**Laura POV**
“I don't want a mate, I want to rule my park, myself.”my voice thundered in the room as Sonia gasped rapidly.
“I concur with them you know, you've already seen your mate, Alex my cousin is your mate.its unclear to me why you don't like him. Regardless of the mating bond between you two being conspicuous. He loves you and with him by your side, you'll need all the assistance you can get.” Sonia said, cupping my tender cheeks into her hands.
“I don’t feel anything for him sonia. I don't feel the mate bond” I lied.
“Your change is so sudden and alarming Laura” she scoffed. “ I thought you've always wanted this, why pulling out at the last minute?” she said through gritted teeth.
“I can do this myself Sonia, except you no longer have fate in your best friend” I said, tapping her shoulder.
“But Laura..” I cut her off abruptly.
“But what sonia… You’re no different from the elders, I thought you would help me in convincing them to see reasons with me. But it's obvious whose side you're on.” I rolled my eyes in disbelief.
“Don't say that Laura, I'll forever be by your side. What are friends for? My only concern is your safety, try to maybe give thought to the elders admonition.”she said with a smile playing on the corner of her lips.
“Thanks bestie, I'll think about it.” I said, pulling her into a tight hug.
“My bestie is back to her normal self,” Sonia squirreled, happily spanking me softly as we both giggled.
Later on, I went for pack training. I could feel the rage coursing through my body as my wolf screamed “Revenge, Revenge”. I went straight to the punching bag as my guards stood watch. I punched the bag with an astronomical strength, and the room shook. I was stronger than before in my past life, but I didn't show it to anyone. I punched harder this time as thoughts of my late parents flooded through my mind, my heart broke into a million pieces. I punched the bag again and again as memories of Alex betrayals also made its way to my mind. I blamed myself for being a fool then . I was beginning to lose control as I shifted into my wolf form, ripping every muscle in my body as I transformed. The experience, once painful, was no longer painful. I howled as I shifted back to my human form. I could hear footsteps walking towards me as I spun swiftly, landing two punches to the person’s face. I knew instinctively that it was Alex.
“Arrgghh, that hurts” he groaned in pain.
“What are you doing here?” I sneered at him. My anger is almost boiling over.
“I came to protect you as my mate, to prevent you from hurting yourself” he replied. “You’re not my mate,” I yelled at him. “ The sooner you get that illusion out of your head the better for you” I deadpanned.
“No matter what you do or how you treat me, I'll always be here for you. We have been fated as mates.”
“You’re sick in the brain.just get out of here now.” I yelled at him.
“I will leave but just know that I'll never stop trying to win you over.” he said with a smirk on his face.
“Arrggh, I told you to leave already” as I turned with another punch. I heard a shrill cry that made my heart skip a beat. It was none other than Maxwell.
“Ouch my Nose, what did you take?”
“I'm sorry, Maxwell” I snapped in a calm, loving voice. “I didn't see you coming,” I added, staring at his already bleeding face.
“You’re Alex, right, Sonia’s cousin” Maxwell enquired.
“Yes I am, and I'm also Laura’s mate. What business do you have here if I may ask?” Alex growled at Maxwell with a menacing look .
“She is my friend and I came to check up on her.” Maxwell replied. I stood there, looking at the two of them banter words.
“ You have no right to be anywhere around here. Seeing that she now has a mate.” Alex enunciated. “ Keep shut! the both of you.” I screamed running into the woods. I ran as far as my legs could carry me until I ended up at the river bank.
Lost in my thoughts for what seemed like forever, I was jerked from my reverie when a familiar scent hit my nostril. It was the scent from Maxwell. I smiled inwardly.
“Is everything okay Laura, what are you doing here all by yourself.”
I turned to look at him and our gaze locked. I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me as my heart pulsated ferociously within my chest. I gulped. Why was I feeling this way towards him?.
“ Nothing, I need some fresh air,” I replied. I could feel him walking towards me as he grabbed my arms into his. “Laura, we might not really be close but I want you to know that, you can always confide in me” his voice was soothing. It made my thighs warm as waves of mixed emotions washed over me. He slowly leaned in to kiss me. I just froze, I couldn't fight the feelings. It felt like he had a special bond over me.
His piercing green eyes swallowed me in, his scent gave me goosebumps. As our lips connected, I felt a surge of electricity course through me. His lips were soft and fluffy. His arms wrapped me into his warm embrace and I felt like melting under his dominating presence. What was I doing? The feeling was unexplainable. He smeared my neck with kisses as he slowly moved to my earlobes. “You’re very beautiful Laura” he whispered . His breath was hot on my neck.
I was almost giving in to my desires when I quickly pushed him away. “Sorry Maxwell, I can't do this, I'm sorry” I said as I ran back home through the woods.
Maxwell POVThe girl's eyes are wide and alert with pure anxiety. I watch as she rips her hands off the hood and darts into the woods.I hook my fingers into the door handle. “Wait!”Her knobbly knees attempt to carry her as fast as she can move. The smell of fear drips off her with every step she takes. It blends with her scent and leaves a sour taste in my mouth.The last thing I want is to scare her further, but it’s clear she needs medical attention.It doesn’t take long to catch up to her with my long legs. She’s strong, but she’s full of adrenaline and is likely using every last drop of energy. Her brunette hair is a matted mess as it cascades down her back and over her shoulders.“Please, stop,” I say gently. “I want to help you.”Her breathing hitches at the sound of my voice echoing across the trees. Somehow, her legs pick up speed, her feet dodging the roots that have overgrown and are protruding out of the ground.I managed to catch up with her, but I knew better than to tou
Maxwell POVI twist my body slightly to face her, and Ava immediately looks past me to see the girl sitting against the tree, crying her heart out. “Oh my Goddess,” she gasps quietly. “Are you okay?”She pushes herself further into the tree, digging her heels into the dirt. I watch her mouth, but she says nothing. She flicks her eyes between Ava and Sebastian hesitantly.“Are you hurt?” Ava tries again. It’s obvious she’s injured, but making small talk is better than nothing. The presence of a woman might help her trust us.The girl shivers against the tree from the crisp night and lack of clothes on her body. “I just want to get away,” she murmurs again.“Then, let us help you,” Ava says softly. “We can get you all the help you need. You’re safe with us. You’re injured. We can help get you cleaned up, and then we can get you to wherever you need to go.”For a moment, I see her guard drop. She’s battling with herself whether she should believe us or not. I get it; trauma doesn’t go aw
Maxwell POVOn my way. Gemma is coming now.“I’m not going to harm you,” I raise my arms in defense. “We want to help you heal and get better. That’s all. We’re not here to hurt you or to make you do anything you don’t want to.”Those big brown eyes are swimming with tears again, and I can’t fathom how tired she must be. I want nothing more than for her to see the pack doctor, have a hot meal and a bath. It won’t solve everything, but it’ll be a start.Ava emerges from the hall, and my mate jumps, her gaze flicking between us with quick intensity. “Hi,” Ava says gently, smiling towards her as she pauses by my side. “What’s your name?”Those saddened eyes cloud with terror. She clamps down on her lip so hard it almost draws blood. I don’t like the sight of it; it’s like she’s trying to harm herself, and it sets my wolf off into a murderous frenzy. My lungs take down as much air as possible to calm these waves of fury.“I’m Ava,” she introduces herself as she presses a hand to the cente
Laura POVWhen the lunchtime school bell rings, we all stand up from the bench we’ve made our home for the last forty-five minutes. “Are you coming to study hall?” Kayleigh asks.I shake my head as I slide my bag over my shoulder. “Not yet. I’m going to meet Danny in the car park quickly—he said he wanted to see me. Stall Miss Lowe for me, please?”Kayleigh rolls her eyes, but she can’t fight the smile that creeps onto her lips. “Alright, lover girl. You owe me.”“Thank you,” I exhale gratefully before giving her a half-hearted hug. I don’t have long to see Danny. He's always busy playing football at lunch.I dart off to the sports block and approach the car park. My eyes scan the area, hoping I’m not caught by a teacher for being out of class.My legs carry me to the other end of the car park, where I spot Danny’s car, but he’s nowhere to be seen. I check my phone, and surprisingly, I have no messages either. I huff out a breath and slump against the side of his door when a van pull
Laura POVI’m living in hell on Earth instead.My gaze zeros on him. “Do you know how embarrassing it would be to bring out a pathetic, Stronger Luna like you?”“Just let me go,” I say through gritted teeth.Alex pouts and twists his head, his evil eyes flashing at me without an ounce of remorse. “Oh, sweetheart, but that’s no fun!”His fingers dig into the flesh on my cheeks, which makes me wince, but I refuse to make a sound. I don’t want to give him that satisfaction. I want to fight. “You still owe my Beta and my male wolves a show.”Immediately, my skin runs cold, and goosebumps invade my arms. I clench my throat to stop the bile from rising, but the mention of his pack has my body triggering its fight-or-flight instinct. Except I have nowhere to go, and the only choice I have is to play by their despicable, unfair rules.“You even think about showing me up, and I swear I'll make you wish you were never born.” Alex's eyes are lifeless as always, but today they seem deadlier, and
Maxwell POVFor the past five minutes, I’ve been watching Ava intently as she whimpers and grimaces. And she doesn't know I have been seeing her for a long time. I know better than to snap her out of her trance. I’ve seen what it can do, and it’s not a pleasant experience. I have to let her ride it out–even if she didn’t want to dive into Laura’s mind in the first place.Her facial expressions twitch and change almost every second, her lips trembling with what looks like pure fear. My heart pounds in my throat as I wait. Patience is not my friend right now.After what feels like an eternity, the white film casting over Ava’s eyes finally dissolves to restore her natural blue. Her lips part to take a huge gulp of air, but it’s not just one breath, it’s multiple. She’s panicking. Never in my twenty-six years of life have I ever witnessed Ava have a panic attack.“Hey, hey,” I say softly. I press my hands to her shoulder to remind her she’s safe. “Ava, slow down your breathing.”But s
Maxwell POVA few long minutes later, the door cracks open, and Laura emerges. Ava smiles at her softly. “Hi, how are you feeling? You must be so thirsty.” Do you need a glass of water to quench your thirty?My gaze focuses on her as she stares at the bottle. Her thoughts are loud and clear in my head, it almost makes me lose my balance. She’s skeptical of what’s inside. And I don't know if her next move is going to be good or bad.“It’s not drugged,” I offer, swiping the bottle out of Ava’s hands and taking a generous swig. “See?”Those big brown eyes study me for a moment before her shaky hand reaches out. I extend my arm to pass it quickly. “Have it,” I say with a soft smile.Her nimble fingers latch onto the bottle before lifting it to her lips. She takes two big gulps before closing her eyes, droplets rolling down her chin.“Do you want something to eat?” Ava asks.She doesn’t answer straight away; instead, she lowers the bottle and glances down at her stomach. Her hands grip the
Maxwell POVIt was a relief to watch Laura eat. Although it took her a while to get through half of the meal, I’m glad she managed to digest something. I know she probably doesn’t have much of an appetite, so starting l so she doesn’t make herself sick is key.After her meal, Ava took her upstairs to one of the spare rooms. She showed her how to use the shower and let her borrow some clean clothes. We said we’d wait downstairs in the living room to give her some breathing space.“She should see the doctor again,” I say to Ava as I pace the cream rug in front of the grand fireplace. “To double-check that everything is okay.”“I agree.”“I don’t want to push her too far,” I comment, running a hand along the stubble on my jaw. “But at the same time, I want to make sure she’s okay.”My sister nods. “I don’t think you should be pushing yourself too far either.”“What does that mean?”She sighs and chews her bottom lip. “I know you’re not over Julia. You will never be over Julia. She was y
Laura POV We lay back down in bed, and I rest my head on his chest. “I can’t believe I forgot. I’ve been a werewolf and shifted, and I still didn’t know.”“You lost a lot of blood and were in a coma for a few days, Laura. Don’t beat yourself up for not remembering. I think in a way, your memories come back to you when you’re ready to face them,” he admits, and I think about that for a second.He might be right. He’s always right.I stay silent as he wraps me up in his strong arms. “Sleep, baby. It’s still early. We can talk about this in the morning.”My eyes flutter shut, and I inhale the scent wafting from his neck. I smile at the way it invades my bloodstream. My senses have heightened in ways I couldn’t even imagine.Later that day, I find myself in the library with Evan and Sam close behind him, looking as bored as ever. I reach up to find books on werewolf ancestry because I feel like I’m missing a piece of my history. My parents abandoned me when I was a baby, and now I don’
Laura POVMy ankles are submerged in mild water. The bottom of the lake is clear, and fish swim around my feet. I release a soft chuckle as they tickle my skin. My head tilts towards the sunset as it sits perfectly along the horizon.I open my lungs and take down the fresh air. A presence behind me makes me tingle, but I’m not afraid. My head looks over my shoulder to be met with luminous eyes and long white hair. I relax.“Laura.” She reaches out to touch my cheek.My eyes close at the sensation that washes over my skin.I remember her from my dream before. She came back.“You’re here.”When I open my eyes, she nods, and I study the pretty markings on her face. A triangle with circles glimmer across her forehead, and her eyelashes are a metallic blue. She takes my face between her warm hands, and I exhale a breath of relief.“Do not forget your power.”I frown. “What power?”“Do not forget the strength inside your soul.”“What do you mean?”She offers me a sweet smile. “I would neve
Maxwell POVAfter running Laura a luke-warm bath, I perch on the edge of the tub and study her drained face. Her skin is still on fire, despite the fact she’s shuddering as if we’re in the Antarctic. Guilt rides my chest like a wave. I’m not sure if her body is rejecting my mark because her human body isn’t strong enough to accept it. I don’t want to think about that fate.“Laura,” I whisper and caress her face.Her hand splashes into the water, and she retracts as if it’s toxic. I calm her by stroking back her hair and sending as much comfort through our bond as possible. Although, I can sense a barricade.“How are you feeling?”Laura’s eyes open, and they’re lazy, her lids almost shutting again.I examine her lips and move closer. The corners of her mouth are starting to fade into a light blue. Something is definitely wrong. Her body continues to shake, rippling the water aggressively. She wraps her arms around her legs in an attempt to keep warm.My hands reach into the bath, and
Laura POVI’m on the brink when he speeds up, and I clamp down on his lip, desperate to fall over the edge. I’m building and building. I groan into the kiss seconds away from absolute pleasure.Then he pulls his fingers from me, and I glare at him in desperation. I hate the smirk that sits on his face. “What” I can hardly get the words out as I watch him suck on his fingers. “Max, please.”He curls a brow in my direction as he sits back on his knees, staring down at me with misty eyes. “You think I didn’t hear your little thoughts earlier today slip through our bond?”“I used my barriers,” I heave.Maxwell releases a wicked laugh that sends shivers to my toes. “Not well enough, baby.”“What did you hear?”“Most of it.”I throw my head back to the bed. I’m pooling with heat. My heart rattles so loud I’m sure he can hear it. He crawls over my body once more and kisses me with rough passion. “You tell me the fucking second I cross any boundaries. Do I make myself clear?”“Yes.”“Good,”
Laura POVWhen I travel home later that afternoon, there’s a huge smile on my face from how fulfilled I am. My old life might be nothing but a distant memory, but Kayleigh shines above all. She’s one person I’ll never be able to forget.As the car drives through our gated community and pulls up outside Maxwell’s private entrance to the house, I hop out. I’m desperate to share everything that happened today with him and because he is my person.I wander through the front door and into the kitchen where the smell of food hypnotizes me. I’m not even hungry as we ate a few hours ago, but it smells divine.When I enter Max is standing there shirtless. My feet halt at the sight of his muscly back. He’s standing over the stove, using one hand to stir whatever he’s cooking in the frying pan. I scan his skin as the muscles contract and relax with each subtle movement. My lips part, and I’m certain I start drooling.I had no idea I had a thing for backs.“Are you going to stand there and ogle
Laura POVWe pause by a fountain and perch on the ledge as the sun beats down on us. “So, you go here with Danny, huh?”She scoffs. “No. I’ve always wanted to come here. Danny just so happened to rock up. We don’t see each other often if that’s what you think. I feel like he followed me here so he could find out information about you from me, which he did. I’m sorry. I never intended to do that.”“I know, I know,” I reassure her. “It’s fine. I don’t mind. How are your parents?”Kayleigh’s eyes drop to the pebbled floor. “They’re not together anymore.”“Oh.” I frown. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t.”“No, they loved you. They treated you like their own. It’s okay to bring them up. They miss you so much.” Her eyes crinkle at the sides.My chest warms. “I’d love to see them soon.”“They’d love that, too.”“Are you dating anyone right now?”She’s quiet for a long moment, and I inspect her face. There is an edge of slight discomfort at the question. “No,” she whispers. “Not anymore.”“Oh, what h
Laura POVI want to enjoy as much alone time as I can with you before we decide to start the next steps. If we agree to have any.” He smooths his thumb across the fabric on my shin.I chew on the inside of my lip. “Yeah,” I agree. “That’s true.”He takes my waist in his hands and tugs me up onto his lap. “Good because I want as much time before we have any little devils running around.”“Did you just call our unborn children ‘little devils’?” I release a soft laugh.“Sure did.” He grins.My forehead presses to his and he leaves a kiss on my lips. “Hey, so I’ve been thinking.”“About what?”I clamp my teeth down on my lip as I admire his dark blue eyes. “The next time we have sex,” I pull my head back slowly, “I want you to mark me. I want us to be mated.”Maxwell doesn’t blink, but he holds me close to him. “Laura.”“I know what you’re going to say. I’m a human, and you don’t know what will happen if you do it. But I want you to. I want to experience it. Let’s see what happens and pra
Laura POVMaxwell had an early meeting this morning. He asked if I wanted to join, and I said I’d leave the business side of his pack to him. He wants me to be more involved and grow into my position as their Luna, but I’m still learning the ropes and need more time.Instead, I’m in the kitchen with Evan, teaching him how to cook. Sam supervises us, and it’s obvious he doesn’t want to be here from his glowering. I ignore him, but Evan’s shoulders are slightly tense.“How are you settling in?” I ask.Evan hums softly. “A lot better now. I’m finding my feet, but I’m ready to learn.”My face stretches into a grin. “Good. I’m pleased, Evan.”His hand takes hold of a large knife and slices through a bell pepper. I nod at his positioning until he slices a little too hard, and the tip of the knife swipes down his fingers.Blood trickles onto the cutting board, and he drops the knife onto the counter with a clang. He jumps back, eyes slightly horrified. “It’s alright, it’s alright,” I say ca
Maxwell POVMy fingers take hers delicately. She shifts her hips slightly and nods. “You’re big,” she exhales as I press my mouth to her palm. “Please, just go slow.”“Of course, baby.”I stay still for a moment and allow her to get used to the feeling before I start to move. I rest down on my elbows and drag my lips across her neck, and when she melts into me, I thrust slowly. She gasps into my ear and clings onto my biceps. I pause and wait until her legs start parting further, and I smile into her neck.My hips move again and again until she brings our lips together in a fiery kiss. She moans against my tongue and sends vibrations straight down my spine until I’m clutching her face and angling it towards me so I can taste every inch of her.“Better?” I rasp as I pull out and sink back in.She nods desperately. “Better.”Then I rest my forehead down on hers. My hips move a tiny bit quicker and deeper, and I watch her face for any slight twitch of discomfort, but instead, her lips a