Soon enough, I noticed that as Lucas loped around us in wild circles and chased rabbits on the path ahead, Darren was still walking directly beside me in his human form. “You’re not going to shift?” I asked, glancing up at him. “No,” he said simply, his hands tucked into his coat pockets. “I don
Aria Darren’s arm stayed firmly around my shoulders as we walked into the village, his touch steadying me as my boots crunched softly against the snow-covered path. The crisp air nipped at my cheeks, but it wasn’t the cold that had my heart racing. It was the stares. They came from everywhere.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding as Darren turned back to me. His expression softened ever so slightly as he motioned for me to follow him inside. The interior of the pack house was just as grand as the exterior, with dark wooden beams overhead and walls lined with tapestries. Th
Aria The woman embraced me tightly, as if she had known me for years. But I had no idea who she was. At least, not until Lucas suddenly turned and blurted out, “Nana!” Nana? With a warm grin, the woman pulled away from me and stretched her arms out wide. Lucas practically barrelled into her em
“You know,” she began, “Darren never stopped talking about you. That angelic girl who saved his life as a pup.” My cheeks burned again, and I looked down at my cup. “He mentioned that?” I asked quietly. “More times than I can count,” Wendy said with a quiet laugh. “He was just a boy then, but he
Aria The room I was shown to was larger than I expected, with warm wooden walls and thick fur rugs spread over the stone floor. A large four-poster bed dominated the space, draped in heavy quilts and soft pillows, and a small sofa sat near the crackling fire. It felt cozy and inviting, if only i
Wendy chuckled softly. “Well, among werewolves, you’re just right. Strength and grace are prized here. And you, my dear, have both.” Her words warmed me in a way I hadn’t expected, and for a moment, I forgot about the hostility waiting for me downstairs. When she was finished, I looked in the mirr
Aria The room went dead silent after Wendy’s suggestion. Even the fire seemed to crackle a little less in the fireplace as her words sank in. “A human, making a blood oath?” one of the elders sputtered, incredulous. “You have my utmost respect, Wendy, but that is simply unheard of!” “Not only
Banners hung across the walls, pink and white, with “Congratulations” written in bold letters. Streamers dangled from the ceiling, and our dining room table was lost under piles of gifts wrapped in pastel paper.“What the hell?” I managed, my jaw dropping as Bella rushed forward with Theo balanced o
AriaA year had passed since Darren and I signed that treaty, and life had settled into something sweet, even with all its ups and downs.The scars on my chest had faded to thin white lines, and Darren’s wound was just a memory beneath his shirt. We’d become godparents to Bella and Liam’s little boy
AriaLunar Labs was reduced to a shell of its former self.The once-sleek and vibrant building, surrounded by lush gardens and pebbled fountains, was now barren and burnt. The glass walls were shattered, the halls within burned and destroyed. Those damn slurs were still painted across nearly every s
He didn’t hesitate. “No.”The word hung in the air for a long moment. The president blinked, clearly startled. “With all due respect, Mr. President,” Darren went on, leaning forward in his chair, “we’re not coming back. Not like that. After being deported, hunted, abused by your government—my people
AriaDarren and I stepped out of the car and faced the sprawling estate that was the human president’s home. My chest still ached faintly from my wound, the stitches long gone but the pain lingering. Beside me, Darren subtly favored his left side when he moved, still healing from the hole in his che
We stayed like that for a while, neither of us speaking. At some point, I must have begun to drift off again, too exhausted from the day’s events to keep my eyes open.But then, suddenly, the door burst open, shattering the stillness, and I jolted upright, wincing as the movement pulled at my wound.
AriaDarren and I lay tangled together in the hospital bed, much to the nurse’s earlier chagrin. They had finally allowed us to remain together, reinserting my IV and moving my monitors to his side of the room, when my eyes had glowed and a low growl had accidentally ripped from my throat when they
He didn’t answer. I didn’t even think he heard me.Finally, the wail of sirens pierced the air, and red and blue lights flashed through the crowd. Paramedics pushed their way toward us with a stretcher rattling between them. Liam waved them over, shouting instructions I couldn’t process. Hands reach
AriaThe world erupted into chaos around me, a deafening roar of fury and movement as the protesters surged forward. Hundreds of voices shouted, feet pounded the pavement, and bodies pressed together in a wild rush toward Bella’s father.I caught a fleeting glimpse of him, his face twisted with rage