جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

Vincent’s POVThe monitoring room was dim except for the pale glow of the screens. Machines hummed in the background, their steady rhythm somehow louder than it should have been. Guards stood at attention along the far wall, their faces carefully blank, but I could feel their unease—every man in this room knew the Alpha’s temper was a living thing. One wrong move, one misplaced word, and it would break free.The air itself felt heavy, thick with anticipation. Every click of the machines, every shuffle of a guard’s boots struck me as too loud. Even Rowan, who had stood beside me through countless battles, carried a tension in his shoulders. They all feared me, but what none of them realized was that I feared myself more. Not fear of weakness, but fear of what I might do if the surgeon’s hands faltered and my daughter’s heart stopped beating on that table.On the largest screen, Dr. Lean bent over my daughter’s bed, hands steady, movements precise. Her face was hidden behind the mask, g

Adeline’s POVI knew this was wrong…taking her blood without permission, hiding it away like a thief. But my hands had moved before my conscience could stop them. A single vial, carefully drawn, sealed tight in my satchel. It was Myra’s blood.I told myself I was ready for the truth.But the moment I saw the envelope on the tray, that confidence shattered. My fingers refused to move, trembling as though they already knew what my heart didn’t want to face.Every second before opening it stretched like punishment. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, a cruel reminder that once I looked, there would be no turning back. I told myself it was only confirmation, that I already knew what the result would be…but lies are easier to believe when they protect you.Finally, I reached for it. My hands shook as I lifted the envelope from the tray. Inside it lay the truth I had been both dreading and needing to see.My fingers hovered over the seal for a long moment. I had opened countless reports befo

Adeline’s POVThe father’s face flushed red, veins standing out along his temples as he glared at me. His voice thundered, meant to rattle me in front of the gathering crowd.“You little idiot. Do you even know who you’re messing with? You’ll regret this. I swear you’ll regret it.”His hand shot up, palm open, ready to strike.I stiffened, my wolf bristling inside me. Eve pressed against my skin, her growl vibrating through my chest.“Let him try,” she urged. “We’ll crush his bones before his hand touches our cheek.”My fingers twitched, the spell already forming in my mind. I was ready to meet his violence with my own. Caleb’s gasp reached me, sharp and frightened, while Elijah muttered under his breath, low and dangerous, his small fists balling. For a heartbeat, everything in me screamed to fight—to bare my teeth and end it before their terrified eyes could widen further.But the blow never landed.A firm hand intercepted mid-air, catching the father’s wrist in an iron grip. The mo

Adeline’s POVThe courtyard still buzzed with whispers. Mathias had the bully boy by the collar, feet barely touching the ground. Elijah stood tense at my side. Caleb pressed against my hip, small hand gripping my sleeve. Vincent stepped closer, and the noise around us thinned like someone turned a dial.“Were you hit?” he asked my boys.His tone was flat, but the question landed heavy. Elijah lifted his chin. “No, sir.”Caleb swallowed. “Not today.”Vincent’s eyes narrowed. “What about previous days?”Caleb’s mouth trembled. He looked at me first, like asking permission to tell the truth. I nodded. “Go on.”“He… he hides our shoes sometimes,” Caleb said, his voice small. “He tripped me last week on purpose. He calls us names. He said we don’t have a real…” He stopped, cheeks flushing.Elijah’s jaw flexed. “He shoves kids when teachers look away. If anyone tells, he makes it worse.”Eve rumbled inside me. “Pups should be safe around other kids.”Vincent’s gaze slid to Elijah, then to

Adeline’s POVVincent’s sudden change unsettled me. One moment he was nonchalant and wanted nothing to do with me, the next he was suggesting a picnic in the forest, like an ordinary father with his children.It confused me, to some extent It even bothered me. But it also broke open a part of me I’d been guarding too tightly—because lately, the boys’ faces had been glowing with excitement.My chest tightened. I should have said no. I should have reminded myself who he was and what he had done. But then Caleb tugged at my arm and whispered, “Please, Mummy,” and Elijah didn’t argue against it. They wanted this.Eve stirred in my chest, her voice quieter than usual. “They are children, Adeline. Let them have joy while they can but don't lose focus.”I let out a shaky breath. “All right,” I said.The joy that exploded from the three of them was a physical force. Caleb whooped, pumping his small fist in the air. Elijah’s serious face broke into a rare, genuine smile that lit up his eyes. M