Se connecterCalebThe patrol runs later than usual tonight.By the time I make it back toward the pack borders, the woods are dark and quiet, moonlight slipping through the trees in silver streaks. The cold air sticks to my skin beneath my jacket, carrying the scent of pine, damp earth, and distant rain.Usually, I like this part of the night.The silence.The feeling of my wolf settling after hours of moving through the territory.Tonight, that calm lasts exactly three seconds.A sharp mindlink crashes into my head.Caleb.My steps stop instantly.It is one of the wolves stationed near the care home.Every muscle in my body tightens.What happened?We spotted someone near the property. A girl. Young. She was watching the building from the tree line.My wolf lifts his head immediately.Danger.Where is she now?She disappeared into the woods before we could move in. We stayed in position because we thought it could be a distraction.Good.I turn sharply toward the eastern woods without wasting an
Caleb I stand beside June while the woman at the finance desk counts the cash slowly, clearly surprised by the amount sitting in front of her. June waits quietly with her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket. Her face gives away almost nothing, but through the bond I can feel every emotion she keeps locked behind that calm expression. Fear. Love. The helpless ache sitting inside her chest. The employee looks up after a moment. “This clears all remaining bills for Elise’s care,” she says gently. “And these additional payments cover several upcoming months as well.” June nods once. “Good.” Her voice stays calm and even, but I know why she is doing this. This is how she tries to protect the people she loves. She cannot stop Elise from getting older. She cannot fight illness with her fists. She cannot force time to slow down. So instead, she pays every bill she can because somewhere in her mind it probably feels like preparation. Like if everything is taken care of, Eli
CalebHours pass before any of us realize how late it has gotten.At some point, the nurses stop gently reminding visitors about closing time and simply let us stay.I think they know.Not in words.But in the quiet looks they exchange whenever they pass the room. In the softness of their voices when they speak to Elise. In the way nobody rushes June to leave.They know her time is running shorter.And judging from the heaviness sitting inside June through the bond, she knows it too.Elise spends most of the evening talking.About everything.Absolutely everything.One moment she is complaining about the terrible soup they served her yesterday, and the next she is telling me embarrassing stories about June glaring at people as a teenager until they crossed the street to avoid her.“She once made a grown man apologize to a stray cat,” Elise says proudly.I already know how June must have convinced that man to apologize... I can already picture it.June sighs beside her.“He kicked the
CalebJune sits beside Elise’s bed while the older woman holds her hand between both of hers.I stay near the doorway quietly.Partly because I don't want to intrude and make Elise uncomfortable, because she doesn't know me.Partly because my wolf refuses to relax.My eyes continue scanning the room automatically while June talks softly with Elise. The room itself is small and warm, filled with old books, knitted blankets, and framed photographs lining the shelves beside the bed.But underneath all of it, I can still smell strangers.Nurses.Doctors.Visitors.Too many scents layered together for me to isolate Tanya’s properly.It irritates my wolf immediately.Because she was here.Close to someone who is close to June.Close enough to sit in this room pretending to care while knowing exactly who Elise is to her.What's is her fucking deal! Why is she after June... what the hell does she wants.My jaw tightens slightly, frustration building inside me.Across the room, Elise laughs s
CalebJune does not say anything after I tell her she does not need to fear herself with me.She just steps closer.Then her arms wrap tightly around me.The movement catches me off guard for half a second because there is nothing teasing or sarcastic about it this time. No walls. No distance. She hugs me like this is what she has wanted all along and only now allowed herself to reach for it.My arms slide around her instantly.Naturally.Like there was never any other response possible.I pull her fully against my chest while her face presses against my neck, and the second I feel her relax in my hold, something inside me softens so completely that I almost forget where we are.The alley.The underground fights.The blood still drying across her knuckles.None of it matters right now.Only her.I rest my cheek lightly against the top of her head while my hand moves slowly up and down her back. June says nothing, but she holds onto me tighter for a moment, and I feel the exhaustion sh
CalebThe entire atmosphere inside the underground ring changes the second Beast steps into the cage.The crowd gets louder instantly.Not excited loud.Hungry loud.Like everyone here came specifically to watch someone get hurt tonight.Beast rolls his shoulders once as he enters the ring, towering over most people around him. Up close, he looks even worse. Thick scars run across his arms and neck while old bruises stain his knuckles permanently, like violence soaked itself into his skin years ago and never left.And the worst part?The man looks calm.Not cocky like Carter.Not emotional.Just brutal.June stands across from him completely expressionless, her posture relaxed enough that most people would mistake it for carelessness.I know better.Through the bond, I can feel her focus narrowing sharply.June is gone now.This is something colder.Something dangerous.Around me, people start talking loudly again.“This one’s gonna kill her.”“Fight’s over before it starts.”“She sho
MikhailGregor’s face twists into an ugly scowl as he glances toward the councilmen, searching for support. His gaze flickers with frustration when none of them move or speak. Then he turns to me, glaring with all the defiance he can muster."How can you let him talk here like this?" he spits, his voi
MikhailThe soft glow of morning filters through the curtains touching her face, making her look like the angel she is. My eyes flicking back to Sophia every few seconds, as I get ready. She’s still lying there, as peaceful and as still as she was last night. My eyes shift to the rise and fall of her
Lucas My chest feels tight, like I can’t get a deep enough breath no matter how hard I try. My thoughts are a tangled mess, looping back to one thing... one person.Sophia.She didn’t ask to be my sister, but she stepped into that role like it was the easiest thing in the world. She didn’t just show
MikhailShe’s clinging to Alexei, her face buried in his chest, but then she pulls back just enough to look up at me. Her eyes are wide, and there’s something in them that makes my stomach drop.“He killed them all,” she whispers, her voice so soft it’s like she’s afraid of the words themselves. “He







