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“We’re falling. We’ve been fighting for a long time, but we can’t last much longer. Soon, the pack will be gone.” Michael pushed the explanation out in one breath, then watched her carefully. Maddie stared. His words slowly filtered into her mind but they didn't stick. “That can’t... Can’t be right. Dark Night is the second most powerful pack in the kingdom.” “That was a long time ago, Madeline.” He spoke softly, as if it was her who would bear the heartache of the news of his home. “We fell from power back then and have been clawing to keep ourselves alive and a pack ever since.” She pressed a hand to his chest, every thought in her mind firing off a new question that she couldn’t find the strength to speak. What he said went against everything she knew of Dark Night; the strong powerhouse of a pack that her father didn’t dare go to war with. To think of them as broken, lost, defeated, wasn't possible, however she didn’t doubt Michael. She couldn't, not with the raw pain in h
Their pace was steady as they travelled through the woods. Maddie had tried to argue that she could shift and they could move quicker, but Michael had refused after changing her bandages. Her shoulder was healing slowly thanks to the silver blade that had cut her deep and, even though she protested, she held her arm against her chest taking the weight off the wound. They had decided they wouldn’t stop again until they reached Silver Moon, and he answered her grumbles by reminding her of the hours of walking they had left to do. He had woken her at first light, an apology in his tone. It didn’t matter that she had wounds to lick or that she was weighed down with exhaustion, they still had the trial to pass, and now winning seemed even more important than before. Michael didn’t seem to have any problem continuing like nothing had happened. She wondered if that was what his life had been like for the last sixteen years; fighting for his, and his pack’s, lives every day, leaving him w
Neither of them moved. Their Eyes stuck on the body. Blood pooled from its wounds; its arm twisted at an angle that made Maddie wince, but she couldn’t look away. Nala was a great warrior. She was strong and fast and didn’t take any shit from her male counterparts for being a woman. Though they hadn’t really talked before, she had offered her help to Maddie and seeing her so broken and alone made acid burn in her throat. Michael jerked, pulling himself from his shock as he raced across the ruined campsite to the body. He skidded to his knees at Nala’s side, his hands fretting over her like they didn’t know what to do. He steeled his pale features and then reached for her neck with two fingers. Maddie held her breath. “She’s alive.” He whispered. Then whipped his head around to her, frantic as called out. “Madeline, come and help me.” She moved, at his side in a moment, trying to ignore the way her stomach churned at the thick scent of death hanging over Nala. Though her heart
“All three of them? But they were split up.” Maddie whispered, though she couldn’t see or hear the wolves. Her stomach dropped. It had been Lewis’ idea to split the three Red Dawn wolves up and yet they had found their way back together and managed to ditch their team members. She didn’t know if Nala had been left behind and then attacked by rogues, or if Daniel and Mark had taken her down, but there was something malicious going on. Why else would they be waiting in the port if they could cross over to Silver Moon and secure their places in the next trial. Michael returned to Nala’s side and rummaged through her pockets before he pulled a glowing rock from her cargo trousers. Maddie’s hand came to her chest, feeling the pair to it beneath her t-shirt. “This is just in case we get separated.” He slipped it over his head, before locking her with a firm gaze. “I need you to stay here and watch Nala.” A prickle raced down her arms, sending a shudder through her. “Where are y
Michael grunted at the sudden drop in temperature. Being an inland wolf, he had confessed that he wasn’t the strongest swimmer, and had voiced his concern for the plan once or twice. However, they didn’t have another choice. They couldn’t chance circling back to find another port in case the Red Dawn wolves decided to give up the wait and finish the trial, and they couldn’t face them head on either. Swimming was their only option. Despite his worries, Maddie was certain that she could navigate him through the waves. On calm days, like that one, there wasn’t much difference to swimming in a lake. It would be colder and harder on their bodies, but she trusted his strength to get through it. All she needed was his endurance to hold up to make the distance. Between them, they each held a rope that led to Nala’s raft. He had protested at first, knowing the swimming would be rough on her wounded shoulder and she didn’t need the extra weight, but she had stood firm in her decision. She wra
Everything hurt. The feeling was becoming familiar to her after the last trial and the training sessions in between. Maddie wondered if she would ever finish a trial without feeling like she had been chewed up and spit out. Her body was leaden, trying to coax her to just lie down and go to sleep, but she remained on her knees, the last of her energy keeping her upright. Bodies surrounded her as she sagged, panting her efforts and feeling the burn of the day rip through her harsher than before. She could barely look up to thank the wolves around her but managed to tilt her head towards Michael. Though he was still on his feet, there was a tremble to his frame. She smiled, but her happiness was cut short when Erik’s roar cut above the crowd. He was at Nala’s side in a moment, fretting over her body much like Michael had done the day before. He growled with each expelled breath, sharing terse words with the Dark Night Alpha that she couldn’t hear. Then, he was calling for help with the
Maddie squirmed. She couldn't stand still, yet she couldn’t bring herself to continue on or leave either. It was silly really. They had just spent the last few days constantly at each other’s side, travelling together and sharing a campsite, but it was standing outside his door that was difficult. She hadn’t thought much of her plan to visit Michael until she was already walking down the corridor to his room. Unease had settled over her like a sudden tide and her hands were quickly flushed with the urge to wring themselves of all feeling. It was the first time she had been out of her room since Jess had unceremoniously dumped her on her bed after the trial. Her friend had awkwardly lingered, her eyes flickering to the door, asking halfhearted questions, before Maddie finally told her to go and find Erik. She was too tired to hold a conversation anyway. They'd have time to catch up later. As Jess left, she barely managed a wave of thanks before she was out like a light. She had brie
His lips were like liquid fire as they claimed hers; a red-hot desire burning into her, making Maddie melt into his embrace. He held her like the restraints on his touch had shattered; tight, firm, possessive. He locked her to his body like he couldn’t bear to let her go but it still wasn’t enough. She pushed against him, loving the way her softer body moulded around his. She threaded her fingers into his hair, clutching to press his lips closer, to taste more of him. It was heady, it was carnal, it was the tension of days in each other’s company with little more than a tease shared between them. And it still wasn’t enough, With a growl she climbed into his lap, nestling her legs either side of him. His hands grabbed at the back of her thighs, kneading the flesh and helping her balance. Maddie rocked against him in time with their desperate kisses, creating a frenzied rhythm between them that demanded satisfaction. Michael danced sweet kisses over her throat, her head rolling bac