An Uneasy TruceRoman's POVAfter Hayley left me to sleep, I tried to force myself to rest, but sleep evaded me. My mind was racing, consumed by thoughts of Victor and the threat he posed.Suddenly, my phone started ringing. I hesitated for a moment, but then recognized Caspian's number. I figured he must have heard my earlier howl and was checking in.I answered the call, bracing myself. "Caspian." I said."Roman, what the hell is going on?" Caspian asked, his voice was coloured with concern. "I heard your howl some minutes ago as if you were summoning your whole kingdom for a war. Is everything alright?" He asked, in a bit playfully tone.I sighed heavily. "No, Cas, everything is not alright. Victor... he's got Hayley's parents in San Francisco." I muttered grimly."What?" Caspian asked in disbelief. "How did he manage that?" He added, stunned."I don't know," I admitted, running a hand through my hair in frustration. "But he's demanding that we release Melissa before he lets them
A Difficult ChoiceHayley's POV The weight of the world pressed down on my shoulders as we made our way to the dungeon. The weight of what we were about to do pressed down on me, making each step feel like I was wading through molasses. Roman's hand in mine was the only thing keeping me grounded, and his hand exuded warmth that was an opposite to the chill that had settled in my bones.Just as we were about to enter, the sound of hurried footsteps made us turn. Dad came rushing towards us, and his face was masked with worry and guilt."Kate, Roman," he panted, catching his breath. "Viola told me what happened. Your parents... I'm so sorry, Katherine." He sympathized with me.I nodded, and a hardness formed in my throat. "Thanks, Dad." I voiced.I nodded, unable to form words past the lump in my throat. The reality of my parents' situation hit me anew, and I felt my eyes prickling with unshed tears.Roman's grip on my hand tightened, and I glanced up to see his jaw clenching. "Lucien
Waiting For my Parent's Release Hayley's POV As we all settled around the kitchen table, pouring coffee into our mugs, a sense of uneasy anticipation hung in the air. It was a calm amidst the chaos, I thought grimly. Roman's mind seemed to be working overtime, as his brow furrowed in deep contemplation.Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he leaned forward, with a spark of determination in his expression. "I've got an idea," he said, his voice suddenly low and urgent. "Caspian, I need you to contact our guys in San Francisco. Give them the location of Hayley's parent's house." He paused to sip from his mug before continuing. "When Victor releases them, our men can be there to pick them and get them to the airport and on a plane right here." He commanded his second-in-command.Caspian nodded without hesitation, already pulling out his phone. "On it. I'll make sure they get there quickly and discreetly." He promised.I felt a surge of relief at Roman's plan, but then another thought occu
Outsmarting the DevilHayley's POV The minutes ticked by like hours as we waited for Victor's response, and the silence became suffocating. All of us lost interest in eating or talking to each other as we were all lost in our different thoughts.Fear for my parent's safety made me uncomfortable with each passing second.Just as I was about to speak up, my phone suddenly rang, disturbing the forced quietness. I jolted and met Roman's gaze with my wide, fearful eyes.Without hesitation, he collected the phone from my trembling hand, and his jaw clenched in anger as mouthed. "It's him," to us, before answering the call. He placed the call on speaker, and we all listened to Victor's icy voice drifting through the line."The video of you releasing Melissa didn't quite satisfy me, Roman. After all she's still on your grounds, not out there where she belongs." Victor's chilling voice filled the room, and his words dripped with smugness.I watched as Roman's jaw clenched, the muscle twitch
A Battle WonHayley's POV As we waited for Scarlett to arrive, the sun beat down mercilessly on us standing in the field. My skin prickled with sweat, but the discomfort was nothing compared to the knot of anxiety twisting in my stomach. I couldn't take my eyes off Melissa, who was surrounded by guards, and her face a mask of barely contained fury.Viola startled me with a gentle touch on my arm. "Hayley, dear," she said softly, "why don't we move to the patio? This heat isn't doing any of us any good." She suggested thoughtfully.Her suggestion was a lifeline, and I nodded gratefully and followed her lead, allowing her to guide me towards the shade. As we settled into the comfortable outdoor furniture, the coolness of the shade offered much comfort, despite my worries. I caught sight of my birth father, Lucien, striding towards us. His face was etched with worry, but there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes."I've just gotten off the phone with Scarlett," he announced, his voice t
Her Parent's Arrival Roman's POV The next morning, Caspian came early and we went into the study to discuss things. The morning was bright and early as we settled down into the study chairs. Caspian started shuffling through papers, straight to work. I huddled over my desk too. My mind was still foggy from a restless night, but the urgency of our situation kept me alert. I ran a hand through my hair, feeling exhausted even though I'd barely started the day's work. "Any news from Melissa's phone?" I asked him, my voice slightly coarse from restlessness. Caspian nodded, and his usually carefree expression was replaced by a grim determination as he spoke. "Yeah, and it's not good. You know Melissa. She's been running her mouth, telling her friends you've gone beyond your limits." He filled me in, his face still concerned on the papers before him. I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What did she say?" I asked him. "She's spinning quite the tale," Caspian continued, leaning back
Settling In and ReconnectingHayley's POV I walked my parents to their guest room in the mansion, and softly closed the door behind them after we entered the room. My heart was heavy with a mixture of relief and worry. The familiar scent of home clung to them, which was a bittersweet reminder of the life we'd left behind.The past few days had been tense, to say the least, and seeing my parents safe, but clearly shaken, brought it all crashing back.As I began helping my mom adjust her pillows before reclining in bed, I saw her hands trembling slightly, and I couldn't help but notice the dark circles under her eyes."How are the babies doing, sweetheart?" Mom asked, bringing me out of my worry, her voice soft and tired.I managed a small smile. "They're growing so fast, Mom. You can come see them after you've had some rest." I informed her warmly.Dad eased himself onto the bed, wincing slightly. I rushed to help him, adjusting pillows behind his back."Who would've thought we'd be
A Breath Of Fresh Air Hayley's POV As Bree and I finished our call with Jane, we continued to chat over the recent development on her coffee shop. "I'm thinking of opening another branch." She said, delighted. I couldn't help but join in her joy. "Oh that's great! At where?" I asked her with immense happiness about her progress. She had begun to tell me the location and all the details when a soft knock on the door drew our attention. My heart skipped a beat when I saw my parents peeking in, and their eyes widened with wonder. "We couldn't sleep, so we thought of coming to see the babies. Can we come in?" Mom asked, her voice softening with emotions. I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Of course," I managed to say. I watched as they entered the nursery, their eyes widening with wonder as they took in the sight of their grandchildren. It had only been a few days since they'd last seen the babies, but Aurora and Orion seemed to have grown so much in that short
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