The instant the sensation washed over me, a gut-wrenching blend of urgency and distress, I knew its origin. It was that loathsome potion my father would use, a concoction designed to pull at the fibers of the bond between two individuals.I had felt it before, always as a tool of manipulation, and the familiarity sickened me. But woven into that was something else—a constant caress over the mate mark, sending ripples across the bond like urgent Morse code. It was like Lexi was sending me an emotional telegram, urging me that she was alright and that we needed to come to her.Next to me, Clay picked up on the agitation but couldn't place it. He began pacing around the room, his movements erratic, muttering "Oh shit, oh shit," under his breath like a mantra of doom. It was the first time he'd felt the pull of such a potion, a volatile cocktail that jerked at our instincts and summoned us toward its origin.I felt it, too, a newfound fortification in the bond, almost like invisible threa

My jaw clenched as I stood near the door of the hospital room, watching Lexi and Luke. Oh, how I wished I'd flushed that coke when I had the chance now. But at the time, it had seemed like a good idea to hold onto it. I hadn't foreseen it spiraling into this—all-consuming fire that Luke was desperately feeding, just to stay afloat. The irony wasn't lost on me. I'd been down this road, had been that guy. Nearly overdosing, ending up in a hospital just like this one. I wanted to shake Luke, and scream at him to see where this path led. But my words would be debris in the tornado of his emotions. Luke was in a place where logic was a foreign language, and his suffering was the only dialect he understood. When Lexi had finally woken up, and Luke abruptly walked out, I knew exactly where he was headed. To numb himself. To escape the agonizing reality that he'd taken a life, his father's life, no less. Every step he took down that path, he took a part of us along with him. A part of me w

A sly grin crossed my lips as I looked at Clay and Luke, their post-battle disarray apparent in more ways than one. "You know, Elena wasn't lying when she said y'all needed a shower. And let's be honest, so do I. I think we should all freshen up."Clay chuckled, playfully saying, "I agree. I can smell him from over here."Luke leaned down, his eyes locking onto my toes. While still a bit discolored, the healing was evident. "Okay, I'm in," he conceded, "as long as you promise to stay seated on the bench in there."Luke's arms enveloped me, lifting me effortlessly from the counter and carrying me toward the bedroom. As we entered, his touch felt protective, almost reverent, as he helped me out of my clothes. A sense of vulnerability washed over me, but it was softened by the look in his eyes—gentle, caring, yet tinged with a melancholy I couldn't quite place.Once undressed, Clay swept in, his arms warm and sturdy as he lifted me up and carried me into the bathroom. Luke was already in

I was in the kitchen with Elena and Kyla, drying dishes and packing away leftovers. The guys found their way to the porch and were locked in playful jabbing, thankful for the relaxed atmosphere. "So, you guys want to go for a run?" Clay had suggested. A smirk danced on his lips, eyes twinkling like he was up to some mischief.Luke, his dark hair falling into his eyes, snorted. "What's the matter, feeling cooped up there, Alpha? Need to... release some energy?" No one missed the playful wink Luke shot Clay when he said it. "A run would do us all good," Louis chimed in, a barely veiled attempt to divert the conversation away from the direction Luke and Clay were about to take it. He accepted his son's relationship, but it was clear he didn't want to hear the details. "I swear I've got knots the size of golf balls all over," Clay remarked with a smirk, undeterred by his father's discomfort. Trevor smiled, undoubtedly relishing the odd dynamics bouncing between them, "And here I tho

From the window, I watched Lexi struggle to guide Luke toward the front yard swing. Each step seemed laborious, a wobbly dance that seemed like it could collapse into chaos at any moment. There were a couple of times when I thought Luke would topple over, taking Lexi down with him, and I was ready to intervene.I could feel the anger building. I imagined Lexi's small frame crushed under Luke's weight, both of them getting hurt, and something clenched in my gut. The devastation that would wreak on Luke, already fragile and teetering on the edge, would be immeasurable. Far more damaging than any substance he was ingesting. A sigh of relief left my lips when Lexi finally settled him into the swing, her body acting like an anchor to his instability.Turning away from the scene, I faced Trevor. "Hey, you interested in going to your land? Clear your head a bit?""Yeah," he paused, looking at me, "but not alone. Not with everything that's going on right now."Louis chimed in, "We'll take him