CASSY I woke up to Teddy snoring beside me, a steady rumble that seemed to vibrate through the mattress. The weight of his arm around my waist kept me in place. When I attempted to sit up, his grip tightened, drawing me closer as he slept.I sighed, knowing it was futile to fight against him when he was like this. Teddy was always so damn strong, even when he wasn't trying to be.I stared at the ceiling, listening to the rhythm of his breathing, and my mind started to wander. It felt like I'd been out for days, lost in a fog of exhaustion and recovery with Leila. I tried to piece together what had happened, but everything was still hazy.After a while, I couldn't take it anymore. I rolled over, kissing his temple. "If you don't let me up, I'm gonna pee on you."His lips curved into a sleepy smile as he released his hold on me. "Bien, bien." (Fine.)I laughed softly, slipping out of bed and making my way to the bathroom. The cool tile underfoot was a shock compared to the warmth of
CASSY The house was still, but as I rounded the corner, I spotted Ky sitting awake, his posture relaxed but alert. He noticed me and broke into a grin."Well, well, the little Alpha is finally awake," he teased, leaning back in his chair.I couldn't help but smile back. "Don't start with me, Ky." I crossed the room in a few quick strides and punched his arm. "Thank you for getting Viviana back. I mean it."He shrugged. "No sweat. Plus, it's nice not wanting to kill Phin constantly. I'll admit, he has grown on me since you took over."I snorted. "You and me both. It's been a long road, but it's good to see things coming together."Ky leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at me. "So, how are you feeling? You were out for a while.""Like I've been hit by a truck," I admitted. "But I'm more worried about you. I heard you broke your hip?"He winced, rubbing the side of his leg. "Yeah, that was the boat crash. But don't worry, it wasn't anyone's fault. A fourteen-f
CASSYArranging another outdoor movie night for the entire Bayou pack seemed like the perfect way to welcome Marilee and Viviana home. Still, it wasn't just about them. It was about bringing everyone together, reminding them that family wasn't just about blood. It was about who we chose to stand with, especially when things got tough.As I walked through the pack's land, ensuring everything was set up, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction. The screen was up, the blankets were spread out, and the aroma of popcorn wafted through the air. This wasn't just any movie night. It was a night to remind everyone that we were united, no matter what had happened.I'd invited everyone, not just the Bayou pack but also my Monroe family. The triplets—Kael, Ky, and Knox—were all here, though Knox was still keeping his distance from Phin. There was tension between them, and I could see it in how they avoided each other and how Knox focused solely on Oxxy, who had just had his cleft l
TEDDYWhat started as a simple conversation about our future quickly spiraled into something much darker, something I hadn't anticipated."I don't see why we can't start thinking about having a kid now, Cassy," I had said. It felt like the right time, the next step for us. But she shut it down immediately."We have enough on our plate already," she replied, "We don't need to add more responsibilities right now.""It's not about adding responsibilities," I argued, trying to make her understand. "It's about moving forward, about building something together. Why are you so against this?"She sighed, rubbing her temples. "It's not that I'm against it. I just don't think now is the right time.""Then when? When will it be the right time? We've been through so much already. Don't you think we deserve to have something good, something that's ours?"Cassy looked at me, and I thought I had seen fear in her eyes for a moment. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "I'm not ready, Teddy. Tha
TEDDY Phin and I had been sitting on the tailgate for what felt like hours, passing the bottle between us. I lost track of how much we'd drunk. it didn't matter. The alcohol barely touched the frustration that drove me out here in the first place. Cassy was a constant presence in my mind, the fight we'd had earlier replaying on a loop that wouldn't let me rest.When her white wolf emerged from the shadows, graceful and silent, I knew it was her. Her wolf was beautiful, its fur almost glowing in the moonlight. She had a way of making everything else seem insignificant, like nothing mattered but the two of us.But I wanted it to be more than just the two of us. Phin noticed her at the same time I did. He stood up, brushing dirt off his jeans. "You want me to drive you two back? I'm far more sober than you are, and I'll stay off the roads. You can ride in the back," he offered, glancing between me and Cassy.Cassy shifted back with confidence, standing tall and proud. "No, go ahead
CASSY Sitting in the mud, I tried to steady myself, but the cold, wet earth seeped into my skin. I looked up at Teddy, who stared at me like he couldn't believe what had happened or what I'd said. "Well," I said, "I thought you'd react in all sorts of ways to what I said, but dropping me naked in the mud wasn't one of them." He snapped out of his daze and lunged forward, trying to scoop me up again. "Merde! Cassy, I..." I held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks. "No, don't. I'll walk from here. There's little reason to carry me now." He frowned, confusion evident in the way he shifted his weight. "Que veux-tu dire? Putain... What do you mean, Cass? What are you saying?" I took a deep breath. I'd thought about how to tell him, but now that it was happening, it felt impossible to find the right words. "There's something you need to know," I started. "I'm Leila's daughter. And I'm destined to become the Moon Goddess once we have a child, and she passes on to whatever world is n
TEDDY Lying next to Cassy, the room felt impossibly small, like the walls were inching closer with every passing second. Cassy had drifted off to sleep, her breath steady and calm. But my mind was anything but. Thoughts twisted and turned, refusing to settle. I had always known Cassy was special, but this… this was something I couldn't have imagined. The Moon Goddess? How was I supposed to wrap my head around that?I slid out of bed, needing space and air. The room felt too close, too suffocating. The moon outside seemed too bright and accusing like it knew the thoughts running wild in my mind. Because it did.She did. I went to the window, leaning against the cool glass with my forehead pressed to it, trying to gain some clarity.Leila, I thought, reaching out desperately. Why didn't you warn me? Why didn't you tell me this was coming? My thoughts weren't calm. They weren't measured. They were frantic and pleading. I felt like a man caught in a riptide, struggling to stay a
PHINIt had been a week since Viviana arrived, and I couldn't remember feeling this at peace in all that time. A calm settled over the Bayou pack, a sense of rightness that I hadn't felt in years. Viviana had brought more than just herself into my life; she'd brought a balance I hadn't realized I was missing. We spent our days together, learning the rhythms of each other's lives and finding comfort in the simplest routines.Viviana made everything feel natural, as if we had been doing this—being together, raising Marilee, building a life—for years. It was easy to fall into this new reality, to let myself believe that the past was finally behind me. No more ghosts of my father's mistakes haunting my every move, no more wondering if I'd ever find someone who truly understood me. With Viviana, it felt like I'd found that missing piece, and I didn't want to let it go.But as perfect as the week had been, there was still that nagging fear, that voice whispering doubts in the back of my min