The air in the room was heavy after the stranger’s ominous departure. No one moved for a moment, the silence broken only by the faint sound of the door clicking shut behind him. Mia’s heart raced as the reality of his words settled into her mind.Ryker wasn’t going to stop. He would come for her, no matter the cost, no matter who got in his way. And now, her family was in danger because of her.Aiden was the first to break the silence, his voice sharp as a blade. “We need to fortify the perimeter immediately. No one gets in or out without us knowing.”Zander nodded, already heading toward the phone to call their guards. “I’ll double the patrols. We’re not taking any chances.”Liam turned toward Mia, his jaw clenched. “You should go upstairs. Stay in your room until we figure this out.”Mia stared at him, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “I’m not hiding again, Liam! This is my fight too.”Liam stepped closer, his eyes blazing. “It’s not your fight! It’s our fight to protect you
After the attack villa is in ruined. Shattered glass crunched under Mia’s bare feet as she slowly moved across the living room. Blood smeared the floor, torn furniture lay scattered, and the metallic scent of blood lingered in the air. The sight of her brothers, battered and bruised, pulled at her heart. She bit back a sob, her chest tightening.Aiden was the first to notice her standing frozen. His shirt was torn, blood seeping through the material on his shoulder, but he still managed to force out a reassuring smirk. “Don’t look at me like that, Mia. I’m fine,” he said, his voice strained but steady.“You’re not fine!” Mia’s voice broke as tears slid down her cheeks. She ran to him, her hands trembling as she touched his arm gently. “You’re hurt, Aiden. All of you are. This…this is all my fault.”Aiden cupped her face with his good hand, his thumb brushing away her tears. “It’s not your fault,” he said firmly. “None of this is your fault, Mia.”Zander stood nearby, his expression ha
The news came early in the morning like a cold gust of wind through the tense halls of the mansion. The brothers and Mia sat around the dining table, the air heavy with unspoken words. Aiden, the eldest, read the message aloud with a voice strained by suppressed emotions: “Father and Sarah are returning in two days.” The words lingered in the room, thick and suffocating.Mia’s heart dropped. She glanced at the brothers, their expressions a mix of frustration and anxiety. Liam slammed his hand on the table, his jaw tightening. “Two days? That’s too soon,” he muttered, pushing back his chair with force. The sound of it scraping against the floor made Mia flinch. “We need more time."“There is no time,” Zander said, his tone clipped. He rubbed his temples, trying to focus. “We have to fix everything before they arrive. The house is a disaster, and Father cannot find out about what happened.”Matthew leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “He’ll know,” he said
The tension in the house was seen, hanging in the air like a thick fog. The brothers, who had been acting strangely distant and cold for the past few days, were now even more so. Their usual playful banter had turned into icy silence, and Mia couldn’t help but feel the weight of their coldness pressing on her. She tried to ignore it, but it was impossible not to notice. Every time she walked into a room, they seemed to freeze, like they were all hiding something, and no one was willing to talk about it.Mia had never felt more out of place in her life. She tried to find solace in the little things, but nothing seemed to help. The house, once full of warmth and comfort, now felt like a stranger’s home. The brothers, her stepbrothers, seemed more like distant relatives than family. They barely spoke to her, and when they did, it was only when necessary. Their eyes, once warm and welcoming, were now cold and distant. Mia wanted to ask them what was wrong, but every time she tried, they s
The mysterious knock at the door echoed in the large, silent house. Everyone in the room froze. Mia’s heart raced as she glanced at her brothers, who were already on edge. Aiden stood first, his eyes narrowing as he moved cautiously toward the door. The tension in the air was suffocating.“Stay behind me,” he instructed, his voice low and firm.Mia clutched her chair, feeling the unease spreading through her. The door creaked open, and a woman stepped inside, her presence commanding attention. She was tall, with sharp, elegant features, and her piercing blue eyes scanned the room as though she could see through them all.“Who are you?” Aiden demanded, his tone sharp.The woman smiled faintly. “I’m Celeste. I come with a message, one that concerns all of you—especially Mia.”The mention of Mia’s name sent a ripple of tension through the brothers. Liam moved closer to her, his protective instincts taking over. “What do you want with her?” he asked coldly.Celeste raised her hands in a g
Mia woke up with a start, her breathing shallow and uneven. The room was silent, except for the distant hum of the house, but her mind was anything but calm. Her skin felt too tight, and the strange, throbbing sensation deep inside her was more intense than ever before. It had been growing over the past few days, this feeling. The pull of her wolf side, the primal force she could no longer ignore. It was there, in her blood, in the way her senses heightened and her heart raced at the slightest hint of danger or... desire.She dragged herself out of bed, trying to calm her nerves. The mirror reflected the same face she’d known all her life: pale skin, dark hair, soft, fragile features but her eyes. Her eyes were different now. Glowing. Not just the typical gleam, but an unmistakable intensity, like something wild was waking inside her."Mia," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "Get it together."She didn’t want to accept it. Her wolf side, seductive and dangerous, had always b
It was past midnight, and the mansion was eerily quiet. Mia lay awake in her room, staring at the ceiling, unable to shake off the turmoil in her mind. The events of the past days played over and over in her head the tension, the warnings, and the undeniable pull she felt toward her stepbrothers, especially Aiden. She felt trapped, both by the bond and her emotions. Her wolf stirred restlessly, craving something she couldn’t quite put into words.Meanwhile, in his room down the hall, Aiden paced back and forth. His wolf was relentless tonight, its voice loud in his head. Aiden leaned against the wall of his room, his arms crossed as he stared at the empty space in front of him. His mind was a pool of emotions, and his wolf prowled restlessly within him, urging him to claim what was his. The pull toward Mia was relentless, a tether that grew tighter every second she was away from him.He had spent the past days suppressing his instincts, trying to maintain control, but it was getting
Aiden couldn’t sleep. The night was quiet, but his mind was loud. His thoughts kept circling back to Mia. Every time he closed his eyes, her face appeared, her soft features, her bright eyes, and the way she had smiled at him earlier. It was enough to drive him insane.He got out of bed, pacing the length of his room. His wolf stirred within him, restless and agitated. It had been whispering to him all day, urging him to go to her, to make sure she was safe, to stay by her side. Aiden ran a hand through his hair, growling under his breath. She was in her room, just a few steps away. She was fine. He didn’t need to check on her. But the pain was unbearable.“Damn it,” he muttered, unable to fight it any longer. He grabbed a shirt, throwing it on as he quietly left his room.The hallway was dark, the moonlight spilling through the windows casting a faint glow. Aiden’s footsteps were silent as he reached Mia’s door. He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the doorknob. Was he c
Aiden couldn’t sleep. The night was quiet, but his mind was loud. His thoughts kept circling back to Mia. Every time he closed his eyes, her face appeared, her soft features, her bright eyes, and the way she had smiled at him earlier. It was enough to drive him insane.He got out of bed, pacing the length of his room. His wolf stirred within him, restless and agitated. It had been whispering to him all day, urging him to go to her, to make sure she was safe, to stay by her side. Aiden ran a hand through his hair, growling under his breath. She was in her room, just a few steps away. She was fine. He didn’t need to check on her. But the pain was unbearable.“Damn it,” he muttered, unable to fight it any longer. He grabbed a shirt, throwing it on as he quietly left his room.The hallway was dark, the moonlight spilling through the windows casting a faint glow. Aiden’s footsteps were silent as he reached Mia’s door. He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the doorknob. Was he c
It was past midnight, and the mansion was eerily quiet. Mia lay awake in her room, staring at the ceiling, unable to shake off the turmoil in her mind. The events of the past days played over and over in her head the tension, the warnings, and the undeniable pull she felt toward her stepbrothers, especially Aiden. She felt trapped, both by the bond and her emotions. Her wolf stirred restlessly, craving something she couldn’t quite put into words.Meanwhile, in his room down the hall, Aiden paced back and forth. His wolf was relentless tonight, its voice loud in his head. Aiden leaned against the wall of his room, his arms crossed as he stared at the empty space in front of him. His mind was a pool of emotions, and his wolf prowled restlessly within him, urging him to claim what was his. The pull toward Mia was relentless, a tether that grew tighter every second she was away from him.He had spent the past days suppressing his instincts, trying to maintain control, but it was getting
Mia woke up with a start, her breathing shallow and uneven. The room was silent, except for the distant hum of the house, but her mind was anything but calm. Her skin felt too tight, and the strange, throbbing sensation deep inside her was more intense than ever before. It had been growing over the past few days, this feeling. The pull of her wolf side, the primal force she could no longer ignore. It was there, in her blood, in the way her senses heightened and her heart raced at the slightest hint of danger or... desire.She dragged herself out of bed, trying to calm her nerves. The mirror reflected the same face she’d known all her life: pale skin, dark hair, soft, fragile features but her eyes. Her eyes were different now. Glowing. Not just the typical gleam, but an unmistakable intensity, like something wild was waking inside her."Mia," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "Get it together."She didn’t want to accept it. Her wolf side, seductive and dangerous, had always b
The mysterious knock at the door echoed in the large, silent house. Everyone in the room froze. Mia’s heart raced as she glanced at her brothers, who were already on edge. Aiden stood first, his eyes narrowing as he moved cautiously toward the door. The tension in the air was suffocating.“Stay behind me,” he instructed, his voice low and firm.Mia clutched her chair, feeling the unease spreading through her. The door creaked open, and a woman stepped inside, her presence commanding attention. She was tall, with sharp, elegant features, and her piercing blue eyes scanned the room as though she could see through them all.“Who are you?” Aiden demanded, his tone sharp.The woman smiled faintly. “I’m Celeste. I come with a message, one that concerns all of you—especially Mia.”The mention of Mia’s name sent a ripple of tension through the brothers. Liam moved closer to her, his protective instincts taking over. “What do you want with her?” he asked coldly.Celeste raised her hands in a g
The tension in the house was seen, hanging in the air like a thick fog. The brothers, who had been acting strangely distant and cold for the past few days, were now even more so. Their usual playful banter had turned into icy silence, and Mia couldn’t help but feel the weight of their coldness pressing on her. She tried to ignore it, but it was impossible not to notice. Every time she walked into a room, they seemed to freeze, like they were all hiding something, and no one was willing to talk about it.Mia had never felt more out of place in her life. She tried to find solace in the little things, but nothing seemed to help. The house, once full of warmth and comfort, now felt like a stranger’s home. The brothers, her stepbrothers, seemed more like distant relatives than family. They barely spoke to her, and when they did, it was only when necessary. Their eyes, once warm and welcoming, were now cold and distant. Mia wanted to ask them what was wrong, but every time she tried, they s
The news came early in the morning like a cold gust of wind through the tense halls of the mansion. The brothers and Mia sat around the dining table, the air heavy with unspoken words. Aiden, the eldest, read the message aloud with a voice strained by suppressed emotions: “Father and Sarah are returning in two days.” The words lingered in the room, thick and suffocating.Mia’s heart dropped. She glanced at the brothers, their expressions a mix of frustration and anxiety. Liam slammed his hand on the table, his jaw tightening. “Two days? That’s too soon,” he muttered, pushing back his chair with force. The sound of it scraping against the floor made Mia flinch. “We need more time."“There is no time,” Zander said, his tone clipped. He rubbed his temples, trying to focus. “We have to fix everything before they arrive. The house is a disaster, and Father cannot find out about what happened.”Matthew leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “He’ll know,” he said
After the attack villa is in ruined. Shattered glass crunched under Mia’s bare feet as she slowly moved across the living room. Blood smeared the floor, torn furniture lay scattered, and the metallic scent of blood lingered in the air. The sight of her brothers, battered and bruised, pulled at her heart. She bit back a sob, her chest tightening.Aiden was the first to notice her standing frozen. His shirt was torn, blood seeping through the material on his shoulder, but he still managed to force out a reassuring smirk. “Don’t look at me like that, Mia. I’m fine,” he said, his voice strained but steady.“You’re not fine!” Mia’s voice broke as tears slid down her cheeks. She ran to him, her hands trembling as she touched his arm gently. “You’re hurt, Aiden. All of you are. This…this is all my fault.”Aiden cupped her face with his good hand, his thumb brushing away her tears. “It’s not your fault,” he said firmly. “None of this is your fault, Mia.”Zander stood nearby, his expression ha
The air in the room was heavy after the stranger’s ominous departure. No one moved for a moment, the silence broken only by the faint sound of the door clicking shut behind him. Mia’s heart raced as the reality of his words settled into her mind.Ryker wasn’t going to stop. He would come for her, no matter the cost, no matter who got in his way. And now, her family was in danger because of her.Aiden was the first to break the silence, his voice sharp as a blade. “We need to fortify the perimeter immediately. No one gets in or out without us knowing.”Zander nodded, already heading toward the phone to call their guards. “I’ll double the patrols. We’re not taking any chances.”Liam turned toward Mia, his jaw clenched. “You should go upstairs. Stay in your room until we figure this out.”Mia stared at him, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “I’m not hiding again, Liam! This is my fight too.”Liam stepped closer, his eyes blazing. “It’s not your fight! It’s our fight to protect you
The alarm had barely faded when Aiden and Zander stormed outside, their faces hard with focus. The tension in the air was thick, and the growls of wolves in the distance sent a shiver down Mia's spine. Liam stayed behind, pacing the living room like a caged animal, while Matthew pulled Mia by the wrist toward a safer part of the house."Stay here," Matthew said firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument as he led her into the secure room on the far side of the mansion. The heavy door shut with a loud click, and he turned to face her, his expression serious."No, I can't stay here!" Mia snapped, her hands balled into fists. "I’m not some fragile doll you can lock away while everyone else fights. I can help!""You don’t understand," Matthew said, his voice softening but his eyes still stern. "This isn’t just about protecting you. It’s about keeping you alive. Ryker’s after you, Mia, and we can’t risk anything happening to you."Mia’s chest heaved with frustration. Her wolf was restl