LOGINSage’s PovDinner had been loud in the way only my parents could manage. Plates clinked, my mother kept refilling bowls no one asked for, and my father pretended he was not listening while listening to everything. The air smelled of pepper soup and roasted meat, familiar and warm. For a brief moment, it felt like nothing outside this table could reach me.“I ran into Kyle last week,” I said, stirring my soup slowly. “He asked after Aleric.”My mother paused with the ladle midair. “Kyle,” she repeated. “That boy who used to run messages for the elders?”“The same one,” I replied. “He reminded me of something I had almost forgotten. He was the one who helped arrange my marriage to Aleric back then.”My father looked up sharply. “Helped arrange,” he echoed. “You never told us that.”“I didn’t think it mattered anymore,” I said. “It was all done quietly. Kyle handled the introductions and the timing. He thought he was helping me secure a future.”My mother set the ladle down with a soft c
Aleric'’s PovKyle watching me with a look that made my shoulders stiffen. It was not anger in his eyes. It was amusement, sharp and deliberate.“So,” he said at last, his voice calm, “you are telling me this is all about justice.”I met his gaze. “I’m telling you I’m protecting my family.”Kyle let out a soft laugh. It was not loud, but it cut through the room anyway. “Family,” he repeated. “Your friends, your sister, your mother. Everyone except the woman who stood beside you as your wife.”Thea shifted closer to me at once, her arm brushing mine. “Kyle, you’re being unfair,” she said. “Aleric has always been responsible. He carries the weight of the Pack on his shoulders.”Kyle turned his head slowly to look at her. “Did I ask you?”Her smile froze for half a second, then returned, a little tighter than before.I felt heat rise to my face. “This has nothing to do with Sage,” I said. “Don’t drag her into this.”Kyle raised an eyebrow. “You dragged her into it the moment you chose ev
Sage’s PovI had not slept well since the night my mother and Sophia were taken away. Every time I lay down, my mind replayed their faces over and over again. My mother tried to stay calm, but I saw the fear in her eyes. Sophia did not even try to hide her anger, shouting until her voice broke.By the third day, my patience was gone.I spent the morning calling lawyers. I spent the afternoon doing the same thing. By evening, my phone felt heavy in my hand, and my throat was dry from repeating the same words again and again.“I need representation,” I said for what felt like the hundredth time. “This is a misunderstanding. My family has served the Pack for decades.”The man on the other end sighed. “Alpha Aleric, I understand your position, but this case involves sensitive parties.”“You are a Wolf Pack law firm,” I snapped. “If you won’t take this case, who will?”There was a pause before he answered. “We cannot afford to offend the wrong people.”The line went dead.I stared at my ph
Sage’s Pov“They got a confession,” he said. “The man who attacked you. He broke this morning.”I stopped walking and turned to him. My heart skipped once, hard, before settling into a dull ache.“He confessed?” I asked. “To what, exactly?”Kyle nodded. His expression was serious, no trace of the careless grin he used to wear when we were younger. “He admitted Bonnie paid him. He also said Sophia knew about it and approved it. He claimed she gave the order through Bonnie.”My fingers curled slowly at my side. “Then Sophia was arrested?”Kyle hesitated, and that pause told me everything before he even spoke. “She was questioned. That’s all. There’s no direct evidence tying her to the payment. Bonnie covered her tracks well.”I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “So Bonnie takes the fall, and Sophia walks free.”“For now,” Kyle said quickly. “The elders are watching her closely.”I gave a short laugh that didn’t carry any humor. It was almost ironic, Aleric just couldn’t
Aleric’s POVThe interrogation room was cold in a way that had nothing to do with the stone walls. The air felt tight, heavy with tension and fear, as if the room itself was waiting to see who would break first. The Mad Wolf sat restrained in the chair opposite me, his shoulders slumped, silver cuffs biting into his wrists. His breathing was uneven, and his eyes kept flicking toward the door as though he expected someone to burst in at any moment.“I’ll talk,” he said at last, his voice rough. “I’ll tell you everything. Just don’t let her near me again.”I straightened slightly, folding my arms as I studied him. “Who are you talking about?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.“Bonnie,” he answered without hesitation. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “She’s the one who came to us.”A sharp scoff cut through the room.Bonnie stepped forward from where she had been standing near the wall, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “This is nonsense,” she said. “He’s lying to save hims
Sage’s PovWhen I opened my eyes, I found Cassius leaning close, his face so near that his breath brushed my lips with each slow inhale. He was awake already, eyes steady, like he had been waiting to see when I would notice him.“I enjoy knowing you are awake,” he said. His tone was calm, almost lazy, like he had all the time in the world. “And that you are safe.”I looked straight at him, testing him on purpose. “So tell me, Alpha Cassius. How exactly do you plan to protect me?”I expected anger or control, the kind of response Aleric would have given without thinking. He would have turned it into a command or a warning, something sharp and final. I waited for that familiar tightening in my chest, ready to argue back.But Cassius surprised me.He leaned back slightly, giving me space at last, and rested his forearm on the edge of the bed. “Then it seems you’ll have to stay by my side,” he said evenly, “until I’m certain you’re safe.”I blinked. The words landed before I could dodge t







