LOGINChapter ThreeAveryMorning didn’t bring relief. It brought clarity—and somehow that was worse.The pack house woke slowly, but the tension never eased. It clung to the walls, the floors, the air itself, as if the night had soaked into the wood and refused to leave. Wolves moved with purpose now, quieter than usual, eyes sharper, tempers closer to the surface. No one laughed. No one lingered.They were afraid.I felt it in the bond, a low, restless hum beneath my skin. Fear, yes—but also anger. A need to act. Zane felt it too. I could sense him pushing it down, locking it behind discipline and command, but it was there, coiled tight.Elara’s words replayed in my head no matter how hard I tried to focus on anything else.You hide him.You don’t.I stood in the kitchen pretending to drink tea that had long since gone cold, watching the doorway as pack members passed through. Mothers. Warriors. Elders. All of them glancing toward the upper floor where my son slept, all of them thinking t
Chapter TwoAverySleep became impossible after that.I lay awake long after Zane’s breathing evened out beside me, staring at the ceiling while shadows crept and shifted with the moonlight. Every sound felt too loud. Every silence too heavy. I could feel the pack moving around us—guards changing shifts, patrols circling the perimeter—but instead of comfort, it only sharpened my unease.Because Elara was here now.Down the hall. Under our roof.And whether Zane believed her or not, something inside me did.I slipped quietly from the bed and pulled on a sweater, my bare feet cold against the floor. The pack house smelled the same as always—wood smoke, earth, familiar bodies—but beneath it lingered a faint wrongness, like a storm waiting just beyond the horizon.Elara sat at the long table in the common room, hands wrapped around a mug she hadn’t touched. She looked smaller in the warm lamplight, younger somehow, but when she lifted her eyes to me, that strange weight returned.“You’re
AveryI knew something was wrong before I saw her.The night had gone too quiet—the kind of quiet that presses against your ears until your instincts start screaming. Even the forest seemed to be holding its breath. No owls. No rustling leaves. Just the faint crackle of the pack’s perimeter wards humming low beneath my feet.I stepped outside before Zane could stop me.Cold air brushed my skin, sharp and clean, but it did nothing to settle the unease coiled tight in my chest. My hand drifted instinctively to my stomach, a habit I hadn’t quite shaken even though our son was already a year old. He was asleep in the pack house, surrounded by guards, wards, and an overprotective Alpha who checked the locks twice every night.Still, fear didn’t listen to logic.She stood at the tree line like she belonged there.The woman was young—barely older than me, I guessed—but there was something ancient in the way she held herself. Her posture wasn’t defensive. She wasn’t lost. She wasn’t scared. S
For the longest time, I’ve carried this quiet voice inside me, telling me I wasn’t enough—that I was always second, always in Avery’s shadow. I watched her shine so brightly, effortlessly drawing people in, achieving things I only dreamt of, and somehow, I convinced myself that my worth depended on her approval. I thought if I supported her, if I stayed in her orbit, maybe I’d be okay. Maybe I’d be enough by association.But lately, I’ve started to see things differently. It’s like a slow awakening—little moments that pile up until I realize I’ve been living under a false impression. I used to believe that Avery’s success was my success, that my happiness was tied to her happiness. I told myself that my voice didn’t matter as much, that my ideas were secondary. I thought that if I spoke up, I might threaten her or disturb the balance I’d created. But the truth is, I was only dimming my own light.It wasn’t until recently that I truly understood: I don’t need to be second to anyone. I
Avery’s POV My heart raced with each step I took, the fear that Carolina might be in real danger lacing my thoughts. Zane walked ahead, his broad shoulders cutting through the darkness, while Tricia and I fell in closely behind, whispering hurried strategies and scenarios. We gathered the pack in the clearing just outside the lodge, urgency thrumming through our veins. Zane centered us, his authoritative presence commanding attention. “Listen up, everyone,” he began, his voice steady and strong. “Carolina is missing, and we believe she’s in danger. Some clues were found in her room, and we need to act fast. I expect all of you to search the forest thoroughly—listen for any signs of her presence, and keep your eyes sharp for anything out of the ordinary.” The members of the pack nodded, determination etched into their features. A part of me was grateful for the unity, hoping it would lead us to her safe and sound. But the deeper truth gnawed at my gut, feeding my anxiety. Craig w
Avery’s POV My heart raced with each step I took, the fear that Carolina might be in real danger lacing my thoughts. Zane walked ahead, his broad shoulders cutting through the darkness, while Tricia and I fell in closely behind, whispering hurried strategies and scenarios. We gathered the pack in the clearing just outside the lodge, urgency thrumming through our veins. Zane centered us, his authoritative presence commanding attention. “Listen up, everyone,” he began, his voice steady and strong. “Carolina is missing, and we believe she’s in danger. Some clues were found in her room, and we need to act fast. I expect all of you to search the forest thoroughly—listen for any signs of her presence, and keep your eyes sharp for anything out of the ordinary.” The members of the pack nodded, determination etched into their features. A part of me was grateful for the unity, hoping it would lead us to her safe and sound. But the deeper truth gnawed at my gut, feeding my anxiety. Craig was







