MAXIMUS I stretched my hand forward, reaching for my mate, but the bed beside me was empty. My eyes snapped open, scanning the room. But she wasn’t there. It was unusual for her to wake up before me and leave without a word. Maybe she went out for a walk, I thought. Yesterday, she seemed distant, lost in thoughts. I wished she would let me help her, allow me to be a shoulder she could lean on. But she still didn’t trust me, and that hurt. She wasn’t to be blamed, though. It was all my fault. And making amends was all I had been trying to do. To fix what I had broken. She hadn’t been treated well in her former pack—something I only realised when her father visited. I should have suspected it earlier when he sold her to me without a second thought. What kind of father does that? The way he belittled her in front of me... it took everything in me not to tear him apart.She deserved better. My goal was to make her feel more loved and cared for than ever before.Someone tried to mind-li
STARLETTE “Iris.” I called on my wolf as soon as I started driving. “Yes?” She replied and sighed in relief. I couldn’t imagine how I would have felt if I had lost my wolf forever. Imagine losing one’s wolf in the process of searching for how to free another person’s wolf. That would have been tragic. “I’m glad you’re still here.” I said. She groaned. “I hated being constrained. It was as if I was locked in a dark hole; I could hear everything but couldn’t do anything.”“I’m sorry I put you through that.” “Okay.” She simply replied before retreating to the back of my mind.My thoughts drifted to Lucius’ wolf, my heart filling up with pity for him. I wondered if that was how he had been feeling all his life. It was a torture no one should have to endure.“Check on your wolf.” I told Bella, and she snapped her head in my direction. “I did that the moment we left that place.” She replied. “Is she okay?” I asked. “Yes.”Suddenly, a couple of military vans appeared in front of us,
MAXIMUSStarlette had been moving really funny. I didn’t want to suspect my mate; I wanted to trust her, but she was making it really difficult. She went from disappearing inside the woods, smelling like my brother, to leaving the pack and lying about her whereabouts. What was she really up to? She made me really anxious. And adding to my growing anxiety was my recent discovery about my brother, Lucius. What did he plan to do now that he had gotten his wolf? Was he conspiring with Starlette to betray me? Was that why I smelt him on her? Damn, my mind was going crazy with infuriating thoughts. I desperately hoped it wasn’t true, because if it was, I didn’t know if I could survive the heartache.The door to the bedroom was pushed open, and Starlette walked in. I had been waiting for her.“Where did you go to?” I asked for the nth time, hoping I would get a different response this time. The truth.She took a deep breath as she approached me, sitting beside me on the bed. I refused to lo
STARLETTEI was feeling down, my spirits low. Maximus had returned to the bedroom late last night and left before I even woke up. It was clear he was avoiding me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he thought of me now. Did he hate me? Did he consider me a traitor?A pain pulled on my chest at that thought. My mind was a crazy mess as I wandered around the pack, hoping to clear my head and ease my mind. But the more I thought about everything, the more my thoughts seemed to spiral out of control. Like hell, I hated this feeling. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to tell him. I had gone to great lengths and risked a lot in trying to help Lucius get his wolf back; I couldn’t back out now, and I certainly couldn’t tell Maximus either. He would ruin every plan. Lucius suddenly appeared before me, pulling me out of my stream of thoughts. Talk about the devil.A smirk played on his lips. “I heard you wanted to see me yesterday.”I sighed heavily. “But you refused.”“But I’m he
STARLETTEToday was the day. The day Lucius would finally be freed from the shackles binding his wolf. After today, I would stop hiding and tell Maximus everything, regardless of the consequences. I only hoped and prayed that he would trust me again. What gave me some comfort was the knowledge that Lucius had no desire for the throne. So, there wouldn’t be any conflict over the crown once his wolf was released.When it was ten minutes before the time we had agreed to meet Amelia in the woods, I grabbed the compass she had given me and asked Bella to mind-link Lucius, reminding him of our arrangement. Fortunately, this time, he didn’t shut her out like he had before.We met at the entrance to the woods and walked together in silence.“Where are you taking me?” Lucius asked, his tone curious. “What is it that you couldn’t say back at the pack house?”“You haven’t told him yet?” Bella asked, clearly surprised.“Shhh.” I put a finger to my lips, silencing her.I turned to Lucius and shrug
MAXIMUSAt 7 PM, I entered the control room to monitor the screen displaying the activities in the woods. It was the time Starlette and Lucius had agreed to meet."Good evening, Alpha," the men monitoring the computers greeted me with a bow.I gave a nod of acknowledgement, standing in front of the screens with my arms folded over my chest.Lucius, Starlette, and her maid, Bella, appeared on one of the screens, and I ordered the men to zoom in. I watched closely, not wanting to miss a thing. Starlette seemed to be following a compass, and I wondered what she was doing with it, where they were going to, and what the hell they were planning. The farther they ventured into the woods, the more my curiosity grew.The idea of Lucius having an affair with my mate briefly crossed my mind, causing irritation to flare up inside me. I quickly shook my head to dispel the thought. If that were true, I would kill Lucius without hesitation."Leave," I suddenly ordered the men in the room.If my susp
STARLETTEI patiently waited for Maximus in the room. No, impatiently. Because I wouldn’t stop pacing, terrified that he might harm Amelia. I was the one who brought her here, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her. I just hoped he would keep his promise not to hurt her.It had only been minutes, but it felt like hours, each second intensifying my anxiety. I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to know if she was okay.I hurried toward the door, my hand just touching the doorknob, when Bella’s voice sounded from behind."Seems you don’t value my life."Blowing out a frustrated breath, I turned around. Anxiety clouded my mind so much that I had forgotten Maximus threatened to take Bella’s head if she let me leave. I didn’t believe he would actually do it, but it was safer not to dare him.“I’m scared,” I admitted, my voice trembling.“I warned you about the risks,” Bella muttered.I so much hated the ‘I told you’ moment. Pacing again, I hoped it might help ease my
STARLETTEHis delicious kisses trailed down my neck, lingering on the spot where he would mark me. My core tightened in anticipation.“Maxim—” My words were cut off by a gasp as he abruptly pulled me up, cradling me effortlessly in his strong arms. Our lusting eyes locked as he walked to the bed and tossed me onto it. His gaze blazed with lust, his animalistic side fully awakened.Within seconds, he was on the bed with me, ripping my little black dress off. It was one of my favourite outfits, but in that moment, I couldn’t care less about losing it. I just wanted to feel his hands on me, his cock in me. Damn, I wanted him so badly. And from the look in his eyes, he was just as desperate for me.My bra and panties were not spared; they were also ripped off so swiftly. His lips reunited with mine, and his warm, rough kisses sent my senses into an overdrive. Slowly, those delicious kisses trailed down to my breast, his tongue teasing my nipple before fully taking it into his mouth. He su