HANNAH’S POVI stepped back, taking his hand as he guided me to the couch. The living room felt quieter now—emptier without Jackson’s laughter or the uncomfortable presence of Coby.I sank into the cushions, my hands twisting together in my lap, while Xavier sat across from me. His posture was rigid, but his eyes were soft.“Talk to me,” he said. There wasn’t any anger in his voice, no accusation, but the weight of his words left no room for me to avoid the truth. “Help me understand what’s going on.”I took a shaky breath, trying to gather my thoughts. My heart felt like it was splintering into a thousand pieces.“Xavier, I… I didn’t know you’d be back today. You didn’t call, or—”“That’s not what I’m asking,” he interrupted gently. “I’m asking about Coby. Why was he here? Why was he playing with our son?”My chest tightened, and I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “It’s not what it looked like,” I said, my voice trembling.I took a deep breath, my hands twisting nervously in my
Hannah’s POVXavier carried me up the stairs and back to our room before lowering me onto the bed. He climbed onto the bed above me and looked down at me. Lust smoldered in his eyes. I lay beneath him, panting with desire.He reached for my shirt and paused midway, waiting for my permission. When I didn’t stop him, he proceeded to pull it apart, then lowered his mouth to my breast, taking my hard nipple between his lips, flicking at it with his hot tongue and sucking it gently.I arched my back and put one hand on the back of his head, pulling him against my sensitive, puckered flesh. My other hand stroked his hard chest and stomach until I found the shaft of his penis and fondled it lovingly.He let out a groan as I stroked his length, and he sucked my nipple with more force as his desire grew. This rough treatment of my sensitive nipples made me moan and wriggle beneath him.Xavier directed his kisses down over the swell of my soft belly to the juncture between my thighs. I panted
COBY’S POVI walked down the driveway as quickly as I could, my head down, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t dare look back at the house.What was the point? Xavier was home now, and I was nothing more than an unwelcome ghost lingering in his space. The cold air stung my face, but it couldn’t chase away the heat of embarrassment burning under my skin.When I reached my car, parked just outside the gate, I leaned against it, letting out a long, shaky breath. My hands fumbled for the keys in my pocket, trembling slightly.“What the hell were you thinking, Coby?” I muttered to myself, slamming the car door shut once I climbed inside.I gripped the steering wheel tightly, staring at the road ahead but not really seeing it. I wasn’t mad at Xavier. Or at Hannah. If anything, I was furious with myself.Showing up at their house was never supposed to go that far. Last night, when I parked outside their gate, I didn’t have a plan. I just needed to feel like I wasn’t completely alone.Han
COBY’S POV“No,” I said flatly, gripping the edge of the door. My fingers tightened instinctively, and I leaned into it, already planning to slam it shut in her face.Her smile faltered for a split second before she recovered. “Please, just listen—”“I don’t have time for your games, Eva,” I snapped, hissing the words through clenched teeth. “Go away.”I began to push the door closed, but she moved quickly, slipping her foot between the door and the frame. Her eyes locked onto mine—sharp and determined.“Wait,” she said, her voice firmer now. “You’ll want to hear what I have to say. It’s for your own good.”I hesitated, my stomach twisting at the thought of what she had come to say. The last thing I wanted was to deal with this right now, but she wasn’t backing down. Her expression was oddly serious, and despite everything, curiosity stirred in me.I exhaled sharply, stepping back just enough to let her in. “Two minutes,” I said coldly. “That’s all you get.”Eva slipped inside, her he
ANDREW’S POVThe day began with a weight on my chest that I couldn’t shake. I couldn’t stop thinking about Coby and Vivian. It wasn’t like them to go silent like this. I hadn’t heard a word from either of them, and the longer the silence stretched, the more my worry grew.I kept imagining the worst. What if Coby had done something reckless? He had a tendency to let his emotions get the better of him, especially when things got heated.I sighed and stared down at the coffee cup in my hand. It was empty, but I couldn’t even remember finishing it. “This can’t go on,” I muttered to myself.Shoving my chair back, I stood, grabbed my jacket, and headed for the door. I had already tried checking on him yesterday, but this time felt different.I needed answers, even if it meant knocking on his door until my knuckles bled.Just as I reached for the doorknob, the door swung open, and there he was.“Coby?” My voice came out sharper than I intended, surprise mixed with relief. But as I took a goo
ANDREW’S POVCoby tilted the whiskey bottle back as if it owed him everything, draining it to the last reluctant drop. When it was empty, he slammed it onto the table with a force that seemed to shake the room.His hand wavered as he leaned forward, bloodshot eyes narrowing on me. “Andrew,” he drawled, the word sliding out of his mouth like a dare, “another bottle. Now.”His voice was jagged, a mix of command and plea, but I’d heard it too many times to falter. I held my ground, meeting his gaze with a steadiness I didn’t entirely feel.“No,” I said, firm but not unkind. “You’ve had enough. Go home, Coby. Sleep this off before you regret it.”A laugh tore from his throat—harsh and empty. “Regret it?” He slapped the table, his movements as erratic as his tone. “I’m already there, Andrew. Regret’s a goddamn river, and I’m drowning in it.”He leaned back, dragging a hand through his disheveled hair, his fingers trembling. “This?” He gestured vaguely at the bottle. “This just keeps me afl
EVA’S POVI slammed the door behind me, the echo shaking the walls. My chest heaved with uneven breaths, and my hands trembled, still buzzing with adrenaline. My throat ached—his grip had been so tight I could still feel the ghost of it pressing against my skin. How close had I come to dying? Too close, all because of her.Shoes cluttered the entryway, and I kicked them out of the way, stumbling forward. The air in the house felt suffocating—hot, like I couldn’t escape fast enough. Before I could even catch my breath, Vivian appeared in the hallway, her face a storm of concern.“Eva! Thank God you’re back. How did it go with Coby? Did you—”“Don’t.” My voice sliced through the air, sharper than I intended but not sharp enough to cut through my anger. “Don’t talk to me about Coby.”She stopped mid-step, blinking as if I’d slapped her. “What? What happened? Did—did something go wrong?”A bitter laugh forced its way out of me—raw and jagged. “Go wrong?” My hand shot up, raking through my
EVA’S POVI stood in the kitchen for a moment, gripping the edge of the counter, trying to steady my breathing. My hands trembled—not from fear but from sheer frustration. How had things spiraled so far out of control?I could hear Vivian moving around in the living room, her steps light but erratic, like she couldn’t decide what to do next. Part of me wanted to go back in there, to say something to reassure her, but what could I say? I was drained.Her voice broke through the silence.“Eva,” she called out softly, her tone hesitant.I didn’t answer right away. I wasn’t ready to have another conversation. But the desperation in her voice tugged at something in me. I sighed, forcing myself to push off the counter and walk back into the room.Vivian sat on the edge of the couch, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. She looked up at me, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.“I don’t know what to do,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen
XAVIER’S POVI stood at the edge of the pack house, my chest heaving, the metallic tang of blood thick in the air. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat a deafening echo in my ears. The scene before me was a nightmare—bodies strewn across the yard, some motionless, others writhing in pain. Blood pooled beneath them, dark and glistening under the pale moonlight. My stomach twisted, bile rising in my throat. The battle had come here. It had come to them.And then I saw her.Taylor.She lay crumpled near the porch, her silver hair matted with blood, her face pale and lifeless. My breath hitched, my legs moving before my mind could catch up. I dropped to my knees beside her, my hands trembling as I cradled her head. Her skin was cold—too cold—but when my fingers pressed against her neck, I felt it: a faint, fluttering pulse. Relief surged through me. She was alive.“Taylor,” I growled, my voice rough and desperate. I shook her gently, my fingers brushing against the deep gash on he
HANNAH’S POVJackson clung to me, his small hands fisting my shirt, his face buried in my neck. His heartbeat was rapid—a frantic drum against my chest—and I held him tighter, as if I could shield him from the horror before us.The sight of Elijah lying lifeless, blood pooling around him, sent chills down my spine. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the horrific scene.Coby stood over Elijah’s body, breathing heavily, his claws and face covered in blood. He had saved us.“Coby…” I whispered, my voice shaky. But before I could say more, he turned to me, his eyes filled with a mix of fury and concern.“We need to get you two out of here, Hannah,” he said, his voice rough but steady. “More rogues will be coming, and it’s not safe here.”I nodded numbly, my legs trembling as I stood up, still holding Jackson close. I could feel his little heart pounding against my chest, his face still buried in my neck.“Is Xavier okay?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper. Fear gnawed at me
HANNAH’S POVThe moment Elijah stepped into the doorway, flanked by his men, my breath hitched. His presence was like a storm rolling in—dark and suffocating. My eyes locked onto his, and for a split second, the world narrowed to just him: his cold, calculating gaze, the cruel curve of his lips. My chest tightened as fear and anger clawed at my throat.“Step aside, girl,” Elijah said, his voice smooth but laced with venom. “Hand over the Luna and the boy. Do that, and I promise you won’t get hurt.”Taylor didn’t move. Her stance was steady, her voice like steel. “I’m not afraid of you, Elijah. Turn around and leave, or I’ll make you regret ever coming here.”Elijah chuckled, low and mocking. “I was hoping you’d say that. Now, I get to grant your wish.”With a flick of his hand, his men lunged forward. Taylor turned to me, her eyes blazing with determination. “Go back upstairs, Luna. Take Jackson. Stay there until I clear this. Don’t come down until I say it’s safe.”I nodded, my throa
XAVIER’S POVThe battlefield was a storm of chaos—a whirlwind of snarls, blood, and desperation from both sides. My claws tore through flesh, my fangs dripped with the metallic tang of enemy blood, and my lungs burned with every ragged breath.The rogues and Lycans came in waves, relentless, their eyes wild with a hunger that bordered on madness but Ross was nowhere in sight. I don't want to believe he was hiding behind his army because that would be the height of cowardice.These set of rogues weren’t the usual stragglers we’d faced before. No, these were something darker, something angrier. And they just. Kept. Coming in their numbers. Good thing, Andrew and his warrior knew how to handle the rest of them and they were holding them back at the western border.Kas fought beside me, his movements sharp but slowing with each kill and strike, his Lycan precision no longer as accurate as I had hoped.I could feel it in the air, in the way his strikes lacked their usual precision. My ches
HANNAH’S POVThe growls and screams of pack members outside clawed at my ears, each one a dagger twisting deeper into my chest. I couldn’t watch the massacre anymore. Warriors from both sides were falling, their lives snuffed out like candles in a storm.My heart ached for them—for the families who would never see their loved ones again. Everyone except Elijah and Ross. They deserved whatever hell awaited them. But Xavier… Kas… Andrew… Where were they? Out there, somewhere, fighting. Leading. Protected by their men, but still in the thick of it. The thought made my stomach churn.I turned away from the window, my hands trembling. The weight of it all pressed down on me, suffocating. I couldn’t bear to see another drop of blood spilled. Not tonight.Jackson squirmed in my arms, his tiny fists clutching at my shirt. His whimpers snapped me back to the present. “Shh, baby,” I whispered, rocking him gently. “It’s okay. Mommy’s here.”His wide, fearful eyes searched mine, and I forced a sm
HANNAH’S POVThe night had been perfect—soft, quiet, the kind of peace that sinks into your soul and makes you believe, just for a moment, that the world could be kind. I was curled up next to Xavier, his warmth wrapping around me, our breaths falling in sync as we slept. But that peace shattered in an instant.A piercing, excruciatingly loud alarm blared through the pack house. I jolted awake, my heart hammering in my chest. The obnoxious sound grated on my ears, and I winced, trying to get my bearings.What could have caused such a ruckus in the middle of the night? I glanced at Xavier beside me, but he was already up, standing at the side of the bed, his body rigid. His eyes had darkened, his jaw clenched tightly.Then it hit me like a punch to the gut—Ross.The alarm could only mean one thing: Ross and his men were here. My blood ran cold.Xavier growled deeply, the sound rumbling through the room and sending shivers down my spine. He stormed out of the bedroom, his movements fast
Ross’s POVAs we advanced, I couldn’t help but think about how sweet it would be to see the fear in Xavier’s eyes, the realization that he couldn’t protect his pack, his precious little family. This wasn’t just an attack. This was personal.The further we moved into Shadow Moon Pack’s territory, the heavier the anticipation grew. The silence between us was palpable, broken only by the occasional whisper of leaves beneath our boots.My senses were on high alert, every nerve in my body tuned to the slightest sound or movement. But everything was still. Just the way I wanted it.As we neared the outer edges of the pack’s territory, I held up a hand, signaling the others to stop. Roman and Elijah froze instantly, their eyes fixed on me, waiting for my next move. I crouched low, scanning the area. I knew Xavier would have his best guards patrolling, but they weren’t expecting this—not yet.I motioned for Roman to scout ahead. He slipped into the shadows without a word, his movements so flu
ROSS’S POVThe engine’s hum was a low, steady growl, matching the tension coiled in my chest. My fingers drummed against my thigh, each tap a silent countdown. Ten years. A decade of planning, of rage simmering beneath the surface, of dreams drenched in vengeance. And now, finally, it was here. The night Xavier would learn what it meant to lose everything.I glanced out the window. The road stretched endlessly ahead, swallowed by the shadows of towering trees. A cruel smile tugged at my lips. He had no idea what was coming. None of them did.Roman, my most trusted, sat behind the wheel, his grip tight on the leather, his jaw set in a hard line. His eyes were fixed on the road, but I could feel the anticipation radiating off him—sharp and electric. He was ready. We all were.In the back seat, Elijah sat quietly, his usual chatter replaced by a tense silence. But I could see the eager glint in his eyes, the way his fingers twitched restlessly against his knee. He was hungry for this, to
Coby’s POVI don’t know how long I was out, but when I finally came to, I was stuffed into the cramped trunk of a moving vehicle. I could tell by the smell of gasoline and the frequent speed bumps. My head throbbed, and every inch of my body ached from the earlier impacts.That fucking monster had broken my neck back there without a second thought. I was lucky to still be alive, but it was going to take a while for me and my wolf to recover completely. For now, I could only depend on myself to get out alive.As the car sped along, the salty taste of the air grew fainter, and I could smell pine and cedarwood, indicating a change of scenery. My jaw tightened as the reality of the situation set in—Ross was heading straight for Shadow Moon Pack. And there was nothing I could do to stop him. At least, not while I was stuck in the trunk of his car.I could feel the cold metal pressing against my skin and hear the hum of the engine as it barreled down the road. Fear clawed at my chest, but I