Maxwell POV A muffled cry wakes me up from my sleep. I twist beneath the sheets and open my eyes to the dark room. Laura shuffles around the bed, releasing a distressed moan from her trembling lips.“No,” she whimpers. “No. No. No. Please. Don’t. Please. No!”“Laura.” I take one of her hands but she bats me away.Her eyes are firmly shut as she squirms and shakes her head aggressively. “No. Please. Leave me alone. Please. Don’t hurt me. Please.”“Laura.”I cup her cheek to find her skin burning beneath my palm. “No!” she yells as tears escape from her closed lids. “Get away. Get away.”“Laura. Baby.” I attempt to pull her close to my chest, but I only make it worse.Her eyes fly open, and she screams at the top of her lungs, fear etched onto her face. She extends her arm aggressively, which ends up knocking into my jaw, sending my lip into my teeth. Blood invades my mouth as I listen to her erratic breaths.Laura scurries back into the headboard, eyes shot wide with terror. “He’s
Maxwell POV Laura’s strength over the last few weeks has improved vastly, and I can see the drive in her eyes when she joins in with pack training. At first, she was apprehensive, but now, she’s in her element.I stand back and watch as she runs through the trees. She digs her fingers into a large boulder before climbing to the top and jumping down onto a smaller rock. Her feet move quickly and every choice she makes is with precision.Sweat trickles down her back and off the edge of her jaw. I adore seeing her like this with focused eyes and eagerness to outdo herself from the last training session. She’s pushing herself out of her comfort zone and challenging her body with new skills.Kayden guides Laura through her obstacle course while encouraging her as she succeeds in every direction. She starts to climb a tree before swinging from a branch and landing directly in the middle of a stream. The water splashes up her legs, and she takes a large breath as her lips spread into a
Maxwell POVI raise my hand to brush away her hair in front of her eyes. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” I kiss her temple.“I wish I could go back to being normal. Every time I believe I’m doing well and getting better, something like this happens.” Her eyes fall to my chest. “I know I’m not back at square one, but sometimes, it feels like it.”“Your recovery doesn’t have a timeline, Laura.” I stroke my thumb across her cheek. “You don’t need to put pressure on yourself to feel good all the time. It’s normal to have hiccups. But keep being vocal about them, if not with me, then at least Gemma. I know you’ve grown a strong relationship with her. I never want you to struggle in silence. It’s one of my biggest fears.”She nods slowly. “Yeah, I have grown a strong relationship with her. She’s taught me to open up and that my feelings are always valid.”“Because they are,” I state.Laura purses her lips, and we stay in silence for a moment. I stand from the floor and hold her clo
Maxwell POV Those three words set my world alight in the best way. I squeeze her fingers before bringing them up to my lips for a kiss. “Good,” I whisper against her skin with a smile.Once we get closer to the pack house, I spot Evan sitting outside with his two guards. He’s staring down at the patio floor with his shoulders slumped. “There’s Evan,” Laura comments, spotting him at the same time. “How’s he settling in?”I shrug. “I don’t know.”Laura shoots me a look. “What do you mean you don’t know?”“I told the guards to look after him. I’ve got more important things to deal with.”She walks ahead of me. “Let’s invite him for lunch.”“Laura,” I call out to her as she looks over her shoulder at me.“I’m capable of making my own choices, Max,” she murmurs. “I owe him my life. I want to get to know him better.”Before I can protest, she approaches him and invites him inside for some food. At first, he’s concerned by the offer, but soon accepts and they walk into the kitchen.I follo
Laura POV I’ve been in desperate need of a girly day out with Ava for weeks and anything to get out of the pack house for a breather. A little retail therapy and some overpriced smoothies. I adore Ava’s company. Even when she’s bossy with our itinerary.Everything is going perfectly until Maxwell’s panicked voice floods my mind, urging us to come home., His guards are on the way to meet us. He doesn’t explain what’s going on, he says he’ll tell me when we get back. An unsettling feeling swirls in my stomach.Now I’m filled with dread.“Ava!” I yell across the packed market.Her blonde hair flips over her shoulder with a beaming smile. “We’re going to miss it,” she murmurs. “Come on.”This place is heaving. I never knew there would be hundreds of stalls and even more people coming down to buy all sorts of arts and crafts and different animals strung up by their feet.“Ava, wait.” I push through the crowd. “Maxwell.”“What about Maxwell?”“He said we need to go home. I don’t know why
Maxwell POV While Laura is out with Ava having a girls’ afternoon, I take the time to catch up on work. There is a committee meeting next month, and I’m desperate to have everything done before then.I run my fingers along my forehead as I read through the latest regulations for our district. I note down any questions I wish to raise when all the Alphas meet together.A knock at my office door stirs me from my train of thought. I clear my throat. “Come in,” I demand as I twirl my pen between my fingers.“Alpha.” Sam’s voice is hurried as he steps into the room. “Your shields have been up. I’ve been trying to mindlink you.”“I’ve been busy focusing on work.”“I need to tell you something.”I sigh. “What is it, Sam?”“Alpha Maxwell, when I tell you this, I need you to hear me out.” He steps towards my desk, and I lean back in my chair, already losing patience. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but you need to believe me.”My teeth grind together. “For Goodness's sake. What is it,
Laura POV No. This can’t be real. I must be dead. There is no explanation.A smirk covers Julia’s lips as she stops in front of me, a freshly manicured hand on her hip. “Well, well…” Her voice echoes around the derelict room. “What do we have here?”I remain silent, flicking my eyes between hers sharply. My pulse pounds against my neck, and I clench my hands together to stop them from trembling around the chains.She bends down to my level and analyzes my face. “A human,” she exhales with a sour laugh. “That makes this a thousand times better. I thought Maxwell’s mate would be a warrior, an Alpha’s daughter, or a legacy. But no, she’s nothing but a worthless human with no strength whatsoever.”What’s going on? My head spins.“What do you want from me, Julia?”Her eyes flare at me. “Ah, I’m relieved you know who I am. Maxwell talks about me, huh?”My jaw clenches at her patronizing tone. The drugs that pump around my system are forcing bile up my throat, but I push it down before I s
Laura POVBlood drips down my lips and over my chin, and my throat tenses like I’m breathing through a straw. Pike glares at me from across the dimly lit room, his fingers itching to get in another punch, but Julia wants to keep me alive.The past few minutes have felt like hours, but I know Maxwell should be here any second. He won’t let me down and not after his declaration. But by the looks of these five evil wolves, I fear he won’t make it out either. What if he comes alone and she hurts him? I didn’t want him to get into this and not when I can take the fall.Julia releases a long sigh at the ceiling. “How long does it take?”I pray he’s making a plan, stalling. He wouldn’t be careless about this situation; he'd think it through like a headstrong Alpha. I know he cares about my safety, but if he makes one mistake it could cost us both our lives.There is a warmth in my brain, wrapping around my aching nerves in a soothing motion. I smile down at the ground, trying to conceal it b