TYSONDamn this week has gone by slowly! Rose and I have gotten plenty of things done, but as the days have progressed, the anxiety in the air has been stifling. Rose has taken to pacing her office when she’s not occupied with work or school. She’s worrying about the rescue mission, coming up with numerous scenarios where things can go wrong. I have to constantly reassure her that our warriors know what they are doing. This isn’t our first rodeo.Plus, she’s pregnant and the extra stress isn’t helping her. Telling her these things doesn’t seem to help, but my touch always regulates her heart rate, breathing and blood pressure. So, I’ve been putting the mate bond to good use this week, trying to keep Rose calm.The day after we went to visit Pine Woods, I received an email from Luna Odette, Kent’s mate. I was shocked to see it in my inbox, not to mention a little hesitant about reading it. When I did, I think my eyes bugged out of my head a bit. I cannot believe that she is choosing to
TYSONThe first to arrive is Alpha Cain along with his Beta and just a handful of warriors, including Garrett. He’s brought along maybe ten in total. I don’t begrudge him this. His pack is very small, so him brining ten of his maybe fifty trained warriors is quite a lot. He can’t exactly leave his people unprotected, no one can. And I know he is trying hard to make up for keeping Maddie a secret and to prove that he can be a good ally. Mating Melinda has helped with the olive branch as well. We both want this to work out, for her sake.When Cain steps up to the front steps, Rose quickly envelops him in a hug. He’s shocked at first but then hugs her back gently. Rose has a real soft spot for Cain, and I’d find it annoying, but she explained that he’s like a younger brother. She’s very protective of him and she feels like he needs to be shown that he’s appreciate and wanted. Affection isn’t something he was ever given as a child, so she’s trying to make him feel loved now, but in a sibli
ROSEDawn comes both too quickly and not fast enough for my liking. I don’t want Tyson to have to leave this morning. I want him to stay safe in our bed while I enjoy his warmth on my body.But I need my baby back. Maddie needs to come home to me, to our new amazing life here in River View. To be among people who are like her, who will love her, accept her, and respect her. I know she has found a little niche there at both Blue Meadow and Pine Woods, but this is her home and where she belongs until she is old enough to accept her birthright and lead her pack, should she want it. She deserves an actual childhood, and that is not what she is getting with Kent.I’ve watched all the videos Sullivan and his team have sent over. The Maddie in those videos isn’t the Maddie that I know and have raised for seven years. She is a mini adult, being strong and brave like I told her to. But she shouldn’t have to be, no matter what her future holds.Tyson does his best to distract me from my fear and
MADDIEI wake with a start and bolt upright in my bed. My heart is pounding loudly within my chest. It takes me a few minutes to calm myself. I listen to the sounds of the packhouse around me, making a note of all the creaks and groans from the wood and stone. Other than those, I’m not hearing anything new. So why am I awake?“Infinity? Do you know why I woke up so suddenly? I don’t hear anything.”"No, Mads. I don’t know why, but I feel… restless. Like something is happening. Be alert today.” Infinity responds and I can feel her pacing in my mind.I decide to go ahead and get up, even though it is earlier than normal for me to start my day. I walk over to my large windows and pull the drapes back. The sun is just starting to lighten up the horizon. It is that magical time between nighttime and daytime. When you can see both the sun’s rays and the stars in the sky, all at once. I usually love this time of day, but today feels different. Ominous.I put on my workout wear and pull my hai
MADDIEBeta Paul walks me down to the dungeon and places me in a cell. He turns and locks it up, then opens the cell across from mine. Inside is Kevin. He’s secured with silver cuffs up against the wall, his arms pulled out tight to his sides against the cinderblocks. He’s already got bruises forming on his face and torso and blood dripping down to the floor. Little blood puddles have formed under him. He looks up at me with sadness in his eyes and I know, with that one look, he told them about my involvement. I thought I had kept it quiet from him, but I guess he figured some things out. My guess though, they forced him under Alpha or Beta command. He hates the ranked males in Blue Meadow. He wouldn’t tell them poop without being commanded.“Your little lap dog here spilled his guts. Told us all about your's and Luna’s plans to stage a coup.” Beta Paul sneers at me.“Uh huh, sure he did.” I answer back as I look around at my cell and the whole of the dungeon. Disinterest clear on my
TYSONI cut the link to Rose as soon as Zeus and I tell her that we love her. I know she is worried about all of this, and it is her first experience with a shifter battle, but I know I’ll be fine. Zeus is a powerful, ancient wolf. He will decimate dozens before we hit a real challenge to our strength. Although, the biggest challenge will be to try to minimize the lives lost. These warriors we are going up against will be Maddie’s pack members one day in the future. I don’t want to kill any of them indiscriminately.It takes a few hours to run to Blue Meadow. We stopped running miles ahead of their territory and proceeded with stealth. My first warriors took out their border patrol silently, with darts laced with a mixture of wolfsbane and water hemlock. Again, we’re trying to not take anyone out needlessly. Most pack members of trash Alphas are only following orders. They don’t necessarily believe in the orders. Killing people that are just doing their jobs is what crap Alphas do.On
ROSEI am flying across the roads and highways trying to get to Blue Meadow as quickly as I can. George and Ike are holding on for dear life and I think I can hear George whispering a prayer to Selene when my car catapults into the air. I’ve maintained my 110mph through most of the drive which has kept the guys in high anxiety mode. We don’t get too far off the pavement with that larger bump, but the way down is rough, and we bounce several times on the landing.“Luna, please slow down. The rest of the team can’t keep up. Plus, it feels like you’re trying to kill us.” Ike pleads with me, looking a little green.“Then they should drive faster. And I am not trying to kill you.”“Their SUV isn’t designed to drive that fast, plus they can’t take turns like this car doeeeeeees!” His voice goes higher pitched as I take a curve much faster than he’s comfortable with.“Well, you’re getting your wish. Wolves directly ahead and they’re fighting. I’m going to have to slow down. Do you know which
INFINITYMaddie and Kevin step out of the dungeon into a warzone. Both of their eyes blow wide at the scene, and I can feel Maddie’s panic. We knew this was coming, but I don’t think she anticipated how ugly it was going to be. I lift my head and I smell the rotting garbage scent of rogues. It seems Maddie’s father knows no bounds. Humans, most likely hunters, for kidnapping, rogues as mercenaries, slavery, killing his mate and sexual deviancy. He really does need to be put down.The panic coming from Maddie hasn’t lessened as we look around on where to go and not be noticed. I have been saving up my strength the last few days, so I pull Maddie back and take full control. She doesn’t fight me on it and that tells me she is very overwhelmed right now. She puts on a good show, but the constant state of alertness and feeling the danger around her, she is slowly breaking. After this morning, seeing Odette killed, and then staying neutral to save Kevin, she’s at her max for today.“Rest Mad