جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 30

Thea’s PovI watched Aleric freeze at the edge of the track, staring at the burning wreckage that had once been Sage’s car. The fire reflected in his eyes, and for the first time, all his confidence was gone.My chest tightened. I was angry, not just because of the accident, but because even now, his attention was still on her. Jealousy settled heavily in me, bitter and unavoidable.And yet, beneath all that jealousy I felt a small sense of satisfaction for finally getting rid of Sage.I had seen it earlier. Before the race even began, when the staff were distracted and the drivers were still mingling. Daniel had leaned into Sage’s car, his movements quick and practiced. I had asked him what he was doing, and he had smiled like it was nothing.“Just evening the odds,” he had said lightly.I had believed him. Or maybe I had chosen to. I thought Sage would panic on the track, lose control, embarrass herself in front of everyone. That would have been enough for me. Watching her humiliat

Sage’s PovBy the time I pulled Tracy away from the crowd, my ears were still ringing from the engines and the shouting. The adrenaline was fading, leaving behind a dull ache in my thigh and a heavier ache in my chest. I didn’t want eyes on me. I didn’t want whispers. I just wanted space.We ended up near the far end of the parking area, where the noise from the track softened into a distant hum. A few cars were parked there, and a line of trees blocked most of the view. It wasn’t private, but it was quiet enough.I leaned against a car and exhaled slowly. Tracy hovered in front of me, eyes sharp.“You’re bleeding less,” she sa

Aleric’s PovI had stared at the same set of numbers for too long, The Alpha of our partner Pack had been very clear. The new serum Sage was developing was not a side project, not something to be postponed until it was convenient. He wanted results, and he wanted them backed by proper resources. Facilities. Rare materials. Skilled hands that did not come cheap.I leaned back in my chair and dragged a hand down my face. “Damn it,” I muttered, the word sounding weak in the empty study.A knock came at the door before I could sink any deeper into my thoughts.“Come in,” I said.Charles, my Beta, stepped inside without ceremony. He took one look at my desk and let out a low whistle.“You look like you’re trying to wrestle numbers into submission,” he said lightly. “They’re winning, aren’t they?”I shot him a look. “Sit down,” I said. “And don’t joke. Not tonight.”He raised his hands in surrender and took the chair opposite me. “All right. Talk to me. What’s eating you?”I pushed the led

Sage’s PovThe carpet scratched against my cheek as I was forced down, the weight of bodies and claws pressing me into the floor. My arms were pinned awkwardly beneath me, but my fingers still curled tightly around my phone. I didn’t think. I didn’t plan. I moved purely on instinct.My thumb slid across the screen.Aleric.I dialed his number blindly, my heart hammering so hard it felt like it might tear its way out of my chest. I lowered the volume immediately, turning it down as far as it would go, then tucked the phone beneath my body, shielding it as best I could with my ribs and arm.Please hear this, I thought desperately. Please just hear something.The wolves above me snarled, their hot breath brushing my neck. Someone’s claw dug into my shoulder, keeping me flat. I focused on breathing, on not making a sound that would give the phone away. If Aleric picked up, even if he didn’t say a word, he would hear the growls, the voices, the struggle. He would know something was wrong

Sage’s PovAleric’s expression tightened, his jaw locking as if he had expected this but still hoped it would not happen so quickly. I did not look away from him. Even with the dampening serum burning through my veins, I stood straight and steady, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me weakened. Being a Healer meant the injection could only do so much damage. It dulled my senses, slowed my reactions, and made my limbs feel heavier than they should have, but it did not break me. It never had.Sophia, on the other hand, was unraveling.She hovered near the wall, her hands shaking as she pressed them together, her eyes darting from me to Aleric and then back again. Her breath came in short, panicked bursts, and it was clear she was already imagining iron bars and dark cells. Bonnie was not faring much better. She stood closer to Sophia, her lips pale, her face stiff with fear that she tried and failed to hide.Then Thea rushed forward.“This can still be handled quietly,”