The thought settled like a stone in my stomach.


    Was that what it meant?


    Not that they would be taken from me-but that I would be taken from them?


    I closed my eyes, breathing through the sudden spike of fear.


    I was learning how to protect. That was what my family needed me to do right now, protect them. It was all I wanted to do.


    But what if protection wasn''t enough?


    Third Person POV


    Cassian arrived at Silver Fang under heavy guard, though none of it was for him.


    The packhouse was alive with movement-warriors rotating shifts, messengers arriving and departing, advisors slipping in and out of strategy rooms with grim expressions. The calm of earlier days was gone, reced by something taut and focused.


    Cassian


    Cassian spent most of the day in meetings right now. There was so much happening and so much work that had to be tended to, he didn''t have the time for anything else.


    Maps were unrolled and marked. Patrol routes adjusted. Refugee contingencies discussed. Nn listened more than he spoke, his presence steady andmanding even as he ceded authority where it made sense.


    There was no posturing.


    No rivalry.


    Just preparation.


    Silver Fang''s warriors were bing used to this treatment of the Moonstone leadership. They understood that this was more than a political connection. Ellie was the daughter of the Moonstone alpha, the sister of Cassian. This was family.


    Moonstone would protect Silver Fang, because that''s what it would take to protect their family. Everyone in both packs understood that, whether they liked it or not.


    It wasn''t until dusk that Cassian finally excused himself, muscles aching and mind buzzing. He followed the familiar corridors toward the nursery, drawn less by


    intention than instinct.


    Rae was there. He could smell her.


    She sat on the floor with August andn, a small pile of toys scattered around her. She looked tired, dark circles faint beneath her eyes-but she smiled immediately when she saw him.


    "You made it," she said softly.


    "Barely,” Cassian replied, closing the door behind him. "They keep me busy."


    August crawled toward him with single-minded determination,n close behind. Cassian crouched automatically, scooping them up with practiced ease.


    "They''re getting heavier," he observed.


    "They''re growing,” Rae said, smiling fondly at the sight of Cassian holding his nephews as she got to her feet. “Fast.”


    Cassian nced at her then, really looked. She was trying to be calm. To be steady. But he could see the strain beneath it-the weight of responsibility, the fear she carried quietly so she wouldn''t add to anyone else''s burden.


    He set the boys down gently and stood, closing the distance between them. "Rae," he said.


    She looked up.


    "I need you to promise me something."


    Her brows knit. "Cassian-"


    "Promise," he insisted.


    She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."


    "Whatever happens," he said, voice low and intense, "you keep yourself safe. Not just the boys. You."


    Her breath caught; the raw concern in his voice struck like a p in the face. "I will."


    "I mean it,” he continued. "No heroics. No sacrificing yourself because you think it''s expected. I need you alive."


    Rae swallowed hard. "You sound like you''re saying goodbye."


    He shook his head, reaching into the inside pocket of his coat. "No. I''m saying I love you."


    The words hung between them, heavy and unguarded. Cassian had felt them for a long time now, but he''d never let the words slip so bluntly. But at this moment, he knew that there was no time to be subtle or cautious, not about this.


    Rae froze.


    Cassian pressed something cool into her palm. A dagger-slender, elegant, its de etched with protective runes. The handle was smooth moonstone, pale and luminou


    "It


    ven in the low light.


    r,” he said. “Bnced. Easy to conceal. Warded."


    d around it instinctively.


    ve this," he continued. "Not because I think you''ll need it-but want you defenseless if you do."


    ars welled in her eyes. "Cassian..."


    "I''m in love with you," he said simply. "And I don''t intend to lose you to this storm."


    She surged forward, wrapping her arms around him. He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair for just a moment longer than strictly necessary.


    "I promise,” she whispered. "I''ll stay safe."


    He pulled back, cupping her face briefly before stepping away.


    Outside, the packhouse buzzed with quiet urgency.


    Borders were tightening.


    Alliances were shifting.


    The storm wasing.


    And everyone was choosing what they would protect.


    Cede is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a ir for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cede''s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.