Beth pov The scream tore from my throat before I was fully awake. In my nightmare, I was back in that storage room, but this time, the traffickers caught me. James River's cold eyes watched as his men dragged me toward a waiting van, past rows of terrified girls I had failed to save. I bolted up
Alexander pov I had faced down rival rogues, negotiated peaceful business talks, and built a business empire with my families help , but nothing had prepared me for the exquisite torture of holding my sleeping mate. Beth's warm weight against my chest felt like coming home, even as my wolf prowled
Beth pov The attack came at dawn. I woke to the sound of breaking glass and Alex's body tensing over me protectively. In the split second before chaos erupted, I registered several things at once: I was still in his arms, sunlight was just beginning to paint the horizon, and something was very wro
Beth pov The pack meeting was called for sunset. Beth stood in front of the full-length mirror in Alex's bedroom – and wasn't that a development that still made my head spin – trying to decide if my outfit was appropriate for meeting the entire Fireside and Paw pack wpuld be there formally for the
Beth pov The pack gathering stretched late into the night. I found myself on the periphery of multiple conversations, watching the intricate dance of supernatural politics play out. The male wolves, following their alphas' lead, had begun treating me with careful respect. The females, however...
Alexander pov The full moon hung heavy and golden over Fireside as I led Beth to the sacred clearing. Ancient stones formed a circle around them, their surfaces etched with pack runes that glowed faintly in the moonlight. Sophia had spent hours preparing the space, burning herbs, and laying protec
Beth pov I floated in silvery mist, untethered from pain and physical form. I had been here for what felt like eternities, or perhaps only seconds – time had no meaning in this ethereal space. "My chosen one," a voice called, melodious and ancient. The mist parted to reveal a woman of otherworld
Beth pov I should have expected Melissa wouldn't go quietly to Alaska. I was walking the property's edge, testing my new senses, when I caught the scent of rage and jealousy on the wind. Seconds later, a tawny wolf burst from the undergrowth, teeth bared and going straight for my throat. Three d
Liam took my hands in his, his grip firm and grounding. "Listen to me. I don't care what they did or what they think. I know what's real. The woman I love, the mother of my children—that's you. Not some subject number, not some experiment. You." "But how can we trust anything?" I asked, my voice b
Grace pov I continued scrolling, finding more photographs: myself at various ages, always in clinical settings, always with that same serious expression. And then, abruptly, the images stopped. The next entry was dated 2015, when, according to the file, my memories had been "reconstructed." *Fin
Grace pov The pack house hummed with activity as preparations were underway for the coming arrangement with the Prisma Institute. In the midst of this controlled chaos, I sat alone in the small study off the main library, the flash drive Reid had given me resting on the desk before me. I had waite
Grace pov Mass panic would only strengthen the entity," Markham protested. "Spawning thousands of conspiracy theories, each one feeding it more power!" "Then I suggest you accept our terms," I replied calmly. Dr. Reid studied me for a long moment before a small, unexpected smile curved her lip
Grace pov At full strength," Markham continued, "it can reshape matter according to falsehoods. Make lies become truth, in the most literal sense. Imagine someone claiming a building doesn't exist—and then watching it fade from reality before your eyes. Or claiming someone is dead—and having them
Grace pov Blackwater Bridge Nature Preserve stretched out before them, deceptively peaceful in the midday sun. Once a thriving state park, it had been closed to the public five years earlier after funding cuts, its wooden observation platforms, and hiking trails slowly being reclaimed by nature. T
My fingers tightened around the phone. "My daughter is not for sale." "Everything has a price," Dr. Reid replied softly. "Even principles. Especially when weighed against global catastrophe. We'll see you tomorrow." The line went dead. I set down the phone, meeting the expectant gazes around me.
Grace pov The pack house's secure communications room fell silent as I placed the phone on the table. Five days had passed since my interrogation of Serena, three since I had managed to contact my old acquaintance—Eliza, another truth-seer who had escaped the Prisma Institute's clutches years befo
I pushed deeper, my mind sifting through the fragments of truth revealing themselves. A wall in my vision began to crumble, showing what lay behind. "There's something else," I said, voice strained with effort. "Something coming. Something you're afraid of." Serena began to struggle against her