Maureen's POV'The best thing I think we can do in this situation is let Ian and Dominus go in there first to survey the place. We can stay in Grandma Gina's cottage and wait or we use the house so that we can be closer,' I said.We were in the library at the Alpha house planning how best to attack the fake citadel. Everyone was in attendance. We had all made sure to eat and have a little rest before convening in the library. We didn't know how tough it was going to be going forward.For the first time since I met Ian, he looked contented and happy and he wasn't trying to be invisible either.'I think the best thing is to use the house so that we can be closer but we will not go near the fake citadel immediately. First, we stay at Grandma Gina's house. Make it look like we are visiting Grandma's cottage to help her take care of it in her absence. You know, the normal youthful adventure,' Lance explained.'We will have Dad call Grandma Gina's Alpha to tell him I will be bringing my fri
Maureen's POV'They are back,' Lucia said jumping up as the door to the house opened to let Ian and Dominus in. We had stopped at Grandma Gina's house as planned, we parked and then allowed night to fall before heading out towards the fake citadel. We pitched the house at a distance from the fake citadel, just to make sure we didn't risk being seen before we could get in the house. Ian and Dominus went out to inspect the area as soon as we settled down. We didn't want to waste anytime. They had been gone for over an hour and we had begun to feel anxious. Lance was standing permanently at the window that was in the direction of the fake citadel. The tension in the air was almost palpable. Lucia was the first to sense them as they approached the house, since she could sense her mate. Lance was surprised that he had not seen them. He was the only one in the team who was capable of seeing any of us when we were using our powers. 'I didn't see you when you approached the house,' Lanc
Maureen's POVWe were just three minutes into the fight when we realized we were not fighting mere adult wolves, something was wrong with them. They charged as if they were under the influence of a drug. Their eyes looked lifeless as if all they lived for was to kill. It was as if their human side was dead and all they had was the animal side. I stepped back to allow the soldiers fight the fake citadel soldiers. I took hold and threw them against hard surfaces. But the more we fought them, the more it seemed they were undefeatable. Some of the golden wolf soldiers that shifted bit into their skin but the fake citadel soldiers came back together as soon as they were torn apart.'What the hell is going on?' Dominus screamed as he slit the throat of another one who instantly stood up again to growl at Dominus. Lance decapitated one of them in annoyance and we all saw his head come back to his body, he was immediately up again growling at Lance.They had successfully cornered us, our b
Maureen's POVI walked into the house blindly and absent-minded. Indeed I had seen Talon, my father. It sounded so surreal. He was alive, even if he was on the brink of death. Even in my troubled state, I had not forgotten to pull at the chain for the golden wolf soldiers to return to their homes. 'Maureen, where are the others?' Dawn ran to me looking worried. 'Water.' That was all I could say and she quickly ran off to get a cup of water. I sat on the couch and waited for her. Dawn brought back the water and I drank the glass all in one gulp. My mind was a jumbled-up space for different emotions. Sorting them was going to take time. 'What is the problem Maureen, you don't look good. Besides, your clothes and shoes are all wet, wolf except for your hair,' Dawn said. I raised my hand and touched my hair. Indeed it was not wet. That surprised me. I was in the rain with everyone when it rained the first time. 'I will talk about it later Dawn. I just need five minutes to get mysel
Maureen's POV'I am pleading with the golden wolf to come forward. We are ready for her. I as a person can now say categorically that she is welcome,' the president said. He was addressing the press early in the morning, the next day after the fake citadel was exposed. We were all seated in Grandma Gina's small sitting room after breakfast, watching the president address the press. We had returned late in the night. Rocha was strong enough so we decided to return when it got dark. We could see press vans up ahead as we made our detour. They were going to milk the situation until there was nothing in it. 'We heard that three of the girls that were brought in from the former president's house disappeared yesterday morning,' a reporter asked. 'What?' We all shouted in surprise. That was not in the news the previous day. We all kept quiet to listen to the president's response. 'We are on that but we want to assure you that they were not kidnapped because some of their things are miss
Maureen's POVWe traveled all night in total silence. None of us said anything to each other, at least not in the car I was in, I didn't know about the other car.I insisted on having Ian in the same vehicle with me. He no longer looked pale but he looked very distracted. His eyes were glued to the glass by his side. I noticed that once in a while Rocha would give Ian a squeeze on his lap. We got to High Moon some minutes after six o'clock am. The whole house was awake when we got there. I could see shards of glass on the floor outside. What the hell happened here? I thought. We walked into the house to meet the staff working on cleaning the house. There were shards of broken glass from the window that were inside the sitting room. They must have been thrown there in the process of breaking. 'Where is Dad and Mum?' Dominus asked one of the staff as they welcomed us 'They are upstairs in Grandma Gina's room,' the staff answered. We all rushed upstairs taking the step two at a time
Ian's POVI was almost dragging Shanty out of the Alpha's office as Maureen declared the meeting over. We couldn't discuss our plans in the presence of Shanty. I was walking so fast that she was running after me while I pulled at her hand. I didn't stop until we were in the safety of the room we shared.'Start talking,' I said quietly. Shanty stepped back before she started talking because she knew that when I talked like that, I was very angry and was trying to control myself. 'I am sorry Ian. I was too ashamed to tell you,' Shanty pleaded. 'You have apologized enough about this whole thing Shanty. What I want to know is how you ended up in their nest. Don't you think you have put it off for too long?' I said to Shanty.'Can we sit down?' Shanty asked. I knew she was stalling but I wasn't letting go of the topic whether she liked it or not. 'Sure,' I said and sat down on the couch at the base of the bed. Shanty sat down and sighed loudly before she began, 'After I left you, I tr
Lucia's POVSaying I was scared was mincing words. I was going witless with fear and uncertainty. Maureen had come up with the plan and I was one hundred percent in support of it but at that very moment, I was becoming doubtful of my emotional strength. I knew Ian and Dominus were somewhere near but that didn't still give me the reassurance I needed. I closed my eyes, reached into my mind link with Dominus and I voiced my fear. ‘Relax babe. I am right behind you. You are safe,' Dominus said reassuring me.I sighed loudly and opened my eyes. I was ready. My mate was there so I had nothing to fear. Bracing myself, I got ready for the task ahead. I was wearing Shanty's clothes. I was so consumed by Shanty's smell that my scent could not penetrate it. Ian had made sure I was wearing the clothes Shanty had worn the day Linus, the disappearing man attacked her and Grandma Gina. She had sweated profusely that night and had worn the clothes till the early hours of the morning.I doubted th
Maureen's POV'Mara,' Dawn shouted making me raise my head to see Mara standing by the door and smiling happily at us. She looked so contented.Dawn stood up and hugged Mara. They developed a bond when they met and after Mara and her sister Adelia came to High Moon. Lucia was by their side by the time Dawn was done hugging Mara. Lucia hugged her tightly too smiling happily at Mara 'You look so contented,' Lucia said to her.'I wouldn't deny the fact that I am indeed happy Lucia,' Mara said happily then looked at me without her smile missing a beat and then said, 'Your Majesty.''You don't have to be like that Mara,' I said smiling at her. I dropped the book in my hands, walked up to her, and hugged her. I held her hand and led her to sit down on the couch.'Alan explained who you are to me after we left High Moon. I was very surprised at first but then the way you carried yourself and the way you act around people shows the fact that you have always been different,' Mara said. We we
Dawn's POVI walked into our room at the Alpha's house half expecting Asher to start talking and blaming me for what happened. I felt so ashamed of myself. We had gone to the pack hospital to get the wound on my neck cleaned and dressed. Asher had winced each time I hissed at the biting pain during the cleaning. On our way back to the house, Asher had held my hand tenderly. He hadn't said much to me so I didn't know what was on his mind. 'Let me get you water,' Asher said as he made me sit on the bed then turned to leave to get the water but I held his hand.'I am sorry Asher,' I said looking into his eyes. 'What are you sorry about Dawn?' Asher asked without blinking. I couldn't read his mind or guess what was going on in his mind. 'I am sorry for not listening to you. I am sorry for believing Diego and removing his chains,' I said as my eyes filled with tears. Asher stooped to my level on the bed and took my face in his hands, 'I am your mate Dawn and I can feel every emotion
Dawn's POVI had been nervous about going to see Diego. I knew I shouldn't but I wanted to. He was the only one in my life for a long time. I wanted to know what he had to tell me. Why he wanted to see me.I almost broke down in tears when Diego was brought out of the cell by the man Dominus had introduced as the head guard. He looked so haggard and dirty. He wasn't the person I used to know.When he asked me about his father and I told him his father was dead, something broke inside me with the expression on his face. I believed every word he said about wanting to tell me something that he wanted only me to hear. Asher was not ready to leave me with Diego and I understood his points but I wanted to hear what Diego had to say. My friends left me with Diego reluctantly. 'You have three minutes Diego. So you had better start talking,' I said without looking at him, the moment Asher and the others stepped out.'Do you now hate me this much Dawn? I didn't betray you. I could have told m
Maureen' POV'Wow, this place looks so different,' I said as we entered the former Alpha's house. The place was used by the former Alpha of High Moon, Dominus' grandfather as a getaway from the pack house.We used to go there as kids but it was not looking good then because it was mostly abandoned. Ever since Dad and the Alpha decided to build the Alpha and Beta houses close to each other, the old Alpha house had been mostly abandoned. 'Dad had been doing major renovations on it for almost two years now,' Dominus said.'I never knew of that. What did they intend to use it for?' I asked.'We started renovating it because we thought it was a legacy that shouldn't be destroyed. But when you said you wanted the golden wolf soldiers near, we decided that it should be used for that purpose since it has a lot of rooms in it,' Dad said walking down the stairs. As kids, we often got lost in the house while playing. Standing in the house at that moment made me wonder what the former Alpha was
Maureen's POV'What is the sitting arrangement?' Dawn asked when we got to where our cars were parked at Rolling Hills. We had to wait till we were sure that no reporter was straying into that part of the hideout before we started back to Rolling Hills. Asher had carried Dawn's mother on his back to Rolling Hills. She was too weak to walk the distance. Dawn had refused to walk alongside Asher. She walked beside Ian to Rolling Hills. It was late in the evening when we got to our cars. I knew why Dawn asked the question. She didn't want to sit in the same car with her mother, knowing well that Asher would want that. 'I guess your mum can sit with Ian and Rocha,' Dominus said before I could answer. Rocha helped Dawn's mother into Dominus' car while the rest of us got into Lance's car. If we were fast enough, we would be in High Moon by morning. I didn't bother to wear my wig. It was of no use anymore. It had already served its purpose. Besides the rain ruined it and I was not ready
Maureen's POV'Did you say Dawn? Do you know her? Where is she?' The woman with the mismatched eyes asked when she heard Dominus mention Dawn's name. 'Ma'am we don't have time to explain but I think you might have to come with us,' Asher said taking the decision out of my hands. I pulled at his hands and took him out of the room. Lance followed closely behind us.'Asher, do you think this will sit well with Dawn?' I asked frowning at him.'Don't worry, I will bear the consequences of this. She doesn't want the issue of Talon mentioned around her, will she do the same to her mother? It is time she faced reality,' Asher said.'I am not so sure about this Asher. I share her reservation in having anything to do with Talon and...' 'Guys we need to get out of here,' Dominus said cutting me short. He brought with him the two girls that were kidnapped from the council. They looked so battered and starved. 'Relax Maureen as I have said, I will face the consequences of her reaction. Let's t
Maureen's POVIt was dark by the time we entered Rolling Hills. Asher had taken over the wheel at some point so Dawn was sleeping in the front passenger seat. While Lance and I were in the back seat. Our car was in the front. 'I will advise that we pack our cars where we know it will be safe in Rolling Hills and make our way to the unclaimed land. We stay there for the night and head off to the hideout in the morning,' I said and Lance nodded. We entered Rolling Hills to see that there were still protesters in the streets. We didn't go near them but we parked at a distance where reporters' vans were parked and got out of the car. We each took our backpacks from the car and headed towards the east of Rolling Hills. We walked for almost two hours before we picked a spot and I erected the house. I slumped onto the chair after the house was up. 'What next?' Ian asked.'We stay here till morning and move in on the hideout in broad daylight?' I said.'Anyone wants to eat?' Rocha asked a
Maureen's POV'My eyes have refused to go back to their normal colour since they changed earlier,' I said as I stood looking at the mirror in front of me. Lance and I were in our room retired for the night. We take off first thing in the morning towards Rolling Hill. Rolling Hill was a hot zone at that moment because protest was going on every day calling for their Alpha and his Luna to step down. No one was going to suspect our going there since it seemed the protest crowd kept getting larger every day. Anyone would think we too were going there to see what was happening. Rolling Hill was a whole day's journey from High Moon. But we were prepared. My only concern was that my wolf seemed tired of hiding. My eyes just wouldn't go back to their normal colour.'What is their normal colour?' Lance asked as he stood up from the chair where he was busy pressing his laptop. He came to stand behind me in front of the mirror.'Are you seriously asking me that question?' I asked raising a br
Maureen's POV'What do we do with Linus?' Lucia asked as we sat deliberating on what our next line of action should be. 'Dominus and I will move him to the dungeon,' Lance said. 'He will disappear when his body becomes dry,' Lucia said. 'Don't worry I have that covered,' Lance said winking at Lucia. Then got up to leave the room but surprisingly enough, Shanty fell straight into the room. She had been leaning on the door! 'Shanty?' Ian said standing up slowly.'You said he was dead, you said you killed him. Why is he being moved to the dungeon again if he is already dead?' Shanty said as she stood up from the ground eyes blazing. 'You were not supposed to be eavesdropping Shanty. It is wrong,' Ian shouted at her. 'I was looking for you. You have refused to talk to me. I wanted us to iron things out,' Shanty said defensively.'And you think eavesdropping on my friends and me was a good way to iron things out?' Ian was livid and I know that one says hurtful things at a time like t