Craig’s POV My heart dropped, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak. It was someone I thought I’d never see again—a relic of my past that threatened to unravel everything I’d fought to leave behind. “Its me.” I said. She stepped closer and gasped in disbelief. “I can't believe its you. Where have you been?” I stared at the girl in front of me. “I can't talk about it right now. Does anyone know you are here?” I prayed she was alone. She shook her head. “Nobody is with me, but I'm sure they will soon. They will know about your secret, before long they will. Believe me, Craig.” Delilah. She was an old friend from the pack. She had disappeared out of the blue and nobody had mentioned her since. I thought she was dead! “They are coming.” she whispered. A chill ran down my spine at her words. “What do you mean? Who’s coming?” I searched her face for answers, but all I found was a mixture of concern and urgency. “There are rogues within the pack borders. They haven't gone in on Alpha Zan
Avery's POV“I think you're being ridiculous now.” I told my mate crossly. I had had enough of being treated like a child. Did he forget he was my mate not my parent? Zane’s face darkened with determination, and I could see the internal struggle playing out in his eyes. “I’m not compromising your safety for the sake of freedom, Avery,” he said, voice low but laced with urgency. “The last thing I want is for something to happen to you because I wasn’t vigilant.”“Vigilant?” I echoed incredulously, feeling the heat rise in my chest. “This isn’t vigilance; it’s imprisonment! You can’t just decide to lock me away because you think it’s for my own good.”His expression hardened, frustration flickering just beneath the surface. “You think it’s easy for me to do this? You’re not seeing the whole picture! If that rogue is a genuine threat, I won’t allow you to put yourself in harm’s way.”“And what do you think you’re doing by ordering me around?” I countered, every word coated with convicti
Avery's POV“I understand more than you think,” I said, matching his intensity with my own. “But I refuse to let that weight crush my spirit—or my ability to fight for it.”“For once, can’t you just trust that I know what’s best?” he demanded, his voice thick with emotion. “Trust goes both ways, Zane,” I countered, my heart pounding in my chest. “If I can’t trust you to hear me out, if I can’t have a say in our direction, then I might as well be standing alone in this fight.”“Fine then!” Zane thundered, his frustration spilling over as he turned away from me, fuming under the pressure of our conversation. “If you want to defy me, I will take actions necessary to ensure you’re safe, even if it means locking you in here.”My breath hitched in my throat, anger flaring once again. “Are you really willing to go that far? To actually isolate me from everything and everyone?”“Maybe I need to!” he snapped, but his voice faltered as he saw my expression. “Avery, I don’t want to—but you leav
Avery's POV As I gazed into Zane’s eyes, a warm afterglow surrounded us, melting away the remnants of our earlier conflict. But as that sense of connection enveloped me, I felt a sudden wave of nausea crash over me. A bead of cold sweat trickled down my back as I pulled away from Zane, the world around me beginning to spin.“Um, I—” I stammered, my voice faltering. “I think I need to sit down for a—”Before I could finish my sentence, the room tilted precariously, and I stumbled, clutching my stomach. Panic surged through me as I rushed to the side, barely making it to the bathroom just in time. I barely managed to turn on the light before the contents of my stomach surged forth, heaving violently as dry heaves followed. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, more from the shock than the physical discomfort.“Avery!” Zane called out, his voice echoing with alarm just outside the door. I could hear his footsteps rushing in my direction.The door swung open, and I looked up to see hi
Zane’s grip on my hand tightened as he considered my question, his brow furrowing under the weight of uncertainty. “Then we take it one step at a time, just like Kendra said,” he replied softly, his voice steady despite the turmoil in the air. “We’ll talk about it. We’ll figure it out together. No matter what.”His confidence was both comforting and terrifying. I opened my eyes and met his gaze, searching for reassurance amidst the chaos of my thoughts. “But what if I’m not ready for this, Zane?” My voice trembled as I spoke, fear and vulnerability tumbling forth like a flood. “What if I can’t be the person that a baby needs?”Zane’s expression softened, compassion radiating from him. “Avery, none of us are ever fully ready for things like this. Life throws us challenges, and we just adapt. You’re strong; I've seen you face things that would break others. Plus, you wouldn’t be doing this alone.” I felt a spark of warmth at his words, but doubt still lingered. “And what about you? Are
Craig’s POV As Delilah led the way through the thicket, I kept a vigilant eye on our surroundings, scanning for any signs of danger the moment we stepped away from the safety of our temporary haven. I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears, each beat echoing the urgency of our situation.“Where exactly are we going?” I whispered to Delilah as we navigated the dense undergrowth, branches snagging at my clothes as if they were trying to hold me back from the path ahead.“To the old hunting lodge,” she answered quickly, darting glances behind us. “It’s abandoned, but it should be worn enough that no one is likely to search it.”“We can’t stay there long,” I warned, my gut twisted with the knowledge that time was not on our side. “What if they track us?”“They might, but the longer we stay away from Alpha Zane’s territory, the better. They’ll be searching for you, no doubt. We need to throw them off your trail.” That thought should have reassured me, but instead, fear twisted tighter i
Avery’s POV A heavy silence settled around us, punctuated only by the ticking clock on the wall and the soft rustle of packaging as Kendra set up the pregnancy test. Time felt suspended, each second stretching into eternity. My heart raced, caught between fear and anticipation, while my mind churned with unanswered questions. Zane’s presence was a steadying force beside me. His hand remained entwined with mine, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my palm. I wanted to focus on the comfort of his touch, but the enormity of what was about to happen loomed large in my thoughts. “What if I’m not ready for this?” I repeated, more to myself than to him, the thought echoing like a haunting melody. “Avery, nobody is ever fully ready,” Zane replied, his voice a low rumble of support. “But we’ll figure it out together. Whatever this result is, we’ll tackle it as a team." His unwavering confidence was soothing, yet my own doubts antagonized me. I didn’t want to let fear dictate my life, bu
Avery's POVThe truth hung in the air, thick and heavy, as the reality of Kendra’s words crashed over us. I was pregnant. The phrase echoed in my mind, a blend of disbelief and a rush of emotions that felt almost overwhelming. Joy, fear, excitement, and anxiety erupted within me, a chaotic storm swirling in my chest.Zane’s arm tightened around my shoulders, grounding me as my thoughts spiraled. He captured my gaze, his eyes shimmering with a mixture of emotions that mirrored my own. In that moment, the world outside lost its significance, and all that mattered was us—what we had created together. “I—” I struggled to articulate my thoughts, words tumbling over one another in my mind. “What do we do now?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as I searched his expression for answers.“We figure it out together,” Zane replied, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “We take it one step at a time.” There wasn’t a hint of doubt in his demeanor, and as the gravity of my situation sa
Avery's POVThe truth hung in the air, thick and heavy, as the reality of Kendra’s words crashed over us. I was pregnant. The phrase echoed in my mind, a blend of disbelief and a rush of emotions that felt almost overwhelming. Joy, fear, excitement, and anxiety erupted within me, a chaotic storm swirling in my chest.Zane’s arm tightened around my shoulders, grounding me as my thoughts spiraled. He captured my gaze, his eyes shimmering with a mixture of emotions that mirrored my own. In that moment, the world outside lost its significance, and all that mattered was us—what we had created together. “I—” I struggled to articulate my thoughts, words tumbling over one another in my mind. “What do we do now?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as I searched his expression for answers.“We figure it out together,” Zane replied, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “We take it one step at a time.” There wasn’t a hint of doubt in his demeanor, and as the gravity of my situation sa
Avery’s POV A heavy silence settled around us, punctuated only by the ticking clock on the wall and the soft rustle of packaging as Kendra set up the pregnancy test. Time felt suspended, each second stretching into eternity. My heart raced, caught between fear and anticipation, while my mind churned with unanswered questions. Zane’s presence was a steadying force beside me. His hand remained entwined with mine, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my palm. I wanted to focus on the comfort of his touch, but the enormity of what was about to happen loomed large in my thoughts. “What if I’m not ready for this?” I repeated, more to myself than to him, the thought echoing like a haunting melody. “Avery, nobody is ever fully ready,” Zane replied, his voice a low rumble of support. “But we’ll figure it out together. Whatever this result is, we’ll tackle it as a team." His unwavering confidence was soothing, yet my own doubts antagonized me. I didn’t want to let fear dictate my life, bu
Craig’s POV As Delilah led the way through the thicket, I kept a vigilant eye on our surroundings, scanning for any signs of danger the moment we stepped away from the safety of our temporary haven. I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears, each beat echoing the urgency of our situation.“Where exactly are we going?” I whispered to Delilah as we navigated the dense undergrowth, branches snagging at my clothes as if they were trying to hold me back from the path ahead.“To the old hunting lodge,” she answered quickly, darting glances behind us. “It’s abandoned, but it should be worn enough that no one is likely to search it.”“We can’t stay there long,” I warned, my gut twisted with the knowledge that time was not on our side. “What if they track us?”“They might, but the longer we stay away from Alpha Zane’s territory, the better. They’ll be searching for you, no doubt. We need to throw them off your trail.” That thought should have reassured me, but instead, fear twisted tighter i
Zane’s grip on my hand tightened as he considered my question, his brow furrowing under the weight of uncertainty. “Then we take it one step at a time, just like Kendra said,” he replied softly, his voice steady despite the turmoil in the air. “We’ll talk about it. We’ll figure it out together. No matter what.”His confidence was both comforting and terrifying. I opened my eyes and met his gaze, searching for reassurance amidst the chaos of my thoughts. “But what if I’m not ready for this, Zane?” My voice trembled as I spoke, fear and vulnerability tumbling forth like a flood. “What if I can’t be the person that a baby needs?”Zane’s expression softened, compassion radiating from him. “Avery, none of us are ever fully ready for things like this. Life throws us challenges, and we just adapt. You’re strong; I've seen you face things that would break others. Plus, you wouldn’t be doing this alone.” I felt a spark of warmth at his words, but doubt still lingered. “And what about you? Are
Avery's POV As I gazed into Zane’s eyes, a warm afterglow surrounded us, melting away the remnants of our earlier conflict. But as that sense of connection enveloped me, I felt a sudden wave of nausea crash over me. A bead of cold sweat trickled down my back as I pulled away from Zane, the world around me beginning to spin.“Um, I—” I stammered, my voice faltering. “I think I need to sit down for a—”Before I could finish my sentence, the room tilted precariously, and I stumbled, clutching my stomach. Panic surged through me as I rushed to the side, barely making it to the bathroom just in time. I barely managed to turn on the light before the contents of my stomach surged forth, heaving violently as dry heaves followed. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, more from the shock than the physical discomfort.“Avery!” Zane called out, his voice echoing with alarm just outside the door. I could hear his footsteps rushing in my direction.The door swung open, and I looked up to see hi
Avery's POV“I understand more than you think,” I said, matching his intensity with my own. “But I refuse to let that weight crush my spirit—or my ability to fight for it.”“For once, can’t you just trust that I know what’s best?” he demanded, his voice thick with emotion. “Trust goes both ways, Zane,” I countered, my heart pounding in my chest. “If I can’t trust you to hear me out, if I can’t have a say in our direction, then I might as well be standing alone in this fight.”“Fine then!” Zane thundered, his frustration spilling over as he turned away from me, fuming under the pressure of our conversation. “If you want to defy me, I will take actions necessary to ensure you’re safe, even if it means locking you in here.”My breath hitched in my throat, anger flaring once again. “Are you really willing to go that far? To actually isolate me from everything and everyone?”“Maybe I need to!” he snapped, but his voice faltered as he saw my expression. “Avery, I don’t want to—but you leav
Avery's POV“I think you're being ridiculous now.” I told my mate crossly. I had had enough of being treated like a child. Did he forget he was my mate not my parent? Zane’s face darkened with determination, and I could see the internal struggle playing out in his eyes. “I’m not compromising your safety for the sake of freedom, Avery,” he said, voice low but laced with urgency. “The last thing I want is for something to happen to you because I wasn’t vigilant.”“Vigilant?” I echoed incredulously, feeling the heat rise in my chest. “This isn’t vigilance; it’s imprisonment! You can’t just decide to lock me away because you think it’s for my own good.”His expression hardened, frustration flickering just beneath the surface. “You think it’s easy for me to do this? You’re not seeing the whole picture! If that rogue is a genuine threat, I won’t allow you to put yourself in harm’s way.”“And what do you think you’re doing by ordering me around?” I countered, every word coated with convicti
Craig’s POV My heart dropped, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak. It was someone I thought I’d never see again—a relic of my past that threatened to unravel everything I’d fought to leave behind. “Its me.” I said. She stepped closer and gasped in disbelief. “I can't believe its you. Where have you been?” I stared at the girl in front of me. “I can't talk about it right now. Does anyone know you are here?” I prayed she was alone. She shook her head. “Nobody is with me, but I'm sure they will soon. They will know about your secret, before long they will. Believe me, Craig.” Delilah. She was an old friend from the pack. She had disappeared out of the blue and nobody had mentioned her since. I thought she was dead! “They are coming.” she whispered. A chill ran down my spine at her words. “What do you mean? Who’s coming?” I searched her face for answers, but all I found was a mixture of concern and urgency. “There are rogues within the pack borders. They haven't gone in on Alpha Zan
Craig’s POV “Craig, maybe we should call it a day and just go back home. To the pack?” my eyes snapped to Carolina’s in dismay. Had i heard her correctly? She wanted to return to the one place that I was running from. “You think I am stupid enough to go back to that place?” I shook my head as we walked together. My fathers shouts still echoed in my head. Carolina's expression hardened, the resolute fire in her gaze clashing with the anxiety gnawing at my insides. “I know, but we can’t stay here with Terrance lurking around. He knows how to get to us now. We need protection, and Alpha Zane can offer that.” Cady was silent, her eyes darting between us as she seemed to process everything. The weight of Terrance's revelation hung heavily over us, and I realized how unprepared we truly were for the storm looming ahead. “Protection?” I echoed, disbelief coloring my voice. “You really think Zane would provide that? He believes I’m dead, and he won’t take kindly to what’s essentiall