Laura POV“I’ll go easy on you, I promise.” Ava flashes me a playful smile.I groan. “Don’t make me regret this.”“Where are you guys going?” Maxwell’s voice interrupts us.We both glance at him as he steps out of the kitchen door and onto the patio. “Ava is taking me for a run,” I say, lifting my hands to tighten my ponytail. “I needed time to stretch my legs and get out of the house for a bit. I still need to build up my stamina.”Maxwell’s eyes sparkle at my new determination. “That’s my girl.”My cheeks flush at those three simple words. “Be ready to pick me up from the floor when I get back because I might be unconscious.”“Have more faith in yourself.” He walks towards me and slips an arm around my waist. “I do. I always have.”I flick my gaze between his dark blue eyes. There is a huge smile on his lips that encourages me to believe in myself, if he can, why can’t I? Today is a chance to prove it’s mind over matter, even if my lungs want to give out.“Come on. Let’s go.” Ava b
Laura POV “You’ve left him down here for what reason? I told you not to hurt him. He doesn’t deserve this. He let me go. If it weren’t for him, I would be dead.”Maxwell flinches from my declaration. The word clearly triggers something in his brain. “You put yourself in danger.”“The guards are here.” I gesture to them down the hall. “We can trust Evan. He’s safe. If you don’t believe me, ask Ava to look into his past. She’ll show you exactly what happened when he let me go.”“We can’t trust him regardless,” he grunts.My eyes begin to sting. “We haven’t even given him a chance. Maxwell, please. I am literally begging you.”He breathes through his nose heavily, and for a moment, I think he’s about to shake his head without any negotiation. But when his dark gaze flicks to mine, something in them simmers. “Fine.”Soon, Ava joins us and holds out her arms. “What the hell, Laura? You disappeared. I couldn’t find you.”“I was down here,” I murmured.“I see that now. Why am I here? It sti
Laura POV I pace Gemma’s office as she watches me closely. Blood pumps around my body, and I’m convinced it helps calm me. She never questions why I don’t like to sit down and accepts me for who I am. This isn’t a safe space; this is a safe haven.“And how do you feel knowing Alex and Damon are gone?” she asks.My tongue extends to lick my bottom lip. “Relieved,” I admit. “I did think it would give me closure, but I’m not really feeling anything yet.”Gemma’s mouth curls into a soft smile. “It’s barely been a week, Laura. Closure doesn’t have to happen the next second. You are probably still digesting what happened, and that’s okay. It might take time, but don’t be frustrated with yourself.”I nod once. “I know.” I raise my thumb to my lips to chew on the nail. “It felt surreal seeing them again.”“Did it upset you?”“At first, yes. It felt like someone had punched me in the throat and I couldn’t breathe. But I knew they were going to die, and I wouldn’t get the chance again. That
Laura POV “Laura.” He slips an arm around me and tugs me up so I’m looking at him. “I have something to confess.”My lashes brush my cheek as I blink a couple of times. “Okay?”He inhales a large gulp of air. “The night you went out for Ava’s girls’ night before the wedding,” he starts. “When you were drunk, you mentioned a few things, including Kayleigh and your foster parents, but with nowhere near as much detail as you just explained to me.”A gash strikes my heart like a spear. No. No.“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”“Because you didn’t remember in the morning, and I wasn’t sure if it would trigger or upset you. I wanted you to do this by yourself. I didn’t feel like it was right to start meddling in something that meant a lot to you.” He places his hand on my face delicately. “I didn’t do it to keep it from you maliciously. I wanted you to have this moment like you did with Gemma just now. I’m sorry.”I stare at him. “It’s been ages since that night.”“I know.” He nods and c
Laura POV Today is the day I’m going to see Kayleigh after two and a half years.After my conversation with Maxwell, we got in contact with her. We video-called each other because I didn’t think she believed I was real. When her face popped up on the screen, tears started to flow.I found out she’s attending a university sixty miles from here. Maxwell said she could come to the pack house to see me while being trailed by our guards for safety into the district.The intense butterflies make my stomach churn. I know I need some normality from my old life.Kayleigh wasn’t just a best friend to me; she was like a sister.Maxwell kneads his thumbs into the muscles on my shoulders. “Relax, baby,” he whispers, giving my cheek a peck. “This is good. This is exciting.”“I know.” I chew on my lip. “I’m apprehensive.”He hums against my jaw gently before wrapping his arms around me from behind. I latch onto his arm and smile at the warmth of his body. A moment to embrace his calmness and God k
Laura POV Kayleigh gasps and scolds him.“All of this seems strange and very out of character for you.”I narrowed my eyes on him. “I’m not the same person I was when I was eighteen, Danny. Things have changed. I have changed.”“Have you seen this house? It belongs to a billionaire,” he whispers under his breath. “You cannot tell me you just fell into his arms.”“Danny–”He leans impossibly closer. “Is this a cult? Because if it is, we can get you out.”My brows widen at his accusation. I watch him carefully as he pulls away and focuses on a spot on the floor. “Although I’ve seen some seriously messed-up documentaries, and they did not end well.”“This isn’t a cult. None of this is strange and not to me anyway. I get it from an outsider's point of view. But I didn’t have anywhere else to go, and I’ve found peace here. Without Maxwell, I probably would have been dead.”Maxwell’s shoulders tense. Despite us speaking quietly, his sensitive hearing means I’m probably shouting. I grimace
Laura POV I never really took myself as an affectionate person. That’s until I met Maxwell. There is nothing I enjoy more than waking up to him in the morning with his strong arms secured around me. Every day, I acknowledge how far I’ve come with my recovery and how I grow to trust Maxwell more and more each day.A hand reaches up to push away a strand of hair that covers my shoulder. My eyes are still firmly shut, but a smile covers my lips as Maxwell’s warmth swarms me. “Morning, baby,” he whispers.I release a slow grunt and open my eyes to meet his handsome face. “Hi.”He cups my jaw and brushes his thumb over my cheek. “You okay?”“Yeah.” I nod. “You?”He hums softly. “More than okay when I wake up to your beautiful face.”My skin flushes at his compliment. “Likewise.”Maxwell grins softly and leans forward to press a kiss to my chin, then my jaw and my neck. I slip my hand over his bare shoulder and close my eyes when he kisses my pulse and over my collarbones.A flutter of
Laura POV A blush creeps up my neck until it reaches my face. “I was conscious of how loud I was being.”“Be as loud as you want.” His eyes glitter. “Trust me. I don’t mind.”I bury my head into his neck and chuckle softly. “Okay. Noted.”His hand smooths over my shoulder as I stare up at the ceiling. “Would you like to shower with me?”“With you?”“Yeah. I’d like to give you the proper aftercare.”I press a hand to the bed and sit up. “What’s that?”“Where I look after you when we’ve been intimate together.” He cups my cheek with his large hand. “We don’t have to shower together. I can do it here.”The stickiness between my legs is evident. “We could save water?”Maxwell beams at me with bright eyes. “If you want to, then we can.”He stands from the bed and holds out his hand. I take it and let him guide us to the en-suite. As soon as we’re inside, he turns on the waterfall shower and starts to strip himself of his boxers.I try my hardest not to look, but my wandering eyes are curi
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