LOGINKANE POVGrinding up to a halt, I crouch down to brush my fingers over the forest floor."Hold on," I say.The ground here is different, softer, and more porous. I close my eyes to focus on the scent—there’s a faint trace of something unusual that has my mind peeking up with vigilance."The soil composition here is unique," I note, looking up at Sam."It's more alkaline than the surrounding area, likely due to mineral deposits beneath. This could affect the local flora and, by extension, the behavior of the rogues."Sam nods thoughtfully as I continue,"If we map out these soil anomalies across the territory, we might be able to predict their movement patterns. It's possible they're using these areas as navigational markers or even as meeting points."I swear I’m not surprised when I hear the scoff behind me.“You think a bunch of mindless beasts are following some dirt map? That's a waste of time when there's an SOS signal coming from the eastern border.”"You have a better idea, Jim
Liana POV He's probably already left for his early morning patrols with Sam.Still, I can't help the way my heart races whenever I turn the knob to go in.The room is empty, and the bed is already neatly made, but I still move around the room to straighten things that don't really need straightening.The fact that our regular cleaner is on leave is the only reason I'm in here at all. It doesn't matter that my fingers linger a moment too long on his jacket hanging over a chair, or that my eyes are drawn to the notepad on the desk where his handwriting is calling out to me from the front page.A burst of high-pitched giggles reaches my ears while I’m trying to still read what Kane has scribbled down. I recognize that laugh even though it’s not something I hear very often.I walk to the window, carefully pushing it open.Still giggling is Lina, whose body is suspended high in the air, and below her is the one who's holding her up, grinning from ear to ear as she stretches her tiny arms
LIANA POV"Lina."Her head swings in my direction immediately and she comes scampering to my side. And as she does, I exchange a loaded glance with Kane, where he’s seated, eyes brimming with curiosity. At first, I didn't realize trying to hide Lina from him would be such a hassle until Sam asked me to let Kane stay here. The last thing I want is for him to become aware of our child.I close the door behind me, my heart racing.Lina looks up at me."Mommy, who's that man?" she asks."Why was he staring at me like that?""It's nobody, sweetheart. Just... someone who's staying here for a little while."I pat her hair fondly with a smile, then pull her gently away from the door before kneeling down to her level.My voice sinks to a whisper."Listen, I need you to do something for me, okay? I don't want you hanging around this place too often while he's here. After school and homework, you can play with your friends at the back until dinner time. And if he tries to talk to you or ask you
KANE POVI stop with one foot over the threshold to allow myself a moment to devour the scene I’ve just walked into.It’s her world, which I’ve not been a part of for years.It's smaller than I'd imagined while someone from Sam’s house was leading me here, but it’s alive in a way that takes my breath away. There’s a din of laughter and banter in the room, which feels delightful to see; aromas of spiced meat, fresh bread, whatnots, and something that’s uniquely Liana.A couple brushes past me where I’m standing, tossing a wordless apology my way as they leave. I return the gesture with a friendly smile before turning to finally go in.There she is.Confidence. Radiant. At home in her own skin in a way I've never seen before.Her dark hair is swept back in a practical braid, her green eyes alight with warmth as she approaches the man she’s talking to with a frothy mug balanced in her hand.At first, I’m not really paying attention to anything but her, but then I see that something she s
Liana POV We drive on in silence, alighting the car as soon as we reach Sam’s residence."Come in," Sam's voice calls from inside after I knock.He’s behind his desk and Jimmy is looming at his side like an overgrown shadow.Sam's eyes light up when he sees me."You're back,"But then they widen when they move to who’s behind me."Alpha Kane?"A calm astonishment rings out in his voice as he hurries around the desk, then looks at me briefly as if to say, ‘thank you’.I give him a tiny nod and a tight-lipped smile.Message received: mission accomplished, even if not quite as planned."Sam Barrett of Moonlight Pack," he says, extending his hand with a stance conveying cautious reverence.Kane replies, "Kane Wolf, Blood Moon Pack."They both shake hands firmly, in a manner that’s almost a contest of strength. This is followed by a brief neck-scenting, which is the traditional Alpha greeting.I can see Sam's shoulders relax slightly after this.On the other hand, I catch Jimmy sizing Kan
LIANA POVHe’s coming to Moonlight Pack with me?It doesn't compute like oil and water refusing to mix no matter how hard you shake the bottle.I immediately force myself to steer clear of the idea that he made the decision because of the history between us. It’s impossible that he’s doing it for me—he's the Alpha of Blood Moon Pack now; it’s all business and pack politics; it's nothing more than a calculated move to assess a potential threat and maybe score some brownie points with another pack.Back at the assembly, I was irresistibly drawn to looking at him from the corner of my eye while he spoke. He's changed, hardened somehow, and I have to grudgingly admit, it suits him. Kane always had a knack for fitting perfectly into whatever role he chose to play. But hearing him defend me and even give that speech—which I know was indirectly aimed at me—just makes me more convinced that I can’t allow myself to go down that same path that cost me so much already.I stop at the crest of the
Keep reading for the opening chapter of the next standalone novel in the seriesELENA POV Air whooshed into my lungs, ragged and desperate.I am going to die this time! No one is going to save me.My hands scrambled at my throat, clawing for a breath that wouldn't come. The grip lingered. The pres
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







