LINC - The night felt endless, each second dragging with remorse I couldn't shake. The pack house was empty and silent. Not even the Omegas were moving around. It was odd how still everything seemed, even in the middle of the night. The last thing I needed was still and silent. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to think about anything. About the gap that stretched wider every time I thought about the mistakes piling up. I wasn't this person. I wasn't this type of guy. I was smarter than this. Why didn't I just tell her as soon as I noticed the damn text on my phone? Then, she would have helped me through this. Would it have hurt her? Yes, but we would have leaned on one another through it. Instead, I panicked like a damn coward and didn't say a word. Not until it was too late... and to the wrong damn person. Fuck. I tried to keep myself occupied. I scrubbed the countertops, wiped down already clean surfaces, sifted through stacks of paperwork I'd ignored. A
LILA - I didn't want to go, but I couldn't avoid the test for my online class. I told myself it was just a day of independence, but the silence in the car was louder than I'd expected, settling around me like a reminder of everything I'd left back at home... Declan, Linc, Cast, the reality of this life I'd built. A life that sometimes felt too full, with responsibilities I'd never seen coming. Three kids under two. Plus, two guys who can act like children themselves sometimes. A wave of unearned nostalgia washed over me as I parked and walked onto campus. I hadn't spent much time here in person since my classes were mostly online, and now I regretted going that route. Coming here more would have done me some good. Getting away from all the crazy energy and situations at the pack house was like stepping into another world at this point. Students passed by in clusters, laughing, their lives so bright and carefree. They were my age, maybe a year or two younger, but it felt like we we
LINC - Cast and I had Declan for the day, his first without any nursing from Lila. She'd woken up completely dry, and I'd seen the sadness in her eyes as she handed him over. It hurt more than I'd expected, and I could sense how it made her feel clearly through the bond.It was a hard thing to be suddenly forced on them. To be suddenly taken away like it never mattered to begin with. Not just for her but for Declan, who started wailing the moment he realized his morning would be different.He wasn't handling it any better than his mama was. He'd been cranky since breakfast, his cries filling the house as he thrashed, wailing no matter what we tried. The switch to formula was supposed to be gradual, something easy to ease into. But here we were, diving in all at once, without the person who knew best how to calm him.We were a mess, the three of us, that was for sure. Declan let out a low, rumbling growl, something he'd recently started doing whenever he got frustrated. Cast grinned a
CAST - The campus courtyard felt unusually empty as I pulled up and scanned for Lila. I spotted her slumped on a bench near the entrance, looking like the world had done her in. I parked the truck and headed over without turning the heater off. It was so cold out here, and she was sitting without her jacket. As expected, the alpha energy was hitting her much harder this time. There were two in there; apparently, both were Alpha girls. At least according to their weird spirits they had been floating around.Plus, it was so damn soon after Declan was born. I doubted she had the chance to clear it from her system before it surged again. I bet she was in for a ride this time. One that I was more than happy to be a part of and witness. When I reached her, I touched her shoulder lightly. She had no idea I was there until then, which wasn't a good sign. She needed to be more aware of her surroundings than this. "Lila?" Her head lifted slowly, her eyes barely meeting mine before she breat
LINC -I paced the living room, my phone clenched in my hand, Selena's message and the image attached searing itself into my thoughts like a brand. Phoebe. I hadn't wanted to see her face again, had done everything I could to bury that pull, but there she was, smiling next to my sister like fate had just tossed another impossible choice at me. I hadn't asked for this. I'd deleted her text, blocked her out, and done everything right. But now, this picture. And it was Selena who sent it.I shivered. I didn't know how I'd handle this or keep it from pulling everything apart again. I couldn't do this on my own. This was the kind of thing that could ruin everything with Lila if I didn't handle it exactly right. If I misstepped here… I shoved the thought aside, refusing to think about it, and instead ran through my options. I could do one thing right now, one clear, honest thing. I'd tell her. The second she walked through that door, I'd be upfront and ask her what to do. I could follo
LINC -We stepped out of the bath, and I reached for a towel, pulling Lila close. She let me wrap her up. I dried her off gently, feeling like she might break in my hands. Like I was the one who would make this strong person shatter if I wasn't careful. I wasn't wrong. I moved to her stomach and felt the exhilaration I felt whenever I was near my baby girls. I could already feel their energy. They would be strong Oxford women. They already were. I pressed my hand against her belly and leaned close."Listen up, you two," I said with a grin. "You're coming into a world with one hell of a Mama. She's incredible, in case you didn't already know." I glanced up at Lila, catching her rolling her eyes as she smiled. "And…an alright dad. Most of the time."She laughed softly, and I kept going. "And an awesome big brother ready to protect you both with everything he's got. Then you have a... a..." I hesitated, and Lila chuckled. "an uncle," I added, landing on the title with a shrug. "An uncl
LILA -I straddled Linc, keeping him pinned to the bed. I slid my fingers through his hair and leaned in until I was sure he could feel my breath on his skin. "You're mine," I whispered as my lips grazed his ear. "And I think you need a reminder."He tensed, his breathing sharp as I grabbed a fistful of his hair. I jerked his head back hard, exposing his throat to me. He fought it with a deep growl but didn't break free. He stayed still, his chest rising and falling fast against mine as I hovered over him.I rested my lips on the mark and slowly traced it with my tongue. He growled again, and it made me shiver when I felt it vibrate through the skin on his neck. I couldn't help the low growl in response. I let it vibrate against his skin. He reacted with a shudder as he rolled his hips up into me. I grabbed his hair tighter and yanked back."Stop," I said firmly as I held him still. "I'm in control here. You don't get to take over."He looked like he was about to challenge me. That
LINC -My whole body burned under her as she lowered herself onto me, moving with the slowest, most deliberate control. Every nerve and sense was alive and raw, and I couldn't do anything but let her take the lead.I gave in, my whole body surrendering to her.She moved slowly, rolling her hips, drawing out every second in agonizing detail. I gritted my teeth, trying to keep the control I had left. But even that started slipping as she lowered herself further, dragging me into her rhythm."Lila," I groaned, feeling her power radiate through her, knowing that she loved seeing me desperate and raw like this.She leaned down, her lips hovering inches from mine, close enough to drive me mad. "You want a kiss?" Her tone was teasing, commanding, everything I craved and couldn't resist. "Then lift yourself up. I want you to earn it."I forced my back off the bed until my face hovered just below hers. I stayed in place, holding myself in that half-sit-up position."Good," she murmured. "Now s
Gaia lunged at him. Ian didn't move. He braced himself, standing firm as her massive form slammed into him. The force of it sent a shockwave through the ground. He held his position, absorbing the impact, pushing her back with raw strength alone. His white fur bristled. Gaia struck again, snapping at his throat, but he dodged, twisting at the last second to drive her off balance. She hit the dirt hard, paws digging into the earth as she pushed herself back up in an instant. Her entire body shook, not from exhaustion but from pure, unchecked aggression. Ian snarled, lowering his stance, but he didn't strike back. He didn't need to. He was blocking her, stopping her, keeping her from finishing what she had started. Something shifted in Gaia. Her breaths came hard, her body still wound too tight, but the moment stretched longer, stretched too long. Then, finally, she stopped. Ian didn't move, waiting, making sure she was really done. I didn't wait. The second she hesitated, I forced
DECLAN -The trees blurred past as Gaia ran, powerful and sure beneath me. I gripped her fur tighter, not because I was afraid but because I had never felt anything like this. The wind cut sharp against my skin, my pulse pounded in my ears, and my body moved in sync with hers like we were built for this. Everything in me buzzed with adrenaline, with the rush of speed, the sheer force of her muscles coiling and flexing beneath me. Then I saw it. A shadow slipped between the trees, fast and silent, keeping pace with us. Suki. Not now. Not like this. I silently begged her to stay back, to leave this moment alone, to not push this any further than it had already gone. But she didn't. Her wolf stayed just on the edges of my vision, always there, always lingering, never letting me forget what was still tangled inside me. The pull. The connection that refused to break, no matter how much I willed it to disappear. Then Gaia saw her. Her muscles coiled. A ripple of tension passed through
DECLAN -I made it back to the house just as Gaia came tearing out the front door, furious. She was barely holding herself together. The second she saw me, she yanked her shirt over her head. My brain barely caught up. I froze as every muscle in my body seemed to ripple at once. I was still reeling from being near Suki. From the way she looked at me. From the way my body reacted even when my mind told me I belonged to Gaia. The confusion pulled me in opposite directions, turning every second into a battle. And now Gaia was storming toward me, tearing off her clothes, taking up every bit of space in my mind. "Damn, Gaia." I snapped my head to the side, forcing myself to look anywhere but at her. She stalked closer, bare feet kicking up dust. I frowned. Why the hell were her shoes off? She had stormed out of the house so fast that she hadn't even thought to put them on. That wasn't like her. She grabbed my chin and jerked my head forward. "We... werr 'dults. We... need to stop act
DECLAN - Suki stretched out on the rock beside me, legs extended, fingers tapping idly against the stone. She wasn't in a rush, and that only made everything worse for me."Why are you upset?"I stared at the dirt, exhaling hard. "You don't want to know.""Please. You rejected me. Nothing else you say can be worse than that."That shouldn't have hit as hard as it did. My hands tightened against my knees, but I kept my voice even. "Yeah... Sorry for that too."She shrugged like it didn't matter. "You did what you had to do. That doesn't mean I can't tease you about it."She smiled, not mean, not teasing, but something about it still made it impossible to ignore. I didn't push. Couldn't. Not right now.Some of the pressure in my shoulders eased. "You're handling it better than I thought.""What, did you expect me to run off crying?" She kicked a loose rock down the slope. "I don't do the whole helpless thing."I huffed. "I know. Takes a lot of strength to live out here on purpose all t
DECLAN - Mom knocked once before stepping inside, moving like she expected this to be a fight. Maybe she did. Maybe it was."Your dads worked out a deal with Jaed."I stayed where I was, back against the headboard, arms locked around Gaia. Keeping her here. Keeping her mine. "Doesn't matter. Nothing is changing."She did her best to ignore my attitude. "Gaia can still stay until her birthday."I scoffed. "You heard what I said. She was staying regardless of all the bullshit."Gaia sat up fast, then shoved off the bed completely. "Don't talk to your mother like that."Heat crawled up my spine fast. A burn that made my stomach wrench. Being called out pissed me off. Being called out by someone below me? Made my teeth ache.And I hated that I felt like that.Mom just watched, waiting. No reaction, no expression, no wasted effort. My breath felt thicker, slower, body bracing for something I wasn't even sure of. I forced my attention back to her instead of the fire sparking hot under my s
DECLAN - Jaed turned on his heel and stormed out, steps heavy enough to shake the floor. The door slammed hard enough to rattle the frame. Gaia moved fast, pushing out of the room after him without looking back. My body still burned, everything wound so tight I thought I might snap in half. There was no way in hell I was walking out there right now, not like this. I sat on the edge of the bed, planted my feet, and dragged both hands through my hair before forcing them down. If I kept doing that, it would only make everything worse. I needed to get it together. I needed to think about something else. Anything else. My breathing was too hard, too uneven. My pulse pounded in my ears. My entire body ached, my skin too hot, my blood thick and heavy. Every inch of me still screamed for her, for more, for everything I had been seconds away from having. I stared at the ceiling and tried to focus. No good. Every thought ran straight back to her. To the way she had felt pressed against m
DECLAN - By the end of the lesson, most of them had the alphabet down. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start. More than that, it was proof that this was happening. That Gaia was becoming part of us, not just some outsider with no way to connect.As the room emptied out, I felt her before she even touched me. Gaia slid her arms around my waist from behind, pressing herself against my back."You're incredible," she signed against my chest, looking up at me.I swallowed. Hard. "Come on," I muttered, taking her hand and pulling her toward my room.The second the door shut behind us, she was on me. She dragged me down to meet her lips. I didn't hesitate. I kissed her hard, ignoring the dull ache still lingering in my ribs. My shoulder moved without protest, and most of the cuts had already faded into thin scars. I knew I should still be careful, but touching her made everything else disappear. The soreness, the exhaustion, the remnants of pain all vanished the second she was in my arms.S
I found Cast and Linc in the office, going over some pack reports. Linc leaned back in his chair while Cast was half-standing, flipping through pages with a scowl. They barely looked up when I walked in, but I didn't care. I had something to say, and they were going to listen."We're starting ASL classes," I said, crossing my arms. "Everyone is required to attend. That includes both of you."Linc's brow lifted slightly, and Cast set the papers down with an exasperated sigh. "You're giving us orders now?" Cast asked, folding his arms over his chest."Yes."They exchanged a look. Linc sighed first. "Declan, you don't get to just..."I cut him off. "I do. And I am. This should've happened the second we knew Gaia was deaf. Jaed made sure every single person in his pack knew how to communicate with her before they moved there. But here? We're still scribbling on notepads like it's the Dark Ages."Linc's jaw tightened. Cast clenched his teeth, looking more annoyed than guilty. But I wasn't
Life felt strange now. Not bad. Just different.The routine of school was gone, replaced by the quiet predictability of home. I woke up early, trained with Dad Cast and some of the others, then spent the rest of the day doing whatever needed to be done around the packhouse. The only difference now? I was healing far faster than I should have been.The gashes along my ribs had already started closing. My shoulder still ached, but nowhere near what it should have been given the damage Suki had done. Even the deep bruising felt more like old aches instead of fresh wounds. It was fast. Too fast.Gaia noticed it first. She was there when I peeled off my shirt after training, her eyes narrowing as she reached out, fingers barely brushing over the nearly-healed claw marks."That’s not normal," she signed, eyes flicking up to mine.I already knew that. "I heal fast now that I'm an adult alpha?""Not this fast," she countered . "Do you think,"I exhaled. "It’s you."She nodded slowly. "We heal