Lauren That night was cold. The house, the air, even the silence between us—cold. Most of all, the words we weren’t saying chilled more than the ones we did.We slept in separate rooms after the rogues left, the weight of their visit settling over the house like frost.Theo was that rogue’s son. An
Lauren's POVTwo lines. Positive.My head dropped between my shoulders, a heavy breath leaving my lips like a caress down my chest. Leaning over the porcelain sink, the stick in my hand trembled, nearly slipping to the floor.The cool tile beneath my bare feet no longer felt sharp and biting—instead,
Lauren's POVThe crinkling hospital paper beneath me rustled as I shified, unable to sit still. Cold sweat dampened my skin, my nerves trembling with every breath.The doctor before me, an older man with a crisp white coat and a handlebar mustache, studied the papers in his weathered hands. His cool
Lauren's POVI don’t think anyone really expects to attend their own funeral. But if you ever find yourself in that awkward position, let me give you a heads-up: faking your death is messy business.People cry—but not as many as you’d hope. Most are just there for the drama. And if your death is as
Alexander's POVMy gaze was as cold as the marble floor beneath us, fixed on Owen as the Beta dragged him into the kitchen.His grip was firm on the boy’s shoulder, but Owen didn’t flinch. He never did. Behind them, the guards hovered, drenched in sweat and utterly humiliated.It wasn’t the first ti
Lauren's POVI adjusted the strap of my messenger bag, my fingers brushing against the edge of the neatly packed files inside.Everything was in its place, but a flicker of unease stirred in me.As I stepped into the hospital lobby, the sharp, sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air—familiar, yet
Lauren's POVThe room froze, the air thick with stunned silence, as if the world itself had hit pause. Owen’s small, clear voice lingered.“Mommy?”—a single word that rippled through the stillness, shattering logic and piecing it back together in a way that didn’t quite make sense.My chest tightene
Sophia didn’t speak, her presence a silent weight passing to leave beside me out the doors. But I didn’t need her words to know what she was thinking—the flicker of recognition in her eyes said it all.The elevator hummed to life, its soft whir filling the silence. I kept my gaze fixed ahead, my gri
Lauren That night was cold. The house, the air, even the silence between us—cold. Most of all, the words we weren’t saying chilled more than the ones we did.We slept in separate rooms after the rogues left, the weight of their visit settling over the house like frost.Theo was that rogue’s son. An
Grimmaw chuckled darkly, the sound reverberating in the air. “Is that so? I think you’ll find that the rules of your little kingdom don’t mean much to me anymore.”I took a step forward, my eyes locked on his, a growl rising in my chest. “You’re trespassing, Grimmaw. This is my land now, and I won’t
AlexanderRouges had entered our territory, and the pack was on high alert.Owen and I left the cellar in an instant, collecting Lauren and Abigail to the front of the mannor as Miles and a few other pack members approached.“There coming from the east,” Miles met my side, his eyes wide. “But they a
“You don’t need an arm to tell me the truth, kid,” I growled, my grip tightening, my face inches from his. “And with someone as small as you, it wouldn’t take much to snap.”I wouldn’t, but the boy didn’t need to know that.Theo’s breath hitched again, but his smirk never wavered. “You’re a real pie
AlexanderI sat down in the metal chair across from the cage, the hard, cold surface digging into my back. The fluorescent light above flickered, casting long shadows on the concrete walls.The basement smelled like damp stone, mildew, and something older, something darker. The same smell that had l
Theo looked like he wanted to say more, but before he could, footsteps echoed down the stairs.My heart lurched. Crap.Without thinking, I darted behind a stack of crates, pressing myself into the shadows as the footsteps grew closer. Theo’s expression shifted instantly, going from teasing to unread
Abigail Sneaking into the prison basement was easier tonight, the guard more then clocked. It was a lot like trying to tiptoe past a sleeping guard dog while wearing bells on your shoes. Not impossible, but definitely not smart.The hallway held that smelled like damp stone and something metallic—b
His eyes darkened. “And you’re not?”My breath hitched. “Of course I am!”“Then why the hell did you let him—?”He stopped like he already knew the answer but I continued anyways.“It wasn’t like that and you know it.”His fingers drummed against the desk, a sharp, frustrated sound. “So explain it t
Lauren The hallway outside Alexander’s office was quiet, save for the faint hum of voices drifting up from downstairs. Dark wood lined the walls, soaking up the chandelier light, making everything feel dimmer, heavier.We hadn’t really talked since everything happened—aside from dinner, and even th