“Kieran, I’m not—”“Don’t,” he cut me off, his tone sharper than a blade. “Don’t try to talk your way out of this. Not with me. Not when it’s about them.”His words hit me square in the chest, making my breath catch. His frustration, his worry—it wasn’t misplaced, and that only made it harder to face.“Kieran,” Kai said, stepping forward, his tall frame casting a shadow over his brother. “You’re not helping.”“And you are?” Kieran snapped, his voice rising. “You think standing there, acting like everything’s fine, is going to solve this? She’s not telling us everything, Kai. And you’re just letting it slide.”Kai’s jaw clenched, but his voice stayed calm. “This isn’t about letting anything slide. It’s about handling it in a way that doesn’t push her further into a corner.”“I’m right here,” I said quietly, my voice breaking. “You don’t have to talk like I’m not.”Kieran’s gaze softened for a fraction of a second, but his frustration didn’t waver. “Then start talking, Briar. What aren’
"I was surprised you decided to follow me," I said as I tucked Finn and Luna into the back of the car.Neither of them looked at me. Luna’s eyes were still red from crying earlier, her face turned toward the window, her little hands clutching the edges of her blanket. Finn was quieter than usual, his brows furrowed in thought, though his grip on his toy wolf was tight enough to whiten his knuckles.I sighed, shutting the door softly before turning to Kieran, who stood a few feet away, watching the kids through the glass.“I told you I’d take you,” he said simply, leaning against the car. His silver eyes flicked to me, unreadable. “And you’re stubborn enough to do this alone if I hadn’t.”“You didn’t have to,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “This isn’t your problem.”His lips twitched into something like a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re impossible, you know that?”I frowned, brushing past him to the driver’s side. “Let’s just go.”---The drive was silent. Too silent.K
“I don't know, Briar, the question is starting to look as if I should believe you.”I raised an eyebrow, my grip tightening on the edge of my seat. “What do you mean?”“Tell me, Briar,” he turned his sharp, silver eyes toward me, a dangerous edge to his tone. “Tell me exactly what’s going on in your mind.”I hesitated, the witch’s words still echoing in my head like a haunting melody. “I already told you. I’m trying to figure this out—just like you.”He scoffed, his hands tightening around the steering wheel as the car swerved slightly.“Kieran, what the hell are you doing?” I snapped, gripping the side of the seat harder.“You’re not telling me everything, Briar,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, ignoring my question. “You’re keeping something from me, from all of us.”“That’s not true!” I shot back, panic creeping into my voice as he pressed harder on the accelerator.The car sped down the dark road, the trees on either side blurring into a shadowy mass. The tension between us
He wanted me. I did not need to be told twice that he wanted me. From just those few moments he had seen me, he was already aroused. I watched as his nose flared slightly, a quick, subtle inhale that he clearly tried to suppress. He didn’t think I’d notice, but I did. He could smell me, my arousal hanging faintly in the air between us. Knowing he wanted me had spiked something within me. Something that I had kept buried a long time ago after my affair with them. No one have ever looked at me the way Kai was now. As if I was the only girl he wanted. As if he could strip me with his eyes. I gulped. His eyes moved up to meet mine, and I swore they darkened. “Briar…” His voice was low, husky, filled with something raw. The sound of my name rolling off his tongue made my breath hitch. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, the muscles in his throat tightening. My gaze caught on the movement, and I felt heat rising to my cheeks, my heart racing as his presence
You should have claimed her.Kai’s wolf growled in his mind, the deep, angry tone sending a jolt through him. He clenched his fists, pacing the length of the hallway outside the kitchen. His arousal from earlier had long since subsided, but his body still thrummed with residual tension, and his thoughts were consumed by Briar.The way her skin had looked under the dim light, the scent of her arousal clinging to the air—it was maddening.“Shut up,” Kai snapped internally, though his wolf didn’t back down.You let her slip away. She’s ours, and you just walked out. Weak.Kai growled low in his throat, shaking his head. His wolf was relentless, clawing at the edges of his control, but he refused to let it take over. He was already struggling to keep himself in check after what had happened in Briar’s room.As he turned the corner into the kitchen, he nearly bumped into Kylan, who was leaning casually against the counter, a smirk plastered across his face.“Well, well,” Kylan drawled, his
Something was wrong with me.I… I woke up with scales all over my two forearms.They were faint, almost translucent in the morning light, but they were there. Smooth, glistening, and completely unnatural. Yesterday… yesterday I had been fighting with my own self, my own mind, and now this?Yesterday, the voices had been louder, more persistent. They weren’t my children’s or anyone I recognized, but they were real. Whispers that slithered through my thoughts, hissing things I didn’t want to hear, things I couldn’t understand. The louder they got, the harder it became to breathe, to think, to function.And then there was the other part—the part of me that wasn’t me.It was like another presence inside me, pushing, clawing, begging to break free. My body had trembled under the weight of it, my vision had blurred, and my skin had burned like fire. I had locked myself in the bathroom, splashing water on my face to keep whatever it was at bay.But this morning, the scales? They felt like pr
I walked into my office, shutting the door behind me with a heavy sigh. The air felt stifling, every corner of the room reminding me of the work I’d poured my heart into. The weight of the elders’ words pressed on my chest, threatening to choke me.I dropped into my chair, leaning back and closing my eyes, wishing for just a moment of reprieve. But the sound of a knock pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts.“Come in,” I called, my voice weary.The door opened, and Sarah stepped in. Her usually bright demeanor was replaced with a rare frown, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.“Are you okay?” she asked, though her tone was clipped, her concern edged with frustration.I nodded, rubbing my temples. “I’m fine, Sarah.”“No, you’re not,” she said bluntly, stepping closer to my desk. “And frankly, neither am I. What’s going on, Dr. Ashford? The elders have been breathing down our necks, and now everyone’s talking about patients dying after therapy. This isn’t normal.”I looked at her,
Briar’s POVI haven't smoked in years.Haven't touched the goddamn thing, but since my life took a drastic change, I brought out the cigarette I’d just bought, my fingers shaking as I pulled it from the pack. I stared at it for a long moment, my breathing uneven.The weight of everything, the clinic, the elders, my kids, the Lycan Kings, was pressing on me, suffocating me from the inside out. I leaned forward against the kitchen island, tears stinging the back of my eyes.I placed the unlit cigarette between my lips, not even bothering to grab a lighter. It wasn’t about smoking, not really. It was about holding something, distracting myself from the cracks forming in every part of my life.My hands trembled as I placed the cigarette back down on the island, burying my face in my hands. My shoulders shook as the tears came, quiet at first, then harder, until I was sobbing uncontrollably into the silence of my room.I didn’t even hear the door open.“Mommy?”My head snapped up, my face
Kai’s POVShe hadn’t moved in over an hour.Not even a twitch.I stood near the window, arms crossed, eyes locked on her still figure as the storm inside me brewed heavier than the clouds outside. The kids had fallen asleep again, one on each side of her, their small hands curled against her arms like they were trying to keep her tethered to the world.I couldn’t stop staring.Because if I stopped staring… I might have to admit how scared I actually was.The power he felt emitted from her wasn’t wolf. Wasn’t anything I’d seen in a long time. It smelled old. Too old. Old like the vampires. Kylan entered the room quietly, a bottle of water in his hand and his entire posture screaming guilt.I hadn't asked him what had happened because I was thinking about ways to sort this out. I didn’t look at him when I asked, “What happened out there?”He sat on the edge of the table across from me, rubbing the back of his neck. “She passed out. After vaporizing a group of rogues and vampires. All
Kylan’s POVI could feel her heart beating erratically against me, her body still limp in my arms as I carried her through the forest, away from the wreckage.Briar was barely conscious, her breathing shallow, and that alone sent a panic that ran through me faster than I’d ever run in my wolf form.I knew something was wrong, but the sight of her collapsing—her body betraying her like that—had set off every protective instinct I had.I couldn’t wait for any help. I didn’t even think. I just needed to get her somewhere safe.Her head hung in my arms like a ragdoll, and I felt her weak pulse in my hands, her skin clammy with the sweat of whatever fever she’d caught from the siren power taking over.I abandoned the car the second I realized she wasn’t waking up. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t alone. What mattered was her. Always her.I shifted fast, fur sprouting across my body. The moment my Lycan form took over, I scooped her up, feeling the heat of her skin against my fur. My paws hit
The silence was suffocating.The last rogue fell as ash to the earth, drifting like dust on a dead wind.My chest heaved. My vision blurred.I didn’t understand what just happened. My scream—it had done something. Something terrifying.How? I had killed someone. Well not someone. Couple of people. Wait…Kylan.The screwdriver was still at my feet, but I barely noticed it now.I pushed open the car door stepping outside. “Kylan!” I screamed. Please no. Ease let me not have hurt him.“Briar!” He called out. I turned to see him and I sighed in relief. He was already shifting mid-sprint, fur retracting into skin, claws vanishing as his towering figure emerged from the trees, shirtless, panting, his eyes wild.“Briar!” he called, panic etched into every corner of his voice. “Where are you—”His eyes locked on me.And something in his face… froze.I turned to him fully now. I didn’t run to.him. I didn’t cry or shout in anger. I… smiled.My lips curved, slow. Calculated. Seductive. My
Silence settled between us again. Information overload. I was confused on how to feel. How to react. I had kids. I had a life. And right now, I am not sure who I am. I have something growing inside of me and surprisingly, I am from a bloodline of sea creatures. How? All my life I had grown up at the orphanage. Yes, people listened to me. Yes…my beauty and sometimes my voice…had…attracted people to me. A crown marred my forehead. As I looked to the ground. Kylan was the first to speak. “So, what’s our next move?”Theo exhaled. “You need to learn control. Fast. Before someone figures out what you are and comes looking.”A chill ran down my spine. “Someone is looking, aren’t they?”Theo’s expression didn’t change. “Wouldn’t you be?”I didn’t know what to say.I was just… confused.Me? A siren? It didn’t make sense. It didn’t fit.I wasn’t some mystical creature from a legend. I wasn’t powerful. I was just… me. An adopted girl with too many scars, too much baggage, and a history of r
I was surprised. Not because of the book or the drawing or even the words coming out of Theo’s mouth. I was surprised because, deep down, something inside me already knew that I wasn't okay. But being told this, not on my list of things. Kylan sat beside me, staring at the page with a deep frown, his fingers tapping against the table as if trying to piece everything together. But I couldn’t look away from the image in front of me. A woman, drawn in ink so old it had faded into the parchment. Long, flowing hair. Eyes that seemed to glow even in the faded artwork. Strange, swirling snake marks along her arms—marks I had seen before. On me. Theo exhaled, leaning back slightly. “She was a Siren Goddess,” he said simply. I finally forced my eyes away from the book. “A what?” Kylan let out a low whistle. “I was hoping for something dramatic, but this? Yeah…it didn't fit what I had in mind.” Theo ignored him, his sharp green eyes locked on me. “She wasn’t just any siren.
I sat in my car outside the diner long after Kylan had left, staring at my phone screen, debating how to even start this conversation.A trip.It was reckless. Dangerous, even. I should’ve shut it down immediately. But Kylan was right—I was lost.And if this person he knew really could help me…I inhaled sharply and opened the group chat with Kai and Kieran.Me: We need to talk. It’s important. I’ll be home soon.A response came almost immediately.Kai: What happened?Kieran: Are you okay?I stared at their messages, hesitating before replying.Me: Just meet me at the house.I put my phone down before they could respond, gripping the steering wheel tightly.This was going to be a fight.---By the time I walked through the front door, they were both already there—Kai leaning against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, and Kieran sitting at the table, watching me closely.The moment I stepped inside, Kai’s eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?”I exhaled, dropping my keys onto the counter. “
After dropping the kids off at school, I felt useless. I sat in my car for a while, staring at the wheel, trying to figure out what to do with myself. There was always something to handle, always another crisis waiting, but today, there was nothing. It felt wrong. I exhaled sharply and checked my phone. A single message stared back at me. Council Hall. Now. I sighed. No explanation, no warning, just an order. By the time I pulled up to the hall, my mood had soured. The council building was old, built with stone that made it look more like a relic than a functioning place of authority. I pushed through the heavy doors, the cool air inside making my skin prickle. Elder Ama was waiting at the long table, along with three other council members. They watched me with expressions that gave nothing away. “Briar,” Ama said, motioning for me to sit. I didn’t move right away. “This about the clinic?” “It is.” I sat down, crossing my arms. “If this is another attempt to pin som
“I messed up,” Kylan said, groaning and running his hand over his face.“You think?” Kieran said, standing up, his silver eyes sharp with irritation.Kylan growled, his hands clenching into fists. “You… How dare you bring up Kayla?”“Because you’re trying to do the same thing to Briar,” Kieran shot back, his voice rising. “You don’t connect with her. You don’t listen. And now you’re throwing yourself at her like that’s going to fix anything. Kayla is six feet under because you couldn’t hold yourself together, and now—”“You bastard!” Kylan roared, his voice breaking as he swung at Kieran.The punch landed hard against Kieran’s jaw, the sound of it echoing in the room. Kieran staggered back, but his silver eyes flashed with fury as he wiped at his lip, which was already swelling.“You want to do this?” Kieran growled, his voice deeper now as his wolf pushed to the surface.“You brought her up,” Kylan spat, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. “You know how she was to me. You know
There was a weird thing between triplets. The called it ‘the tingling.’When one was going through a single vulnerability, they all felt it.And Kylan felt it from Kai. This wasn’t the first time. Or the second.Anytime Kai was with Briar, he softened. His tone changed, his walls cracked just enough for it to be noticeable. It was like a gravitational pull existed between them, and Kylan, no matter how hard he tried, felt like an outsider.A goddamn third wheel. It stung more because, out of all of them, Kylan had been the first to meet Briar. He’d noticed her spark, her fire, before either of his brothers had the chance. And yet, it was always Kai who seemed to draw her attention.Kylan stood in the living room, arms crossed, watching Kieran gently arranging blocks on the coffee table.“Aren’t you jealous?” Kylan asked suddenly, his voice tight. “Of the fact that Kai is the closest to her?”Kieran sighed without looking up. “I’ve known since the day Mother spat us out of her womb