I woke up to the door of the guest bedroom slamming open and Selena barging in like she owned the place. Castor shot up beside me, blinking against the morning light. He looked like a deer in headlights, unsure of what to do. But when he saw Selena standing there, his body tensed."What the hell?" I muttered, pulling the blanket tighter around me. Cast was already swinging his legs out of bed and standing up between me and Selena.Selena crossed her arms as she scanned the room. "You're both pathetic," she spat, locking on Cast. "You seriously chose her? After everything we had?""Selena, what are you doing here?" Cast's voice was rough, and I could feel the anxiety rolling off him. His fists clenched at his sides, but he didn't move toward her."What am I doing here?" She laughed bitterly, stepping into the room like she had every right to be there. "I came to remind you of a few things, Castor Roman. I was here first. I was the one you loved before she came into the picture. She i
I walked into Indy's apartment, the familiar creak of the door reminding me of all the times I'd escaped here before. This place had always been my refuge, the one spot where I could breathe without the weight of the world pressing down on my chest. But even now, it didn't feel like enough. Not after everything. Indy was on the couch, scrolling through her phone when I came in. She glanced up. "You look like hell." "Thanks," I muttered, kicking off my shoes and collapsing beside her. My stomach had been twisting in knots all morning, the nausea refusing to let up, and the exhaustion wasn't helping. "I feel worse." She tossed her phone onto the coffee table and turned to face me. "You know, you could make this much easier on yourself." I shot her a look. "How?" "You could just… not pick either of them." I sighed, leaning my head back against the couch. "That's what I'm trying to do, but it's not exactly working." Indy tilted her head, giving me that look that always tol
( CAST POV ) Selena barged into my office without knocking. I barely looked up from my desk. I didn't want to deal with her shit today. Or any day, for that matter. "Castor Roman... We need to talk," she said. She was acting all sweet and never used my full name unless she wanted something. I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "Selena, I don't have time for this. I'm busy." She dropped a thick folder onto my desk, the papers spilling across the wood. I didn't need to open it to know what was inside. Copies of the texts. Every single damn message I'd ever sent her during our relationship. The years when I said whatever I needed to just to keep her quiet. "You should make time," she hissed, crossing her arms as she stared at me. "Because if you don't, everyone will know what you said about Lila and precious widow Roman." "You've already shown them to both, haven't you? What more do you want?" She smirked. "I want you. I want what we used to have. You remember, don't you, C
I was deep in the rhythm of my shift, chopping vegetables and sliding plates onto the pass. The kitchen was hot. My apron was tight around my waist, barely hiding the round belly that had popped out in the last few weeks. Seeing myself change so fast was strange.But I didn't have time to dwell on that. Orders kept coming in, and I had to keep moving.I was in the middle of flipping an omelet when a ticket came across the line. Something was highlighted, underlined, and circled: "NOTHING BREADLIKE OR SWEET." I froze.I turned around and looked past the kitchen doors into the dining room. Mrs. Roman was sitting at a table in the far corner.Of course.I turned back to the grill. I moved on autopilot as I started preparing her order. I didn't want to think about her sitting out there, probably judging every single thing about this place. The greasy diner, the cheap vinyl booths, the smell of fried food hanging in the air. Everything most people loved about it, but I'm sure she despi
Linc's name flashed on my phone, and I hesitated before picking up. I wasn't sure I could handle whatever he wanted. Things had been a mess lately, and every time the phone rang, it felt like I was teetering on the edge of something worse."Hey," I answered."You need to come to the office," he said, cutting straight to it. "There's been a development.""What kind of development?" I had enough on my plate without more surprises."I'll explain when you get here," he said before hanging up.I stood there, the phone still in my hand. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good. I grabbed my jacket and headed out the door.By the time I reached Linc's office, my nerves were frayed. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the last thing I imagined was seeing Castor sitting there, his hands resting on his knees. I stepped into the room, and he looked up at me.I froze."Lila," he said, standing slowly. "Sit down. We need to talk."I glanced at Linc, but he wouldn't look at me. Something was wrong. I c
I stepped into the office, my heart racing. Linc was behind his desk, gripping the edge like he needed it to stay upright. His tie was loose, his sleeves rolled up, and his muscles strained. The door clicked shut. He turned toward me, his eyes sweeping over me, taking in every detail. I froze, unsure if I should move closer or stay still. Something was there between us, something I couldn't ignore any longer. He pushed away from the desk and crossed the room. His steps were quick, closing the distance between us. "Lila," he said, and I couldn't respond. I knew where this was going, and part of me wanted to stop it, but I couldn't make myself move. He reached for me, brushing his fingers against my cheek. My breath hitched as he ran his hand through my hair, tilting my chin up. Then his lips touched mine. I kissed him back harder than I should have, gripping his shirt. It wasn't slow. It wasn't careful. His mouth claimed mine, and I pulled him closer. I forgot the complic
I pushed Linc away, scrambling for my clothes. "Cast..."He didn't wait. He turned and walked out, the door banging shut behind him. I yanked my skirt back on, barely pulling it up over my hips as I stumbled to follow him. I didn't even grab my shirt. When I hit the parking lot, I was barefoot, half-naked, and freezing in the cool air. Cast was already halfway to his truck.I ran after him, my arms crossed over my chest. I was trying and failing to cover myself from the eyes already locked on me. Downtown Augusta. Full of people. They watched, whispering to each other."Cast!" I called after him.He spun around then turned and he stormed back toward me. "What the hell are you doing out here like that?"I opened my mouth, but he didn't give me the chance. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to his truck. I tripped over the curb. He caught me, steadying me just long enough to shove me inside.I was shivering as he ripped his shirt off and threw it at me. "Put it on."The fabric was war
We pulled into a quiet neighborhood just off the Augusta Riverwalk. The streets were lined with old, towering oaks, and I could hear the distant sound of the river rushing nearby. We slowed down in front of a sprawling historical house. It stood like something out of a magazine, with its white columns and brick façade. It was the kind of place that had probably been here for over a century, with all the charm and details that came with that. The wraparound porch had hanging plants swaying gently in the breeze. It was gorgeous. Perfect, even.Cast pulled into the driveway, which led into a two-car garage. The door groaned shut behind us, trapping us in darkness. He turned off the engine but didn't move. Neither did I.I looked around the dimly lit space. "Where are we?"He let out a long breath before turning to me. "I bought it... for you and the baby."I couldn't speak. He bought this? For us? The house, the life I didn't know how to picture, was now right in front of me.Before I
CAST -I wasn't sure why it happened. Why Linc let it happen. Why any of us did. It was like the moment had taken on a life of its own, and we were just caught in its current. She had crumbled onto the floor, overwhelmed by how we were acting. I couldn't leave her there. I bent down and scooped her up, her body slack against me, and something in the way she folded into my arms shattered the last of my restraint.Her lips were right there, and I didn't think before kissing her. It wasn't soft or cautious. It was the kind of kiss that demanded more. Her lips pressed back against mine, but then she broke away, looking toward Linc. He was already behind her, his hands resting on her sides, his fingers dragging in slow, deliberate patterns on her growing belly. She looked caught between us, her breaths uneven as her eyes darted back to me. She was about to panic."You need us both, don't you? Just… just let it happen." My lips brushed hers again, desperate to pull her back to me.Her att
Declan’s breathing finally evened out, his tiny body curling against me in complete trust. I placed him back in his crib, smoothing the blanket over him as gently as I could. The nursery quieted again, leaving just the soft hum of the baby monitor in the corner.I turned to CeCe, still sitting on the floor near the crib. Her hands rested in her lap, and her focus stayed on Declan. “He’s fine now. You should go back to your room and get some sleep.”She hesitated, biting her lip. “Helena’s in there… busy.”I raised a brow. “Busy?”She shifted awkwardly. “With her boyfriend. I don’t really want to walk in on that.”I crossed my arms, leaning back against the edge of the crib. “Are they being safe?”“As best they can,” she admitted, looking at her hands. “The healers won’t exactly help with that kind of thing. It’s… hard to get what we need.”“That’s just the old traditions still lingering,” I explained. “The healers were scared of the old alpha and stuck to whatever rules kept them out
LINC - Her skin was soft and smooth beneath my hands as I traced the curves of her body. I felt the goosebumps rise on her skin as I kissed her neck. The way she responded to my touch left no doubt. She wanted me as much as I wanted her. We fit together perfectly. My fingers slid over her back, savoring the warmth radiating from her. She leaned into me, her breath feathering against my neck as I pulled her closer. Her hands roamed, exploring me in ways that made everything else dissolve into nothingness. The sound of her heartbeat thrummed against my chest, grounding me in the moment, in her. My mouth moved over her skin, tasting every inch. She arched under me, her body soft and eager. I pulled back just enough to look at her, but the shadows covered her face. "I need you," I murmured, letting my lips find hers again. The kiss built into something that made us feel endless. Like our bodies could melt together and become one. My body moved against hers as I growled against her
LILA - The knock startled me. My body stiffened as I clung to the remnants of composure, the ache in my chest almost unbearable. Cast turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a towel. I watched him wrap it around himself and head for the door. He seemed far too calm for this. "I've got it," he said, glancing back briefly.I didn't respond. The nausea still twisted in my stomach, and the bond with Linc burned at the edges of my mind, an unwelcome intrusion that wouldn't stop.Cast opened the door, sticking his head out just enough to block whoever it was from seeing inside. "I just finished showering, and Lila's getting cleaned up now. She threw up all over both of us," he explained, his voice casual like it wasn't a blatant lie. "I'll be out in a minute."I froze, heat flushing through me. Not from embarrassment but from pure fury.Before I could think twice, I grabbed a towel and stepped out of the shower, forcing down the bile rising in my throat. The lie was too much, and
CAST -The night stretched endlessly, each tick of the clock reminding me I wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. Tessa had adjusted my meds earlier in the week, upping the dosage just enough to screw with me. It wasn't the first night I'd spent like this, wide awake while the rest of the pack slept. It was starting to wear me thin.Kat, on the other hand, was out cold. Her body rested against mine, curled into my chest like she couldn't get close enough. The warmth of her breath skimmed my skin, steady and soft, the kind of rhythm that should've been calming. I trailed my hand over her back, tracing idle patterns out of habit more than intent.The room we were in wasn't really ours. It belonged to Lila, and she had Declan here, then briefly to me when I didn't have anywhere else to go. Now it was just "the extra," a placeholder no one had claimed outright. Yet, it was starting to feel like ours. Our stuff was scattered across the dresser and floor, the bed smelled like her shampoo, an
LINC - The road stretched ahead, cutting through familiar territory and leading us toward the human city. My eyes darted to the rearview mirror more often than I wanted to admit. Cast and Kat sat in the backseat, wrapped up in their own little bubble.Cast had her pulled against him, whispering something that made her shoulders shake with quiet laughter. Their heads tilted together, foreheads brushing occasionally, like they couldn't bear the thought of any distance.I told myself to be happy for them. They deserved it, after everything. But no matter how hard I tried, the sight made something twist inside me.Lila sat beside me, her hand resting lightly in mine, but it might as well have been someone else's hand for all the connection I felt. Her grip barely registered, her fingers slack against mine. She wasn't even pretending to care about the passing scenery. Her eyes stayed fixed on the window, distant and unfocused.I could feel the anxiety radiating from her, though she tried
LILA - Linc returned hours later without anything other than more exhaustion and cuts and bruises all over his body. He'd tracked over the entire property inch by inch and could not find Pheobe's scent anywhere else but in the nursery. It was unnerving, to say the least. The house felt different tonight. I moved down the hallway, trying to settle my breathing, trying to put the pieces together. Phoebe's scent, that unmistakable presence, was still here, still staining everything with questions. And I had to get to the bottom of it before it shattered the fragile ground Linc and I were walking on.The girl who smelled like Phoebe had been with Declan earlier, changing his diaper. Feeding him, burping him, and her hands all over him all day. She'd been in that nursery all afternoon. She'd never left, according to multiple people. I walked into the room where we'd confined her. I wouldn't allow them to keep her in the cold basement. She looked up, startled, and I could see her anxiet
LINC - Phoebe's scent hit me hard, sharper, and more potent than ever before. It nearly dropped me where I stood, my wolf surging to the surface in chaotic waves. It rooted itself in my instincts and refused to let go. My entire body reacted violently, muscles tensing as my wolf clawed for control. I wanted to fight it, to reject every maddening urge it awakened, but the instincts were overwhelming. All I could think about was the need to hunt, to claim, to dominate. I hated all of it.The basement air carried the acrid tang of lingering shifts. The full moon always left its mark, draining energy from our bodies and our minds. I didn't want Lila away from me during the shift, but the plan had been the safest for everyone. She'd stayed upstairs with Declan while Cast and I had been confined below, locked in the reinforced cells to ensure no one else bore the brunt of our transformations.As my limbs ached from the shift, the exhaustion was intense. Knowing Declan was safe upstairs h
CAST - The morning of the full moon was chaotic. Lila was a mess, and it wasn't just her—it was everything. She was overwhelmed, emotional, and I could tell the energy from the twins was making everything worse. Her emotions bounced all over the place, and it was impossible to know what would set her off or calm her down. Linc and I spent most of the day in and out of the bedroom, trying to comfort her. She couldn't settle, and every time she reached a moment of peace, something seemed to bring the turmoil back.I knew why she was on edge, and so did Linc. The full moon brought too much baggage, especially after what happened with Jaed. Her need to protect Declan overrode everything else. She didn't want to leave him alone, not with the energy vibrating between all of us. Finally, when it was getting too late to keep waffling, she pulled me aside, her gaze distant as she looked toward Declan's room."I can't go. Wady is great, but I can't leave him." Her hand rested over her stomach.