Laura POV A noise I never knew I could make escapes my throat. My spine straightens at the same time my neck snaps in a fashion that makes my eyes water and a scream erupt into the room. The chains from my wrist burst open as my arms bend and crack in positions I had no idea was possible.The deep-rooted pain in my veins is almost unbearable. I can’t see. I can’t breathe. My throat aches from how loud I screech as my body warps and moves, and I’m left trying to catch up because my head is reeling.My ears prick, and I hear, “Oh my Goddess.” It’s sharp against my eardrums. The vibrations make me wince at the heightened sensation.I tilt my gaze down, and I’m met with paper-white paws. My eyes widen in fear and surprise. No. I must be dead. For real this time. I must be.“Holy shit,” Pike’s voice is so loud I almost cower.I raise my head in the air to find my back bending in an arch. My senses intensify; I can smell everything. The body odor from Pike’s damp armpit stains, the swee
Maxwell POV“Julia has her.”“What?” Kayden’s face recoils.I grind my teeth together so harshly the sound grates my ears. When Ava lost Laura at the market, I went out of my damn mind, and the guards searched everywhere for her. Our mindlink connection was down, and when I heard her voice pop into my head, I wept with relief. But this is far from over.“Julia has Laura. She said I need to go alone. She’s wanting revenge,” I state loudly. My wolf is on the edge of ripping through my skin. “Revenge for what, I don’t know, but we need to make a plan. They’re at High River Way.”Sam and Kayden share a glance before we get to work quickly. Within minutes, we have a solidified plan that will get my mate back where she belongs.I need everyone in the grand hall. Now! I mindlink the entire pack.The three of us approach the hall in a flash.When the pack starts to filter into the room with urgency, I take down a few breaths to stabilize myself before I lose control. My eyes scan the hall
Maxwell POV There isn’t a single bone in my body that wants her. Even the sight of her face has me snarling in disgust. There is an evil sparkle in her eyes as she takes a hold of the knife handle and rips it from Laura’s flesh. Her body jolts from the force, and she continues to lay there lifelessly. I seethe at the action, but I can make out the jagged breaths on her chest.“Well, well.” Julia’s red lips lift into a smirk. “Isn’t this a nice surprise? But you’re a little late, Maxwell. The damage is already done. Now, you get to lose everything all over again. Watch her bleed out. It’s real this time.”I bare my canines at the woman I hardly recognise. Get her, I order my pack. Don’t kill her. Save the rest for me later. I want to make her pay.Then they pounce, dragging her away as she shrieks in defense, but no one is coming to save her. I rush to Laura’s side, her eyes falling shut. I shift back into my human form and scoop her up into my arms, pressing down on her wound to
Maxwell POVThe pack doctors spent what felt like hours trying to resuscitate Laura as she lay on the cold floor. Ava held me back as I handed them over to the healers. I didn’t want to let her go. I didn’t want her to be alone.My entire body turned numb.Never have I ever felt so empty in my entire life.No matter how hard they tried, she wasn’t taking a breath.I watched beneath glassy eyes and through a shattered heart. Her body twitched with each compression, but she remained lifeless.Realization started to dawn on me.They can’t save her. I was too late.I failed her.But then finally…finally she took her first breath, and I sagged in relief and agony all at once. I barely remember how we got home. All I cared about was that she was safe and receiving the best care. She deserves better than this. She deserves the brightest future with endless joy. Not this fate. Not at the hands of someone who deceived me for three years.My fingers grip Laura’s hand gently, running my thumb
Maxwell POVOnce I’m upstairs, I shower and get dressed into fresh clothes. Guilt races through me like a river, and when I think about eating, my stomach flips. I head down to the kitchen and make myself a coffee and caffeine being my best friend right now.I stare out of the window and into the back garden. The trees sway in the wind as the sun ducks behind a sky of dark clouds. I gulp down my coffee, allowing the liquid to burn my throat.Before I can think about my next decision logically, I walk out the back door and head into the trees. When I reach the rotting building surrounded by endless guards, I shove open the door and head down to the basement.Adrenaline pumps through my bloodstream as I walk towards the barred cell. Julia sits against the back wall with her legs stretched out and her ankles chained. She hasn’t noticed me yet. I haven’t seen her since we captured her.I didn’t trust myself not to kill her. But now, I want answers.My knuckles bash on the metal bars, m
Laura POV This time, I attempt to curl my fingers as they twitch in desperation to move. I groan internally, which makes my chest burst into heated flames. My nostrils flare.One eye cracks open, and a few seconds later, the other. It’s like I’m seeing for the first time and which is definitely made worse when I’m met by blinding bright white lights. I whimper and shut them again. The soreness makes me wince. I squeeze them tight and try not to focus on the pounding inside my head. The beeping beside me isn’t helping either.Turn that shit off. It hurts.My throat attempts to swallow, but my mouth is bone dry. I almost choke. Instead, I peel my eyes open again with all the strength I can muster. This time, I take a drowsy sweep across the room.I’m in a bed. I’m…in a hospital bed.Wires hang out of my arms, and there is something funny sitting between my nostrils. My skin becomes highly sensitive, making me twitch.“Laura.” I hear my name and glance at the sound. Ava leans up from
Laura POV Anything you need, I’m right here.”I drag my tongue across my lips and part them. “J-Julia,” I croak. “She?”“Mindlink,” he whispers. “Save your strength for your recovery.”My throat swallows around the words as I hold his gaze. Julia, she faked her death?Maxwell nods slowly. “She was never my mate, Laura. She cast a spell to make me believe we were mates for revenge. She faked her death to make me suffer.”I close my eyes trying to digest all this information. Why?“It doesn’t matter. I’ll explain another day. I want to focus on you and your recovery. Nothing else.”Where is she?“She’s been taken care of. She’s not coming back to hurt us ever again.” His voice is rough around the edges. “I know you have a lot of questions, but I don’t want to overwork your brain.”I manage a nod. My entire face is melting from exhaustion, but I’ve been in the deepest sleep for days. I sit back while Maxwell and Ava help me with eating and getting into a comfortable position. Yet, ther
Maxwell POV The dark, musty smell of the church vanishes, replaced by the frigid winter air as stars suddenly gleam and twinkle around Valen and me as we plummet through the night sky. Wonder and awe fill me as I brave a glance around us. Valen's solid, warm body is flush against mine, and every curve of my body is pressed to the hard-muscled lines of his own. The air whooshes around us, tossing my matted and dirty hair into my face and eyes; if I weren't clinging to the man like a damn lifeline, I would try to contain it.I feel Valen tense under my hands and curse, and I squeeze my eyes shut, gripping him even tighter as my stomach lurches. “Hold on,” Valen yells over the roar of wind and snow around us, and his arms move so that one is looped around my waist and the other grips the back of my neck, keeping my face pressed firmly to his chest.“Valen!” I can’t help but scream as I peek an eye open and watch as the snow-covered ground comes toward us.“It’s okay,” he yells back, h