet, with a bite that keeps pulling me back for more. And the way she responds, every breath, every sound, it hits heavier than anything I’ve ever known.Hard enough to drop me to my knees, not that I’d choos
** Ryder’s POV **We don’t celebrate. We don’t howl with victory cries or shake ourselves clean of blood and fear. We simply settle, our shoulders relaxing after carrying too much weight. Maybe all that will come later.The pack moves quietly. Not in shock or grief, but in assessment. Enforcers regr
Callen sits beside her on the couch, arm draped loosely around her shoulders. She leans into him without hesitation, and I see the way his presence steadies her.Parker catches my eye from across the room and gives a small nod.“She’s stable,” he says through the mind-link.I nod back.Later, when t
Paige inhales sharply.I feel it through the bond, the spike of heat, the pull, the very human want she hasn’t let herself acknowledge yet.Good.“Touch him,” I say quietly.She hesitates just long enough for me to know she’s asking permission, not defying me.“Yes,” I answer before she can speak it
There’s no screaming this time. No crying, no chaos, no panic. It’s the cleanest evacuation I’ve ever seen, and I hate that I’m impressed by that.I should not be grateful that we’ve had enough experience that we can move our families like chess pieces, but I am.As the main territory empties, Leo t







