LOGINKANE 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
kane POVI glance at her where she’s standing next to me, watching her eyes dart from one person to the other as they keep throwing words around.She doesn’t seem to be showing visible reactions, but I can imagine how it must hurt inside. It makes me so mad I want to punch all of them in their faces until at least one bone from each is crushed. At the same time, it’s irresponsible of me as a leader to not want to consider the thoughts of my members, at the expense of my personal emotions.I raise my hand, silencing the murmurings to a reasonable extent.“I understand your concerns. But Liana is not responsible for her parents' actions. She was a victim of their schemes as much as anyone else."I hear a scoff somewhere to my right and another voice cuts in.“But the fact remains that she left us. She chose to align herself with another pack. How can we be sure she isn't working against us now?""I agree. The White family has caused nothing but trouble for our pack. If Liana wants our h
KANE POVI want to rush forward to wrap my arms around her and never let go. I so badly want to crush my lips against hers and whisper into her ear how much I've missed her and how empty my life has been without her. But I don't move. Can't move. Because the moment our eyes meet, I see it. The wariness, the hurt, and the distance those six long years have carved between us.She's even more beautiful than I remembered. She's so stunning it makes me feel like I'm seeing the sun for the first time after years of darkness. Her hair is longer, framing a face that's grown from the softness of youth into a captivating maturity. Her green eyes that once looked at me with such trust and affection now define a wariness that makes her seem both familiar and like a stranger.All I want to know is, how has she been all this time? I already know where, but what has she been doing? Is she happy? Has she found someone else? I want to know everything about her life since she left. But as much as I cra
LIANA POVI still keep my gaze fixed on the view outside, but I can feel her eyes boring into my back."Oh, I get it. Do you think waltzing back here now that Kane is Alpha will help you pick up your trashy life again? Remember what I told you last time, Liana? You don't belong here. You never did, and you never will.""Is that what helps you sleep at night?" I ask sarcastically.“Huh?” Juliet mumbles.I twist my neck slightly, glancing at her from the corner of my eye."Funny, I don't see much improvement in your life either. Still nothing better to do than chase after gossip and harass people? Some things never change, I guess."I imagine her scowling behind me.“Yeah, you told me back then that you are the one who deserves to be with Kane. You ticked all the boxes, you’re perfect for him. And yet..." I nod slowly at the view. "Here we are, six years later, and you’re still not Luna.”“But at least I'm not you, crawling back here after all this time,” she fires back."Crawling?" I s
Josephine POVI walked along the boardwalk, Theo’s small hand in mine. With tourist season coming to an end, I could close the store on Sundays and spend more time with my kid. It felt more important than ever after Caleb turned up.“Are we going to swim today, Mama?” Theo asked, staring out at the
Josephine POVI held Theo and watched Caleb go, my heart hammering so hard in my chest that I thought it might break through my ribs.“It was so cool, Mom. The bug had these orange legs and big eyes,” Theo said, sounding far away even though my fingers gripped his shoulders like a vice.“That sound
Caleb POV I sat in the guard post, having just completed my final perimeter check of the night. I was glad to be the only one on duty, even if I thought it was foolish. When I’d been the leader of the pack protectors, I always stationed two men on the night watch. But I hadn’t been the leader for
Josephine POVWe stopped at a guard post, where Caleb greeted two subordinates. The wolves shifted back into their human forms and retrieved their clothes.“Is it all right if I put you down?” Caleb asked. It was the first thing he’d said to me since picking me up.“Yeah, I can stand,” I said, miss







