جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

Sage’s PovIt was almost unbelievable to see Aleric jump almost instinctively to protect Thea, even after begging me just moments ago to come back to him, he just couldn't help himself around her. It was disappointing.I turned my attention away from him to focus on the man who had jumped in front of me instead. I never expected to see Alpha Cassius again. Especially not stepping directly in front of me without hesitation when the gun shots sounded.One moment, the sound of gunfire was tearing through the banquet hall. The next, Cassius was there, his broad back blocking my view, his body angled protectively in front of mine. The impact of the moment hit me a second later, when I realized what he had done.He had shielded me.By the time the guards surged in and wrestled the attackers down, the worst of the chaos had already passed. The music was gone. The screams had faded into frightened murmurs. Weapons clattered to the floor as order slowly returned.I turned toward Cassius, my h

Aleric’s Pov on The protests stopped being background noise the moment they turned violent.What started as shouting outside administrative buildings became blocked roads, overturned cargo, and riots spreading through sector after sector. Smoke rose beyond the pack headquarters as my phone buzzed nonstop with updates I did not want to read.Then came the call about Amy.Thea’s mother had been injured in the riots. Most healthcare facilities were on strike. The few still operating refused to treat her because of who she was connected to.At the nearest center, a nurse stepped outside and refused us entry. She made it clear the boycott included Amy and that this was about accountability, not me. I felt the urge to force my way in, to remind them who I was, but I held back. If I crushed their protest now, I would only prove them right.We tried another hospital. Then another. Each refusal felt heavier than the last.In the end, we left pack territory and drove to an independent medical

Sage’s PovThea’s wolf didn’t slow down.If anything, she became more dangerous.Her movements were wild and uneven, nothing like the controlled precision a trained wolf should have. Her claws scraped harshly against the café floor as she turned sharply, eyes glowing too brightly, breath coming out in ragged bursts. She had gone into a frenzy.“Get out of the way!” someone yelled.A staff member froze near the counter as Thea’s wolf lunged straight at him. He reacted a split second too late, ducking low. Her claws tore across his back instead of his throat.He cried out, stumbling forward.Blood welled up immediately, three long scratches burning red against his skin.“That’s bad,” I muttered. My hand was already in my bag as I dropped to one knee. And soon I pulled the tranquilizer free and snapped the safety off with my thumb.Thea’s wolf spun, growling low, her hind legs coiling as she prepared to jump again. She was fast, but she was predictable in her chaos.I breathed in once.

Sage’s Pov“No way.” The words left my mouth before I even gave myself time to soften them. I stood in the middle of the medical wing with my arms crossed, meeting Cassius’s gaze without flinching.His expression did not harden. Instead, something quieter moved across his face.“I thought you might say that,” he replied calmly.He stepped closer, and for a brief second, his hand lifted as if he intended to take mine. I saw the movement clearly. His fingers twitched, hovering between us.Then he stopped himself.His hand dropped back to his side.From the moment he had seen me, he had a jovial air about him. But now his jaw tightened slightly, whatever he was about to say, he was serious about it.“From the moment I saw you,” he began, voice lower than before, “I’ve wanted to touch you.”Anna gasped loudly in my head. “Oh my God.”He exhaled slowly. “That alone should tell you something. I don’t lose control easily. But around you…” He shook his head once. “It’s different.”Anna starte

Aleric’s PovI summoned Sage back to my pack using my Alpha privileges. She couldn’t refuse the summons. Even Sage knew better than to openly defy an Alpha’s call, no matter how strained our relationship had become. I was already in my office when she arrived. The guards announced her presence, and a second later, the door opened. Sage stepped inside with her usual composed expression, “Alpha,” she greeted, her voice cool and formal.“Sage,” I replied, just as curt.I gestured toward the chair across from my desk. “Sit.”She did, folding her hands neatly in her lap, her eyes never leaving my face. There was no warmth there, no familiarity. Four years together, and this was what remained between us.I didn’t bother with small talk. “Do you know that my pack recently lost a significant investment?”Her brow lifted slightly, but her expression remained calm. “I may have heard something about it,” she said. “What does that have to do with me?”The way she asked it, direct and unbothered,