Prologue

Prologue
It’s been sixteen years.

Every year, without fail, we carve out a week—no excuses, no interruptions—and bring everyone together. It started as a way to stay connected, but now it’s something more. Tradition. Family. Chaos.

Our pups grew up together.

And now… they’re sixteen. Dahlia and Tristan stand at the center of it all—sixteen years old, somehow both still my babies and completely their own people. Tristan is outgoing and kind, Dahlia is smart and quiet.

John and Tessa have four. Tom is sixteen, tall and steady like his father. Gemma is fifteen, sharp-eyed and observant. Jack and Robert, thirteen, are inseparable—trouble wrapped in matching grins.

Rose and Matt have their triplets—Aspen, Astrid, and Aster. Fourteen now. Two boys and one girl, but all three share that same serious and wild energy. You can’t tell them apart by personality—they’re all chaos in different forms.

Lucas and Lacy ended up with four boys—just like everyone predicted. Liam, Lucas Jr., Leo, and Lennard. Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen, and twelve. Loud, competitive, always pushing each other, always pushing everyone else. Liam takes after Lucas in the worst way. He talks about sex entirely too much for his young age.

Caleb and Teresa have four as well—three girls and a boy. One of their twins went to the Moon Goddess pack. Ann, their other twin, is sixteen, carrying that quiet ache of being separated from Becca. They’ll reunite when they turn twenty-one, at the Werewolf Leadership Academy. Until then, she holds herself together in a way that’s far too mature. Seraphina is fourteen, softer but no less strong. James, their son, is twelve and already trying to keep up with boys older than him.

Rage, Ares, and Nova have four pups—split evenly. Ares had the boys, Dean and Chad, sixteen and fourteen. Nova had the girls, Poppy and Viola, thirteen and twelve. They’re all fire in their own ways. Dean and my Tristan are the type of cousins who egg each other on to push our limits, all the time. Together they are trouble at it's finest.

Jenna and Frankie have four too. Lily, sixteen, and Ivy, fifteen—both stunning, both dangerous in entirely different ways. Rocco is twelve, Jackson ten—already showing signs of their father’s edge.

Dustin and Eleni… eight. Eight pups.

They don’t spend this week with us anymore.

We figured that out early on—Eleni has a talent for stirring shit, especially with Jenna. Always pushing, always testing. But Jenna? She doesn’t break anymore. Not since Frankie. She’s steady now. Untouchable in a way that makes it not even worth trying.

Damian and Asteria show up when they can. This year, they’re here. They have twins—Dom and Paisley, fifteen—and Asteria is pregnant with their third, glowing in that effortless way that makes it look easy.

It’s been four years since we lost Liam.

Our Liam.

The Oracle was right—Calypso was the end of him. Not in some violent, dramatic way. No. Worse.

She left.

The moment she learned the truth about her mother, she shut him out. Refused to see him. Speak to him. A clean, brutal cut.

He didn’t survive it.

His health deteriorated fast, like something inside him just… gave up. He never found a mate. Never had more pups.

We all feel it still.

Rage and Lucas the most.

We’re at Rose and Matt’s place this year. They built an entire addition just to fit us all—another wing they jokingly named The Wild. It’s massive, warm, and full of laughter the last two nights.

Lucas and Caleb man the grill outside, smoke curling up into the late afternoon air. Matt moves back and forth from the kitchen, arms full of food, barely keeping up with demand.

Jenna and I sit close together, watching the kids in the pool.

It’s still my favorite. Designed like a natural pond, with smooth stone edges and water that catches the light just right. The water feature is something else. It looks peaceful.

It is not peaceful. Not right now.

Rose and Teresa are deep into a conversation about fashion. Asteria listens in, one hand resting absently on her growing belly. Dragon and Damian stand off to the side, talking low about something they don’t want overheard. Lacy next to Jenna and I. Caleb leaned back in his chair.

"Do you see your son?" I ask Dragon, not looking away from the pool.

He smirks. "Why is he always my son when he’s doing something bad?"

Then he follows my gaze.

His expression shifts.

Tristan is leaning just a little too close to Paisley.

I know that look.

"Oh, he is trouble," Jenna laughs beside me.

Her amusement fades fast when Tristan shifts targets—winking at Lily.

Lily blushes instantly, ducking behind her towel.

"Tristan, behave!" Dragon calls out.

All the adults grin.

"Yeah, yeah," Tristan shoots back, grinning like his father. "Keeping it in my pants...all week."

Liam—Lucas’ son—slaps him on the shoulder, doubling over laughing. Tom joins in.

"You’re all idiots," Ann mutters, pushing her long brown hair back as she steps out of the pool.

Every single boy goes quiet.

Their eyes track her.

I sigh.

I miss when they were younger.

These teenage years? These gatherings? They test every ounce of patience I have—and my ability to function without sleep. I’ve spent the last two nights half-awake, listening, making sure my son actually keeps his word.

He didn’t get that wild streak from nowhere.

Dragon goes into the office a few times a week, but mostly we’ve built something stable. I still run my line—expanded now into summer wear. Dahlia works with me, has her own teen line under mine. It’s thriving.

She’s brilliant.

"Dean!" Rage snaps.

We all turn.

Dean’s hand is on Lily’s thigh.

It happens fast.

Tristan shoves him straight into the pool and dives in after him.

Water explodes everywhere.

"So..." Lucas says slowly, grinning. "Are we taking turns guarding the hallways this week?"

Laughter breaks out.

"I can bind them at night until the week is over," Asteria offers casually. "We could all get some sleep."

"Great idea," Damian agrees immediately. "I’d love it if our daughter stayed in her room for one full night. I’ve caught her sneaking out three times. To the meadow. Different boy every time."

"Payback’s a bitch," Dragon mutters, laughing.

Our eyes meet.

His thoughts brush mine, clear as day.

Catching you out there with him…

A low growl rumbles in his chest.

Still pisses me off.

I tilt my head slightly, meeting him there.

A lot of things still bother me.

But I don’t bring them up.

Because they’re in the past.

I pause...who's pussy is this?

Mine, he grins from across the yard.

"Food’s ready!" Matt calls out.

And just like that, the moment breaks. Kids swarm him instantly, a wave of noise and movement.

Rose refills our wine glasses.

I lift it slowly, breathing in the scent before taking a sip.

Dragon watches me, trying to read my thoughts.

But there’s nothing there.

No worry.

No noise.

Just this.

I lean back, letting it all settle around me—the laughter, the chaos, the life we built.

And for once—

I let myself feel the peace.