เข้าสู่ระบบJill POVHave I made the right choice in keeping them apart? Or have I been neglecting their potential relationship? I know Matthew would make a great father. Even though he’s been a terrible partner, I don’t doubt that wouldn’t leak into how he treats his son. His decision that night at the warehouse gives every indication that he would do anything for his child. I knew raising a child on my own was going to be hard, but at the time, I had Amanda. I didn’t ever think Owen would need a male figure or that he desperately wanted one. “Try to go back to sleep, hmm? We can talk more in the morning,” I say. Owen nods before sliding back down beneath the blankets and closing his eyes. I slip down beside him and rub his back until he falls asleep. But the rest of the night, I lie awake thinking about Matthew and the situation I’ve somehow found myself in. The night before everything happened, Matthew had come to me and apologized for the way he’d mistreated me. He’d just discov
Jill POVMatthew stays true to his word and assigns one of his wolves to walk us back. Even though I want to argue, I’m grateful to have someone guarding us for a while. I doubt there are more rogues, but on the off chance there are, I don’t know how much fight I have left in me. Hearing Matthew say goodbye made me feel unexplainably sad. I should be grateful he left without trying to take Owen from me or force his way into our lives. But as I watched him walk away, all I felt was a sense of longing, like I’d misplaced something but couldn’t remember what it was. We walk home in silence. I carry Owen on my hip, and he nuzzles his face into my neck. When we arrive home, I bolt the door behind us and carry him to the bath. Slowly, I wash the grime from his body. His wrists are red from the chains they put him in, and I’m careful not to hurt him further as I work. He doesn’t say a word, letting me comfort and take care of him without argument. After he’s clean, I lay him on his b
Matthew POVWhen daylight finally peeks through the windows, I watch in silence as the rogues reemerge. Owen wakes up slowly, his eyes crusty with tears. He looks at his mother, fear filling his expression before he glances at me. Does he understand I hold the outcome of his life in my hands? Patrick wastes no time in approaching us; his lips lifted in a cocky smirk. “Have you made your decision?” he asks. I glare up at him, my voice steadier than I feel as I answer him. “I’ll agree to your terms, but no harm is to come to the boy.” Owen watches me, his expression frozen with innocence. I’m not sure he understands, but I offer him a small smile of reassurance. Jill’s mouth hangs slightly open, but she shuts it quickly, staring at me. Is she that shocked at my answer? “Excellent!” Patrick gloats. “We will arrange the paperwork.” He turns to bark an order over his shoulder as my blood runs cold. If I sign something, it will be an official contract. One that I won’t be ab
Matthew POVI stare at the boy as he curls into a ball on the floor and closes his eyes. My heart clenches. It can’t be true, can it? Although, as I stare at him, I don’t know how I didn’t see it before. His eyes are the same color as mine, along with the shape of his face. The timing lines up perfectly after we— My heart sinks. I rejected the mother of my child and threw her out to fend for herself. I’d been nothing but cruel and heartless toward her. My eyes turn to Jill, sadness and anger filling me. I’m not angry at her but at myself. Would this have happened if I hadn’t been so consumed with revenge? “It’s true, isn’t it?” I ask her quietly. Jill turns to look at me. I can’t tell what she’s thinking, and I find myself desperately wanting to know. There’s a moment of silence before she finally nods. “When did you know?” She sighs sadly, and the sound makes my chest clench. “After you,” she pauses before continuing, like the next words are sour in her mouth, “re
Jill POV My heart drops, and my gaze shoots to Matthew. That’s the last thing I expected to come from the rogue’s mouth. Yet there it was. My truth, out in the open, revealed against my will and out of my control.He frowns slowly, not comprehending what Patrick is telling him. “Son? I don’t know what you mean.”I swallow. This isn’t how I wanted him to find out—and for them to threaten him with it.“I’ll admit,” Patrick says, standing. “It wasn’t easy figuring it out. We first noticed the way you interacted with your she-wolf.” He gestures at me, but Matthew’s eyes remain glued on him.“We started looking into your shared past. All we had to do was ask the right questions before the timeline started lining up. We traced Jill’s steps to the little town where she first took refuge before coming here. An old restaurant manager was all too eager to speak to someone she thought was a friend, reminiscing about ‘that brave girl.’ Your she-wolf became aware she was pregnant shortly after yo
Jill POV I lunge for the wolves around me. They circle me like vultures, searching for opportunities to strike. My teeth latch onto fur and bone, and I bite down. Hard.The yelp rings throughout the room and gives me morbid satisfaction as I bite down again.This time, the bone breaks. I release to see the rogue limping away. I don’t have time to relish in the victory as I hear a deafening roar. I glance in Matthew’s direction, hoping to see that he’s triumphing in some way, but my stomach rises to my throat as I notice him pinned to the ground. His dark coat is wet with blood, and the surrounding wolves have their jaws locked around him so that he can’t move.I can’t help but feel the gratitude that floods through me. He has no attachment to this boy or, honestly, even me, yet he’s risking his life for both of us. My anger towards him slowly seeps away as I realize how much he’s sacrificing by being here. He could’ve walked away. He could’ve made me deal with this on my own, but he
Josephine’s POVSix months laterI sat on the porch of the cabin we lived in when visiting the commune, watching JULES and JAMES with a bunch of shifter kids, Theo included. They were playing a game of shifter tag. Whoever was ‘it’ changed into their animal form and chased the others. Most of the c
Josephine’s POVThe others shifted back to their human forms.“We’ll search the place,” OSCAR said. “You stay with your boy.”I nodded and placed my hand on the door.“Are you okay, Theo?” I asked.“I’m okay,” he murmured.“You sure?” I asked.“I’m scared.”“I know, baby. But everything is going to
Josephine’s POVWe hung back while Caleb’s team ventured further into the commune. I waited with my heart in my throat. I didn’t like that Caleb was putting himself in the line of fire, but his plan was our best option for rescuing Theo. I just hoped I wasn’t trading my mate for my son.I knew Cale
Caleb POVWe waited until dusk to implement the strategy. That’s when the guards changed over, and darkness would give us the best cover. James was supposed to be on watch that evening, giving us the perfect opportunity to slip into the commune. Getting in would be easy. It was the rest that worrie







