Semua Bab THE LAST BREEDER, CLAIMED BY FOUR: Bab 121 - Bab 130

EDALBy noon, the fog clinging to the mountain had burned off, replaced by a pale, sharp sunlight that made the snowcaps glisten like broken glass.Down in the lower yard, the final wooden crates of salt were being lashed down onto Gregor’s heavy supply wagons. The leather straps creaked under the tension as two of the southern teamsters pulled them taut. Around the perimeter of the courtyard, my guards stood with their rifles slung over their shoulders—watching every movement with the quiet, practiced caution that kept Haven alive.I stood near the hitching posts, watching Nikolai guide his bay stallion out from the stone stables.He moved with an easy, practiced athletic grace, checking the girth strap on his saddle before swinging himself smoothly into the stirrups. When he gathered the leather reins, he turned the horse toward the main gates, pausing as his grey eyes caught mine.He didn't smirk this time. He just gave me a long, respectful nod—a silent acknowledgement between two

EDALThe news of Dr. Helena’s treachery had broken over Haven like a sudden summer storm, but by nightfall, the sharp panic in the lower blocks had settled into a deep, watchful quiet.The subterranean cells were locked tight. Three heavy iron bolts secured her door, guarded by two of Korr’s most trusted veterans. Down in the clinic wing, Tarek had spent the afternoon testing the main filtration lines twice over, confirming to the council that not a single drop of the surgical depressant had touched the settlement’s water.The threat was gone. The home we had bled to build was safe.Inside our private quarters, the heavy oak door was latched against the rising mountain wind. The yellow flame of the oil lamps danced across the stone walls, casting long, soft shadows across the thick wool blankets and heavy fur wraps covering the broad wooden bed platform.The room was saturated with the heat of us.Korr sat near the edge of the mattress, his dark grey wool shirt unbuttoned halfway down

EDALThe smell of freshly baked oat bread, roasted root vegetables, and hot pine tea filled the air, thick and comforting against the lingering chill in my boots. A few off-duty guards sat near the far stone wall, talking in quiet, relaxed murmurs. They stood up straight when Korr and Rylan walked past, but Korr merely gave them a brief, firm nod of his chin, signaling that the formal shift was over and the hall belonged to the pack."Sit down before your legs give out," Rylan murmured, pulling out a heavy, high-backed wooden chair near the fire for me. He pressed his broad hand against my lower back, coaxing me down into the seat. "I’ll fetch the plates.""Bring extra butter, Rylan," Brody called out from behind the serving counter, wiping his hands on his canvas apron with a wide, gap-toothed grin. "Tarek came through two minutes ago and left a fresh crock from the dairy shelter. Said if the leader doesn't eat a full meal today, he’s going to start locking the greenhouse doors on al

EdalThe war room emptied slowly, leaving only the five of us in the amber-lit dusk of the lower chamber. Outside, the mountain wind howled against the heavy granite walls, driving the temperature down into a deep, biting freeze. Inside, the heat was suffocating—thick with pine smoke, melted candle wax, and the raw, territorial tension vibrating between the four men who claimed me.I stood by the central map table, my fingers resting on the smooth parchment near the high ridge mark where we were meant to meet the Southern Council’s envoy at sundown tomorrow."You're thinking too far ahead, Edal," Tarek’s voice purred softly from the darkness behind me.Before I could turn, Tarek stepped close, his long, warm hands sliding up from my waist to rest over my shoulders. He was bare-chested now, having stripped away his soiled work tunic, his skin glistening faintly from the hot bath oil he’d been preparing near the hearth. His fingers worked into the tight, knotted muscles at the base of m

KORRThe sharp mountain wind bit through the narrow iron grates of the lower chamber, but inside, the air remained stifling, thick with heat and the heavy, musky scent of our combined mark.I rested back against the stacked furs near the hearth, my chest rising and falling in deep, heavy breaths. Edal lay curled sideways over my lap, completely exhausted, her body soft and flushed pink in the dying embers of the fire. One of my thick, scar-laced arms was locked securely around her waist, keeping her flush against my bare chest, while my hand rested on the broad flare of her hip.Across the rug, Rylan was sitting back on his heels, his massive frame gleaming with sweat in the dark gold light. He was watching us, his dark eyes heavy with an intense, lingering hunger that hadn't settled even after his release. He reached for a linen cloth, slowly wiping down his thick, corded forearms, his jaw set in a tight line of raw, territorial satisfaction."She’s out," Rylan rumbled low, his deep