CAST - It had been a while since I'd left Oxford land, driven somewhere on my own, and actually felt like I could handle it. I wasn't sure I'd even return the last time I was here. I had just started my meds, and everything had felt like a blur. Now things felt more... manageable. Today wasn't about me, though. It was about seeing Selena.The rehab facility looked the same, almost like a luxury resort instead of a medical facility. The manicured gardens stretched out in front of me. I could hear water running somewhere nearby, probably one of the fountains. The calmness here had always been so at odds with what I'd felt the first time. Now, I didn't feel that storm raging inside me. It wasn't perfect, but at least it wasn't chaos anymore.This was also the first time I'd left the household since the meds started working. Lila had asked if I was sure I wanted to go. I told her I had to do this. This time, the real difference was that she believed I'd come back. It wasn't like before
CAST - Boxes were scattered across the floor, some half-open with their contents spilling out. Seeing all my stuff here, in what was now my new home was surreal. I'd been staying here for over a month, but moving my things here made it real. Permanent.Lila nudged a box closer to me, beaming as she looked around. She was so excited I was choosing to stay with them. To be near my son and to be near her. "It's like you've been living here for years with the amount of stuff you've accumulated." She punched at my shoulder, but I dodged. I glanced at the open box of books and laughed. "Maya's doing her best with the real estate side of things, but I need these. You know how much I rely on research."She snorted, teasing me as she pulled a thick book from the pile. "You say that, but I think you just wanted an excuse to take up more space."I shrugged, reaching for a framed photo to place on the shelf. "Maybe. Or maybe I just wanted to ensure I've got enough distractions so you can't b
LILA -Cast's phone buzzed again, and I already knew who it was. Selena's name had been popping up on his screen more often lately. He didn't hide it, but something twisted inside me each time her name flashed. It wasn't about not trusting him, because I did. But there was something about their connection that unsettled me. At first, it hadn't bothered me. I'd brushed it off as him catching up with someone from his past. But recently, the frequency had picked up. The messages started coming at all hours, early morning, midday, and sometimes even late into the night when we were supposed to be winding down. The dings and vibrations started to feel intrusive, weaving into our routines, like she was claiming space in our lives without even being here. Across the room, Cast was scrolling through his phone, not even bothering to hide the smile that came when he read whatever she'd sent. It wasn't like he was sneaking around, but he also wasn't explaining anything either. He was lea
CAST - The days began to shape into a rhythm I hadn't anticipated, one where waking to Declan's morning gurgles and the ensuing diaper changes became the highlight. He seemed to reach his tiny hands out to me when I walked into the nursery. It ignited a feeling of contentment I would have once told you I did not deserve. Once not long ago at all. Living on Oxford land wasn't part of my original plan, yet I was crafting daily routines with my son that wouldn't change anytime soon. Routines that, thanks to Lila starting college, meant balancing business calls with his diaper changes. Not that I was complaining or anything. I would take every second I could with my Little Man. Linc generously offered me the pool house, and we quickly renovated it into a modern studio apartment shortly after I moved in full-time. Lila teased us that there was too much Alpha energy in the main packhouse with the three of us there, so Linc kicked me out. Banished me to my own space. Linc would t
The soft hum of my laptop mingled with Declan's little coos as he chewed happily on a colorful teether nearby. Watching him discover everything with such genuine delight always sparked something inside me. A reminder of the simple wonders in this life, even while balancing paralegal studies, motherhood, and the tangled connections between Linc and Cast. This new chapter was challenging, but each piece brought me closer to feeling like myself again. To feel independent and ready to take on the world, no matter what happens in the future. I wasn't going to be caught off guard again. Getting my education was a big step towards that. They both understood and supported me however they could. I was so lucky to have them both, and I knew it. The coursework was invigorating, giving me something completely mine. A space for thoughts that didn't revolve around anyone else. Law had this grounding structure, a reassuring counterweight to the disruption that was my life. I'd catch myself
LINC - I stared at Dr. Tessa's message, reading over her words for what felt like the hundredth time. She wanted Lila and me to come to dinner. My first instinct was to decline. Between parenthood, pack duties, and a lingering unease shadowing me lately, socializing sounded like the last thing I wanted to do. But Tessa had been there for me through some of the darkest points in my life. I respected her more than words could capture. If she wanted to meet Lila, it wasn't something I could just brush off. Lila stepped into the room, curious and concerned as she noticed me staring at my phone. "What's up?" "Tessa invited us to dinner," I mumbled. "She wants to meet you." Lila eyed me. "Sounds like a good thing, right?" "Yeah," I agreed, though something about the invitation unsettled me. Tessa had mentioned introducing us to her family for a while now. It was overdue, and she'd been such a tremendous help that meeting her family felt only fitting. "Then we should go," Lila shrug
I stared at my reflection, smoothing down the dress I'd picked out for tonight. It was simple, nothing too flashy, but something about tonight made me feel like I should have done more. Maybe it was the fact that we were going to meet Dr. Tessa and her family. Maybe it was how Linc had been acting a little off lately. Like he had something on his mind he wasn't ready to talk about. Or it was something he didn't even understand himself. I couldn't tell which. I turned away from the mirror, feeling the growing pit in my stomach. The feeling wasn't new. It had been creeping in for weeks now. Linc was still the same with me, still just as attentive and loving, but something was different. Even though he hadn't said anything, I could tell he was struggling with something. But I'd pushed it aside. We had a baby, a home, and a life together. This dinner was supposed to be fun, a chance to get out and socialize a bit. With adults. That was something that hadn't happened much s
LINC -The Marie estate stretched out before us, all grand and pristine. It was the kind of place that shouldn't have made me uneasy. Lila stood beside me, her hand brushing against mine as we approached the entrance. My mind buzzed with a strange anticipation I couldn't shake. I told myself it was just nerves, nothing more than that.We were greeted warmly and invited inside by Dr. Tessa and her husband. The house felt too perfect, too polished, but I pushed that thought aside. Tonight wasn't about me. It was about making connections, building alliances, and introducing Lila to more people I worked with.Everything seemed fine at first. Tessa's hospitality, her husband, Neal Marie, the pack Alpha of over 40 years, friendly welcome. And his comical explanation of how he remained of Alpha for so long. He was a formidable Alpha in his own right, but his wife dwarfed him in comparison. His human wife. He was a big enough man to admit that. She went out into the world and worked while he
DECLAN - We took the long way back to the packhouse. It took far longer than the ten minutes I'd agreed to. Suki was going to give me hell for that. She’d probably time it down to the second and bring it up at dinner, then again at breakfast. I was already prepared to ignore the first three times before I gave in to whatever atonement she had planned. Honestly, I was looking forward to the punishment. Gaia and I fell into old habits. She challenged me to spot tree knots shaped like animals. I told her she was making them up when she did. She called me arbitrary and pronounced it correctly. I lobbed a pinecone at her head. She caught it, grinned, and tucked it into my hood when I wasn't looking. It was familiar. Just two people who used to know every inch of each other, finding the quiet rhythm again without forcing it. When the porch came into view, I slowed. "You and Dorian should stay," I paused. "The east wing at the Roman packhouse is yours if you want it. No strings. Just.
DECLAN - "I'm sorry." I looked over. She kept her eyes forward. Hands shoved into the front pocket of her hoodie. Shoulders stiff. We walked side by side. The trees closed in around us while the porch lights faded behind. Neither of us said anything for a long time. Our feet crunched through the undergrowth. The breeze rolled between us. I didn't try to close the space. Neither did she. But neither of us veered away either. The remains of the old house peeked through the trees. Blackened beams and collapsed stone still scattered across the clearing. A skeleton. A memory. "For how I rejected you. And for not telling you why." I didn't answer until we reached the house. "You didn't just reject me. You vanished." She flinched. "I know." "So why?" She took a deep breath and stopped walking. Her eyes stayed on what was left of the front steps. "I'd gotten the call. The implant was finally approved, and they found a werewolf doctor who could do it. It was scheduled. It was final
DECLAN - That was her fated mate.It was written in the way he tracked her every move, in how he hovered just close enough to guard but not crowd. His posture said protector. His eyes, sharp and constantly scanning, said no one would get within reach unless she wanted them to. He moved like he'd been made for that role. Like every instinct in his body had clicked into place the moment he met her.He moved like he already belonged next to her.Judson finally spoke. "This going to be a thing now? Fated mates falling out of the sky onto your porch?" Then he squinted. "Wait. No way. Dorian?"The other man stepped forward, arms crossed. "Judson."Judson huffed. "Damn, talk about the sky falling. Of course it's you."Gaia looked between them. "Wait. How do you know him?"Judson tilted his head toward Dorian but didn't look away. "Med school. He was top of the class. Never let anyone forget it. Ever."Dorian crossed his arms. "And you were always one sarcastic comment away from getting kic
DECLAN - "You're not gonna pout if I drink the last one, are you?"Judson didn't even glance over. "Only if you waste it."I reached for the bottle closest to him, smirking when he didn't try to stop me.Crickets chirped loudly in the trees. The house behind us had finally gone still. It was peaceful.A lazy row of empty beer bottles lined the railing like some halfhearted scoreboard. Judson leaned back again, one ankle hooked over the other, shoulders loose. That rare kind of settled that only happened when nothing needed to be said.We were both quiet. Not the kind of silence that needed filling, just the kind that held space. The kind that made it really easy to notice how much I liked having him here. Judson wasn't soft, but he didn't crowd either. There was something about the way he held space, like he understood exactly how not to mess it up. I hadn't realized how rare that was until I felt it.Until headlights swept across the tree line.Judson didn't move, but I straightened
DECLAN - I squinted. "So... you left your pack?"Judson shook his head. "Not really. My sister's mate stepped in. Human guy, believe it or not. Doctor. Weirdly chill. He helps now with the medical side, which freed me up to go to college and train properly. They all said it made sense. I guess... I just haven't thought much about what I was gonna do after."He paused, then shrugged. "Now I get it. I wasn't supposed to leave the South yet. I was supposed to be here. Meeting her. If I'd been back in North Carolina, this wouldn't have happened. Or it would've taken years."He looked out toward the trees. "So no. I didn't leave them. I just followed where I was needed next."I blinked. "You live on the Riverwalk."He grinned. "I know. Kind of perfect, right? It's loud on the weekends and peaceful at sunrise. Plus, amazing food within walking distance."I stared at him.He raised his bottle. "Look, I didn't plan to meet my mate while helping chart bloodwork samples in a borrowed lab, but
DECLAN -When we pulled into the driveway, Dad and Linc were already waiting.They didn't speak, but I felt something in the way they stood there. At the time, I'd figured they were just sizing up Judson, doing the protective dad routine. But now, after everything Judson had said, it clicked in a way that made my chest feel too tight.They already knew.Not just about Judson. About what he might be. About how important he was going to be. Just like they'd known about Mom. Just like they'd kept it all quiet. For me.I'd spent so long thinking I was figuring all of this out on my own. That the timing was random, or fate, or whatever the hell else. But maybe it wasn't. Maybe Cassy hadn't just guided me.Maybe my whole damn family had. Perhaps they'd been walking beside me the entire time, keeping quiet so I could come to it on my own.Judson wasn't the surprise.I was.They stood at the edge of the porch, arms crossed, matching unreadable expressions locked in place. The second we still,
I stepped forward and stifled the growl as best I could. "Hey. Get up. Now!"The guy startled awake. "What?"Tory shot up in the bed, wide-eyed. "Declan, no! No, wait! This is... this is Judson."She looked panicked. But not afraid. Not at all."He's... he's my..."I stopped. Everything shifted. I looked at her. Looked at him. Looked back."You're mate."She nodded.I took a breath. Held it. Then stepped forward and stuck out my hand. Judson stood, still looking like he expected me to deck him. He shook my hand. I shook his harder.Tory glanced between us, then spoke up. "He's a nurse practitioner here. Was walking past the ICU when I first came in. Caught my scent in the hallway and almost dropped his coffee."Judson rubbed his hand where I'd gripped it "I tried to play it cool. Avoided eye contact, walked the long way around, you know, the usual 'don't poke the angry fathers and big brother' protocol. I thought I was being slick about it too. Barely even looked at her. Just nodded a
We didn’t leave the woods.Not that day. Not that night. I didn’t want to, and neither did she.We ran until our legs trembled. We played, circling and snapping at each other’s heels, tackling and wrestling in the mossy patches of clearing. We swam again, slower this time, more tangled up in each other than anything else. We lay in the grass and the sun, curled together, drowsy and content.And then we shifted.Over and over.Human, wolf, back again. Each shift smoother than the last. No moon. No pain. Not really. Not like the pain I had braced for my entire life. Just choice. Pure choice and ability. The power that came with it was almost addictive. I always wondered what they meant when saying the power overtook the pain. It was raw. It was strong. I loved it.And I loved her.We didn’t talk much, not out loud. But we didn’t need to. We were in each other's heads and had no plans to leave. When we shifted back to skin, we couldn’t stop touching. Couldn’t stop reaching. It was like
It hit all at once.One second I was halfway to my knees, still trying to breathe through the pull of her shift. The next, my ribs cracked outward and my body folded. I didn't fall. I collapsed.The pain was nothing like the moon-forced change I'd endured before. This wasn't guided or timed. This was raw. A hundred fractures all at once, my limbs pulling and twisting, muscles screaming as they rearranged.I couldn't stop the sound that tore out of my throat."Cassy!"I didn't even know what I was asking. Just that I was begging. My mind reached for her. I was desperate and frantic.Her voice came, faint and steady."You're never selfish, so you would've never asked."Bones popped in my jaw. My fingers stretched, then broke, shifting in crooked bursts. I slammed my hand into the dirt and gritted my teeth against the next snap. My skin burned. My eyes blurred.Oh shit.Did she make me...Cassy... Did you do this?Another bone cracked somewhere deep in my back, cutting the thought in hal