*Maddox POV*The herbs on my inner thigh soothe the burning sensation of infection that is trying to make its way through my veins. Jariah’s rogues did a damn number on me and one fucker had something on him that my body really isn’t a fan of. They tore my side open, my leg’s purple, and I’m certain I was damn near castration. Despite all of that, every ache and pain, the only thing I can feel is giddy.She said mine.Lana claimed I was hers and whether or not it was the mate bond, I take her jealousy and I cling to it. Lexi washes her hands in the bathroom, rinsing off the medication she placed on my wounds. My eyes are itchy and painful as I force them open and watch Lana burning in rage. I can sense her trying to decide what to do, what to say.She has never been a runner, but the sting of thinking I might already cheat after a huge battle… it might all be too much for her to take. I sigh heavily, not wanting to explain who Lexi is, mostly because even though jealousy isn’t love, i
I slap the healer’s hand away as she tries to move the daisy in my waistband to apply herbs to my reopened abdomen. I growl menacingly at her and she scowls. “They also poisoned you with silver.” She reminds me. I remain rooted and my eyes look over where Matthias lay motionless on the table as four healers rush to figure out what the hell to do next. “I am fine.” I grit out and she huffs as she sets the tin canister on the small side table near me. “Fine. if you feel like applying it yourself, it’s there. I highly suggest you do so.” Then she stalks off. Julian looks at me a few times with a concerned look on his face before he finally grows the balls to come over. “You were supposed to be resting, not traipsing through a fucking meadow.” he growls low as he moves next to me. “I wasn’t traipsing.” I mutter, and I can feel his displeasure. “Yeah, stalking isn’t much better.” he mumbles. “Speaking of… when are you going to go tell Lana?” “When I have better news.” I say simply.
*Lana POV* Maddox’s injuries are far worse than he is letting on, and the fact that even hours later they are still reopening and bleeding has me on edge. I’m not a healer by any means, but I understand the need for rest and it is very obvious he has taken none, possibly in days. His muscles are tense as I try my best to not press too hard, but the furious red ring around his stomach cut has me being a little more attentive than I normally would be. “These are pretty bad,” I whisper, looking up to meet his soft, curious gaze. He looks more like my Mads with his guard down. The one I remember before everything went to shit and my life got out of hand. Right now I don’t see the angry alpha or the menacing scar on his face branding him the worst of our kind. He is just the brown-eyed sweetheart who has always cared more than his heart should have allowed. And damn it, if it’s not doing things to me it shouldn’t. “I’ve had worse.” He says, the corner of his lip tilting up in a small s
I rouse at the soft sounds of whimpering through the bedroom door behind me. My eyes feel heavy as I blink myself awake, my muscles protesting the awkward position from sleeping sitting up. The sounds grow more distressed, louder as I shuffle to my feet and ease the door open. The room is blanketed in black as the whimpers morph into pain filled cries and the sound of rustling sheets fills the room.As my eyes adjust to the dark, I can make out his figure on the bed thrashing. My heart is in my chest as he turns to the side, his arm flailing out as if fending off an attacker. His mumbling picks up as I hasten to his side, unsure of what to do. I’ve never dealt with anyone having nightmares, or whatever this is. I chew on the inside of my cheek, my hand tentatively reaching out to touch him as thrashes again and slaps my hand away. I yank my hand back, fear gripping my heart as I watch his face distort, as though he is breaking apart before me. He jerks upright, gasping breaths as he
*Maddox POV*There are no words I can use to comfort her, nothing to pull her from the ache she is feeling right now. I want to explain to her how I think Allen is a fucking liar and as untrustworthy as his son, but when she is already breaking, would that be helpful? Or would it make things worse and send her off a different type of cliff?It’s been an hour, and she has not moved from my arms, not stirred once other than to pull herself closer to my chest. Shit, this is awful. From her slowly filling the cracks in me to me literally holding her together so she doesn’t completely fall apart. A soft hiccup breaks from her dried lips and her sad eyes tilt up to look at me. I can feel the air hissing from my lungs at the fucking desolation I see. “It’s going to be okay, baby.” I whisper low, pressing my nose to hers. She shudders and wraps her hand around my nape, clinging to me. “Where was he going?” She asks me. Panic seizes my mind at how to answer that question.Can I tell her he w
It’s been a two weeks since the news of Alpha Landon’s supposed death broke. Two weeks have passed since the rogue attack and Matthias still lays unconscious in the healer’s office. And I am no closer to getting the committee to recognize me as anything other than an exile.Word has spread of the Exile Alpha, who has now taken over two packs. I’m officially branded a tyrant and naturally there is outrage as packs that were once our allies pull their treaties, leaving us vulnerable. I relied too heavily on Alpha Landon and the weight he carries with the committee to pledge my honesty. Now it’s all coming back to not only bite me in the ass but possibly take away everything I have been building.On top of all of that, I am left with Lana. Broken as I know she is, she refuses to slow down. Training for hours every day and laying next to me every night. Some nights are better than others, and some nights she crawls into my arms and sobs. I don’t sleep those nights. I wrestle instead wit
*Lana POV*Allen has asked to see me, alone, and as weird as that is, I honor his request. He was the last person with my dad before he died. Even if I didn’t think he was a good fit for Beta, he was still my father’s right-hand man and friend. I rush down the path from the training pitch and break into the healer’s office. The healer on duty, Janet, gives me a warm smile. “Matthias?” She asks.“Beta Allen actually.” I say, and she looks surprised. “Oh. Just checking on him, then?” I give her an enthusiastic nod and she smiles. He is next to Matthias. Just go down one more room.”I give her a grateful smile and move toward his room. My nerves and emotions are rivaling for who is most important at the moment. Seeing him is going to unravel me all over again.That I know for sure. But there is also a part of me that is pissed off that he left my father’s body out there with the rogues to do with what they please. His body never came back with the others. Which is a disgrace. But what
I’m nervous as I pace the bedroom, waiting for the right moment to see Maddox. I went to his office like I always do, but he wasn’t there. Now here I am hours later, worried that I might not get the chance to get the answers I want. Maybe they found Allen and are questioning him themselves, and now I will have no leverage. I wring my hands, deciding I am done waiting.I make my way to the warriors near the dungeon, waving as they give me a big smile and return my greetings. “Alpha down there?” I ask, and they give me a bewildered look. “No, Luna.” “So you guys didn’t find Allen then, huh?” I ask, and they shake their heads.“Nope, not sure why he even ran.” one mutters to the other as I grumble and walk away.I lower my mental barrier in hopes he might have his down and I can mind link him, but no such luck. I prowl around for about an hour before making my way back to his office and pushing the door open without knocking. He sits alone, his head in his hands and his shoulders tens
Thank you to my awesome loyal readers for sticking with me through yet another journey! If this is your first story of mine, then thank you for giving me a chance! I plan to have more stories to come in the future but as my due date for my fifth child is fast approaching everything is up in the air! I am writing a new story but will bot be posting anything until it is finished to ensure that if I go into labor early you arent left waiting for weeks for an update! If you would like to be updated on when I am back to writing and check out my other books you can follow me here on GoodNovel OR you can search me up through other means (I legally cant say where but the place were everyone communicates online these days.) Search Miri's Shifter Cafe for extra insight into characters, sneak peeks, and and new information pertaining to furture works and what is going on in the world of my characters! You all have been amazing on this journey with Maddox and Lana! I would be so honored if y
*Maddox POV**8 years after Lana’s Epilogue*Lana chases little Rosie through the daisy filled meadow, her two younger brothers fast on their heels, growling like the little monsters they are. After spending the day with all the children cooped up in the car, they need to let off a lot of steam. They screech and squeal, our four-year-old Mikail no doubt the loudest as his little cheeks flush pink with effort from running. Declan stops and wiggles his little body, his tongue hanging out as he blows raspberry sounds and then runs off away from his little brother once more. Lana swoops in and scoops Mikail up, propelling him after his bigger brother with a victorious smile on his face. After a little while, Rosie stumbles up to me, her eyes droopy and her hair wet with sweat. I can’t help but chuckle as she wipes her brow and her hair sticks straight up. “Phew. That is exhausting.” She sighs.“Oh, yeah?” I ask and she nods, stealing the bottle of water from my hand and taking a deep s
*Lana POV* *Two years later* The sun peeks out through the horizon, breaking into a new day. The day I get to tell Maddox the amazing news. I have wanted to tell him for more than a week, but he has been off visiting Julian’s pack, which he has officially handed over to the newly mated Lexi and Simeon. It wasn’t at all surprising when Julian called and relayed that he was passing the title off. Maddox and I both knew he never wanted it. I should have just gone with him, but I wanted him and Julian to have their own time. Their bond is deep, one of brothers and one so much more than I ever thought Maddox was capable of with his quiet nature, but Julian compliments him. Or rather annoys him into having a good time. Julian promised me that Maddox would not be allowed to sleep in and that he would make sure he trained daily. I trust he will wake him up early every day, but I do not, however, believe for a damn second he will actually hold Maddox to training. Not that I actually care a
The committee left yesterday, but not without expressing their great upset over not being able to take Allen back with them. Lana, however, stood her ground and insisted they had more than enough information to take to the Waning Moon committee and inform them they are under investigation.Especially since she gave our committee two extra days to gather information from Allen. Two days of him healing from his injuries so he could handle his punishment better, but we kept that bit of information to ourselves. Lynne and Harold made an interesting case for keeping Allen alive, but selfish as it may seem. I want him dead. And so does everyone in our pack. In the end, our pack’s punishment takes priority. Which I am damn thrilled about. It also helped our case that they still have Brian and the three other alphas who they can get information from before they are dulled out a harsh punishment.“Are you up for this?” Lana asks, trying to be a supportive mate, and I frown at her. She shrugs.
I hate it in here. The depressing smell of vibrant flowers wraps around me and the dim lighting that only makes his skin look more sallow. The man laying before me is longer recognizable as my father. His dark veins are the liquid silver now working their way through his sunken cheeks and pale complexion. There is no beating liquid silver when it hits your bloodstream, apparently. I have had silver poisoning, and it nearly killed me. It was a near miss for Matthias as well, who still is recovering. But liquid silver? This is new to us, at least the weaponized version if it. Of course it’s existed. We live in a world separate from humans but not completely removed. I can only imagine the horrors that Allen opened in his pack for the short time he was in charge. Though I doubt he was the first in their pack’s history to do said crimes. He was probably just the first to get caught.I close my eyes, allowing the mental barrier down. My emotions have been so pent up, like a damn nearing c
*Maddox POV* I enter the room with far more composure than I thought I could manage. My wolf stands with me, ready for the onslaught of whatever might come out of Allen’s mouth. I have the answers I wanted, the ones I can give my father to help him rest easy and let go. What I need is to watch Allen break the same way he wanted to break me. But there is a time and place. In front of the committee, before I have cleared my name seems like a bad time. So instead of spinning and facing Allen to relay the gory details of his son’s demise, I remain in check and glance at the faces of those who once again control my fate. “Maddox…” Lynne says in surprise, looking at me as I give her a nod. Allen immediately goes rigid, his eyes darting to the committee members, pleading. I can feel Lana coming in behind me and Matthias tries to hide a smirk. He either knows shit is about to go down or he is hoping it will. I suppose I’m not one for beating around the bush in important matters. “I wante
I have never been more grateful for Maddox to have his mental block up than I am right now. My eyes snap to Harold and Lynne and the remaining committee members, who look just as angry and surprised as I am. Lynne bolts up and storms out of the room, her eyes near red in fury as she passes by slamming the door behind her. I turn back to Allen, loosening my grip a little for him to breathe easier. “And your reason for infiltrating my pack?” I ask him, my chest heaving up and down as I try to remain in control of my temper while Matthias quakes in barely restrained hatred. “If you had permission to do all that, why would you need to enter my pack? Replace Matthias’ dad?” Allen glances at Matthias with a blank expression. “I wanted a pack.” He says, as if the answer were so obvious. I scoff and shove him into the wall. He grunts in pain and steadies himself with his hands. “Bull shit.” I grit out, stepping closer to him in an intimidating fashion. “I was an alpha. An alpha needs a
*Lana POV*The mood is somber as I walk alongside Maddox, his hand secured in mine and his eyes fixated on the ground ahead of us. I know silence is his safe place, but I can tell he is drowning in it right now. But there is no way for me to help him right now. He has shut off the mental link, and I understand why. He needs to wrap his head around this all. When we arrived only an hour ago, Matthias was frantic. He had Allen locked up and guarded. Not that the asshole could make it very far with a gnawed off right foot and mangled left leg. But he couldn’t find Maddox, and he was worried. Matthias doesn’t worry, not like that. Not for people like Maddox, people that rarely need to be worried about. I slide a glance up at him, his jaw clenched and his muscles taut with stress. His cheeks are a bloody mess of deep grooves and blisters and his eyes are red and puffy. He looks fucking terrible, and I have no idea what caused such an injury. All I know is asking will get me nowhere when
I sprint through the woods, my eyes sliding back once to look at my father before I focus my mind solely on Allen. The fucker who can’t seem to play fair. No matter the situation, he always has something up his sleeve. He has never been a fighter, always forgoing training and giving Kohen different dirty techniques to use to win. Dirt in the eyes, silver spiked gloves or a dagger. How the hell did they come up with these disgusting ideas?Using weapons of such magnitude has always been banned. Of course, trying to survive, all bets are off the table, but even just having a silver weapon fashioned is against our rules, our moral code. We are animals, yes, but we already have wolves. Why would we need other weapons?I come up on Matthias who looks over at me, surprise written on his face. I can sense his inner turmoil. Does he help the Mad Alpha or does he try to find Allen before me so he can get his own revenge? What he doesn’t pick up is that I am still here, for the first time in wh