NinaI’m staring at a report on my screen, the words blurring together as my fingers tap aimlessly against the desk. I’ve read the same line three times, but it doesn’t matter. The numbers and charts are just noise now, background static to the thoughts crashing around in my head. The morning’s already been long, but it feels like it’s dragging, each minute stretching into the next. I’m not sure if it’s the exhaustion, the lack of sleep, or the weight of everything else hanging over me, but I can’t focus. It’s like I’m moving through molasses, every task an effort.Elijah’s texts are still open, sitting like a weight on my screen, a constant reminder of everything I don’t want to deal with. The bouquet of roses he sent sits there too, just beneath his messages, their vibrant colors mocking me. I can practically smell them—a sharp, sweet scent that does nothing but stir up emotions I’m not ready to face. His messages are still waiting for a response, but I don’t know what to say. I’m n
NinaThe doorbell rings, slicing through the silence like a knife, and my stomach flips in response. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, as I walk toward the door. My pulse quickens, and I can feel the butterflies stirring—something that hasn’t happened in a long time. I run a hand down my dress to smooth it out, even though I know it’s perfectly in place.When I open the door, there he is. Elijah. Standing there in a sharp suit, looking every bit the picture of someone who’s used to being in control. His eyes slide over me, and I catch the brief flicker of admiration in his gaze, that same assessing look I gave myself in the mirror earlier. He’s checking me out, just like I did him. But the difference is, I feel it. I feel it in the air between us, crackling like static.“Damn,” he says, his voice low and rich, with just a hint of awe. “You look incredible.”I raise an eyebrow, crossing my arms in a way that I hope comes off as confident, though I can feel the warmth creep
NinaI sit down at the breakfast table, my eyes flicking around at the empty seats, the lingering heaviness from last night still hanging in the air. My family is here, but it feels like something’s missing. The house is quieter than usual, and it’s starting to feel too damn big for just us.For the first time, I really feel my mother’s absence in this table.Callie’s at the counter, flipping through her phone, looking distracted. Lucas is half-eating a piece of toast, half-poking around with his fork. Dominic’s sitting across from me, still in his usual quiet, brooding mode.I take a sip of my coffee, my fingers trembling slightly. The doorbell rings, and I’m kind of thankful for the interruption. My stomach twists, though, as the courier comes in with another damn bouquet. I know who it’s from before they even say the name.“Elijah?” I mutter under my breath, watching as the flowers are placed in front of me. A mix of red and white roses, a card tucked into the arrangement.“Wow! Di
NinaI walk into the office, tossing my coat onto the back of the chair. It’s already a mess of papers and overdue work, but I can’t focus on that right now. Not with everything that’s going on.The phone rings, slicing through the silence, and I glance at the screen. Elijah’s name flashes across it. I don’t even think, just answer.“Hey, Elijah.”“Hey, you,” he says, voice smooth. “How’s your day going?”I lean back in the chair, propping my feet up on the desk. “It’s been... rough. Funeral stuff. You know.”There’s a quiet pause on the other end, like he’s weighing his words. “I was thinking... maybe I could take you out tonight. Dance a little, take your mind off things?”I bite my lip. I want to go. I want to forget the heaviness of today. But my family needs me. “I can’t. I’ve got to be with my family tonight. We’re going over everything for the funeral.”“That sucks,” he says, sounding genuinely disappointed. “Okay, what about lunch then? I’ll come pick you up.”I glance at the
JaxonI lean back in my chair, staring out the window. The city’s skyline is nothing new—just the same familiar view that always makes everything feel like it’s miles away. It’s been like this for days, really. Numb. Like I’m stuck in a loop of shit that keeps piling up, and I’m just here, holding it all together with a thread.Rylan storms into my office, his usual stormy expression on his face. No “hello,” no knock. Just him, barging in like it’s his place, like he owns the damn thing.“Got a minute?” His tone is clipped, serious.I don’t even look up from the paperwork on my desk. I don’t want to hear it. Not today.“Yeah, make it quick,” I mutter, hoping he’ll get the hint.He doesn’t. Of course he doesn’t.“I heard the rumor,” he says, voice tight. “You and Scarlett? Back together?”I let out a long sigh, pushing the papers aside. “I don’t care about rumors, Ry.”But he’s not done. He doesn’t take the hint like he should. “You should. People are talking, and the pack’s getting re
NinaI wake up gasping, the remnants of the nightmare still clawing at me. Cold sweat sticks to my skin as I sit up in bed, breath shallow and erratic. The dream is there, lingering like a ghost I can’t shake off.I’m standing in a graveyard, the earth beneath me damp and dark. I’m burying him. My child. The one I lost. It’s not real, but it feels like it is. I can feel the weight of the tiny bundle in my arms, the pain of loss crawling into every inch of my chest.The grave is too small. Too damn small.I try to bury him, but the dirt keeps coming back up. It won’t stay. It can’t stay. My hands shake as I shove the dirt in, but it doesn’t stop the ache, doesn’t stop the flood of memories. That night in the hotel. The blood. My baby’s blood.Callie’s voice echoes in my mind, but it’s too late. She rushed me to the hospital, but by then, I was already gone. I was already alone.And Jaxon…I can’t forget that part. I can’t forget how he was supposed to be there. How he wasn’t. How he st
NinaThe air feels heavier than it should as the last of the pack steps forward. It’s too quiet now, the kind of silence that makes your skin itch. I glance around, taking in the somber faces, the bowed heads. Nobody says it, but it’s there, hanging between all of us. We failed them. Luke and Parker. We weren’t fast enough. Smart enough. Something enough.I take a deep breath and step forward again, my boots crunching against the gravel. The pack’s eyes follow me like they’re waiting for me to fall apart. Too bad. Not happening.“We’re not letting this go,” I say, my voice cutting through the silence. “Luke and Parker deserve better than that.”There’s a murmur, soft at first, but it grows. Heads nod. Eyes harden. They’re angry. Good.From the back, one of the younger wolves speaks up. Kian. He trained with Luke and Parker. Same age. Same fire in his eyes.“Alpha,” he says, stepping forward. “We’ll find out what happened. I swear it. Whatever it takes.”A ripple of agreement moves thr
JaxonThe drive back to my estate feels longer than it should. I loosen my tie and lean back, the silence in the car doing nothing to quiet the storm in my head. Seeing Nina at the funeral… hell, it’s like a fresh wound. The way she stood there, strong but still carrying all that grief, it gutted me.But I showed up. I represented Silver Crescent, even if she didn’t want me there. That has to count for something.I park in the driveway and step inside, the heavy door slamming shut behind me. The house feels empty, like it always does. Too big, too quiet. My steps echo as I head toward the living room, ready to grab a drink and sit in silence for a while.But I don’t make it far.“Jaxon!” My mother’s voice slices through the air, sharp and cold. I glance over my shoulder and see her storming toward me, her heels clicking against the marble floor.“What?” I say, already tired, already knowing this conversation won’t go anywhere good.She crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing. “Don’t ‘wha
NinaI wake up gasping, my throat raw and dry, and my body drenched in sweat. The nightmare still lingers, clinging to me like a second skin. My chest is tight, and I can’t shake the feeling that something’s horribly, horribly wrong.I sit up, wiping my face with the back of my hand, but it doesn’t help. The images from the dream are burned into my mind. Jaxon. His body, lifeless, sprawled across the cold ground. Blood pooling beneath him, his eyes vacant, distant. His mouth… he was calling my name. But he wasn’t alive.I blink hard, trying to push the images away, but they won’t leave. They’re too real. Too vivid.Shit.I glance at the clock. It’s late, too late to be awake. I should be getting some sleep, but my heart won’t let me. My head is too loud, too full of that nightmare.I slide out of bed, my feet hitting the cold floor, the chill a stark contrast to the sweat on my skin. I don’t bother turning on the light. I don’t want to see anything—just the dark, just the silence. I s
JaxonThe forest is quiet, too quiet. I should’ve known better than to come this far out alone, but I needed space—needed to think without my mother’s voice in my ear or the constant demands of the pack weighing on me.The moon filters through the dense canopy above, casting patches of silvery light onto the damp earth. My wolf is restless, pacing inside me like it knows something I don’t. Maybe I should’ve stayed at the estate, drowned my thoughts in another bottle of whiskey instead of chasing solitude. But here I am, miles from anywhere, surrounded by trees that all look the same.“Fuck,” I mutter, shaking my head. My boots crunch against the leaves as I trudge forward. The wind shifts, carrying a faint scent—familiar but wrong. It’s sharp, acrid, and tinged with something metallic. Blood.I stop, scanning the shadows. Nothing moves, but the scent lingers. It’s close.“Who’s there?” My voice echoes through the stillness. Nothing. Not even the usual rustle of wildlife.My hand insti
NinaI nod, but it’s more for show than anything else. I’ve known this was coming. I’ve known it since my father started grooming me for this role, all those years ago. But it’s different now. This isn’t about power. This isn’t about being Alpha for the sake of it. This is about survival. My survival. Our survival.My father leans forward, eyes locked on me. “We’re not doing this half-assed, Nina. This is the real thing. Tonight, you take control. You step up, or you step aside.”I meet his gaze, my jaw clenched tight. There’s no stepping aside. Not now. Not when everything is on the line.“I’m not stepping aside,” I say, my voice firm. “I’ll do it. I’ll take control. But I need a plan. I need more than just hope.”Dominic’s face softens slightly. “We’ll work out the details. But you need to be crowned first.”I nod again, my mind racing. The weight of the situation hits me all over again. Tonight. I’ll officially be Alpha. It’s what I’ve always been prepared for. But nothing prepares
NinaI’m sitting at the breakfast table, watching the steam rise from my cup of coffee, the scent of it mingling with the freshly baked pastries on the counter. The usual breakfast crowd is here: my father, Dominic, as well as Lucas, Griffin, and Callie. We all sit in silence for a moment, the tension hanging thick in the air, like we’re all just waiting for something to break.My father’s the one to crack the silence, as usual. “Have you heard from the asshole?” He asks, glancing at me with a look that’s a mix of irritation and curiosity.Griffin snorts from his spot beside Lucas, looking at my father. “Which one?” His tone is a mix of sarcasm and genuine amusement, but I know better than to take it lightly. There’s a lot of history wrapped up in those words.My father doesn’t even acknowledge Griffin’s snark. He just keeps his eyes on me. “You know exactly who I’m talking about.”I take a long sip of my coffee, dragging out the moment, not wanting to answer. The asshole in question?
JaxonThe room is too quiet. All I can hear is the soft, steady rhythm of Scarlett’s breathing as she sleeps. It’s peaceful, almost too peaceful. But underneath the calm, there’s this gnawing guilt that eats at me, the weight of it sitting heavy in my gut.She’s hurt. She didn’t deserve any of this. None of it. All she did was love me. But I couldn’t return it, not the way she needed. I wasn’t capable of that. She deserved someone who could give her everything, and I—fuck, I wasn’t that guy.I sit on the edge of her bed, just watching her, trying to figure out what went wrong. Was I always like this? Always this selfish? This caught up in my own bullshit that I couldn’t see how I was hurting her?The door to the room creaks open, and I don’t have to look to know who it is. My mother’s presence fills the space, heavy and cold. She walks in like she owns the damn place, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.I turn to face her, and she doesn’t waste time with pleasantries. “She d
NinaI sit in the office, the room thick with the tension I can’t shake. My brother, Dominic, leans against the door frame, arms crossed, his jaw tight. He’s worried. I can see it in his eyes, and it irritates the hell out of me. But I don’t let it show.“Listen,” he says, voice low, like he’s trying to soften the blow. “The pack’s uneasy. You know they’re not stupid. Two dead wolves and not a word from anyone? It doesn’t sit right with them. There’s too much silence.”I rub my temples, trying to focus on his words but my mind keeps drifting back to Jaxon. The shit between us is... complicated. I’m done with the back and forth, but I can’t shake the thought of him. His voice. The way he looks at me. All of it’s stuck in my head. I push that aside for now. This is bigger than him.“I get it,” I mutter, trying to make sense of what Dominic’s saying. “But right now, the pack has to know I’m in control. I’m the Alpha, whether they like it or not.”Dominic nods, but I can see the concern s
JaxonI’m staring at Rylan, watching him as he slowly starts to come around. He’s still groggy, looking like he got hit by a fucking truck, but at least he’s breathing. Thank god for that. I run a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the tension that’s been clawing at me ever since I pulled up to Nina’s territory.“Rylan,” I grunt, sitting beside him on the couch. “You good?”He blinks a few times, his eyes flicking open and then squinting against the light. His hands twitch like he’s trying to move, but his body’s too weak for it. “What... happened?”I watch him carefully, waiting for him to fully snap back. His eyes land on me, and I see the confusion there. “You’ve been out of it for a while, man,” I mutter. “How do you feel?”He shifts a little, groaning as he tries to sit up, but he’s still not all there. “Fucked up, Jaxon... But... I’m okay.” He looks at me, his voice barely above a rasp. “I... woke up a few minutes ago. Thought I was gonna die for a second.”I swallow hard
JaxonThe next day, I arrive at Nina’s territory with my pack in tow, my nerves buzzing in that way only a fucking mess can make them. She’s been playing games with me, pushing my boundaries, and it’s time to stop it.The scene is familiar, almost comforting in its brutality—Nina’s people look like they expect a fight, but there’s no way they’re ready for what’s coming. I don’t give a shit if they’re armed or not. They won’t stop me. No one gets to touch my pack.Especially not fucking Rylan.I stop in front of her, my boots digging into the dirt like I’m marking my territory. My jaw is tight, fists clenched at my sides, but I don’t look at Nina just yet. Instead, I focus on the way Rylan stands beside me. His face is pale, the color drained from his lips. He looks like shit. His hands twitch at his sides, but I know what he needs. He needs out. He needs to get the fuck out of here and back where it’s safe.“Jaxon,” Nina calls, her voice sharp like she’s trying to hide the panic she’s
NinaI stand outside Dr. Julian’s office, staring at the door. I can hear my breath in my ears, feel the tension twisting in my chest. My father’s words echo in my mind. “You need to handle this, Nina. Rylan can’t die in our territory. If he does, it’ll cause a mess we can’t control.”I swallow hard and knock twice, the sound too loud in the quiet hallway. No response. I knock again. My stomach twists, and I feel like I’m walking into something I can’t undo.“Come in,” a voice calls from the other side, calm, steady. Dr. Julian.I push the door open, my hands shaking despite myself, and step into the sterile, white-walled room. The faint smell of antiseptic hits me like a punch to the gut. Dr. Julian’s sitting behind his desk, glancing at a set of papers. His eyes flicker up to meet mine, and he smiles softly—too softly.“Miss Romano,” he greets me, his voice steady but guarded. “What brings you here?”I blink, feeling the weight of his eyes. I’m not sure I even know what I’m asking f