Adeline’s POV
The moment Vincent’s eyes moved to my boys, my resolve cracked at the edges. His stare was too intentional, too steady for my liking. It wasn’t the casual glance of a stranger. It was the gaze of a wolf who knew how to peel layers back, who searched for what shouldn’t be visible. My chest tightened. Did he sense it? The bloodline?
I pressed my palm against my skirt, grounding myself. No, I reminded myself firmly. I had taken precautions. Ever since I decided to send the twins to kindergarten, I hadn’t missed a day of my rituals. Every bowl of porridge, every cup of milk, they carried powdered herbs I’d prepared in secret. Witch roots to cloud auras. Rosemary to bend scents. Dried bark to smother the threads of wolf pheromones. It was my perfect plan to keep them safe from a
