LOGIN“Stop! Don’t do this!” They can’t hear me, can’t feel my desperate attempts to stop this. I’m trapped inside the worst moment of my life with no way to change it. The world fractures around me, and for the briefest second, my mother’s fingertips brush mine. “Live, Poppy.” Then darkness explodes
** Poppy’s POV ** I blink against the darkness surrounding me. The cabin is gone. The smell of dinner. The warmth of the fire. The laughter in the kitchen. All of it has vanished. Instead, cold asphalt presses against my bare feet. I know this place. Not because I’ve seen it before, but because I’
“It seems our timing,” Leo says, looking between us, “is perfect.”“No, it’s terrible,” Alaric corrects flatly.“That depends on who you ask,” Jake shrugs.Alaric ignores him, turning back to the stove to flip the chicken with far too much focus.“So, what were you saying about defence lessons?” Leo
** Poppy’s POV **I thought Alaric would have been pissed at learning his brother had my number all along and had been messaging me, but he’s amused, and maybe even a little proud. He shakes his head again and laughs; it’s so contagious that I can’t even be mad.“Come on,” he says, standing from the
** Poppy’s POV **Bastian has been gone too long for a simple perimeter check of the cabin. I don’t know why that bothers me, but it does. I catch myself rubbing my thumb over the rim of my coffee mug again. It’s gone lukewarm, but I haven’t taken a sip in several minutes. Instead, I keep glancing
“I only detected five scents in the pack centre,” Bastian says. “The sixth entered here.”He points to a patch of flattened fern that none of us had even looked at.“They were already travelling together.”“That’s what we thought,” Leo says.Bastian doesn’t answer. He simply keeps moving, following
** Ryder’s POV **I don’t want to let go of Paige’s hand. It feels perfect in mine. Like it should always be there.Today has been one of the best days of my life, actually… it’s the best yet.Waking up with my beautiful mate’s body next to mine. Then a wonderful morning with my son, whose laughter
** Paige’s POV **The knock on the door is urgent. I’m already on my feet before it comes a second time, with my heart hammering so hard I can feel it in my throat.I peek through the spy hole and then wrench the door open to find Parker standing there, dried blood crusted down one side of his face.
It suddenly feels colder out here than it did before. When I reach Callen’s room again, my chest is tight, and my eyes sting with unshed tears. I forget about needing the toilet. I just walk straight back in, close the door softly behind me, and sink back into the chair beside him. His hand is
Parker’s mouth curves into a faint smile, a little less guarded now. “Right. Sorry. I forgot this is all still new to you.” He taps the side of his head. “Mind link. Pack members can talk to each other telepathically.”I stare at him for a second, trying to wrap my head around it. “Like… you can hea







