Beth pov The council meeting had devolved into circular arguments about tradition and bloodlines when the moonlight changed. I felt it first – a shift in the air that made my unborn pup's energy surge with recognition. The great hall's windows blazed with sudden silver radiance, cutting off Gregor
Alexander pov The formal sentencing took place at moonrise. Victoria stood before the council. Her perfect poise finally cracked after the Moon Goddess's visitation. She couldn't quite meet Beth's eyes as the council prepared to deliver their judgment. "Victoria Blackwood," Gregory intoned, his
Alexander pov The birthing room blazed with supernatural light as Beth made one final push. I supported her, our mate bond channeling shared strength as our son entered the world on a wave of pure silver energy. The baby's first cry shook the windows with unexpected power. As Sophia lifted him,
Alexander pov The crisis came without warning. Beth had just finished the formal presentation of Liam to the pack when I felt her falter through our mate bond. One moment she was radiant with new motherhood, the next she was collapsing in my arms, blood spreading rapidly across her ceremonial dres
Beth pov I floated in a strange twilight state, aware but disconnected. I could sense everything happening around me – Liam's powerful presence, the pack's concern, Sophia's healing magic. But nothing felt quite as real as Alex's pain radiating through our mate bond. Night had fallen again, our
Beth pov I reclined against a mountain of pillows, Liam curled contentedly on my chest. My son's silver-touched eyes watched me with impossible awareness as I traced his tiny features with a gentle finger. He is so beautiful. "You have your daddy's jawline," I murmured, smiling as Liam caught my
Beth pov I was finally strong enough to sit in the garden, watching Liam play on a blanket in the dappled sunlight. My son, now two weeks old, was already showing remarkable control over his supernatural gifts, creating tiny sparkles of moonlight to amuse himself. The scene of peaceful motherhoo
Beth pov I was feeding Liam in the study when I felt Melissa's nervous energy approaching through the pack bonds. My friend had spent the morning with Caleb, and now it was time for the formal introduction to me. "Come in," I called before they could knock. Melissa entered first, her face glowin
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
Grace pov I sat in the pack's conference room, my daughter asleep in the portable bassinet beside me. Three days had passed since the attack. Three days of heightened security, of pack members taking shifts outside our temporary quarters in the Alpha's compound, of Liam barely sleeping as he divid
I was on her in an instant, delivering a kick that sent her sprawling. The gun trained steadily on her head, and I approached. "Who sent you? What Council?" Her eyes, still glowing with werewolf power, narrowed. "The Lunar Council. The true authority. Your pack is nothing." A crash from outside
Liam pov I paced the confines of the panic room, my shoulders hunched with restrained energy. The call to our Alphas had been brief. Help was coming, but not soon enough for my liking. Four pack members were converging on our location, still fifteen minutes out. Warriors were also moving in. "St