LINC - The dreams were the worst part. Phoebe's face was always there. It wasn't just her. It was everything about her. The way she felt like she'd been carved out of some impossible, perfect mold. She was my match in ways I didn't want to admit, and even though I'd rejected her, she wouldn't let me go. Or maybe it was me who couldn't let go.Kat came to mind too often when I thought of Phoebe. Another human, tangled in the werewolf world, but completely different. Kat didn't shrink back or pretend to ignore the way things worked. She faced it head-on, caring for the people around her, even when it didn't seem like her place. Like me. The idea that humans could stand strong in our world felt strange, but Kat managed it easily. Maybe that was why I couldn't stop connecting her to Phoebe, no matter how different they really were.Lila stayed with me when she could, curling up at my back or pulling me into her. Sometimes, when she wasn't there, I'd sense Cast lying nearby in the bed.
CAST - Lila leaned into me on the porch swing, her body soft against mine as the chains creaked with each sway. My arm rested along the back of the swing, my fingers brushing her shoulder. She shifted slightly, and I tightened my hold without thinking. Kat's car came into view. I groaned quietly, already bracing myself. She had become something of a thorn in my side, showing up often and making herself at home. Teasing me was her favorite pastime. Like clockwork, she parked, hopped out, and stretched like she owned the place. "Don't get up," she called out, waving as she approached us. "Not like you were going to anyway." Lila snorted as Kat leaned against the porch railing. "So, how's Linc? Still refusing to leave his cave?" Lila sighed, brushing her hand over her bump. "He's struggling. I've tried to get him outside like you suggested, but you know how stubborn he is." Kat smirked. "Stubborn doesn't cut it. Drag him out here. Tell him I'm not leaving until he talks to me."
CAST - Lila tugged at my sleeves, stepping back to inspect her handiwork while Selena adjusted something behind me. They both exchanged approving nods over the dark teal shirt I'd been forced into, with the charcoal jacket draped over the chair, waiting its turn."You two know how weird this is, right?" I muttered, brushing at my chest unnecessarily. "Both of you. Helping me get ready for this?"Selena grabbed the jacket and held it out while Lila straightened my collar. "It's not weird. It's practical," Selena chimed in. "You were helpless before we stepped in."I shrugged into the jacket. "Helpless might be a stretch. I can dress myself, you know."Lila crossed her arms. "Can you? Because if you'd walked out in that old Metallica shirt, I'd have disowned you."Selena grabbed a comb, stepping closer to fix my hair. I groaned but stayed still as she worked. "Why are you so into this?" I grumbled."It's exciting," Selena replied. "You're going on a real date with someone who's not us.
CAST - We finished dinner inside. Kat had a way of keeping me on my toes, quick to challenge me but never in a way that felt hostile. She was human, yet she didn't seem even remotely intimidated by me or the world I came from.It was...unexpected. Wolves weren't usually drawn to humans like this, but I couldn't deny the pull. She made me feel seen in a way I wasn't used to, and that scared me as much as it thrilled me.After we cleared the plates, she leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching me dry the last dish. "You're surprisingly domestic. Is that your secret talent?""Don't get used to it," I shot back, tossing the towel over my shoulder. "I'm just trying to make a good impression."Her laugh was warm and unguarded. "Oh, so this is special treatment? Noted."I stepped closer, resting my hands on the counter on either side of her. She didn't back away, meeting my eyes with a challenge I couldn't ignore. "Would it kill you to admit I'm doing okay so far?"She smirked, a
CAST - "Okay," she replied slowly."I wasn't thinking earlier and had some wine," I admitted. "I didn't mean to, but it kind of snuck up on me. I don't feel drunk or anything, but I don't want to risk driving. I'll head back in the morning."There was silence, and I rushed to fill it. "I feel bad, though. Leaving you alone with Linc when he's still sick. I mean, not alone alone, but you know what I mean. He's not at his best, and I should be there to help. I just...""Cast." She interrupted my rambling. "It's okay."I paused, my grip tightening on the phone. "You sure?""I'm a little sad," she admitted softly. "I won't lie about that. I'm sad, but I'm also so happy for you. You're connecting with someone new, and she's good for you. I've been waiting for this.""It's not that simple.""It can be," she murmured. "Lean into it. Don't shy away from her tonight. Let yourself connect, really connect. You deserve this."I swallowed hard. "Will you be okay?""I will," she promised. "And so
I groaned softly, leaning my head back against the couch as she pressed her lips to my skin. I gripped her hips, torn between holding her still and letting her move however she wanted. She kissed my collarbone and slipped the last button free. She pushed my shirt open, exposing my chest, and trailed her lips lower, following the path she had started with her hands.She kept stroking me, her touch growing firmer and more purposeful. I moved my hips involuntarily, trying to match the rhythm she was setting. When she reached the waistband of my pants, she paused and glanced up, teasing me with a look that made my breath catch."You okay up there?" she asked, the playful lilt unmistakable."I'm not going to survive this," I muttered, letting out a laugh that felt more like surrender.She undid my pants effortlessly, freeing me from the unbearable restraint. She wrapped her hand around me, her grip unrelenting as she stroked skin against skin this time. The intensity of the sensation left
CAST - Inch by inch, I sank into her, her body stretching to accommodate me. The sight alone was enough to drive me wild...watching the way she took me, how her body trembled as I pushed deeper."Kat," I groaned, my voice barely more than a growl. "You feel...incredible."She leaned back slightly, her movement forcing me even deeper, and I let out a guttural sound, gripping her hips tighter. She turned her head, her lips finding mine briefly before whispering, "Then don't stop."So, I didn't. I growled softly, my hands gripping her hips as I kept moving. Every inch of her seemed designed to drive me mad. The way she tightened around me and drew me deeper. I bit down on my lip hard enough to taste blood, forcing myself to keep my pace slow.As long as I watched, I could control it. My eyes locked on the way I disappeared into her, inch by inch, then reappeared as I pulled back. The rhythm hypnotized me, and I clung to it like a lifeline, letting it maintain my control. But the moment
LILA -After I hung up with Cast, I stayed frozen on the edge of the bed, the phone still clutched in my hand. I kept staring at his contact photo as if holding onto that last sliver of connection to him would change anything. He was staying the night with Kat. I knew what that meant. I wasn't naive. I filled in the gaps easily, too easily, and each detail broke me a little more.I fought the tears threatening to spill over, but they came anyway.I loved him. I loved him so much it felt like a part of me was being carved out, leaving behind an emptiness I didn't know how to fill. But I couldn't keep him tethered to me when he needed this. Needed someone who wasn't wrapped up in the tangled mess of my own life. He deserved to move forward, to find his own happiness. I had to let him go, even if it felt like it was breaking me in the process.I slipped back under the covers, pressing against Linc's back. His steady breathing comforted me, pulling me out of the spiraling thoughts in my
Ian didn't wait for my answer. He turned, moving fast toward the packhouse, Suki limp in his arms. I stood there for half a second, torn between Gaia and Suki. One was my mate. One I shouldn't care about. One had nearly killed the other. But standing there, body wrecked, blood still thick in the air, I didn't feel like running after Gaia. Not this time. I turned and ran after Ian. The packhouse was already chaotic when we got there. Someone must have smelled the blood. Ian pushed through the doors, heading straight to the medbay. I stayed on his heels, breath still too ragged, my ribs screaming with every step. Mom and the pack healer were already waiting. Ian laid Suki down carefully, stepping back as Mom pressed a hand to her forehead. "Her breathing is steady. She'll be fine." I didn't move. Couldn't. Suki looked too pale. The blood stood out too harshly against her skin. I forced my body to stay still even though every muscle screamed to pace. "She's healing fast," the he
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