LOGINHe loomed over me, his shadow stretching across the sterile floor like a dominant Alpha asserting his territory. His voice dropped to a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated in the air between us. "Sierra Vaughn, I have no interest in your clandestine private life, but do not forget whose sanctuary this is. This is the medical wing where Naomi is fighting for her life. Have you no shame? Have you never considered the fallout if she catches you in the arms of another wolf while her scent is still fading from our home?"I swallowed the bitter taste of his hypocrisy, gripping the tray of fruit until my knuckles turned white. I refused to let his scent-pressure break my composure. "I didn't come here to challenge your rank or pick a fight, Cameron. Naomi’s lunar-nerve surgery is hours away. Get out of my path."His hand shot out, his palm warm and calloused as he clamped it around my wrist. The heat of his touch was a jolt to my system, a reminder of the bond that refused to fully die. He l
My heart nearly stopped in my chest. What in the Great-Pack was he doing here?Earlier, when Aaron mentioned he had surgical rounds in the morning, I assumed he was at the Vaughn Great-Pack’s medical fortress. I never imagined stumbling upon him in this private wing of the Northlands Clinic. Was my brother moonlighting outside our territory?Aaron looked like he had been struck by lightning when he saw me. Encountering me here was the last thing he had calculated for. He had come to conduct the final preoperative assessment on Naomi Brooks’ lunar-nerves. Given the ancient, delicate nature of her shifter-physiology, the surgery required a battery of complex tests and a flawless tactical plan.He had carved out his morning specifically for Naomi, planning to return to the Vaughn Estates by noon. Now, standing in her hospital room, his face went pale. I could see the gears turning behind his surgical mask—was this the moment his secret identity as the Northlands' top surgeon would be blo
As I spoke with Gina, her eyes widened in realization. She took a breath to steady her scent, clearly absorbing the shift in dynamics. "You mean the fake heiress? The one clawing to bond with your former mate?""The very same," I replied, my gaze dropping to the floor. "But any tether between Cameron Steele and me has been severed for good."Still, a nagging question tugged at my intuition. Why had Cameron suddenly rejected Lexi Hart? Was he not terrified that her brother would sabotage Naomi Brooks' delicate lunar-nerve surgery out of spite? I had tried to corner him about it at the medical wing, but my brothers’ sudden arrival had cut the interrogation short."Sierra, you played that beautifully," Gina said, her voice dropping to a low, concerned rumble. "But aren't you worried about the fallout? Toying with High Alphas and their families is a dangerous game in the Northlands.""Gigi, in this world, if you aren't the hunter, you’re the prey. Even if I played the submissive omega, th
l set the bowl of bone-broth down on the rough-hewn table, my fur prickling with a sudden, localized chill. "I’m listening, Landon. What’s on your mind?"Landon’s golden eyes caught the light, reflecting the ancient authority of the Vaughn Great-Pack. "Eva and I have been discussing the future of our line. We want you to leave Bern City. Come back to the Vaughn Estates in Nord City. Live within the protection of the inner sanctum."Eva reached across the table, her hand warm against mine. "We wouldn't leave Patricia or James behind, Sierra. The Great-Pack looks after its own. We’ll move everyone. We can transfer James to the high-rank medical wing at the Vaughn fortress. He’ll have the best healers in the Northlands."I looked at Patricia. She was staring out the window toward the Pacific Street Cafe, her expression unreadable. For a high-ranking wolf like Landon, territory was something to be conquered or traded, but for Patricia, this small corner of Bern City was her soul."I need
I watched Lexi stumble out of the office, her scent a chaotic mess of desperation and fury. It was pathetic how hard she was trying to dig into things she couldn't possibly understand.Aaron remained leaning against his desk, his voice a low, steady rumble. "Lexi, some shadows aren't meant to be searched. You should focus on your own mess.""Don't patronize me, Aaron!" she snapped, her eyes brimming with forced tears. "Falsehoods don't last, you say? My life isn't a lie! But the way you and Landon are treating me... it's like I’m a rogue wolf. You’re pushing me to sign an adoption termination? After a decade of being a Vaughn?"Aaron’s expression didn't flicker. We had planned to wait until her failed binding ceremony was over to sever the tie, but her recent stunts had accelerated the timeline. "I have no comment for you, Lexi. Leave."She stood there for a heartbeat, trembling, before storming out. She was hunting for a truth that was standing right in front of her, yet she was too
I snatched the folder from her hands, and Margaret’s cold eyes flickered toward Ted. "I don't have my lenses. Read this, Ted. Let's see what this little 'omega' is trying to pull."As Ted scanned the shifter clinic records, the color drained from his face, leaving him looking like a ghost. "Lexi... you said you were a pure-blood heiress who’d never been touched by another Alpha. These files... they show multiple procedures at a rogue clinic. You never mentioned these 'complications.'"Pauline and Lexi Hart were plunged into a sudden, frantic panic. They hadn't expected me to have the Vaughn Circle's resources to dig up their buried secrets.Lexi immediately snarled, her eyes flashing a desperate, fake amber. "These are fakes! Forged by a jealous relic!""Exactly! It’s a smear campaign!" Pauline barked, trying to reclaim her dignity. "Lexi is carrying a future Alpha of the Bowen line. Are you really going to let a piece of paper insult your grandson? You’re just trying to dodge the bri
The reaction from Sierra’s adoptive parents after Felix’s intervention was anything but natural.Veronica Hale and Jonah Price showed their true, jagged teeth. They didn't even bother with the "loving guardians" facade anymore, spitting vitriol into the air. "I don’t give a damn about your pack law
"You speak with such authority, one would think you were the Alpha of this entire territory," I remarked, my voice dripping with dry sarcasm.Candace stomped her designer heel in fury, the sound echoing off the polished stone of the lobby. However, the realization that she still needed me to play t
Landon sighed. "I’m coming to Bern City in two days. Between the slanders against Sierra and Lexi’s wedding, I need to see the terrain for myself. Regarding the engagement, I have a plan...""I hope it involves keeping Sierra out of her sight," Cole muttered. "Lexi is dangerous when she feels corne
I quickly tapped out a reassuring message to the Vaughn Circle’s private link. “I’m safe. I’ll have the scent of this traitor neutralized by sundown. Don’t break cover for my sake.”I didn't realize that Miles had already gone rogue.In the high towers of the Northlands, Landon Vaughn’s eyes burned







