Fear and favor Max walked through the packhouse on his way to the training grounds, but unlike every other morning when he did so, his pack members didn’t greet him with smiles and enthusiasm, they looked almost gloomy. Max couldn’t put his finger on it, but it was almost as if the pack was in mourning. “What’s up with everyone?” He muttered to himself when he stepped out the back door. They went about their day slower than usual which confused Max. When Max reached the training grounds he observed the way they sluggishly sparred, no one seemed into the training as he was used to and he approached Landon, knowing his Beta would have answers. “What’s going on?” He asked seriously, flooding his arms across his chest with his eyes narrowed. “Word spreads fast in packs, Max. You should know that.” Landon didn’t spare him a glance. “What word?” His frown deepened. “You didn’t spend the night at home last night.” Max froze, he knew people would notice, he didn’t however expect t

On her own two feet “She literally hasn’t slowed down since she got the idea in her head and it’s scary.” Max all but whined to his best friends as they watched Star rush around. When she proposed the idea of a housewarming he readily agreed to the idea simply because she asked, not knowing how he’d come to regret it. Star didn’t seem to care much about slowing down and Max fought with his instinct to protect her- even from herself, in an effort to give her some of the independence she craved, but he still worried incessantly that she would hurt or overexert herself. “I think she’s doing great, it's pretty impressive what she’s been able to achieve while still on crutches and maybe this is what she needs to get back into the swing of things.” Landon sided with her, much to Max’s annoyance. “I hate how everyone takes her side,” Max grumbled, folding his arms over his chest like a petulant child. “You do too, honey.” Donna supplied like it was yesterday’s news and Max’s scowl de

Starstruck Taking a deep breath, Star pulled open the ensuite door, holding her breath as the bedroom came into view. Max’s back was turned to her and Star admired the way the muscles on his back flexed with every slight movement, if he heard her come into the room, he made no indication and for a moment all the nerves she felt flew out the window. The air in the room was different somehow, but seeing him standing there calmly brought her a sense of composure.  Her silky nightgown cooly brushed against her skin as her legs carried her closer to him and with a final intake of air, she placed the tips of her manicured fingers between his shoulder blades.  Max stilled under her fingers, shocked by the bold move. They’d been teasing one another all night and he silently

An outsider No matter how hard she tried, Star could not concentrate fully on the task at hand which didn’t bode well for her since she had a deadline that was fast approaching. “Knock, knock.” Greg’s voice startled her, but a smile quickly blossomed on her face upon seeing him in the doorway. “Hey, come in.” Greg closed the door behind himself and took a seat in his usual chair on the opposite end of Star’s desk. “Alpha Max said you needed some help?” Star nodded solemnly. “Yeah, I’ve contacted all the suppliers on our database and a few new ones, so far no one can match the prices we're looking at, but there’s one company that isn’t on the database that is willing to supply us at a reasonable price if we can guarantee future business. Now I know we do from time to time set up contracts with providers, but I can’t find the contract template we use so that I can map out the agreement before I present it to the board.” Star sighed and Greg shook his head with a disbelieving smi

A step in the right direction “Is that what I think it is?” Donna blinked slowly when she laid eyes on the necklace around Star’s neck.  “Depends, what do you think it is?” Star smirked.  “Is that Luna Lockwood’s necklace?” Star grinned and nodded. All morning she received awe-filled, excited looks as she flaunted the necklace for the pack to see.  “When did he give you that?” She reached out to touch it, but her fingers simply hovered as if she were afraid something would happen if she touched it.