LOGINWhen I catch one beat, Leo’s breath stops, and his eyes widen. This time, I return it immediately. He drags in a breath as darkness blooms beneath my palm, spreading into curled lines that circle a tiny crescent.“Wow,” he breathes.I laugh. Then, his expression changes, his eyes going wide.“Oh.”“
** Poppy’s POV **I walk towards Jake, each step feels more important than the last. A step closer to something huge. His eyes drop to my hand as I lift it.“Does it hurt?” he asks as he studies my hand.I shake my head. “It feels cool, but not uncomfortable.”He swallows, his eyes meeting mine agai
“Unfortunately,” Jake says.Owen leans back in his chair. “I thought they were a myth.”“So did I,” I mutter. “Then again, this time last year, I thought werewolves were a myth too, so apparently I know fuck all.”“And they’re looking for our Luna?” Conner asks.“We think so,” Alaric says. “It seems
** Poppy’s POV **By the time we get back to the house, the atmosphere on the mountain has changed. There are wolves everywhere. Most of them are still in their human forms, but their wolves are so close to the surface that their eyes glint gold.I can sense more of them moving through the trees. Tw
“No,” Bastian says.Jake blows out a breath. “I never thought I’d ever be wishing it was a hunter.”The words settle heavily between us. He’s right. Hunters are awful and cruel, but at least we know what we are dealing with, and we know how to stop them, but vampires? Can they even be killed? Do we
** Poppy’s POV **I frown. “What guy?”“I don’t know, I think he said he was your neighbour. Said he hadn’t seen you for a few days and was worried.”My stomach tightens, and all four bonds sharpen. I never had a neighbour that would even notice if I was there or not.“Did you get his name?” I ask.
Remy’s voice is low, conflicted. “You think you can pull off a lie like that to the Midnight Pack?”“If it keeps her safe, yes,” I snap before I can stop myself. “You saw what she did, Rem. You saw what it cost her. If this gets out, every pack and hunter across the world will want her. Some to stud
“Put her on the couch,” Leah says. “I’ll get some bandages in case she’s bleeding under those blankets.”“Not necessary,” Jake says quickly, stepping forward. “I’ve already checked her over, no open wounds. She’s stable. I’d prefer to monitor her myself if you don’t mind.”Leah’s eyebrows lift, her
I stagger forward; the breath leaving my lungs in short, gasping bursts. “No,” I whisper again. “No, please…”A sound rises in my ears, faint at first, then growing, a voice that’s not my own or my mate’s, inside my head. “It’s time.”I blink, confusion cutting through the grief. “What…”“You know w
** Paige’s POV **For a while, neither of us moves. The air between us feels heavy with the ghosts of Mum’s laughter, Dad’s quiet warmth, all the pieces of a life that suddenly don’t fit the same way anymore. But underneath it all, there’s comfort too. Poppy’s hand in mine. The quiet promise that we







