LOGINHis 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
** Poppy’s POV **Spending my first night after completing the mate bond back in the clinic was not on my bingo card, but here we are. I wake up stiff. Like I slept too heavy for too long. Jake and Leo insisted we spend the night here, which makes no sense. Yes, I had a bit of a funny turn, but I r
The baby cries a second later, strong, clear, alive. Relief floods the room. I hand the baby to my assistant, who quickly runs through checks before passing him to Mum.My chest tightens at the sight, but it’s tainted by an uneasy feeling, because I just witnessed a miracle, and in my experience, th
** Paige’s POV **Parker helps me undress slowly, like each button popped, and zipper undone is an act that should be treasured. When I step into the bath, I’m still trembling from the almost overwhelming anticipation thrumming through me. The hot water laps against my skin, and I sink into it with
It goes quiet outside, too quiet. My stomach flips, my teeth grit, and I fight to keep it together.“Callen, what's happening?” Paige whispers. Her voice is small and fragile, tugging at something deep inside me.“Someone’s hurt,” I admit softly, turning to look at her. “One of ours.”She’s huddled
Before I can ask what that means, Parker appears at my side, his hand warm on the small of my back. The contact is barely there, but it sends a ripple of heat down my spine.“Let them have their fun,” Parker says smoothly. “I’ll make sure you’re not lonely.”The way he says it makes my breath catch.
Heat rushes to my cheeks, but Ryder just lifts his chin, pride written all over him. Callen smirks like he’d been waiting for this exact moment, Remy steps in closer, and Parker squeezes my hand.Regina shakes her head in disbelief. “A completed mating bond between five… the goddess certainly has he







