Dimitri’s POV I sank my canines into another rogue’s neck, biting through all the flesh and bone. His body went limp in my mouth. I grabbed him and tossed him to the side. I looked around me and saw my warriors and my guests fighting with the rogues. We were winning, but something about all this didn’t feel right. I had a bad feeling in my stomach ever since Will and I arrived at the border. I thought it was because I had to leave Maddie, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that wasn’t the reason. Will? I mind-linked him as I sank my canines into another one of the rogues coming at me. Yes? He responded, panting a little. Something isn’t right. I mumbled. Look at how they are behaving. A rogue came at me. He barely attacked even though he was a big wolf and he could have done some damage. He snapped his canines at me, missing my arm for only an inch. But it seemed like it was on purpose. He could have hurt me if he wanted to. What the fuck was going on?
William’s POV I was pacing around the room, trying to find some fucking way to remain in focus. Dimitri hadn’t stopped whining or growling. I could tell that he was struggling and that he was in immense pain. I knew that he wouldn’t be able to do shit until he came out of the shock he was in. But that was why he had me. I had to take over until he managed to focus back on what mattered the most. “She was poisoned with wolfsbane,” the pack doctor said as he finished checking up on Ali. “The dose wasn’t big. She will be okay, Beta. The wolfsbane just needs to leave her body.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I almost lost it when I found her on the floor. But at least I found her. At least she was here. Maddie was… Gone. She was fucking gone. “Thank you,” I mumbled as I opened my eyes and looked at my beautiful mate. “You can leave.” The pack doctor nodded. He glanced at Dimitri before he picked up his bag and walked out of the room. Mike and Ellie walked insi
Madeline’s POV I groaned as I turned my head to my right. Every part of my body hurt. What the hell happened to me? Was it the pregnancy? I had no idea that your body could feel like you’d been hit by a train. I had no idea that your head could hurt like someone stabbed a knife into your temples. Would I have to go through 6 months of that? “Hello, my little bird,” someone said softly. The voice was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. I could have sworn that I had heard it before, but I had no idea where. I was probably dreaming. I gulped and felt around for Dimitri. I wanted to press myself closer to him. The pain would be gone as soon as I was in his arms. I couldn’t find him, though. Did he get up already? “I am here, little bird,” the voice said and I felt a large hand cover mine. I didn’t feel tingles. I didn’t feel sparks. I knew Dimitri’s hand and this wasn’t it. Whose hand was that? Where was I? My heart raced a little. The hand squeezed mine
Dimitri’s POV“Have you thought about taking a chosen mate, Dimitri?” my mother asked, making me roll my eyes. “You are 22 years old. It’s time for you to choose a strong she-wolf to become your Luna.”I continued cutting my meat without even looking up at my mother.Skol growled. He hated the thought of having a chosen mate. We would wait for our fated mate. “Leave him alone, Janet,” Mike, my mother’s new mate, said. “He already told you that he wants to wait for his fated mate.”I glanced up at Mike and gave him a small nod.I didn’t really like him. I had nothing against the guy, but something about him never sat right with me. My mother married him two years ago. He wasn’t a Lycan like my mother and me. I never understood why my mother wanted to marry him, but that definitely wasn’t my business, so I never got involved. I tolerated Mike because I had to. Some of our pack members frowned at the fact that Mike was just a werewolf and not a Lycan like my mother and me. Tech
Madeline’s POV “Mom, please, you have to take the pills,” I sighed, trying to get her to open her mouth. We’ve been at this for almost an hour now. I was trying to convince her that she needed her pills, and she was pushing them away and screaming at me that she didn’t want them. She slapped my hand away, and a handful of pills scattered all over the floor. I sighed and got down on my knees to pick them up. “Don’t bother, Madeline,” my mom said. “I’m not taking them.” I looked up at her. I wanted to scream. She didn’t have to be in pain! She was lying in her bed, clutching her stomach, and sobbing quietly. She was covered in sweat. Her white nightgown was wet, and it was sticking to her body. She was pale and so fucking thin. I could barely get her to eat anything. She lost all of her hair months ago. It was really hard for me to see her without her hair, her eyebrows, and her eyelashes. It was the first time I realized that my mom was really sick. I knew that she h
Madeline’s POV “Fuck,” I mumbled as I bent down to pick up a broken piece of plate from the floor. That was the second thing I broke today. Mrs. Rose will kill me. “What’s wrong with you, Mads?” my best friend Alison asked me. “You are so clumsy today.” I ignored her question and walked to the storage closet to grab a broom and a dustpan. “Madeline?” Alison called my name. I glanced up at her as I started sweeping. “My mom isn’t feeling well today,” I mumbled as I looked back at the mess I had made. “She is still refusing to take her pills?” Alison asked worriedly. I nodded, crouching down and swiping the broken pieces into a dustpan. “Did she tell you why?” Alison asked. I stood back up and walked to the trash can. I emptied the dustpan and looked at Alison. “She said that the pills made her numb,” I said. I picked the broom back up and put it back into the storage closet along with the dustpan. “Isn’t being numb better than being in pain?” I heard Alison
Mike’s POV I was holding Janet’s hand in a tight grip. I needed her support. I would see my daughter for the first time in 15 years. I would see my true mate’s body being burned. I would need to talk to my daughter and ask her to come with me. To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. I was freaking out. “Mike?” I heard my name being called. I turned around and saw my old best friend. “Jack,” I mumbled his name. He sighed and approached me and Janet. He continued walking toward the funeral site along with us. “It’s Alpha Jack to you, but I will let it go this time,” he said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. He was still angry at me. He never used to insist I call him Alpha. “This is my mate, Janet,” I said, looking at her and giving her a small smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Alpha Jack,” Janet said politely. Jack looked at her and gave her a small nod. He looked back at me and narrowed his eyes. “Why are you here?” he asked. I gulped
Madeline’s POV “What is my father doing here?” I asked Alpha Jackson. There was a sharp pain in my chest that was slowly being replaced by anger. I wanted that man gone. I didn’t want him here. He made his choice when he left my mom and me 15 years ago. I didn’t want him here. I didn’t need him. “You recognized him?” Alpha Jackson asked, surprised. Of course, I did. “I have his eyes,” I mumbled, wiping the tear from my cheek. “And my mom always showed me pictures of him. She wanted me to remember him.” She loved him so much. She loved him even after everything he did to her. He was her fated mate, who lied to her. He promised to mark her, but he never did. He hurt her so much, and I would never forgive him for it. I looked back at the fire. “I will miss you, mom,” I mumbled quietly. “I hope that you are not in pain anymore.” My voice broke and I stopped to take a deep breath. “I love you,” I continued quietly. “Please watch over me.” I still couldn't believe tha