جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

DAMON'S POVThe hot water poured over me in steady rivulets as I stepped into the shower, hoping the heat would burn away the frustration simmering beneath my skin. I leaned forward, resting my forehead against the tiled wall, eyes closed as steam wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket. My mind, traitorous and unwilling to be silenced, slipped back to that fateful Alpha meeting from a year ago.It had been a masquerade-themed gathering. I hadn’t wanted to go at first, but Dante had dragged me along. I didn’t expect much from the evening, just political nonsense and a few forced conversations, until she walked in. She looked like a creature from a dream. Draped in silver and pale blue, she wore a glittering costume that shimmered with every movement. Her wings sparkled under the lights, and her face was hidden beneath a delicate mask, revealing only stormy blue-gray eyes and full, kiss-swollen lips. There was something unearthly about the way she carried herself, like the world

VELARA'S POVThe following morning, sunlight filtered in gently through the blinds, casting a quiet glow over the small suite. I stirred slowly beneath the blankets, blinking away sleep with a heaviness I hadn't felt in a while. I had slept in, something I rarely allowed myself to do. Elysia and Lilith must have agreed to let me rest after everything that had happened the night before.As I pushed myself upright, rubbing the last traces of sleep from my eyes, I caught sight of Elysia sitting cross-legged on the thick rug. She was nestled comfortably between Kael and her own daughter, Selene, a baby in each arm. She balanced them with practiced ease, holding their bottles with one hand each. The sight made me smile, a soft laugh escaping my throat.“Feeding them both at once, huh?” I commented warmly.Elysia looked up at me and offered a small, bittersweet smile. “Tandem feeding. It’s efficient,” she said with a quiet chuckle, then her expression shifted. Her voice lowered, softer now,

VELARA'S POVThe transformation of the old hotel had been nothing short of miraculous. What began with just four determined women and three little ones in tow now stood as something far greater than we could have imagined. Months had rolled by, and each day had brought its share of exhaustion and setbacks. I remembered thinking we might never see the finish line. Every time we fixed one thing, another problem would surface. Yet somehow, we pulled through. Piece by piece, we rebuilt not just the place, but a new life for all of us.Today marked four days before the next inspection from the health and safety officer. His last visit had been less than encouraging. He had laughed, actually laughed when we told him it was just the four of us restoring the place. With a condescending shake of his head, he muttered something about tearing the whole building down, claiming it wasn’t worth the effort. But nearly a year had passed since that moment, and now, the hotel bore almost no resemblance

VELARA'S POVThree months had quietly slipped by since we first rolled up our sleeves and dared to believe in the impossible. Now, today marked the final inspection, the moment that would either confirm our victory or send us spiraling back into revisions and repairs. From the second-floor balcony, Kylie, Elysia, and I leaned against the railing, our eyes locked on Lilith as she accompanied the inspector through the property. A thick silence settled over us, broken only by the occasional gust of wind and the sharp scrape of the inspector’s shoes on the pavement below.He carried himself with the meticulous air of someone who took his job too seriously. A measuring tape dangled from one hand, a flashlight from the other, and a clipboard hugged tightly to his chest. A pen peeked out behind his ear, and he squinted as he examined every corner, every crevice, every light fixture and handrail. We had taken to calling him “the birdman” behind his back. With a nose that protruded like a curv

VELARA'S POVSeven days have passed since Lilith left this world. The grief still sits heavy in my chest as I stand beside the modest grave, watching her casket being lowered into the cold earth of the rogue cemetery. The clouds overhead drift slowly, casting shadows that feel like a shroud over the small group gathered here. The air is thick with silence, save for the faint whisper of the wind weaving through the trees.Alpha Alaric, her mate, stands across from me, stone-faced, unmoved. I cannot bring myself to meet his eyes. There’s a storm inside me, a quiet, simmering rage that I can barely contain. The man who caused her so much pain now stands here like some grieving widower. But he isn’t mourning her, not really. He never claimed her, never marked her. He condemned her with his silence and now dares to attend her funeral.Elysia and Kylie flank me, a presence that anchors me as I try to hold myself together. Kylie’s mom had kindly offered to watch the children back at the hote