Bittersweet Farewells and New BeginningsHayley's POVThe next morning after breakfast, me and Roman gathered outside to bid farewell to my family from San Francisco along with Jane and her boyfriend, Benny. My heart felt heavy, a bittersweet ache settling in my chest as I hugged each of them tightly."I can't believe you're leaving already," I said, my voice wavering slightly as I embraced Jane. "It feels like you just got here." I added emotionally.Jane squeezed me back, her familiar lavender scent enveloping me. "I know, honey. Time flies when you're having fun, right?" She pulled back, holding me at arm's length, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "But hey, we'll see each other soon. You promised to come for our engagement party, right?" She reminded me.I nodded, forcing a smile through the lump in my throat. "I wouldn't miss that for the world. You just set the date, and we'll be there." I promised her."You bet," Benny chimed in, wrapping an arm around Jane's waist. "We wou
The Secret Behind Victor's Escape Roman's POVIt had been a week since Victor's escape and just a day after the baby shower. After breakfast and checking on Rose, I decided to go meet Caspian who was in my study and hear about any developments with Victor's case.The sun shone through the windows of my office as I strode in, while my mind was already full of hope to hear good news.As I walked into the office, I found Caspian already hard at work. The sight of him hunched over his desk, brow furrowed in concentration, was a familiar one."Any news?" I asked, hoping against hope that there might be some lead on Victor's whereabouts.But Caspian looked up, shaking his head. "Nothing yet. None of the neighboring packs have reported seeing him." He replied to me, grimly.I sighed heavily, and sat down into my chair. The weight of responsibility felt heavier than ever on my shoulders. Despite adding more security and the strong belief that Victor won't dare come back, I was better with f
The Truth Coming To Light Hayley's POV I sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to our twins, Aurora and Orion, who were cradled in my arms. The gentle melody filled the nursery as I rocked them. Their tiny fingers curled around mine, and their eyes slowly closed as sleep began to claim them. The peaceful moment was precious to me, which was something becoming familiar around us these days. As I placed the sleeping babies in their cribs, I heard the bedroom door open. Turning, I saw Roman standing in the doorway, and his face was covered with an unfamiliar expression. It was a mixture of pain, maybe doubt, and something else I couldn't quite place. "Roman?" I whispered, careful not to wake the babies. "Is everything alright?" I asked him, worried. He stepped into the room, and closed the door behind him. "We need to talk, Rose," he said, in a low and strained voice. My heart skipped a beat. Those four words never preceded anything good. "Of course," I replied, trying to
Rekindled HatredHayley's POV Later as Dora came to attend the babies, I stepped out to the balcony to calm myself more. The cool evening air breezed through my hair, and I took a deep breath, closing my eyes to calm myself more. The sun was setting, and the sky looked beautiful, but I barely noticed its beauty. My mind was still aching with Roman's mother's accusations, and the doubt that Roman had on me earlier.With a deep breath, I pulled out my phone. I needed to hear some friendly voices, to ground myself in something familiar and comforting. My fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before I dialed my mom's number.The phone rang twice before my mom's cheerful voice filled my ear. "Hayley, sweetheart! We were just talking about you!" She greeted me brightly.Despite everything, I felt a small smile crept to my face. "Hey, Mom. How was the flight?" I greeted her back."Oh, honey, you wouldn't believe it!" She gushed, and her excitement bubbled through the phone. "When
The Trap is SetRoman's POV I woke up early today, and my mind was already racing with thoughts of Victor's escape and the potential fallout. The weight of leadership felt heavier than ever on my shoulders. I needed to see Melissa and Scarlett sooner and get to the bottom of it. I had sent Lucien the letter of inviting them over but he had not replied back to me. I guess one thing is certain now, I need to go over there myself and drag them here.I stomped out of the bed, and grabbed a towel to have a shower, when my phone suddenly buzzed on the side drawer.Lucien's name flashed on the screen and I smiled satisfied. Finally.Taking a deep breath, I answered. "Lucien, good morning." I greeted him."Roman," Lucien's voice came through, with a mix of curiosity and concern. "I received your letter. Is everything alright? It seemed rather unnatural." He voiced his mind freely. I had never demanded seeing Melissa and Scarlett before.I hesitated for a moment, thinking of what to say. B
Unmasking the Enemy Roman's POV I watched as Melissa and Scarlett settled into their seats, their postures rigid with tension and their faces were clear with indignation and barely concealed anger. The air in the room felt thick, charged with unspoken accusations and barely contained fury. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was sure to be a difficult conversation. Melissa was the first to break the silence. "Why are we the only ones summoned, Roman? We weren't the only ones at the full moon celebration." She asked, her voice dripping with disdain. I met her gaze steadily, refusing to be intimidated. "You're right, you weren't. But you are among the few who knew about Victor's imprisonment. That narrows down our list of suspects considerably." I informed them flatly. Scarlett's brow furrowed in mock confusion. "Victor? Who's even Victor?" She asked, trying not to know him. I couldn't help but scoff at her obvious attempt at deception. "Don't play dumb, Scarlet
Fractures in Our FamilyHayley's POV Things took a drastic turn, I didn't know which was more dreadful, Victor's escape or finding out Melissa was behind it. I followed Roman behind briskly downstairs, unsure how to meet my birth father, Lucien. My heart pounded in my chest as we strode down the stairs. Then, I met my father's gaze, his face was showing anger and confusion as he waited for us to descend. Behind him, Scarlett lurked, with her eyes red and puffy from crying."What in the blazes happened here?" Lucien demanded, his voice loud in the sitting room. "Roman, explain yourself!" He barked, as we approached him.Roman stopped before my father, his posture straight and unyielding. "Lucien, I understand you're upset, but there's a good reason for what's happened." He began explaining, carefully."A good reason?" Lucien scoffed. "You've imprisoned my wife! What possible reason could justify that?" He added furiously.Roman took a deep breath, and I could see him struggling to k
A Moment of Relief on the Balcony Hayley's POV As I walked back silently to our room, my heart heavy with the weight of recent events. As I pushed open the door, I found Roman pacing near the window, his brow furrowed in thought. I couldn't bear the thought of Melissa being harmed, despite everything. "Roman," I called softly, my voice barely above a whisper. He turned, his eyes softening as they met mine. "Please, promise me you won't hurt Melissa. No matter how difficult she gets." I pleaded with him, walking closer to him. He crossed the room in a few long strides, taking my hands in his. He looked at me, and his eyes softened slightly. "Hayley, I know this is hard for you. But we need answers." He reassured me. I know how hard he can be. "I understand that," I insisted, squeezing his hand in mine. "But there has to be another way. Violence isn't the answer here." I cajoled him. He looked at me for a long moment. I can see his jaw clenching and unclenching as he
Happily Ever AfterHayley's POVThe morning sun shone through the windows as I stared at the garden below, savoring the beautiful view of it. It was like a gentle whisper of hope, soft and tentative, whispering through my ears. My fingers traced the windowsill, exploring the smooth, weathered wood beneath my touch - each groove and grain a tactile memory of our tumultuous journey. Two days. Just two days since Roman had returned from a battle that had threatened to unravel everything we knew, a conflict that had hovered on the razor's edge of total destruction.Memories cascaded through my mind like fragmented scenes from a nightmare. The metallic scent of blood. The paralysis of fear. That horrifying moment when time seemed to stop, and I believed I might lose everything I had come to love.But not today.Today was different.Today was about healing.About redemption.About hope rekindled.Downstairs, the kitchen was a symphony of preparation. We had hired more cooks for the celeb
A Promising Future Roman's POV I opened my eyes to the soft morning light coming through the windows. The pain in my chest was less now, thanks to the healing I got last night. Rose sat next to me on our bed, her hand gentle on my arm. She looked tired but happy."How are you feeling?" she asked softly, her fingers threading through my hair with such tenderness it made my heart ache. Dark circles circled her eyes, evidence of her exhaustion from last night, but her smile held all the warmth of the morning sun.I caught her hand in mine, pressing my lips to her knuckles, breathing in the familiar scent of her skin. "Better. The healing worked better than I expected." Every word was true – the piercing pain that had threatened to tear me apart was now just a memory."That's good." Her smile wavered slightly, worry dancing in the depths of her green eyes like shadows in still water. "The twins are still sleeping now. But they gave me a hard time sleeping last night. It's like they c
A New Dawn Hayley's POV I paced the hospital corridor as we waited for Dad to wake up. The fluorescent lights shone too bright even though it was already night, making the white walls seem even more clinical. I sat down in an uncomfortable plastic chair and shifted numerous times, my muscles protesting after hours of sitting. Next to me, Viola kept checking her phone, her fingers drumming an anxious rhythm on her thigh. Bree had gone home to rest about an hour ago, practically falling asleep on her feet. I'd insisted she get some proper sleep, promising to call if anything changed. The twins were with Dora, and even though I trusted her completely, my thoughts kept drifting to them. It was the longest I'd been away since they were born. "Family of Lucien Merchetti?" A doctor's voice drew my attention to the doorway. She was young, probably in her early thirties, with kind eyes that crinkled at the corners when she smiled. "You can go in and see him now, but just for a litt
The Final Battle Roman's POVThe private jet touched down in San Francisco just as the sun began its descent behind the horizon. My muscles were tense from the flight, but my mind was sharp, focused on the hunt ahead.Beside me, Caspian checked his phone for the hundredth time, his usual playful demeanor replaced by cold determination."Our tracking team is already working on Scarlett's location," I told him as we climbed into the waiting SUV. "They'll have coordinates for us within minutes." I informed him."Good." Caspian's voice was clipped. "The sooner we end this, the better." He added.As we drove to my wolves' team here in San Francisco, I pulled out my phone to hear from Rose back in New York. My fingers hovered over Rose's number for a moment before I pressed call. She answered on the first ring, her voice tight with worry."Roman? Did you find them?" She asked me.Just hearing her voice made my wolf whine. "We're close. The tracking team is working on it now." I leaned aga
Escape Before DawnRoman's POV We sat at the back of the garden, and the late afternoon shone across the immaculately beautiful lawn. My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin as I watched Scarlett and Stephan exchange their vows, not fooled by the serene facade of this wedding. Everything about them looked fake – the forced smiles, the tension crackling in the air, the way my guards tried to blend into the background while keeping their eyes fixed on Melissa.Rose was beside me, her hand warm in mine, her emerald dress making her skin glow in the fading light. She was trying to keep her composure, but I could feel the slight tremor in her fingers. I found myself thinking about our own future wedding, the one we'd have once all this mess was over. It would be different – filled with joy instead of suspicion, love instead of hatred."You may kiss the bride," the officiant announced, his voice carrying across the hushed garden.I leaned closer to Rose, my lips brushing her ear as I wh
Scarlett's Wedding Hayley's POV I stood before the full-length mirror in our bedroom, pulling down the hem of my emerald green dress for the hundredth time now. I felt nervous.The silk material mused against my skin as I stretched it, but even its luxurious touch couldn't calm my nerves. Today was my sister's wedding—if you could call someone who'd tried to kill you a sister."Stop fidgeting, Rose." Roman's deep voice called from the doorway. I didn't have to turn because I saw his reflection in the mirror before me, and my breath hitched in my throat. He looked devastatingly handsome in his charcoal suit, his dark hair slightly tousled as if he'd been running his fingers through it. His eyes, those piercing amber orbs that never failed to see right through me, held mine in the mirror."I can't help it," I mumbled, smoothing my hands over my stomach. The twins' birth had left its marks, but Bree had chosen this dress perfectly—it hugged in all the right places while still being ap
Three Days of GraceRoman's POVIt was three days before Scarlett's wedding. I was pacing my study in the early morning, thinking. Dawn hadn't yet broken when Caspian arrived and joined me in the study. I had called him earlier. I'd been up for hours now, my wolf restless beneath my skin. The weight of leadership had never felt heavier than in these moments, when every decision could mean life or death for those I loved."Three days," Caspian said, leaning back in his chair. Dark circles under his eyes suggested he'd been up all night too. "Are we really going through with getting Melissa out for the wedding?" He asked me.I paused my pacing to rub my temples, where a headache had been building since midnight. I turned to walk to the window, watching as the sun shone down in the garden looking too peaceful for the turmoil in my mind."I don't know," I admitted, my voice rough from lack of sleep. The thought of letting Melissa out made my wolf snarl with protective rage. "With ever
Betrayal in Plain SightRoman's POVThis morning I woke up with new determination. I rubbed my tired eyes, determined to review more surveillance footage. Yesterday's run with Rose had helped clear my mind, made the bitterness and pain more manageable. I didn't expect to find anything new in the recordings, but I had to try. I had barely started hearing the recordings in my study.Then I heard it.Scarlett's voice came through the speakers, trembling slightly. "I don't know what to do. He's going to banish me from New York. I have nowhere to go." She cried.I leaned forward, turning up the volume. A female voice responded, making my anger spike."Come to San Francisco. We need to stick together now more than ever," the voice said. "It's time we dealt with Roman and Hayley once and for all." She told her. Wait. That voice sounds familiar.My fingers gripped the edge of my desk. That voice... I knew that voice."Are you sure?" Scarlett asked, hope creeping into her tone."Yes. Just co
Comfort in ChaosHayley's POVMy heart ached as I watched Roman storm upstairs to his study, his shoulders rigid with tension. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the foyer, each step heavy with the weight of yesterday's revelations. Viola's eyes followed his retreating form, and concern appeared on her elegant features."Kate, darling," Viola said softly, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. "I've never seen him this tense, even for Roman. What has happened?" She asked me.I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. The morning sunlight streaming through the windows suddenly felt too bright, too cheerful for the heaviness in my chest. "He visited his mother in the dungeon yesterday," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "She told him... she told him Victor might be his real father."The silence that followed was deafening. Bree's coffee cup clattered against its saucer, the sound sharp in the quiet room."Oh my God," Bree breathed, her blue eyes wide. "Are you