Just one for now, lovelies! For those asking, hell week is just a term, and I don't have the exact number of chapters or days before it's over, as some scenes take more than a chapter or two. 💛 Thank you for waiting and reading! And for all the comments and gems! Please keep them coming!
NADINE.“What happened?” Mindy’s face showed concern as she crouched in front of me. I pulled on the chains that held me in order to make some sound. I was not even sure if it could be heard in the corridor because the water was also making a lot of noise. But I wanted to mask our voices more. “I’m a Montrell, Mindy,” I said in a low voice. I kept my eyes on her, not wanting to miss any reaction. Up to this moment, I was not sure how Mindy took our last encounter. But if there was any doubt in my heart that she hated me, it went away the moment her face softened and tears welled in her eyes. Without letting go of the high-pressure hose in one hand, she wrapped her free arm around my neck and hugged me. Her warmth enveloped my whole body, just what I needed at the moment.“You’re crazy for coming here!” She mumbled, but she began peppering me with kisses on the side of my head. “But I’m glad to meet you.”She pulled away from hugging me, and a wide smile was plastered on her face. “
XANDER. We left Nadine at the central plaza and headed back to the packhouse. I didn’t want to leave her, but I had to play my part. I knew she was safer with Maddox’s men around her than if he were there.They would not kill or hurt her without him, as my evil brother wanted to see Nadine suffer. I was just buying time and trying to think of the best approach. I didn’t want to make hasty decisions because one wrong move could cost Nadine’s life. So even if I had to swallow my pride and act like a puppet to my brother, even if it meant the people who liked Nadine might end up hating me, I had to do it. Nadine above all. Maddox asked me to eat a late lunch with him, which I did. After that, he went directly to his office and locked himself there. And I hurried upstairs to the guest room, where I found Nadine on the phone. I was still grieving, knowing she was in love with someone else, but I had decided to let it go for now. I needed to save her. When I was sure no one was on the s
XANDER.It had been more than a week, and I was not able to get near Nadine anymore.If there was any consolation, no one had touched or tortured her after the first day. I had no idea what Maddox had in mind, but he had Gray here most of the time, and they would lock themselves in his office. I was his Beta, but I no longer felt like his second in command, except when it was about the usual pack concerns—not anything relating to Nadine and whatever he was conniving with Gray. Kenzo felt the same way. He had asked Maddox to let him and his men take charge of Nadine, but Maddox had dismissed the request right away. He told him to concentrate on his work and leave Nadine to himself.Kenzo was still treating me coldly. He was not in agreement with how I had just abandoned Nadine, but I had no choice but to shut my mouth. I was also concerned about him, as I could see him becoming agitated whenever the topic shifted to her. Maddox had already slipped, and he told me he was watching him.
MINDY.“Can you get me some water? I forgot to take one.” I asked Carter. He had been the one in here most of the time, and I had been doing my best to smile at him more often. And I could tell it was working, as he would flirt with me on some days. I was not comfortable with flirting. The truth was, I was not comfortable around any other men except for Xander. But I swallowed it all and just let him flirt with me. I never flirted back because I didn’t know how, but I kept smiling and nodding my head at him.“Where will I get bottled water here? I don’t want to run upstairs to the security room. It takes too much time.” He then cocked his head to the other side before smirking at me. “I’ll pull down the hose here. She can drink from it.”“Yes, she can, but then it would be a big mess, and I’m the one who’ll end up cleaning up the mess. The Alpha ordered me to keep her cell clean and dry to avoid molds,” I said in a soft voice before biting my bottom lip. “I can also go up there and
MINDY.“Arlo?” My voice almost didn’t come out. My heart was thudding so loudly that it felt like it would jump out of my chest. I was nervous, but I couldn’t deny the excitement I felt when I heard his voice. “This is Arlo. Who is this?” He asked. I could picture him smiling at the other end, and it made my shoulders relax.“Mindy. My name is Mindy…” I answered, but I got lost in what to say next.“Hello, Mindy. Do you need something from me?”“I need you.” I blurted out.Dead air.What did I just say to him? I felt my cheeks burning. I sounded so needy. It shouldn't be like that.“Okay.” I expected him to laugh or mock me, but there was nothing. His voice turned serious when he spoke. “Are you okay?”“Nadine is…” I attempted to continue, but I nearly choked, so I decided to stop. I didn't want to experience the pain of not being able to breathe like what happened when Nadine took me out of the territory.The Alpha command. The Alpha specifically instructed me not to discuss the Mo
XANDER.“Are you fucking nuts? Why would I run as Council Head?” Maddox chuckled and shook his head after Gray said that they could file a candidacy for him. “I can assure you, I have people who will support you. If Dad was not in a bad place, I would nominate myself.”“Still a no.”“Are you afraid of Jacob?” Alpha Gray asked.“Fuck, no. But I’m not stupid enough to run, so all attention will shift to me when I'm trying to lie low at the moment. I made the mistake of showing Catherine the big warehouse. Running against her father for that election meant they would campaign against me. I cannot afford them using her against me.”“Then you’re afraid of him.”“I don’t care what you think, but I’m not going to put my ass on the problem that you started.”“I need help! Or we will both rot in hell!”“Just you. You and your father made a big mess on the Council. I’m not part of that.”“We gave you a permit to transport…”“Stop your fucking mouth from talking!” Maddox growled as his coiled ha
XANDER.It was almost dinner time, and I remained seated in my chair inside my office at the training building, facing the window adjacent to the security building entrance. I’d been watching this view for many hours already, waiting to see if Maddox would visit Nadine so I could go there as well. I needed to sort out a lot of paperwork, but I couldn’t concentrate. All I could think of was my conversation with Carlotta earlier. **FLASHBACK TO A FEW HOURS AGO.After lunch, I headed to the training building to start working on the paperwork that I’d been ignoring for the past couple of days. I used it as an excuse to get away from Maddox while thinking of a diversion that I needed to do tomorrow night to make sure Nadine would be safe.I was not even in my office for ten minutes when a knock came through the door.Carlotta. She followed me here as she ate lunch with us at the packhouse. “Come in,” I told her as I closed the folder that I was holding and secured all the documents on my
XANDER.It had been over an hour since my mindlink conversation with Kenzo, and he still wasn’t doing anything. I expected him to take action right away, not when everyone was asleep.I only have 24 hours before the full moon. Everything needed to take place tonight, or tomorrow night will end up in chaos.I saw Carter enter the security building earlier, but Rico didn’t leave. He was still inside. And then, a few minutes ago, Carter left the building. I wondered if he told Rico to connect with me once Kenzo was inside.I hope he did. I could surely see Kenzo if he entered through the entrance, but there was also the exit on the other side, which I couldn’t see.I was still contemplating if I should connect with Rico when a figure appeared in the middle of the grounds. My heart thudded loudly as I finally recognized the form. Kenzo. And he was heading for the security building, where Nadine was. I closed my hands into tight fists and closed my eyes. I talked to my wolf and told him