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 **Back at my rental house, I hold my breath as Ryder unlocks the door and pushes inside with Remy right behind him. My gaze drops automatically to the floor just inside the entryway. No ominous letters are waiting for me this time. I let out a relieved breath.We wait outside for the
“Paige,” she snaps, dragging me out of my spiral. Her eyes are wild, desperate. “Tell me this isn’t real. Tell me he’s not serious.”I swallow, forcing my voice out even though it feels like betrayal. “It’s real, Poppy. Mate bonds are… they’re not something we choose. They’re rare and sacred.”“So w
Her fingers squeeze mine, firm, certain. “You already do.”The silence stretches, but it isn’t heavy, just full. I rest my head against Paige’s hair, just absorbing this moment. And as the small town comes into view, my grip tightens on Paige’s hand. Because Jaxon is waiting just beyond the trees, a
I look back down at Leo; he seems smaller like this. I don’t know him well, we’ve barely said three words to each other, but I know he’s a formidable force. If anyone can survive this, it’s him. I press harder on the towels, willing him to hang on, willing him to live. Each second stretches into ete







