Chapter 717:

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Dallas’s jaw clenched. His Lycan instincts despised showing weakness to another male, especially a neutral Healer. But as my hand moved from his neck to rest over my flat stomach, the resistance in his rigid muscles melted.

“I promise, little moon,” he rasped, his blind eyes turning up toward my voice. “I will fight for you. For our pup.”

I kissed his forehead, swallowing the bitter lump of guilt in my throat. “I’m going to take a hot shower to ease my shoulder. Try to rest.”

I stepped away, leaving him in the dim light. He had no idea I was about to walk into a Syndicate black-site, and I needed to make sure the Healer would actually be here when I returned with the neural equipment.

I slipped into the adjacent bathroom and locked the heavy door. I turned the shower dial to the maximum heat, letting the scalding water pound against the tiles. Within seconds, thick, suffocating steam filled the small room, perfectly masking any sound.

Reaching into the hidden lining of my makeup bag, I pulled out the Vanguard military-grade encrypted communicator Alistair had given me. I punched in the frequency.

It connected on the first ring.

“Adella,” Azalea’s voice crackled through the tiny speaker, tight and vibrating with suppressed fury.

“Are you and Henri safe?” I demanded, keeping my voice to a harsh whisper over the roaring water.

“We are trapped,” Azalea hissed. “Edward’s guards raided the motel after you left. He used his diplomatic immunity to drag us to the Royal Pack Embassy here in Geneva and lock it down. Healer Henri can’t leave the grounds. Edward just gave me an ultimatum. He will only grant Henri a secure transport to our location as a ‘wedding gift’ — if I agree to officially marry him tonight at the banquet.”

A blinding, violent rage ignited in my chest. “Absolutely not. You are not sacrificing yourself to that arrogant coward, Azalea. I will find another way—”

𝖸𝘰𝘶𝗋 ո𝖾𝘹t 𝖿а𝘷o𝘳і𝘵e 𝗋𝗲ad і𝘀 o𝗇 𝗴а𝗹ո𝗼𝘃elѕ.с𝘰𝘮

“No, Adella,” Azalea interrupted, her tone chillingly calm. “I am not a pawn anymore. I have a plan to break his little board to pieces tonight. But you need to leave Geneva. Gideon is here, and if he finds you…”

“I am not leaving,” I cut her off, staring at my pale, determined reflection in the fogged mirror. I pressed my hand against my lower abdomen. “I’m pregnant, Azalea. I am carrying Dallas’s second child. I will never abandon my mate.”

A sharp gasp echoed through the speaker. The line went dead silent for three agonizing seconds.

When Azalea spoke again, the fear of a trapped girl was entirely gone. It was replaced by the lethal, bloodthirsty growl of an apex predator. The Sterling bloodline had fully awakened to protect its own.

“Twelve hours,” Azalea vowed, her voice dripping with absolute, terrifying resolve. “I will deliver Healer Henri to your rendezvous point in twelve hours, Adella. I swear to the Moon Goddess, neither Edward nor Gideon will take away my right to be an aunt.”

“Be careful, little bird,” I whispered.

“I’m a Sterling,” she replied coldly. “They are the ones who should be careful.”

The line clicked dead.

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