The Conference is tomorrow. I should be excited as Dex will almost certainly be there but I feel sick. Every meeting I’ve attended only highlighted the cavernous gap of Hugo’s presence. At night I heard his screams. Even the wind blowing against my small window sounded like his shrill squeals. Meat made me nauseous and Mina asked me endless questions that I could not answer. All the makeup and jewellery in the world couldn’t disguise the fear and trauma on my face. As I sat numbly scribbling minutes of the meeting, I forced myself to look up at Austin. Each time my eyes met his I remembered the feel of his firm hand around my throat, the relentless thudding of his hand and length hitting my lower back. Mina came to find me in the library where I held a book, unable to take in the words. “Come with me,” she whispered as I stood up and followed. She took me into the gardens where a small tea service was waiting. Ornate porcelain cups and dainty sandwiches gleamed in the sunshine. It

Transferring into Austin’s car, his blue eyes watch my every move. His face is set sternly, fiddling with his jewellery. Examining myself for flaws I force myself to look at him. “You’ll do,” was all he muttered. Examining his own gilded watch, after a few minutes he casually added. “You remember what happened to Hugo don’t you?” “Yes Alpha,” my hands clenched tightly in my lap. Like I could ever forget Hugo. “To ensure you don’t get the same punishment when we return you need to follow my rules.” He leaned forward and brushed a braid of hair from my shoulder. It was the slightest touch, but it felt like the most intimate invasion. His contact was unwanted, cold, and left me feeling dirty. No other pack leader would do that. I asked myself for the thousandth time, why had Beta Glenn sent me here? “The rules are, if you so much as say one single word to Alpha Dex you’re dead. If you give him a sad, pitiful look as though you’re not enjoying life in Greenway, you’re dead.” The f

I’ve half a mind to grab the Ducati and just rev it the hell out of here. What the fuck is going on! She’s there trussed up like a fucking peacock, Austin showing her off like a prize at a fair, it’s unbearable. I smelt fresh grass the instant I walked into the large wooden foyer but I didn’t recognise her instantly. The huge tacky gold crown, the heavy make-up. Even her hair didn’t look the same with all that gold and jewels. But as the realisation slowly crept in I felt my world tremble beneath my feet, my heart, already playing silly games with me lurched in pain. She is exiled. Kate has nothing to do with Fyrestone now. To storm up to her and ask her what the hell was going on would break every rule. I have never wanted to rip Austin’s throat out as much in my life. “What the fuck is she doing here,” my father had grumbled, appearing beside me. “Did you know she had gone to Greenway?” “No, did you?” “No,” he said bitterly, “we have Beta’s who are supposed to get us that kind

I looked around and saw no sign of him. It was his scent, but there was nothing to see but ahead but a black carpet of trees. “Hello,” my timid voice disappearing into the darkness. It was the middle of the night, I doubted anyone else was freshly traumatised and fighting sleep apart from me. A sudden creak of wood above my head made me look up. Unmistakable jet black hair and eyes looked back at me. Dex was staring from the balcony above. His hands clenched as his broad, bare arms rested on the wooden rail. My heart leapt with joy despite his face looking pained. Alongside his shadowed brow I caught a glimmer of angry red in his iris. It didn't appear his heart had leapt the same as mine. “Dex!” I whispered in panic, quickly spinning round and shutting the balcony doors. Zaw, Austin and Etherly’s rooms were on the other side of our shared floor. As much as my heart raced to see him, even this tiny amount of interaction would guarantee my swift death. “More secrets Kate?” his low

I have been such a fucking idiot. The instant she began talking, everything melted away. She could have stolen every fucking jewel in the packhouse and I’d have still kissed those tears away. Everything she told me, it made sense coming from her. She’s exiled, she has nothing to lose by lying to me and it all stacks up. Glenn and Rose though, heads are going to roll when I'm done with them. Those thoughts are for later though, for right now I have the most perfect, naked, honey-haired wonder on top of my body. She is lying on me, our skin still soaked by the fog. Rain softly falls and my heart sinks at the idea this might soon be over. “We don’t have long,” she said sadly, as I sat up against her wall and she snuggled in next to me. “Do you have a plan, Dex?” “Apart from wondering if I can make you come again before dawn, no I don’t,” loving the fact I can make her laugh even in this shitshow of a situation. She linked her fingers with mine and snuggled in to my body. I watched h