Alexander pov The news came at dawn. I was in my office reviewing part orders for the ten cars we were fixing when my dad burst in, his face grave. "Son," he said quietly. "There's been an incident at the mountain prison. Serena Blake..." He handed over a sealed envelope, Serena's elegant han
Beth pov The confrontation came three days after Serena's funeral. A group of female wolves, led by Rachel Carson - one of the pack's oldest bloodlines - demanded an audience with me and Alex. I felt their hostility before they entered the great hall. Through the pack bonds, their grief and ange
Alexander pov Dad burst into my office, interrupting a quiet morning meeting between our alphas and a new client. "We have a situation," he reported grimly. "Rachel and the others... they've joined the Shadow Vale pack." Beth felt my alarm through our mate bond. Shadow Vale was notorious - a pac
Beth pov The attack came during the darkest hour before dawn. I woke to Sophia's wards screaming warnings seconds before explosions rocked the territory perimeter. Through our mate bond, I felt Alex's fury surge as Shadow Vale's forces breached our defenses. Our pack put up many defenses and secre
Alexander pov The divine energy was still crackling in the air when Beth felt it - a sudden dizziness that made the room spin. Through our mate bond, I sensed her weakness a split second before her knees buckled. She put too much energy into it this time. "Beth!" I caught her as she collapsed,
Beth pov "Absolutely not," Alex's voice was firm as I tried to get out of bed for the third time that morning. "Sophia was clear - complete bed rest until our pup arrives." "I'm just going to the office," I protested. "Your shop needs—" "The pack needs you healthy," Melissa interrupted from he
Alexander pov After making sure Beth was comfortable with Melissa standing guard, I finally made his way to Matthews' Auto & Body. The shop had been running smoothly under my senior mechanics, but I needed to maintain the human side of our territory presence. The familiar scents of oil and metal
Beth pov I sat propped up in bed, with Alex beside me as they welcomed Sarah into our private quarters. The woman looked nervous but somewhat calmer after a hot meal and the promise of safety. She looked scared of every noise and jumped a lot. "Tell us about your gift," I encouraged gently. "Hel
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