CASSY We arrived in the abandoned town in the dark, shadows stretching across the crumbling streets like black veins. Phin's hunch was accurate. A faint scent lingered, traceable but fragile. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, leaving nothing but empty air. My chest tightened as dread crept in, but I refused to let it stop us. Teddy was out here somewhere, and I wouldn't leave without him.As we moved cautiously through the overgrown weeds and cracked pavement, the town felt eerily quiet, like a place forgotten by the world. The silence stirred memories I had tried to bury deep. I couldn't help but think back to that time with Kael, the time we almost lost him. The parallels were too close, too unnerving.I had promised myself I wouldn't let anyone else get that close to the edge. But here we were again, chasing after Teddy, and the fear was like an old wound that refused to heal.The memory of Teddy's pale face, barely clinging to life, flashed in my mind, and I h
TEDDY When I came to, the world was dark and cold, the kind of oppressive cold that sinks into your bones and refuses to let go. The air was thick with dampness, and as I shifted, I realized I was lying on a hard, uneven floor. My head pounded, and I struggled to open my eyes.Where the hell was I? This wasn't right. Louisiana didn't have basements, not like this. The thought bit at me, the impossibility of it cutting through the haze. My body ached, and when I finally forced my eyes open, I saw a flash of blonde hair. My heart jumped. Cassy?But it wasn't her. The realization hit me like a cold slap. The hair wasn't right. It was too short, too ragged. I blinked, trying to focus. I struggled to piece together where I was and how I'd gotten here. But before I could gather my thoughts, pain exploded through my side. A hard boot to the ribs knocked the breath from my lungs, and I curled in on myself as I gasped for air."Look who's awake." Another voice kick followed, and I bit bac
TEDDY I strained to hear Cassy and Phin moving through the house above, their footsteps faint, muffled by the dark magic trapping me. I tried to call out, but the sound died in my throat. They were so close, yet so unreachable. Phin's voice broke through the barrier. But when he threw the talisman out the window, it wasn't enough. The magic in the house lifted, revealing signs of life, but I remained trapped, buried in the shadows.Panic set in as I thought they might leave without realizing I was there. I knew I had to find a way to leave a sign, something they couldn't miss. Ignoring the pain that shot through me, I forced myself to move. My shirt hung in shreds from the beatings. I ripped off a piece. It's a bloody piece, and I hope it will tell the story I couldn't.I crawled closer to the front, where a small hole led to the floor above. They couldn't leave without finding something, without knowing I was here. I pushed the fabric as hard as possible through the hole. The til
CASSY I knelt beside Teddy, hands shaking as I wiped the blood from his face. Relief that he was alive clashed with the horror of what I'd just done. Rod's lifeless body lay a few feet away. Teddy's wounds, which had seemed so severe moments ago, were already healing under my touch. I kissed him repeatedly, each a desperate attempt to convince myself that he was still with me, still mine. Still alive.As his flesh mended, the reality of what I'd done began to sink in. I'd killed someone. My chest tightened, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps as the enormity of it crashed down on me. I lay down beside Teddy, unable to tear my eyes away from Rod's body. The adrenaline that had carried me through the fight dwindled, leaving me cold and shaking. Teddy pulled me into his arms, but his warmth couldn't chase away the chill that had settled deep.I tried to focus on him, on the fact that he was safe, that I'd saved him. But the image of Rod's twisted, lifeless face kept pulling me b
CASSY I really hoped giving Phin back some power wouldn't come to bite me in the ass, but there had to be an Alpha in charge since we were still going through the shit with the Hervouxs. As I slipped into a deep sleep, the world blurred. Soon, I was in Leila's realm. The colors were soft and muted, like a fading dream. I found her by the familiar pond, sitting on the edge and tracing patterns in the water with her fingers. She looked different. Tired and worn out, with her hair in disarray and dark circles under her eyes. It was unsettling to see her this way, so different from the vibrant presence she usually embodied. I moved closer, the grass soft beneath my feet, and sat down beside her. "Leila, what's wrong with you?" She didn't look up, her focus remaining on the water. "I'm dying, Cassy." I started panicking instantly. I never knew a moment without her in my head. "What will we do without a Moon Goddess? How can we...what are we going to do? What will all the werewolve
PHIN Hearing Cassy say I was Alpha again changed something inside me instantly. I'd always loved hearing people refer to me as Alpha, but this time it was different. My entire body tingled with the anticipation and responsibility. Real responsibility, and perhaps even the ability to carry it out like the man I was always supposed to be here. She was giving me another chance, a real chance to prove myself. I couldn't mess this up. Not this time. I had to be the Alpha she believed I could be. After ensuring Cassy and Teddy were finally asleep, I just stood there, watching them. They were both physically drained from the battles they'd fought, not just against their enemies but against their pasts. Teddy looked like he'd been through hell and back. He seemed to be thrown into these situations, forced to repeatedly prove his strength and love for Cassy. It wasn't fair, but then again, nothing ever was in our world. Once I was confident they wouldn't wake up in a panic, I slipp
I made my way to Morna's house to get Marilee, still processing everything that had gone down the night before. But as soon as I saw her, all that faded into the background. She was awake, sitting at the table with Morna, chatting away like she didn't have a care in the world. Seeing her so happy and at ease did something to me I wasn't quite used to yet."Bonjour, ma petite fille," I greeted her as I stepped inside. Her face lit up the moment she saw me, and she jumped up, running into my arms."Daddy!" she squealed, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck as I lifted her. I held her close, feeling that rush that came from knowing she was mine, and I was hers.Morna smiled, watching us with that knowing look only she could pull off. "She's been talkin' about you non-stop," Morna said with a chuckle. "All night, it was 'Daddy this, Daddy that.' She's smitten, Phin.""Is that so?" I teased, playing with Marilee hair, feeling a deep, protective instinct flare up inside me. "Well, how abou
VIVIANA I had just finished feeding the twins when the door to the nursery flew open. An omega, eyes wide with terror, stumbled inside, practically crashing into the wall in her desperation."There's an emergency! The house is being evacuated! Get the twins and get out now!"I didn't waste a second. The twins' tiny, innocent faces were the only thing I could focus on. I scooped them up, one in each arm, and rushed toward the door. The hallway was already filling with thick, acrid smoke. My throat tightened as I pushed through the haze. Every step was a struggle as the heat grew more intense, pressing in from all sides.The mansion was a war zone. People shouted over the noise, trying to organize the panic that had taken hold. Bodies collided as everyone fought to escape. The smoke made it nearly impossible to breathe, and I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me. My thoughts tumbled over themselves.Where were Alpha and Luna? Someone yelled that they were at a function away