MAXI'm awoken at 6am by a pounding on the front door. I get up, careful not to wake Victoria, and go out to see what's happening.James, our beta, is standing on the doorstep."You have to come quick," he says. "There's a fire."I look out into the woods and see a faint orange glow in the distance. The fire is miles away, but it's still terrifying to see. Something must have happened. I can't imagine what it is. This fire is serious. If it's not under control, it could spread all over the camp. It's going to tear through the forest fast, and if it reaches us, the pack could be in serious danger. Lives could be lost.I can't let that happen.James and I run over to the camp office. I yell at the team of firefighters who are there to help. "We need to get water into the forest as soon as possible. Make sure the nearby streams are clear of debris and that the water levels are high. We're going to need the water to douse the fire. This is no time to be messing around. We need to
It's been hours, but Max still hasn't come back. I can only assume he's fighting the fire, but I wish I knew for sure. I wish he'd left me some sort of note.I wish I knew he was safe. There's still no sign of him, and I'm starting to get worried.This is a big fire, and it's spreading fast. I can tell just by looking at it that it's a serious fire. The trees, the soil, the plants-- all of it is burning. It's turning the whole area into a disaster area.I don't have a lot of experience with forest fires, but I'm realizing just how dangerous they can be. This fire is moving faster than I would have thought possible. It's only a matter of time before it reaches the camp and destroys everything.I'm not sure what I'm going to do if I have to leave the camp. It's not like I can just walk out of the woods. I don't know what would happen to me if I did. The woods aren't safe, and even if I did manage to get out, I'd have no idea where I would go.Plus, there's no way I would ever leav
MAXAs I shut the cabin door, my heart breaks. The proof Jacklyn showed me was compelling, but still, it's hard for me to believe Victoria would really do this.I was so sure she loved me. I was so sure she was my true mate. It's hard for me to imagine I could have been this wrong.But I was. I must have been. She's set a fire that's put my whole pack in danger. And that's where I need to focus my energies now.Victoria doesn't matter now. Only the pack matters.I go to tell my guys to triple check the evacuation of the camp. Then, I return to the front line to see if there's anything else I can do to help stop the fire.Every time I look at the fire, it's like it's getting bigger. It's like it wants to swallow us up.It's hard to put out a fire like this, but I can't walk away from it, either. We're all doing the best we can, but despite our best efforts, it seems like the fire is winning.It's not long before the fire is burning dangerously close to the camp. I can see the
I still can't believe he banished me. After everything that's happened, everything I've been through, I thought I had finally found my true mate. My one chance of happiness. And now he's gone too.I don't know what to do or where to go. I have no pack. No home. No mate. Nothing.I'm not even sure I have a reason to live. But I do know I don't want to die in this fire. So I run.I run for miles and miles, moving in a straight line. I'm not sure where I'm going, I just know that I need to go as far away from here as possible.The tears are welling up in my eyes. I know I need to be strong, but I can't help myself. I fall down to my knees and sob. I think about everything I've lost. My pack. My sense of safety and security. My chance to fit in with a new pack. And now, I've lost my true mate-- been banished by him all because of the lies of a jealous rival. It's like I'm stuck in a never-ending nightmare.I sit there and cry for a long time. I don't know what to do next. I don't kn
I can't stop coughing. The water that was filling my lungs comes out in spurts as Max cradles my head. He looks terrified, and I feel terrible for scaring him this way.I cough more, and then I breathe in deeply. My chest feels tight, and I can't catch my breath."Victoria," Max whispers. "Are you okay?"I nod and take another breath. I'm still coughing but I'm breathing. It hurts, but it's so good to be breathing again."Yeah," I whisper back. "I'm okay. I'm okay."Max stares at me and smiles. He looks like a little kid on Christmas morning, and he leans forward and kisses me. I feel the pressure of his lips against mine, and I return his kiss.He's here. He's really here. I don't know how he found me, but I'm so glad he did. I don't know what I would've done if he hadn't come back for me.I pull away and start coughing again. I sit up and Max puts his arm around me. He leans over to kiss me again, but I cough again. I cough so hard I start to throw up."Easy," Max says. "Do
JACKLYNI was so close to having it all.The fire was a good plan. Brilliant, even. And it worked, too. At least, initially.But then that jerk James had to go and launch an investigation. And those busybodies had to tell him they saw me, and now everything is ruined.The camp is falling apart. They're saying that I set the fire, and that I was going to kill everyone. Nobody will believe me. Nobody ever does.I'm the villain now, and Victoria is the hero. She's had her punishment and now everybody loves her. I'll never get the chance to be the good guy again.But maybe that's not such a bad thing. Maybe I should just embrace it. I don't need to be the good guy here. I just need Max.I need to find a way to get him back. I know he thinks he loves Victoria, but he doesn't. Not really. He can't. Because he's my true mate. Mine.And I'll do whatever it takes to get him back. I could kill her. That's one option. It would be easy, too. She's so weak from everything she's been t
JACKLYNFour hours later, I walk back to the witch's cottage. I can't believe this is happening. It feels like I've been waiting for this day for a lifetime, even though Victoria and I have just met. In just a few short days, she's ruined something I've spent my whole life working towards. And today, she's finally going to get what she deserves.I knock on the door again, and the witch opens it. She's holding a vial in her hand. "I have your potion," she says. "This is it. And it's very powerful. If you use it, you're going to make sure they are completely over each other. Forever.""What's in it?" I ask. I'm a little nervous. I know this sort of magic is dangerous, but this is the potion that I need. It's going to solve all my problems. It's worth it, no matter the risk."Dark magic," she says. "All you need to know is that it's going to work. I promise.""It won't hurt her, right? I don't want to do anything except break them up. If she dies, they'll blame me.""That's
MAXIt's amazing what a difference a few days can make. A week ago, I didn't even know Victoria. Two days ago, I thought we were going to lose everything and everyone we loved in a fire.But we didn't.And now, her I am, standing at a celebration with my true mate, getting ready to announce my engagement-- getting ready to share the news of my one true love with my pack. My family. And I have never been happier."Are you ready?" I ask Victoria."Yes," she says. I can't help but love the way she looks in her strapless pink dress. She's the most beautiful girl in the world, and she's going to be my wife. I can't believe this is really happening. But it is.I pull her in for a kiss, and her lips are soft and sweet. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close.I take her hand, and we walk over to a clearing where people are already gathering. Victoria and I are standing in front of everyone. We came here together, but now it's time for me to let her go."Fo