LOGIN“Hey,” Paige says softly.“Hey,” I reply, my voice cracking. Her smile fades and her eyes narrow as she studies me. “What happened?”“Nothing, I’m okay.”Callen snorts a laugh, and I shoot him a look. “Callen, get out,” Paige orders.“Well, that’s rude.”“Out,” she demands, and he wisely retreats,
** Poppy’s POV **The door closes behind us with a soft click, and I finally take my first real breath in hours. I want to freak out. I want to shout that this isn’t supposed to be happening. But allowing myself to get worked up is not good for anyone or anything. Stuff will break, people will pani
“I was trying to figure you out,” he shrugs.“You were lurking.”Callen gasps. “Shadow boy was lurking?”Bastian’s eyes narrow. “Shadow boy?”“Oh, don’t worry,” I say. “It suits you.”For one strange moment, his expression softens. Not much, but enough that I see it. Enough that my heart skips a bea
** Poppy’s POV **The branch is still lying where it fell. I try not to look at it as we walk away, but my eyes keep finding it anyway. Split wood, torn bark, and leaves scattered across the ground as if it had exploded from the inside out. Because of me.One stupid argument. One moment when everyth
“At least she didn’t pass out this time.”Poppy groans. “Callen.”“What?” he shrugs innocently. “That’s personal growth. I’m proud of you.”“Pass out?” Bastian frowns. “Yeah, when she found out Leo was her mate, she tried to run. But she ran right into Jake, who immediately told her she was his mat
** Leo’s POV **“No, seriously, humour is my thing,” Callen says enthusiastically. “True,” Ryder nods."Aww, thanks, Rye. It's nice to finally be appreciated.""Last week you got stuck in a camping chair," Ryder continues. "I have to admit that was pretty funny."Callen's face drops immediately. “
** Remy’s POV **Something about returning home makes the silence worse.The forest was bad enough… too still, too knowing, but stepping into the clearing around the first of the Phoenix cabins feels even worse.Ryder raises a hand, and we slow, fanning out across the open space.The cabins look exa
Remy responds, voice taut. “This is her, isn’t it?”“It’s her,” I confirm.Ryder doesn’t reply for a moment. When he does, his tone is sharp with underlying emotion. “Stay calm. No one can find out what she is yet.”Another pulse rolls through me, through all three of us, stronger than before.Remy
“We don’t let them push us out,” I say, meeting her eyes fully. “Not again, not this easily. If we leave for too long, the pack will be too scared to return. Fear spreads fast, and once it sets in? It rots everything… trust, unity, the instinct to fight back.”Her lips part as if she wants to protes
Ryder blinks. “What?”Ronnie shrugs. “If what I think I translated from that ancient book is right, she pulls power faster under sunlight and moonlight. Get her to a window, doorway, anything. Let me test a theory.”Leo snorts. “So you want me to lure her to the window and put her on charge?”Ronnie







