I've spent hours pacing around the room and watching the prettiest but loneliest sunset of my life. Back at home, I could at least call Joan. Here, I don't dare leave the room in case Maximilian is still downstairs. And I'm still mad at Tommy for leaving me the way he did. A knock on the door stops me in my tracks, and the door opens before I can respond. "Dinner," Tommy says coldly, closing the door behind him. The instant it closes, his face changes into a frown. "He's still here, isn't he?" I say. I don't even need to name him. Tommy nods and sets down a tray with chicken and noodles. "Lena, if he even suspects..." I rush to him and his words are drowned by the kiss I place on his slips. Without meaning to, I've slammed into him, sending his back against the closed door. "Stop," he pushes me away gently but firmly. "Do you really not understand what he'd do to me if he knew?" His angry voice only encourages me further, but I let go and brusquely turn away. "You're a cowa
☽ MAXIMILIAN ☾ "Useless." Petra wipes her sweaty brow and bends to pick up her shirt from the mat. "That's what you are unless you learn how to shift and fight." Without glancing in Lena's direction, she heads over to the locker rooms, still panting from beating up Lena. The Princess is on the floor, also catching her breath. Dark blue and purple bruises are beginning to form on her stomach, ribs, arms, and legs. I'm not sorry for her. Ok. Maybe Petra had gotten a little carried away. She could have paced herself once she realized Lena really couldn't shift or fight. But everyone in the pack undergoes this ritual. To become stronger your first need to break. I would know. She stands and sways a bit as if gathering her strength, giving me a deathlike glare before stepping outside. I find her leaning against the car, her head resting on the top. Her neck and chest drip with sweat, threatening to give me a hard-on. I wish I could say her messy hair and beat-up look make her le
Tommy pulls away a second before the door opens. "I knew it." I gasp in surprise, but also with relief. It's not Maximilian, but I also have no idea who the pregnant woman standing at the door is. "Special guest, my ass! I knew you were with some girl!" The woman storms in and slams her fist against Tommy's shoulder. He cringes with pain, apparently still feeling the aftermath of his wounds. His eyes dart between me and the woman, and I sit there, at a loss for words. Is this his girlfriend or something? His very pregnant girlfriend? "Lilly, stop! What are you doing here?!" Tommy grabs her hands and stops her from hitting him again. "Calm down." Lilly looks at me with rage, her eyes wandering all over my bruised body. As she realizes the state I'm in, her eyes widen. "Did you... did you do this to her?" She backs away, pulling her hands from Tommy's grasp. "None of this is what it looks like," Tommy says, more to me than to Lilly. This seems to infuriate her again. "Fuck
"Get up," Petra says after I've spent a few seconds panting on the mat floor. Tommy dropped me off at the gym this morning without speaking a word to me during the ride. Then he drove away, leaving me alone with Petra. This time, however, Petra is going easy on me. It seems Maximilian has instructed her to actually teach me something instead of just beating me up. I stand, wiping the sweat off my forehead. "Don't get distracted by my words. When someone's lunging at you, it doesn't matter what they're saying. You move out of the way or block them." I nod, preparing myself for another attack. Despite disliking Petra on principle -my body is still covered in the bruises she gave me yesterday- I find that I'm actually liking this. Petra rushes toward me, intent on grabbing my legs again. This time, however, I'm ready for her. Instead of getting out of the way, I stand my ground and kneel. Her arms wrap around my own and with a cry of rage, I throw her off me before she's able t
My jaw drops."Thorn?" I say, as if I hadn't heard the name clearly. "Maximilian is my grandson. Not a lot of people know in the pack, and I'm trusting you with this knowledge because it might help you." "I... I don't think I understand," I say. Help me with what?Ada sighs as if frustrated with my lack of comprehension. "Maximilian carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, fighting battles on dozens of fronts. His ways may not be the most ethical or legal, but everything he does is to protect Shadowmist pack. Sometimes there are innocent people caught along the way, and I believe humanizing him might help you understand him and the motivations behind the things he does." Ada stands and heads towards a back door without waiting for me to reply. But I don't want to understand Maximilian.Everything I've seen and heard about him so far paints such a different story from the one I've heard for such a long time. The truth is that I'm still his captive and my reality is the com
We take a ferry out of the mangrove maze out into the open ocean, approaching the city from a different, more crowded port than the one Alexei used to get Tommy and me to the island. This is not good. Naranjos may be a prison, but it's still a very nice one. I shudder thinking about the hospital bed and the restraints. Hopefully, Tommy hasn't told Maximilian why that situation sent me into a panic attack. The last thing I need is to let this man in on the darkest secret of my past. It would be like giving him complete power over me, though he technically already has that. Even though I'm angry with Tommy, the thought of never seeing him again is pressing against my heart. I have a feeling that wherever we're going, Tommy will be out of the picture for the foreseeable future. "Don't blame Tommy for today," I say tentatively, trying to get Maximilian to talk. He's been silent ever since he threw my own words back at me. "It wasn't his fault. I really just wanted to explore the isla
"What?!" I blurt out, just as Maximilian swerves into a driveway in front of a high-end luxury store building. "You need clothes." That's all he says as he steps out of the car and hands the keys to a valet parking guy. I fumble with the seatbelt, my hands shaking, and Maximilian is by my door, opening it. "Dearest," he says with a devilish grin. "Let me help you with that." He bends over me, his face passing dangerously close to mine. I catch a whiff of his smell and my back stiffens. It's so damn delicious that for a second, it's easy to forget this is my captor and enemy. I speak through gritted teeth. "What. Did. You. Mean." The seatbelt clicks and it slides back to its place as Maximilian turns toward me, his nose almost brushing mine. "Let's go, darling. We need to get you out of that stained, sweaty shirt." I can smell his minty breath as he holds there for a second and gives me a slow peck on the cheek right before pulling his torso out of the car. He extends a h
The second I step out of the elevator, Maximilian drops his jaw and immediately tries to compose himself, pretending not to be shocked or surprised by how I look. The change is minimal- instead of the baggy pants and shirt, the jeans and top I chose hug my curves- but I know that it's causing an impression.An army of assistants follows Farrah down the stairs, and they arrive just as I join Maximilian near the lobby. "It seems like you got everything you need." Maximilian's eyes wander over to the assistants who are carrying dozens of bags and boxes. "I'll have to get them picked up. They won't fit in the car." There's a hint of annoyance in his voice, and that makes me smile. "Yes. I was very thorough," I say in a sweet voice. I can't tell if he's annoyed that I'm making him spend so much money or because the sheer volume of clothes presents a logistical challenge to whatever his plans are. "We can have everything delivered to your apartment, Mr. Thorn." Farrah hands me a smaller
Now that he's left me here, I don't know what to do, so I look at the painting for a little longer and move on to another. I hadn't intended to piss him off so badly, and I don't really know what I said that angered him so much. Some people look at me curiously, but thankfully, no one approaches me. Just as my eyes wander, trying to find where the bathroom is, I feel someone jerk my arm from behind. "What...?" "We have to leave. Now." Tommy escorts me through the crowd, roughly making his way between people. Some stare at him and one even yells at us for bumping into them. "What's going on? Is Maximilian all right?" I ask, trying to keep my voice down. Tommy pauses for a split second and then continues heading toward the exit. "Don't tell me you like him now." "No, it's just that he disappeared... Tommy! Stop! Please, tell me what's happening." He ignores me. Soon, we're outside, and Tommy pulls my hand down the steps, almost making me trip. "Get in the car." Rushing to the
Maximilian's grip on my hand tightens the second we enter the museum, making me glance in his direction. Is he... nervous? Or is he trying to be reassuring with me? Either possibility is beyond anything I would expect of a man who seconds ago had just threatened me so I would behave. The music inside engulfs us. It's a mellow, classical song, which is instantly drowned by the hundreds of conversations taking place inside the dimly lit space. So many eyes follow us as he leads me toward an enormous bar set up in an open courtyard. Fairy lights hang from fruit trees, giving the place an ethereal, fairy-like atmosphere. "Do you want champagne?" he asks, not bothering to wait for me to answer. He grabs two bubbly flutes from a waiter's tray and hands one to me. "Even if you can't shift, I presume you can hold your alcohol down." "Maybe. Maybe not," I say teasingly, downing the champagne in one go. It makes my throat ache but I do my best to conceal it. The thinnest smile forms
After a quick shower, I grab the scandalous dress I picked back at the store. It takes me a while to find it in the pile of boxes and hangers that has been delivered to the apartment while I was in the bathroom. And just when I start to wonder what I'm supposed to do about hair and makeup, a team of cheerful and colorful people bursts in. "You must be Helena! We're going to make you look great tonight!" the oldest-looking of them says effusively. "I'm Hugo, by the way. Pleasure to meet you." He saunters over and kisses my cheeks, completely unfazed by the fact that I'm only wearing a towel. "Hi," is all I manage to say, but I return his enthusiasm with a smile. "I, um. I was going to get dressed." "Oh don't you worry, honey! We got this!" says a lady, snatching the dress from my hands and heading toward the hallway. "We're here to fix any alterations your wardrobe might need." She continues to speak but her voice fades away as she moves farther away. The team springs into action,
The second I step out of the elevator, Maximilian drops his jaw and immediately tries to compose himself, pretending not to be shocked or surprised by how I look. The change is minimal- instead of the baggy pants and shirt, the jeans and top I chose hug my curves- but I know that it's causing an impression.An army of assistants follows Farrah down the stairs, and they arrive just as I join Maximilian near the lobby. "It seems like you got everything you need." Maximilian's eyes wander over to the assistants who are carrying dozens of bags and boxes. "I'll have to get them picked up. They won't fit in the car." There's a hint of annoyance in his voice, and that makes me smile. "Yes. I was very thorough," I say in a sweet voice. I can't tell if he's annoyed that I'm making him spend so much money or because the sheer volume of clothes presents a logistical challenge to whatever his plans are. "We can have everything delivered to your apartment, Mr. Thorn." Farrah hands me a smaller
"What?!" I blurt out, just as Maximilian swerves into a driveway in front of a high-end luxury store building. "You need clothes." That's all he says as he steps out of the car and hands the keys to a valet parking guy. I fumble with the seatbelt, my hands shaking, and Maximilian is by my door, opening it. "Dearest," he says with a devilish grin. "Let me help you with that." He bends over me, his face passing dangerously close to mine. I catch a whiff of his smell and my back stiffens. It's so damn delicious that for a second, it's easy to forget this is my captor and enemy. I speak through gritted teeth. "What. Did. You. Mean." The seatbelt clicks and it slides back to its place as Maximilian turns toward me, his nose almost brushing mine. "Let's go, darling. We need to get you out of that stained, sweaty shirt." I can smell his minty breath as he holds there for a second and gives me a slow peck on the cheek right before pulling his torso out of the car. He extends a h
We take a ferry out of the mangrove maze out into the open ocean, approaching the city from a different, more crowded port than the one Alexei used to get Tommy and me to the island. This is not good. Naranjos may be a prison, but it's still a very nice one. I shudder thinking about the hospital bed and the restraints. Hopefully, Tommy hasn't told Maximilian why that situation sent me into a panic attack. The last thing I need is to let this man in on the darkest secret of my past. It would be like giving him complete power over me, though he technically already has that. Even though I'm angry with Tommy, the thought of never seeing him again is pressing against my heart. I have a feeling that wherever we're going, Tommy will be out of the picture for the foreseeable future. "Don't blame Tommy for today," I say tentatively, trying to get Maximilian to talk. He's been silent ever since he threw my own words back at me. "It wasn't his fault. I really just wanted to explore the isla
My jaw drops."Thorn?" I say, as if I hadn't heard the name clearly. "Maximilian is my grandson. Not a lot of people know in the pack, and I'm trusting you with this knowledge because it might help you." "I... I don't think I understand," I say. Help me with what?Ada sighs as if frustrated with my lack of comprehension. "Maximilian carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, fighting battles on dozens of fronts. His ways may not be the most ethical or legal, but everything he does is to protect Shadowmist pack. Sometimes there are innocent people caught along the way, and I believe humanizing him might help you understand him and the motivations behind the things he does." Ada stands and heads towards a back door without waiting for me to reply. But I don't want to understand Maximilian.Everything I've seen and heard about him so far paints such a different story from the one I've heard for such a long time. The truth is that I'm still his captive and my reality is the com
"Get up," Petra says after I've spent a few seconds panting on the mat floor. Tommy dropped me off at the gym this morning without speaking a word to me during the ride. Then he drove away, leaving me alone with Petra. This time, however, Petra is going easy on me. It seems Maximilian has instructed her to actually teach me something instead of just beating me up. I stand, wiping the sweat off my forehead. "Don't get distracted by my words. When someone's lunging at you, it doesn't matter what they're saying. You move out of the way or block them." I nod, preparing myself for another attack. Despite disliking Petra on principle -my body is still covered in the bruises she gave me yesterday- I find that I'm actually liking this. Petra rushes toward me, intent on grabbing my legs again. This time, however, I'm ready for her. Instead of getting out of the way, I stand my ground and kneel. Her arms wrap around my own and with a cry of rage, I throw her off me before she's able t
Tommy pulls away a second before the door opens. "I knew it." I gasp in surprise, but also with relief. It's not Maximilian, but I also have no idea who the pregnant woman standing at the door is. "Special guest, my ass! I knew you were with some girl!" The woman storms in and slams her fist against Tommy's shoulder. He cringes with pain, apparently still feeling the aftermath of his wounds. His eyes dart between me and the woman, and I sit there, at a loss for words. Is this his girlfriend or something? His very pregnant girlfriend? "Lilly, stop! What are you doing here?!" Tommy grabs her hands and stops her from hitting him again. "Calm down." Lilly looks at me with rage, her eyes wandering all over my bruised body. As she realizes the state I'm in, her eyes widen. "Did you... did you do this to her?" She backs away, pulling her hands from Tommy's grasp. "None of this is what it looks like," Tommy says, more to me than to Lilly. This seems to infuriate her again. "Fuck