~Ciara Pov~

“For the love of God, Ciara, stop smiling like that before I start crying,” Amelia groaned dramatically, clutching her champagne glass.

I laughed, nearly spilling my drink. “You cried when we got our anatomy results back.”

“Because we almost failed!”

“We did fail,” Noah corrected from beside her. “Twice.”

“Oh my God,” Amelia gasped, smacking his arm. “Not tonight. Tonight we celebrate Dr. Ciara Monroe.”

The group erupted into cheers again, warmth spread through my chest as I looked around the crowded ballroom of the Monroe Estate. Doctors, professors, family friends, investors—half the city seemed to be here tonight. My grandfather had gone completely overboard with the celebration, but honestly?

I love him for it, golden lights reflected against the marble floors while waiters moved through the crowd carrying trays of champagne and expensive appetizers. Somewhere near the stage, a jazz band played upbeat music while people danced and laughed.

For the first time in years, I felt light, no exams, no sleepless nights, no pressure, just happiness, my grandfather appeared beside me with a proud smile on his face. “There’s my favorite doctor.”

I grinned immediately. “Favorite? Dangerous thing to say in public.”

Evander Monroe kissed my forehead anyway. “Let them hear me.”

Grandpa smiled brightly. “Your mother said the hospital board was impressed with your residency applications.”

I shrugged casually even though excitement buzzed inside me. “A few offers came in.”

“A few?” Noah snorted. “She got offers from three elite pediatric hospitals.”

Grandpa’s eyes softened with pride. “Your grandmother would’ve been so proud of you, Ciara.”

The mention of her made my chest ache a little.

“I hope so.”

“She would,” he said firmly.

Before I could respond, familiar arms wrapped around my waist from behind.

“There’s my girl.”

A smile instantly spread across my face as I turned toward Damian. Tall, handsome, perfectly dressed in a black suit that probably cost more than my car, he looked every bit like the successful future lawyer everyone adored and for three years, we have being together.

“You disappeared,” I complained lightly.

He kissed my cheek. “Your fans keep stealing you away.”

Amelia gagged loudly behind me.

I rolled my eyes. “Ignore them.”

Damian’s hand slid comfortably around my waist while his gaze softened. “You look beautiful tonight.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks despite everything.

“You clean up nicely too.”

“Just nicely?”

I laughed, God, I loved this man, three years together, three years of late-night studying, takeout dinners, sleepy phone calls, and promises about the future.

“You nervous about your speech?” he asked quietly.

I groaned. “Please don’t remind me.”

“You’ll do great.”

“You legally have to say that as my boyfriend.”

“Future husband, hopefully.”

My heart stumbled, Amelia screamed somewhere behind us.

“Oh my God, he’s proposing soon. I KNEW IT.”

“Amelia!” I hissed while everyone laughed.

Damian only smirked, before I could recover from the embarrassment, my twin sister appeared beside us.

Vivian.

Beautiful as always, perfect makeup, perfect smile, perfect ability to make every room revolve around her.

“There you are,” she said, hugging me quickly. “Mom’s looking for you.”

“She can survive five minutes without me.”

Vivian laughed softly, though something about it felt strained tonight, her eyes flickered briefly toward Damian, I didn’t miss it, neither did he, but before I could think too deeply about it, someone called my name near the stage, apparently it was speech time.

“Save me,” I muttered to Damian.

He squeezed my hand. “Go make them love you, Doctor Monroe.”

I walked toward the stage as applause erupted around the ballroom, my stomach twisted nervously while I took the microphone from the event host, faces blurred together beneath the bright lights, friends, professors, family, people who watched me work for this moment.

I smiled shakily. “Hi… wow, this is terrifying.”

Laughter broke through the room immediately, okay, good start.

“I honestly didn’t think I’d survive med school long enough to stand here tonight—”

The crowd laughed again, I relaxed slightly, as I spoke, my gaze drifted across the ballroom until it landed on Grandpa standing proudly near the front, then my mother beside him, then my dad and my twin Vivian, my smile faltered slightly, Damian wasn’t beside them anymore, something feel strange, but I continued talking anyway, thanking my professors and friends while unease slowly curled in my stomach.

Maybe he went to take a call, still something felt off, by the time the speech ended, applause thundered through the ballroom, I stepped off the stage smiling politely, but my eyes immediately searched the crowd again. No Damian, no Vivian either, a strange heaviness settled in my chest.

Amelia walked toward me carrying champagne. “You did amazing.”

“Have you seen Damian?”

She frowned. “No… thought he was standing with your family.”

I forced a smile. “Probably outside.”

But my instincts screamed otherwise, excusing myself quietly, I moved through the ballroom, past laughing guests and glittering lights that suddenly felt suffocating, the mansion hallway upstairs was quieter. My heels clicked softly against marble floors as I checked room after room, they were all empty, then I heard a muffled laugh, my steps slowed near one of the guest bedrooms.

My stomach dropped instantly, no. No no no, the door wasn’t fully closed and through the small opening I saw them.

Vivian tangled in white sheets beneath Damian while his mouth crashed against hers, my world stopped, the air vanished from my lungs, for a second, I genuinely couldn’t breathe.

Vivian’s head snapped up, her hair wild, lipstick smeared, eyes wide with shock that quickly melted into something crueler. Damian froze mid-thrust, still buried between her legs, the white sheets tangled around their half-dressed bodies, for one agonizing second, none of us moved, then Vivian smiled, a slow, venomous smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Ciara,” she said sweetly, not even bothering to push Damian off. “Took you long enough.”

Damian scrambled back, yanking up his pants, muttering curses. “Baby, it’s not—”

“Save it,” I whispered, my voice cracking. The champagne glass slipped from my fingers and shattered on the marble floor.

The noise drew footsteps, my mother appeared first, followed by my father, both of them still holding their drinks like this was just another minor inconvenience at the party.

“What on earth is—” Mom stopped short, taking in the scene. Her eyes flicked from Damian’s open shirt to Vivian’s flushed face to me standing there like a ghost.

Then Vivian dropped the bomb, she sat up slowly, pulling the sheet around herself with theatrical grace. “I’m pregnant.”

The hallway went deathly silent, Mom’s hand flew to her mouth. Dad’s face shifted from confusion to joy?

“Pregnant?” Mom repeated, rushing forward to sit on the edge of the bed, touching Vivian’s arm like she was made of glass. “Oh, honey. With Damian?”

Vivian nodded, shooting me a look dripping with fake sympathy. “We didn’t plan it. It just… happened. But we’re keeping it. This is your first grandchild.”

Dad stepped into the room, his chest puffing out with pride despite the circumstances. He clapped Damian on the shoulder, actually clapped him, like the man hadn’t just been caught balls-deep in his other daughter.

“Well,” Dad said, clearing his throat. “This is unexpected. But family is family. We’ll make it work.”

I laughed but it sounded broken. “Make it work? He was inside her in our house, on my night.”

Mom turned to me, her expression hardening. “Ciara, not everything is about you. Your sister has been struggling for years. You know that. While you were off becoming Dr. Perfect, Vivian was lost. This baby could be the thing that saves her.”

“Struggling?” I echoed, voice rising. “She’s been sleeping with my boyfriend!”

Vivian’s eyes glistened with crocodile tears. “I’m sorry, Ciara. I really am. But you’ve always had everything. The brains, the grades, Grandpa’s favoritism, the fancy residency offers. I’ve had nothing. Can’t you just be happy for me? For once?”

Dad sighed, looking at me like I was the problem. “You’re being selfish, sweetheart. This is your sister. Your twin and that child is our blood. Our first grandchild. We’re not going to turn our backs on that.”

The words hit like physical blows. Selfish, I was the selfish one, my vision blurred, the hallway spun. I wanted to scream, to throw something, to demand they see what was right in front of them, but the looks on their faces said it all, they have chosen again, I backed out of the room, chest heaving.

Grandpa found me ten minutes later in the library, curled on the floor behind one of the leather couches, sobbing so hard I couldn’t breathe, he didn’t say anything at first. Just sat down beside me and pulled me into his arms like I was still a little girl.

“I saw them,” I choked out. “And Mom and Dad… they defended her. They called me selfish.”

“I know, darling,” he murmured, stroking my hair. “I heard enough. Your parents have always babied Vivian. That doesn’t make it right. It never has.”

Amelia, Noah, and a few others slipped in quietly after him. Amelia dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around both of us.

“We’ve got you,” she whispered fiercely. “Fuck them. Fuck Damian. Fuck all of it. You just became a doctor, Ciara. You built this with your own hands. Don’t let them take tonight from you.”

Noah nodded, jaw tight. “We’re your family now. The real one.”

I cried harder into Grandpa’s shoulder, the celebration still pulsing faintly through the walls below us, laughter and music that now felt like it belonged to someone else’s life.

The intelligent one, the successful one, the one who was supposed to be strong enough to swallow this too, but for the first time, I didn’t want to be strong, I just wanted to be loved without conditions.

~Ciara Pov~

“You need to leave.”

I stared at my grandfather from across his study, exhaustion sitting heavily inside my chest, rain tapped softly against the massive windows behind him while silence filled the room between us.

It had been two days since the graduation party, two days since my life imploded and somehow the house already felt different like I no longer belonged there.

“I can’t just run away,” I said quietly.

Grandpa sighed and leaned back in his chair. “This isn’t running, sunshine. It’s survival.”

I looked away, downstairs, I could hear distant voices from the kitchen staff preparing dinner while my parents pretended nothing had happened, Vivian hadn’t even tried apologizing, not once, Instead, my mother spent the last forty-eight hours pampering her because “stress was bad for the baby.”

The memory made bitterness rise in my throat.

Grandpa watched me carefully before sliding a cream-colored envelope across the desk. Moonridge Haven.

I frowned slightly. “You really think I should go?”

“I know you should.”

His voice was firm, I picked up the envelope slowly.

“The facility contacted me months ago asking if I knew a pediatric specialist willing to relocate permanently.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’re good at what you do.”

I smiled weakly.

“You’re biased.”

“I’m honest.”

That almost made me laugh.

Grandpa’s expression softened. “The children there need someone patient. Someone kind.”

I looked down at the envelope again.

“They mentioned trauma care specifically.”

“Yes.”

“That’s oddly specific for a pediatric rehabilitation center.”

Something unreadable crossed his face briefly.

“They deal with difficult cases.”

I narrowed my eyes slightly. “You’re being vague.”

“Maybe because I know you’d overthink yourself out of going.”

He wasn’t wrong.

I rubbed my tired face. “I just… I didn’t expect my life to fall apart this fast.”

Pain tightened in Grandpa’s eyes instantly.

“They failed you, Ciara.”

My throat burned.

“Your parents should’ve protected you.”

I swallowed hard before looking away.

“But they didn’t.”

“No,” he said quietly. “They didn’t.”

Silence settled heavily between us, then Grandpa stood and walked toward me.

“You’ve spent your entire life taking care of everyone else while nobody took care of you.”

His hand rested gently on my shoulder.

“Go somewhere new. Breathe. Heal.”

I blinked back tears.

“What if I don’t come back?”

Grandpa smiled sadly. “Then maybe that place became home.”

The private jet landed just after sunrise, I stepped out slowly, freezing as cold mountain air hit my face, my eyes widened immediately, this was not what I expected at all.

Massive black security gates surrounded the property hidden deep between endless mountains and dark forests. Tall fences stretched across the perimeter while armed guards patrolled elevated watchtowers, what kind of pediatric facility needed watchtowers?

The place looked less like a hospital and more like a military compound, unease curled inside my stomach, the pilot began unloading my luggage while I stared at the isolated property ahead.

Moonridge Haven stood in the center of the mountains like something pulled from another world, dark stone buildings, heavy security, fog rolling through the trees, the entire atmosphere felt strangely unsettling.

A woman dressed in black approached me calmly, she was tall, sharp-eyed and beautiful in an intimidating kind of way.

“Dr. Monroe?”

I nodded slowly. “Yes.”

She extended her hand. “Nyra Vale. Head physician here.”

Her grip was firm.

“Welcome to Moonridge Haven.”

I glanced around again. “This place is… intense.”

Something amused flickered in her dark eyes.

“You get used to it.”

That was not comforting.

Nyra gestured toward a black SUV waiting nearby. “Come on. It’s a long drive through the inner grounds.”

Inner grounds? How large was this place?

As the SUV drove deeper into the sanctuary, my confusion only grew, the property was enormous, Cabins hidden between trees, training fields, medical buildings, underground entrances guarded by armed men and everywhere people watched me, not openly hostile, just cautious and suspicious.

“Is everyone here always this serious?” I asked awkwardly.

Nyra smirked faintly while driving. “You arrived during a difficult time.”

“What happened?”

“You’ll learn eventually.”

Not creepy at all, I looked outside again, the deeper we traveled into Moonridge, the stranger everything felt, yet beneath the fear creeping into my chest, there was also curiosity.

Eventually the SUV stopped outside a large medical building, fhe moment I stepped inside, the atmosphere changed completely.

Children.

Tiny laughter echoed through the hallways while nurses moved quickly between rooms. Some children played quietly in a colorful recreation area while others slept inside medical units, my chest softened immediately, children always made everything easier.

“They’re beautiful,” I whispered.

Nyra’s expression unexpectedly gentled.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “They are.”

Several nurses greeted me warmly while introducing themselves. Unlike the tense guards outside, the medical staff seemed genuinely relieved to see me, one exhausted-looking nurse nearly hugged me.

“Thank God you’re here.”

I laughed awkwardly. “That bad?”

“You have no idea.”

Nyra led me toward the nursery wing, the moment the doors opened, my breath caught.

Babies, at least twelve newborns rested inside specialized incubators and cribs, some sleeping peacefully while some crying softly, my heart instantly melted.

“Oh my God…”

One tiny baby wrapped in dark blankets opened glowing silver eyes briefly before falling asleep again, I froze. Glowing?

I blinked hard, no, I imagined that, exhaustion probably, Nyra smoothly stepped in front of the incubator before I could question it.

“These are the children needing the most care.”

I walked closer slowly, most of the babies had unusual medical charts attached beside them.

“What happened to them?” I asked softly.

Nyra exchanged a quick glance with another nurse.

“Abuse,” she answered finally.

Pain twisted inside my chest immediately. Monsters, who hurts children?

One tiny infant suddenly started crying loudly in the corner, without thinking, I moved toward the crib and gently lifted the baby into my arms, Instantly the crying stopped, the entire room went strangely silent.

I frowned slightly. “What?”

Several nurses stared at me oddly, even Nyra looked shocked, before I could ask why, the nursery doors suddenly opened and the entire atmosphere shifted, every person in the room straightened instantly, I turned slowly and froze.

A man stepped inside wearing black combat clothing, heavy boots echoing against the floor.

No, not just a man, he looked like something dangerous pretending to be human.

Tall, easily over six foot four with a body built like violence itself. Broad shoulders strained beneath his dark shirt while black tattoos disappeared beneath the fabric covering his arms and throat, scars marked his exposed skin, not small scars, the kind left by torture.

His dark hair fell messily across a brutally handsome face sharp enough to make my breath catch painfully in my chest, but it was his eyes that destroyed me. Grey-green it was cold, predatory and Inhumanly intense, for one terrifying second, I couldn’t move, neither could he.

His gaze locked onto me like he’d never seen another person before, then his eyes dropped to the baby sleeping peacefully in my arms, something dark flickered across his face, shock. The room became suffocatingly silent.

“Gerald,” Nyra said carefully.

The man didn’t answer, he was still staring at me and suddenly every instinct inside me screamed danger.

~ Ciara Pov~

The room went dead silent the second he stepped in, every single person froze, even the nurses looked like they wanted to melt into the walls, I couldn’t look away from the man.

He stood tall and powerful near the doorway, shoulders wide, black shirt stretched tight across a chest that looked hard as rock. Dark hair fell messily over his forehead, framing a face so sharp and handsome it almost hurt to stare at him. His jaw could cut glass. Scars ran down the side of his neck and slipped under his collar, telling stories of fights and pain I didn’t want to imagine. He looked like trouble. The kind of trouble that made your pulse race for all the wrong and right reasons.

His eyes locked on mine. Grey-green, stormy, glowing just a little too bright under the hospital lights. My throat went dry. Heat crawled up my neck and spread across my cheeks. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the sudden ache low in my belly. This man was dangerous. Not just in the way he looked. He felt like a storm ready to break, wild and untamed.

"Gerald," Nyra said again, her voice tight.

He blinked slowly, like he was coming out of a trance. His gaze dropped to the baby sleeping peacefully in my arms. Something shifted in his expression—not soft, exactly, but surprised. Almost hungry.

"He stopped crying?" His voice rolled out deep and rough, vibrating through the room and straight into my chest. It was the kind of voice that made my thighs press together without thinking.

I nodded, barely trusting my own words. "Yes."

The silence stretched, thick and heavy. One nurse smiled nervously. "He’s been crying nonstop for hours."

"He was probably hungry," I said.

"No," another nurse whispered. "He already ate."

I frowned, confused, but Gerald’s eyes were back on me, burning. That stare made my skin feel too tight, too hot. Like he could see right through my clothes, through my professional mask, straight to the way my body was reacting to him. My nipples tightened under my shirt. I shifted the baby slightly, hoping no one noticed how breathless I suddenly felt.

"You’re the human doctor," he said. Low. Almost accusing.

I let out an awkward laugh. "Last time I checked, yeah."

No one laughed with me. Gerald’s eyes narrowed. He took one slow step closer, and the air between us crackled. I could smell him now—dark pine, leather, and something wild that made my mouth water. My heart hammered against my ribs.

"Interesting," he murmured.

Nyra stepped between us quickly. "Dr. Monroe has had a very long journey."

"I can see that." His gaze never left my face. It traced my lips, my throat, the rise of my breasts as I breathed. I felt exposed. Naked. And shamefully turned on.

The baby stirred against me, pressing closer. Gerald’s cold expression cracked for half a second when he looked at the child. I saw it—raw protectiveness. This terrifying man actually cared. Deeply. The realization made something warm bloom in my chest, mixing dangerously with the heat pooling between my legs.

Nyra cleared her throat. "Ciara, this is Gerald Green. He owns Moonridge Haven."

Owns it? He looked too young, too feral, to run a whole facility. But power rolled off him in waves.

"Nice to meet you," I said, my voice softer than I meant.

He nodded once, slow and deliberate. "Welcome to Moonridge."

The words were simple, but the way he said them felt like a promise. Or a warning. One of the nurses gently took the baby from my arms. When her hands brushed mine, Gerald’s jaw tightened, like he didn’t like anyone else touching me. The thought sent another rush of heat through my body.

He turned to Nyra, voice dropping colder. "Office."

She sighed but followed. The second the door shut behind him, the whole room exhaled. I realized I’d been holding my breath too.

"Does everyone always stop breathing when he enters a room?" I asked.

A nurse gave a shaky smile. "You get used to him."

I wasn’t sure I believed her. Or wanted to.

Nyra came back and led me through the halls. Security guards stood like statues outside certain doors. This was supposed to be a safe place for sick kids. Why did it feel like a fortress?

"Is someone threatening the hospital?" I asked.

"You ask a lot of questions," Nyra replied.

"I’m a doctor. It’s my job."

She showed me to a beautiful cabin at the edge of the forest. Stone, wood, big windows looking out at the mountains. It was perfect. Private. Isolated. Exactly what I needed after everything I’d been through.

Inside, fresh flowers waited on the table. My bags were unpacked. The fridge was stocked. Tears stung my eyes for a moment. No one had taken care of me like this in years.

Nyra dropped medical files on the table. "Read these tonight."

The cases were wild. Kids healing too fast. Strange fevers. Eyes that glowed. Bones knitting together in days. I read for hours, lost in the mystery, until a soft knock sounded at my door around nine.

I opened it to find a small boy, maybe eight, clutching a stuffed fox. Dark hair, big golden eyes that seemed to shimmer. He looked up at me nervously.

"Are you the new doctor?"

I smiled and crouched down. "I am."

He studied me carefully. "You really are human."

There was that word again. Human. Like it was rare.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I asked gently.

He blinked. "You don’t know?"

Before he could explain, a deep voice cut through the night. "Ezra."

The boy jumped back. Gerald stood just a few feet away on the path, wearing a black jacket that made him look even bigger. The moonlight carved shadows across his sharp face, highlighting the scars and the hard lines of his body. My breath caught. Heat flared between my thighs again. God, what was wrong with me? This man was intimidating as hell, and all I could think about was how those big hands would feel on my skin. Ezra mumbled an apology and ran off.

I stood up slowly, heart racing. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying Gerald’s scent to me again—wild, masculine, addictive. He didn’t move closer, but it felt like he filled the entire space between us.

"What did he mean?" I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Gerald stared at me for a long moment. The night wrapped around us, dark and intimate. Moonlight painted his face silver. His eyes dropped to my mouth, then lower, tracing the curve of my hips like he couldn’t help it. I felt my body respond instantly—pulse throbbing, skin tingling, a slick warmth building.

"You really don’t know anything," he said. Not a question.

"No. I don’t."

He stepped closer. Just one step. Close enough that I could see the rise and fall of his chest. Close enough to feel the heat coming off him. My nipples ached. I wanted to reach out and touch those scars, trace them with my fingers, maybe with my tongue. The thought shocked me, but I couldn’t push it away.

"You accepted a job here without asking questions," he said, voice rough.

"My grandfather recommended it. Evander Monroe."

That surprised him. His eyes flashed. "Evander."

"You know him?"

He didn’t answer. Instead, he looked into the dark forest, jaw tight. The shadows around him seemed to move, like they belonged to him. I shook my head. Exhaustion was making me see things.

"Everyone keeps calling me human," I pressed.

His gaze snapped back to mine, intense and burning. "Because you are."

My breath hitched. "And what are you?"

The question hung between us. Something dark and painful crossed his face. For a second, the dangerous mask slipped, and I saw raw suffering. Years of it. It made me want to step forward, press my body against his, and chase that pain away with heat and touch. Stupid. Reckless. But the pull was so strong it scared me.

He took another step. Now we were almost touching. His height towered over me. I had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. The air felt electric. My lips parted. I could imagine it so clearly—him grabbing my waist, pulling me hard against that solid chest, kissing me like he was starving. Rough. Deep. Claiming.

"I stopped being human a very long time ago," he said, voice low and gravelly.

Chills raced down my spine, but heat flooded everywhere else. My core throbbed. I was wet. Aching. For him. A man I barely knew. A man who looked like he could break me in half.

"What does that mean?" I whispered, barely able to speak.

His eyes dropped to my throat, watching my pulse jump. I saw his hands flex at his sides, like he was fighting the urge to touch me. The tension stretched so tight I thought I might snap. One more inch and I might throw myself at him. Kiss him. Beg him to take me right here against the cabin wall.

He leaned in slightly. His breath brushed my ear. "You should get some sleep, Doctor."

Then he turned and walked away, I watched frozen as he disappeared into the shadows. One moment he was there, tall and powerful. The next, the darkness swallowed him whole. Like he had never been real.

My heart slammed against my ribs. Fear mixed with raw desire, making my knees weak. I stepped forward, but the path was empty. Just wind in the trees and the heavy beat of my own pulse between my legs.

What the hell was this place? Gerald wasn’t just the owner, he was something else, something dangerous and magnetic and despite the fear crawling up my spine, I knew one thing for sure, I want him badly.

I went back inside on shaky legs, body still humming with unspent tension. The files lay open on the table, but I couldn’t focus. All I could think about was his voice, his eyes, the way he looked at me like he wanted to devour me.

I lay in bed later, staring at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn’t come easy tonight. Not with the ache he left behind. Not with the memory of his scent still clinging to the night air.

Moonridge Haven was hiding secrets, big ones and Gerald Green was at the center of them, I touched my lips, imagining his mouth on mine. Rough hands sliding under my shirt. That deep voice growling my name while he drove into me, hard and relentless.

A soft moan escaped me in the dark cabin, this job was going to be a lot more complicated than I thought.