Blake POVI dropped my eyes to the ground as my mother raced down the stairs towards me grinning, completely unaware of the utter devastation I was about to throw on her. Will shoved past me as I stood, arms folded, shoulders hunched wishing the ground would swallow me whole. My siblings trailed behind my mother. My oldest brother sported his usual scowl whenever Maddox included me in anything without taking him. He always envied my status of Beta Male, arguing that as a young, inexperienced Alpha, Maddox should have picked someone older and wiser like him. A day ago I thought my father was the wisest man I knew and he turned out to be an idiot."Hey," I heard Will's voice squeak. I followed my mother's gaze as she slowed her descent towards me to study the strange new male in our space. Will stood in front of Amber rocking side to side, chewing on his lip. Amber ground her toe into the hardwood floor."Hi," she smiled. "I'm W

Maddox's POV Samson barrelled into the cell, barging into my shoulder as he passed. The chair I sat on spun sideways crashing to the ground as I jumped to my feet. Samson dropped to the bench, scowling at me, his arms folded across his chest and his jaw clenched."What do you want?" He snarled."I apologise in advance for the questions I need to ask," I said trying to smooth things over. Samson scowled in response. "Did you know Henry was alive?""Do you see his dead body laying at my feet?" Samson hissed. "My father betrayed my family. The next time I see him he's a dead man.""So you haven't been in touch with him since he left?""No, Mason, I haven't been in touch with him. Have you been in touch with your father? Has your grandad?""Not that I'm aware," I said fighting to keep my building frustration from edging into my tone. "But my family will be questioned next.""By who? B

Kayla's POVTime seemed to slow down. My body refused to move as quickly as I commanded it to. Will and Blake struggled to hold Maddox up. His glassy eyes stared ahead, unseeing."Lena," I begged, "I can't lose him.""He's lost a lot of blood," Lena said, "and Shadow can't heal him. I'm sorry, Kayla.""Bull," Blake snapped. "He's stronger than this Lena and you know it. He promised me it wasn't a fight to the death. He promised."A heavy lump formed in my throat.Maddox's grandparents raced towards us. His grandfather scooped his lifeless body into his arms and sprinted into the woods."Send the Lycan boy to meet the witch," his grandfather called back, "bring her to my cabin. He wouldn't want the pack to see him like this."When we reached his grandparent's cabin Maddox was laid on the sofa, glazed eyes still open, his arm flopped over the edge and blod dripping in a steady flow from his side landing in a stic

 Maddox's POV   A few of my pack loitered in the hall strolling between the kitchen and the dining hall. Casper's voice boomed from the office. Will stood guard outside the door.  "Casper sent everyone back to their cabins after Gage sent reinforcements to help guard your territory," Will explained the unusual silence after the chatter and bustle of the last few days.  "Casper has no right to make that call," I growled. Mountain Ridge was my pack, the people mine to protect. Since his arrival Casper had slowly chipped away at my power, questioning the loyalty of my pack and my every move.  "That's what I said," Will shrugged, "but, I have no right to be challenging your King, that's on you." I nodded making my way to the office. Lena, Blake and Kayla followed.  "Finally," Casper growled as we opened the door and filtered inside. He paced the small room with his arm

Maddox's POV   Willow's heartwrenching sobs echoed through the dusty library. Her tears soaked Kayla's shoulders as she hugged the witch tight. Casper shuffled from foot to foot. Gage loitered behind the embracing women, his gaze shifted down.  The sun had long since dipped behind the trees outside. The flickering orange glow of candlelight bounced off the walls, shimmering in Kayla's deep chestnut hair. Willow's wavy mane was thinner, duller, lacking the shine of Kayla's but the shade matched exactly.  Willow's knees buckled, she folded in Kayla's arms. Kayla stooped with her, gently lowering the weeping woman to the floor. "She killed my baby," Willow wailed. "She forced me to help her and then she killed my babe anyway. I never got to see her. I never got to hear her cry or stroke her head or smell her soft skin. She never knew my touch." "I'm sorry," Kayla said, pulling away, her hands still rested o