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 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 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 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
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 The Prisma Institute loomed before us, a sleek glass and steel structure nestled among dense pine forest. From the outside, it resembled an upscale research hospital or tech campus—all clean lines and reflective surfaces that revealed nothing of what lay within. Only the subtle security
Grace pov Around the chamber's perimeter sat three individuals in reclining chairs, their eyes fixed on the entity, glowing with the distinctive light of active truth-sight. They looked exhausted, faces drawn with strain. "What exactly am I looking at?" Alex asked, his voice low with tension.
I felt a tugging sensation in my mind, a familiar connection establishing itself. The entity was reaching out to me, recognizing me from years before. Not as an enemy, I realized with sudden clarity, but as something else—a kindred spirit, perhaps. Another being whose nature had been fundamentally a
Grace pov Good birthday," she declared with satisfaction. "Everyone's patterns were happy." "Yes, they were," I agreed softly. "Did you enjoy your party?" Sophia nodded sleepily. "The Balance liked it too. And baby brother." Her small hand reached out to touch my belly with surprising gentlene
I accepted the cake gratefully. Pregnancy cravings had given me an unprecedented sweet tooth, much to Sophia's delight. "How's our birthday girl doing?" "Currently explaining to her friends how the presents create a 'harmony pattern' when arranged properly," Liam replied, his expression filled wit
Grace pov **Six Months Later** The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow across the meadow behind Fireside pack house. Children's laughter filled the air as a small gathering celebrated Sophia's second birthday. The toddler presided over the festivities with a serene dignity that occasionally ga
Sophia considered the question seriously before shaking her head. "Not worry. It's the right pattern. The balance is happy about it." She adjusted another stone slightly, the golden light flowing to illuminate the new configuration. "Five is better than four. Stronger shapes." As if confirming her
I began to protest, but another wave of dizziness—milder this time—reminded me that Elena's medical advice wasn't merely precautionary. My body was indeed adjusting to significant changes, and pushing beyond its limits would serve no one. "Two days," I conceded reluctantly. "But I want regular upd
Grace pov Liam nodded, leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Our children were never going to be ordinary, were they? Not with us as parents." I smiled as he looked into my eyes. Lucas was a strong werewolf with Alpha blood, and Sophia was a truth seer. Both were strong as hell.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice slightly hoarse. "You collapsed in the observation gallery," Liam explained, squeezing my hand. "Gave everyone quite a scare, especially the children. Tomas has been asking about you every fifteen minutes." I attempted to sit up, but Elena moved swiftly to prev
Grace pov Two weeks after the Children's Day revelation, the Balance Center hummed with renewed purpose. I had implemented a carefully structured program to continue engaging with the children who had shown connection to the Equilibrium, while the research division refined their understanding of h
Grace pov Liam, ever practical, focused on immediate implications. "How does this affect our response to reality-shapers? Does this expanded connection give the equilibrium greater range or power?" "Not exactly, power," I replied thoughtfully. "More like... expanded awareness. Greater understand