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
** Ryder’s POV **The more I think about it, the more I believe it. Everything we’ve been through, the chaos, the losses, the way fate pushed us together, then apart, and then back together again, isn’t random at all. I think it’s all playing out exactly the way it was meant to, even if some of it f
** Paige’s POV **After breakfast, Poppy is still grinning with amusement. Parker excuses himself to shower, giving me a smile that threatens to melt me. Callen goes back upstairs to nap before it’s time to check on Leo, and Ryder and Remy take Jax to play in the living room.I gather up the plates
I put my cup down, shaking my head slowly, trying to process it.My chest tightens until I can barely breathe. “You can’t just say something like that so calmly, Ryder.” My voice cracks halfway through. “That my mum or my dad might not even be my real parents.”He winces, his hand tightening around
I step back, watching her while I calm down.Parker releases the clasp on her bra and pushes it from her shoulders, and her breasts spill free. His eyes meet mine over her shoulder, silently seeking permission to touch her first. I don’t like that.“When it comes to her, we are not Alpha and Beta; w







