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Alana’s POV

I felt my heart hammering in my chest; each beat was a loud thud that matched the pace of my racing thoughts. My children, Chase and Cameron, had done something unthinkable, something I had feared they would do.

They had brought Willow, their half-sister, who was also a stranger, into our home, violating the rules I had duly set up to prevent them from wandering into the Crimson Pack. Was I dreaming? If Willow were here, then it couldn’t be a dream.

I found myself torn between fury and pride. On one hand, they had defied my authority, an act that cannot go unpunished. Yet, on the other hand, their kindness and their instinct to defend and protect life were commendable. There is no going back from what has happened.

"Chase!" I called out. My voice was echoing in the silent room. “Fetch Abigail. She knows what to do.” Without uttering a single word, Chase spun on his heel and dashed out the door, his swift departure mirroring the gravity of the situation.

Cameron, ever the l