LOGIN“No…” she whispers. The word barely leaves her lips before the air around us drops a few degrees. Leaves skitter across the forest floor, despite there being no wind, and a nearby branch groans. Somewhere above us, birds explode from the treetops in a frantic chorus of wings and shrieks. I stay whe
**Bastian’s POV **The forgotten sister… the words seem to freeze the room for a moment. As if every person in the room and on the video call collectively holds their breath.Jake is the first to speak. “Is that what the voice said?” Poppy doesn’t answer. I can’t see her face from here, but the ten
Alaric presses his lips together, giving a small wave towards the phone, and Bastian bows his head slightly. “It looks like Ronnie found something, we thought you might want to hear it,” Callen says. “Hang on.” Muffled voices come through the speaker, and something thumps before Paige speaks agai
** Jake’s POV **The silence that settles after Ronnie’s words is uncomfortable. For a long moment, no one moves. The forest seems unnaturally still around us, as though even the birds have decided this isn’t a conversation they want any part of. Ronnie clears his throat. “So,” he says, his gaze d
** Jake’s POV **A minute later, the cabin door opens again. Callen steps out with far too much satisfaction written across his face. Poppy follows a second later. The moment she sees all four of us waiting, she hesitates, her steps faltering. Her gaze lands on me, then Leo. Then it drifts to Alaric
** Jake’s POV **My wolf practically whines in my head as my eyes track Poppy walking inside with Callen. Every second I spend with her makes every second away from her more difficult. “I know this is difficult,” Ryder says, pulling our attention back to him. “But for Poppy’s sake, you all need to
** Paige’s POV **Parker’s words soothe something inside me.I nod slowly, blinking back the tears behind my eyes. “I don’t even know where to start.”“Then don’t.” Parker’s voice is calm, solid. “Start later. Right now, just be here.”I glance toward the living room. Jaxon’s laughter floats out, an
** 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
“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
** Paige’s POV **Ryder and I walk the woodland path in silence, our steps in sync, the guards keeping a respectful distance behind us. It feels strange being back here after yesterday. I’d been so worried, so stressed that I’m surprised I hadn’t left a track on the floor from all my pacing. Now it







