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
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