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🔥 My Alpha mate called me lower than an omega and hid our bond. I promised to leave after graduation. Then five wolves nearly killed me—and he was the one who saved me. 👑 Chapter 1 If you’re somebody in a wolf pack, life comes preloaded with comfort. Doors open. People smile. You’re protected. You’re provided for. I used to live like that—right up until my dad died. He was head warrior. He went down shielding the Alpha, and the second he was gone, my mom and I stopped mattering to the ones at the top. Mom had never needed a job before. She’d met her mate at eighteen, had me, and built her whole world around home while Dad handled everything outside it. That was five years ago. Sometimes I still don’t understand how she survived losing him. I don’t understand how she kept breathing when her other half was suddenly just…gone. She’s the toughest woman I’ve ever met. She had to be, after they stripped us of everything—our house, our car, the life we’d been promised like it couldn’t be touched. Now we sit below even the omegas. Mom takes whatever dead-end shifts she can get, stringing them together to cover the inflated “fees” the Alpha dumps on us, just so we can eat. And I’ve watched her fade since Dad died. She barely eats. She works until she’s a ghost. She doesn’t take care of herself anymore. The old Alpha handed power to his son, and the new one is just as brutal, just as smug. All Mom wants is for me to get out. To leave this pack behind and carve out something that isn’t misery handed down like inheritance. The morning I woke up on the couch, rain was hammering the trailer windows so hard it blurred the world outside. The sky looked like it had decided to punish everybody. I slid off the couch and shuffled toward the kitchen, hunting for coffee. That’s when I saw them: a handful of flowers, obviously picked by hand, standing in a chipped vase. A note was propped in front. Happy Birthday Maddox, I’m sorry I can’t be there to celebrate with you. But you have a good day. You’re finally 18. I can’t believe it. You’ve grown up so quick. I love you. Love Mom. Briar’s voice brushed my mind, warm and soft. “She really does love us.” “We know,” I told her. “I know. Are you going to have anything besides coffee?” “Yes,” I said—and opened a drawer, pulling out a packet of cigarettes. I stood by the tiny kitchen window, rain streaking the glass, and lit one. Briar snapped, anxious. “I still can’t believe you stole those. If you get caught, you’re done. The Alpha will toss you in the dungeon.” “Relax,” I muttered, exhaling. “Nobody saw me.” “Only because you got lucky.” I went into the bedroom and dug through my side of the only closet we had. Frayed jeans. Black T-shirt. Black boots. I slung my bag over my shoulder, tugged on a raincoat, and stepped out of the trailer Mom and I shared. The walk to school always took about thirty minutes. The pack had pushed us as far away as they could manage, dumped near the treeline in a stretch that felt like nowhere—no neighbors, barely any patrols, just mud and quiet. By the time I reached the building, I looked like I’d been dragged out of a lake. I peeled off my raincoat, shoved it into my locker, and started yanking out books for first period. The bell was close. Footsteps and voices rolled down the hall toward me. A group. I glanced over and recognized every face. Some used to be friends. Some I’d never wanted near me to begin with. Now they all hated me. Being looked down on by omegas wasn’t normal, but Mom and I were a special kind of unwanted. They passed, and I kept my eyes on my locker—until the guy in front drove his shoulder into me. My face hit metal. Pain flared, sharp and hot. Laughter trailed after them as they kept moving. I drew back, touched near my eye, and felt wetness—blood. “Asshole,” I spat. They stopped. Ryker turned first, like he owned the corridor. “What did you just call me?” “You heard me.” He handed his bag off to one of his friends and came closer. He tried to loom, but at six-one I didn’t give him much room to tower. “You should watch your mouth,” he said, voice slick with threats. “Or we can take this behind the gym. I heard you’ll spread your legs for anyone if it means you get fed.” He reached up and brushed hair away from my face like he had the right. I slapped his hand aside. His expression twisted, and then he grabbed my arms and slammed me back into the lockers. A ring of students began to form, hungry for it. “Don’t you ever put your hands on me again, tramp,” he hissed. “I outrank you.” “Go to hell,” I growled. His palm cracked across my face. My head snapped, and when I brought my hand to my mouth, there was blood. “You little slut.” I stared him down. “You know what your problem is?” He sneered. “And what’s that?” “You’re too close.” I drove my forehead into his face. He stumbled back, hands flying off my arms. Blood poured from his nose when he lifted his head. I stepped away from the lockers, shoulders loose, ready. “You’re dead now,” Ryker snarled, charging. I slipped to the side, caught a fistful of his hair, and slammed his head into the locker. Then my knee went into his stomach. He folded. I kneed him in the face while he was bent over, and that finished it—he hit the floor on his back. His friends shifted like they wanted to rush me. I could feel it building. Wolves didn’t fight alone. They swarmed. Then a voice thundered from the far end of the hall. “What the hell is going on?” The crowd scattered instantly, as if fear had been waiting for permission. In seconds it was just me, Ryker on the ground, and a couple of his boys lingering. Principal Graham stormed toward us. “Shit,” I muttered. He stopped near us, eyes hard. “I asked you. What the hell is going on here?” Queenie stepped forward, already smiling like she’d been given a gift. Ryker’s girlfriend. My ex best friend. “Isn’t it obvious?” she said. “That trash attacked Ryker.” Graham didn’t look at me. He aimed his irritation at Ryker’s friends instead. “Get him up. Take him to the nurse. He’s bleeding all over my floor.” They hauled Ryker away. Graham turned back to me and tried to use his height like a weapon, leaning in with intimidation. “What do you have to say for yourself?” “Does it matter?” I asked. “Are you going to believe a word I say?” His jaw tightened. “My office. Now.” I shut my locker and followed him. When I opened the office door, my stomach dropped. Beta Lynxs stood inside in a crisp three-piece suit, like he belonged in a boardroom instead of a school. Graham entered behind me and immediately bared his neck in respect. I didn’t. I didn’t respect anyone in this pack anymore, and I hadn’t for a long time. “What’s this about?” I asked. Beta Lynxs didn’t bother with explanations. “You’re coming with me.” “I have class.” His gaze pinned me. “Are you refusing a direct order?” So I went. Outside, his car waited at the front. I got in, and we drove through town toward the packhouse. The closer we got, the tighter my chest felt. Inside, everything looked almost exactly like it had five years ago. The big living room still sat to the right, polished and smug. Beta Lynxs led me left instead, through adjoining rooms and down a hallway that felt longer than it should have. We stopped at a heavy mahogany door. He knocked. A deep voice carried through the wood, telling him to enter. Beta Lynxs opened it, and I stepped into the office first. The door closed behind me. The room was enormous, dominated by a massive desk. Alpha Landon sat behind it, immaculate in another perfectly pressed three-piece suit. He lifted his eyes. And the second I saw him—his sharply sculpted face, slicked-back brown hair, green stare—my balance wavered. Then his scent hit. Briar surged in my head like she’d been set on fire, and I had to grip the back of a chair to keep from swaying. “Mate,” I said, the word leaving me like an accident. Shock locked my bones in place. Chapter 2 Alpha Landon stayed behind his desk and just watched me—long enough that the silence started to itch. I couldn’t tell what had flipped in him, only that something had. At last he rose and circled out from behind the desk, tugging at his suit like a man trying to iron himself while he walked. He caught his own reflection in the cabinet window and checked it, then kept coming. He stopped near me, braced a hand on the desktop, and steadied himself like he didn’t trust his legs. “You knew,” I said, the words scraping out. “I’m twenty-four,” he answered flatly. “Of course I knew.” “And you never said a thing.” “I realized you were my mate when I was eighteen.” He pushed his hair back, neat and practiced. “You were twelve. I wasn’t about to tell a kid she was tied to the future Alpha. And it’s better that I didn’t.” “Better—why?” “Because no one can know,” he said. “You rank lower than an omega.” That made my chest go tight. “And whose doing is that? You abandoned me and my mom after my dad died—just to protect your father, by the way.” His eyes sharpened. “Don’t get mouthy with me, girl. We aren’t digging up yesterday. We’re deciding what happens now. Sit.” He dragged the chair out from the desk like it was a command made of wood and metal. I stepped in, and my lungs locked up as I passed him. I held my breath until I could drop into the seat. He returned to the other side and lowered himself into a huge leather chair, undoing his jacket button before he settled, like even stress had to follow etiquette. “Can you just finish this?” I asked. “I have to get back to school.” “Finish what?” His brow creased. “The rejection.” “I never told you I was rejecting you.” Now it was my turn to stare. “Then I don’t get it. You just said you’re glad nobody knows. If you’re so ashamed, why not reject me?” His mouth tightened. “Everyone knows rejecting a fated mate brings bad luck. It’s an insult to the Moon Goddess who matched us. She must’ve had a reason—can’t say I see it—but I’m not inviting an omen. With this pack’s past, I don’t need more rot clinging to us.” “So that means… you keep me? I’m your mate and your Luna?” “No.” His voice cut hard. “Absolutely not. Nobody will know we’re mates. I won’t reject you, but you won’t move into the packhouse. We won’t behave like we’re together—not dating, not bonded, nothing. If I require you for anything tied to Alpha duties, I’ll call for you. Otherwise, we stay away from each other.” “And you keep parading that fake girlfriend around,” I said, “so everyone keeps believing the picture you want.” “Yes,” he replied, calm as paperwork. “I’m glad that’s clear.” “I didn’t say I agreed. What’s stopping me from telling everyone?” He didn’t even flinch. “Who’s going to take your word over mine? And even if a few do, I deny it and it dies right there. They’ll turn on you for accusing their Alpha.” My hands curled. “So what am I supposed to do—wait around forever and jump when you snap your fingers? What if I want college after graduation? What if I want a life that isn’t scraping by on dead-end jobs like my mom?” “You’ve got a few months until you finish school,” he said, already sliding back into that distant voice. “We’ll revisit it then. For now, you know how this works. You can go.” His pen was in his hand again; his attention had already moved on. I stood on legs that didn’t feel like mine, crossed to the door, and pulled it open. Phoebe was right there—waiting like she belonged in the doorway. The dress clung to her like paint and stopped just past her ass, leaving almost everything that should’ve been covered on display. Her makeup was piled on heavy, and her long brown hair fell in polished curls down her back. Four-inch heels lifted her, but she still wasn’t as tall as I was. “Sweetheart,” she purred toward Landon, then flicked her gaze at me like I was something stuck to a shoe. “Why are you wasting time on this trash?” Landon came up behind me. “It was just another school fight.” Phoebe huffed. “We’re going to be late for lunch. You told me you were taking me into the city today, and it’s an hour drive.” “I know, sweetie. I’m sorry.” His tone softened for her in a way it never did for me. “Give me a minute and we’ll go. And Maddox—I’ll talk to you later.” I didn’t answer. I walked out, down the hall, and aimed for the front doors of the packhouse. The second I hit the outside air and got down the steps, it felt like my ribs finally unlocked. I stood there and pulled in a few deep breaths. Beta Lynxs came onto the veranda and watched me. For a second, his face looked… not kind, exactly, but close to pity. I didn’t buy it. Nobody pitied me. I headed toward town, and there was no chance I was going back to school today. “Why doesn’t he want us?” Briar’s voice whined inside me. “Because he’s an arrogant ass,” I muttered. “Maddox,” she protested, wounded. “He’s our mate. Don’t you want to go back and be with him?” “Why would I?” “I’m in you,” she said, pressing. “You can’t pretend. You hurt too.” “Yeah,” I snapped. “And? It changes nothing.” “We could go back and make him look at us. Make him pay attention.” “He doesn’t care,” I said. “If we push, we end up in the dungeon, and Mom doesn’t need that hanging over her. I’m getting through graduation, then I’m taking Mom and I’m leaving this place behind.” Briar kept whining anyway. “What about our mate?” “I don’t care,” I said, voice raw. “How many ways do you need it said? He doesn’t want us, so why would we want him?” “Because he loves us,” she insisted. “He just doesn’t know it yet.” “I can’t do this right now, Briar.” I shoved her back in my mind until her voice dulled to a distant ache. Instead of looping the block, I cut into a narrow alley—faster, quieter. Ryker stepped out from behind a dumpster like he’d been waiting for the exact moment. I froze. Then Dominic and Jordan appeared behind him. I turned to retreat—and Adrian and Blake slid in from that end, closing the exit. I let out a short laugh that didn’t have any humor in it. “Wow. Guess we’re not aiming for ‘fair’ today.” “That’s the idea.” Ryker grinned. “You might be able to fight one-on-one, but I’m not getting humiliated by worthless trash like you again.” He lifted something, letting it catch the light. My father’s watch. The one he’d stolen from my locker. “Give it back,” I said. “Take it,” he shot back, laughing. The circle tightened as his friends crept closer. My pulse slammed, stomach flipping, heat stinging behind my eyes. Tears threatened, sharp at the edges—but I forced them down. I couldn’t show them anything. Not to Ryker. Not to any of them. “Oh, look at her,” Ryker called to the others. “She’s gonna cry.” I set my stance anyway, hands up, body ready. I knew the truth: I couldn’t beat five wolves by myself. Not all at once. They advanced, and I shifted to keep from getting pinned against brick or cornered. My eyes kept flicking to the watch in his hand, like if I stared hard enough it would come back to me. It wasn’t going to be clean. It never was. Ryker’s fist cracked into my face, spinning me. Jordan drove a kick into my stomach. Someone grabbed me from behind and tried to haul me upright; I snapped my head back and smashed it into him. Then all four of the others surged in together, and whatever chance I’d had disappeared under their weight. Chapter 3 LANDON’S POV The second Maddox walked out of my office, my focus went with her. I tried to force my eyes back to the paperwork, but the pages might as well have been written in another language. Phoebe slipped inside, perched on my lap like she belonged there, and kept talking while I stared at the mess on my desk. A few minutes ago, everything had been clear. Now all I could register was Maddox’s scent lingering in the air, circling the room like it had a claim. How did I let this happen? I’d had a plan. When she turned eighteen, I was going to reject her—clean, final, necessary. An omega mate was impossible. The pack would never accept it. And then she stepped through my door, and the rejection died in my throat. “Landon,” Phoebe said, sharp with impatience. “Are you even hearing me?” I blinked. “Sorry. I’m distracted. What was that?” “My uncle wants a meeting. As soon as you can manage it.” “Tell him I’m available whenever he is,” I said. Phoebe tilted her head. “He’s an Alpha too. He doesn’t exactly sit around waiting.” “I get it. Set it up,” I said. My wolf’s voice raked through my skull. “Can you get this rancid bitch off of us?” “Shut it,” I muttered. “We just saw our mate,” Lynx snapped, “and you’ve got this thing draped all over you. What is wrong with you?” “You know I can’t end it,” I shot back. “Because you want her uncle’s alliance,” he growled. “So get it, put it in writing, and dump her. He can’t back out if it’s sealed.” The pressure behind my eyes built until it hurt. I shoved Lynx down, forcing him to the back of my mind, just to buy myself silence. He wanted Maddox. So did I. For years I had kept my distance on purpose—avoided the same rooms, the same events, any chance of being close enough to feel the pull. I’d made sure of it. Seeing her today cracked something open anyway. I’d known the mate bond was powerful. I hadn’t understood it could be like this. When I’d first found her at twelve, it had been a distant, one-sided tug—something I could ignore. Now it was a hook in my ribs, and I had no idea what to do with it. And I couldn’t stop thinking about how vicious I’d been to her. She hadn’t deserved any of it. I still didn’t know what I was going to do. Phoebe stood, tugging at my arm. “Come on. It’s lunch.” Yesterday her hands on me had felt right. Today her closeness made my skin crawl. “I need to finish a couple things,” I said, trying to slide back into my chair. “It’ll be there after you eat,” she said, tightening her grip. “Get up.” Phoebe always got her way. No one had ever taught her what ‘no’ meant, so she treated it like a joke. I let her drag me out of the packhouse and into my black Mercedes parked out front. The moment the door shut, I reached out through the link. “Beta Lynxs.” “Yes, Alpha,” he answered. “Maddox Jensen. The girl who just left my office,” I sent. “I want eyes on her.” “Understood. Anything specific you want reported?” “Everything,” I replied. Phoebe directed the driver straight to the most expensive restaurant in town. They kept a private room in the back for me—no reservations, no waiting. We sat down. I didn’t bother opening the menu; I already knew it by heart. We ordered, and Phoebe kept chattering without taking a breath. I used to find it charming. Now it was noise. My thoughts kept rewinding to Maddox in my office—how small she’d been the last time I’d truly looked at her. She wasn’t a kid anymore. She’d grown into someone striking, nothing like the worn-down figure I’d expected after my father declared her family omegas. They’d been demoted, shoved down the pack’s ladder, and yet she looked like she’d somehow held herself together. That surprised me. Then Lynxs hit my mind like a scream. “Alpha!” My stomach dropped. “What is it?” “Maddox is in trouble,” he said. “She’s been taken to the hospital.” I was already pushing back from the table. “I have to leave,” I told Phoebe. She stared. “What? Our food isn’t even here.” “Pack business,” I said, and I didn’t slow down as I cut through the restaurant. I drove too fast. At the hospital, the energy around the emergency wing was wrong—hurried movement, clipped voices. I tracked it to a room with people shifting in and out and approached the doorway carefully. Inside, a man was yanking at Maddox’s shirt like he had a right to touch her. He didn’t smell like staff. I stormed in, grabbed him, and slammed him into the wall hard enough to rattle the room. “Who the hell are you,” I snarled, “and why are you undressing her?” He flinched but didn’t fold. “Carter. I found her in an alley. She was getting beaten, and these doctors and nurses weren’t doing a damn thing to help her.” I tightened my grip. “What are you talking about?” “I’m telling you,” he insisted. “She needs help and they’re just standing around.” I hauled him back out into the hall without letting go and spotted a doctor at the desk. “Why aren’t you treating the girl in that room?” I demanded. The doctor turned, expression stiff. “Sir, she was just brought in. And—she’s Maddox Jensen.” “I don’t care who she is,” I said, voice rising. “Get in there and save her fucking life. Now.” The doctor paled and moved. Nurses followed, rushing into the room and finally surrounding Maddox with purpose. Carter cleared his throat. “Can you let go of me?” “No,” I said. “You still owe me answers.” “I was trying to see how bad it was,” he said. “No one else was bothering.” “And you found her how?” “I work at the cafe next to the alley,” he said. “I took the trash out and saw five guys on her. She wasn’t fighting—she was on the ground. I got them to back off and before they left, they put this on her.” He held up a watch. My chest went tight. I knew it. Her father’s. My father had given it to him before he died. “Get out,” I said, releasing him. Carter stumbled away and disappeared down the corridor. Through the doorway, I watched them work on her. Tests. Scans. Whispered updates that didn’t sound hopeful. Time stretched into hours. People kept trying to reach me. I ignored every call, every message, every demand. None of it mattered. Eventually they moved Maddox into a private room. I took the chair beside her bed and didn’t budge. When the doctor came in, I stood before he could speak. “What’s wrong?” “We’re transfusing blood and starting IV antibiotics,” he said carefully. “She’s in a coma. Brain swelling from the beating. It should go down, but we don’t know when.” “Get out,” I ordered. He left at once. I sat again and reached for Maddox’s hand. Warm. Alive. Something electric skittered over my skin—sparks tracing up my fingers, along my wrist, into my arm. The bond reacting, insisting. I didn’t want to release her. I didn’t want to be anywhere else. My phone rang again. Phoebe’s name flashed across the screen. I let it ring. All I could do was stare at Maddox and pray the mate bond did what it was supposed to do. I had been cruel to her earlier—cold, dismissive, calculated. Now all I wanted was for her to open her eyes. I didn’t know how long I sat there. A nurse slipped in a few times to check vitals, noticed my hand locked around Maddox’s, and said nothing. She’d been told not to. Lynxs stayed outside the door, keeping everyone else out. I didn’t have the strength to Alpha-order the whole floor into obedience. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this low. People always said Maddox was a fighter. So why hadn’t she fought? Even outnumbered, she should have left marks. Defensive wounds. Something. There were hardly any. And I couldn’t stop the thought that it had been because of me. What I’d said. What I’d done. Like I’d broken something in her. She was hanging on by a thread, and I had helped push her there. Then her fingers twitched in my grasp. I snapped upright. Her lashes fluttered. Her eyes opened slowly, unfocused at first. I pulled my hand back and leaned into the chair, forcing distance I didn’t want. Confusion crossed her face as she took in the room, the tubes, the quiet. Then her gaze found me. “What happened?” she rasped. “You were attacked,” I said, voice tight. “A dishwasher carried you here. You’ve got his scent all over you.” Lynx surged. I stood too fast and leaned over her, teeth practically bared. “Why the hell was that dishwasher so interested in you?” Chapter 4 MADDOX’S POV I was lying in that hospital bed, locked on Alpha Landon’s stare, trying to make his words line up into something that made sense. “What the hell are you even talking about?” My voice came out rough. “The dishwasher who dragged you in,” he snapped. “I don’t know who you mean,” I said. “The one from Angel Cafe,” he clarified. It took a beat—foggy, slow—before it clicked. “Carter?” I asked. “Yeah.” His lip curled. “I had the nurse burn your clothes. They reeked of him.” “So what are you actually asking me?” I shot back. “Why was he so damn focused on you?” “I don’t know. He works with my mom.” He looked like he wanted to laugh at that. “You expect me to buy that?” “It’s true,” I said, jaw tight. “I don’t know what else you want.” I scanned the room, panic creeping in. “Where’s my mother?” “I haven’t called her.” “Good.” I didn’t hesitate—I yanked the IV from my arm and tore the leads off my chest. The monitors immediately lost their minds. A doctor and a nurse rushed in as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. “What the hell are you doing?” the doctor demanded. “Leaving. I can’t stay here,” I said. “You have to.” He pressed a hand to my shoulder, trying to shove me back down. “You had a serious head injury.” “No.” I fought him. “We can’t afford this.” The doctor looked past me. “Where’s her mother?” “Don’t call her,” I said fast. “Don’t tell her any of it. She has enough on her plate. Just let me go—I have to get home.” I searched again. “Where are my clothes?” “I told you,” Landon said, eyes cold. “They’re gone.” “If you’re leaving, you need to sign an AMA release,” the doctor said. “Then bring it.” I held his stare until he and the nurse left. The second they were gone, I sat there gripping my side, breaths shallow. I’d moved too fast and only now realized how badly my ribs had been damaged—broken, probably. But my arm and ankle were screaming louder, so that’s what I’d been noticing. Landon kept watching me. I caught his gaze, so I forced my hand away from my ribs and straightened up like nothing hurt. All I could think about was the bill. How was I supposed to pay for any of this? When I glanced at him again, his face looked… less hard, for half a second. Then he noticed me looking and shut it down, turning away like it had never happened. The doctor returned with paperwork, but he insisted on checking me over first. “Fine,” I said. “Just be quick.” He worked through my injuries one by one, inspecting the stitches scattered across my body. “That’s odd,” he muttered. “What is?” “These injuries shouldn’t have closed up already.” He frowned, clinical and confused. “You’re dehydrated, underfed. That part isn’t unusual for a werewolf of your rank—but you shouldn’t be healing at this pace.” “My rank?” I snapped, heat rising. “My father was head warrior. A fighter. And I am too. That’s one thing this pack hasn’t taken from me.” Landon leaned against the wall, watching me lay into the doctor. I could’ve sworn amusement flickered across his face. After I signed, the doctor finally left. Then it was just me, limping out in a hospital gown on a wrecked ankle, trying to be grateful it actually tied in the back. “We’re not done,” Landon said as I made for the exit. “Done with what?” “With what we said before.” I laughed without humor. “What, the part where I act like we don’t mean anything to each other? Isn’t that the assignment?” “Then why do you smell like another man?” “Because he saved my life.” My temper snapped. “Why do you smell like some other bitch?” His head jerked up, eyes sharp. He hadn’t expected me to bite back. “She’s my girlfriend,” he said, voice flat with authority. “And I’m your Alpha. I can do whatever I want.” “Then so can I.” The words came fast, ugly. “If you get to parade around with that plastic excuse for a werewolf, I get to do what I want too. And I don’t know why you’re so mad—nobody cares about me like that. Not here. Your father made sure of it.” “Don’t talk about my father.” “Then stop talking to me.” I pushed myself upright. “I have to get something back. It’s mine.” I put weight down wrong—straight onto the fractured ankle—and the room tilted. I nearly hit the floor, but Landon surged forward and caught me. The instant his hands closed around my arms, a jolt raced through me—sparks down to my fingertips, heat climbing my chest and throat. It was unfamiliar, violent in a way that didn’t hurt. I lifted a hand to my side, feeling for the ribs that had been agony a moment earlier. The pain was still there, but dulled—like it had been turned down. I looked up at him, silent. He released me the moment he could, like touching me had burned. “I have to go,” I said, turning away and limping out. He followed me beyond the room. “What are you going to find?” “My father’s watch.” I kept moving. “I lost it. I need it back.” “You mean this?” I spun. He was holding it out in his hand. “Where did you get that?” “The dishwasher had it,” he said. “He said it was with you when he brought you in.” I limped back, palm extended. Slowly, he set the watch into my hand. Relief hit me so hard I sagged. “Thank you,” I managed, then turned and kept going. “Landon—there you are!” A shrill voice ricocheted behind me. “What the hell is going on? I’ve had you on hold all day.” I didn’t need to look. I knew it was Phoebe, and I didn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing my face as she draped herself over him. By the time I reached home, the walk had wrung me out. I dropped onto the couch the second I got inside. “Well,” Briar said, “that was… a day.” “I’m really not in the mood,” I told her. A knock hit the door. I tried to stand, but my ankle and ribs lit up so badly I couldn’t even get upright. “Come in,” I called. The door opened. Alpha Landon walked into my living room like he owned the air. I just sat there, stunned, words jammed in my throat. He turned toward me—and his eyes shifted color. He was fighting his wolf, wrestling for control right in front of me. I didn’t know what I’d done to set him off this badly, but he prowled over and stopped, towering above me. “No more fucking lies,” he said, each word crushed out between clenched teeth. “I haven’t lied to you.” “Bullshit.” His voice dropped. “How many?” “What?” He grabbed the front of my hospital gown and hauled me up off the couch like I weighed nothing. “How many boys are you screwing?” he growled, still shaking with the effort of holding his wolf back. I shoved his hands away and limped across the room—barely five feet—putting distance between us. “There aren’t any,” I snapped. “What is wrong with you?” “Just Carter, then?” “It’s not Carter.” My chest tightened, anger and exhaustion tangling together. “I was attacked in the alley next to his work. That’s probably why he found me. He knows me because my mom works at the same cafe—one of the million jobs she has to take because you charge her extra for everything.” His expression tightened. “Do you think I like doing this?” “You look like you love it,” I said. He stepped closer. I backed away until my shoulders hit the wall. I braced for sharp pain in my ribs—but when I made contact, it was only a muted ache. It didn’t make sense. Minutes ago it had been almost unbearable. Landon’s hand rose. He slid it around my throat, not squeezing—yet. A smirk pulled at his mouth like he was feeding off the fear on my face. Was he really about to kill me? Chapter 5 I held Alpha Landon’s stare and, inch by inch, lifted my hand until my palm settled over his. A strange peace settled through me with him that close, and I eased his fingers off my throat. “Why does it hurt less when you’re here?” I asked. His expression shifted—tight and stormy. Torn. Lost. Angry. Feelings I’d never watched cross his face before. “It’s the mate bond,” he said, forcing the words out like they tasted wrong. “That’s why hospital beds are oversized. When someone’s admitted, their mate stays. They heal quicker.” I nodded, but Briar started whimpering inside my head. Then I caught it—his scent, tangled up with something else. Someone else. I shoved him back and headed for the kitchen. “Get out,” I said. I yanked a cigarette from the cupboard and perched on the bench by the window. “What?” “I can smell that bitch on you,” I snapped. “What is this—some kind of punishment? Because I don’t even know what I did that made you hate me this much.” “She’s my girlfriend,” he shot back. “What do you want from me?” “Leave her,” I said. “You don’t want me with anyone else, so maybe follow your own rules. Or is hurting your mate your favorite hobby?” “I never said I enjoyed hurting you,” he barked. “But I’m not dumping her like she’s nothing. We’ve been together two years. She deserves an explanation.” “Fine,” I bit out. “Explain that she’s a bitch. At least you’d be telling the truth.” “Stop calling her that!” he yelled. “I love her.” I just stared, like my brain couldn’t decide what to do with those words. Briar lunged for control, furious and raw, and I shoved her back down with everything I had. Alpha Landon watched it happening like he could see the fight under my skin. “Get out,” I said again, turning my face to the glass. “I can’t just break up with her,” he said, quieter now. “I don’t care,” I muttered. “Just leave me alone.” I didn’t look over, but I heard the front door open, then shut. When I finally turned, he was gone. Briar was a mess inside me, and I wiped at my eyes—again. “This is such bullshit,” I whispered. “I’ve cried more in one day than I have in my entire life.” “He does love us,” Briar insisted. “Don’t lie to yourself,” I told her. “He doesn’t care about us.” “I hope he does,” she said, small and shaking. “We can’t keep living like this. Today has been hell.” “It’ll be fine,” I said, even though it felt like an empty promise. “We’ll survive it. We always do.” I showered, brushed out my ass-length snow-blonde hair, and twisted it up before collapsing onto the couch. Mom didn’t come home until late. She looked so wrecked I honestly thought she might be sleepwalking. “Hi, honey,” she murmured. “Hi. How was your day?” I asked. She turned fully toward me, and her eyes widened. “Apparently better than yours,” she said, hurrying over. “What the hell happened?” “Oh, don’t worry about it,” I said. “What do you mean don’t worry? Your head is wrapped, your arm is broken—” “And my ankle’s fractured,” I added. “But I’ll live.” “Maddox, what happened?” “I fell down the stairs at school,” I said. “It’s nothing. Just stupid. Mostly embarrassing.” Her gaze narrowed, searching. “Are you sure?” “What?” “Are you sure you tripped,” she asked carefully, “and you weren’t pushed?” “Yes,” I said, forcing it to sound simple. “I’m sure. You worry too much, Mom. It was my fault.” “Okay,” she said, still not convinced. “I hope so. Do you have painkillers?” “No. I don’t need any.” I hesitated. “Can I talk to you for a minute? Or are you too exhausted?” “I can give you a minute,” she said, sitting beside me. “So… I’ll be graduating in a couple months,” I began. “And I’ve already been accepted into a bunch of werewolf colleges across the country.” “I know,” she said, pride softening her face. “I’m so proud of you.” “I’ve been thinking,” I said. “I think we should both go.” Her eyebrows jumped. “What are you talking about?” “When I leave for college,” I said, “I want you to come with me. You could get a better job out there. I looked into it—waitresses in the real world make double what you make here. You wouldn’t have to work yourself into the ground.” She blinked at me. “You’re serious.” “Completely,” I said. “Why wouldn’t I be?” “Maddox,” she said softly, “your father is buried here. I don’t want to leave him.” “I know,” I said. “We can come back. We can visit him and bring flowers. I’ll pick a college close enough that we can drive back on weekends.” She leaned back, the weight of it hitting her. “I don’t know. I’ve never even thought about leaving. That’s… a lot.” “Just think about it,” I said. “Really think. I mean it. I don’t want you stuck here alone.” She gave me a tired little smile. “I’m supposed to be taking care of you.” “We’ve always taken care of each other,” I said. “Yeah,” she agreed. “We have. Okay. I’ll think about it. I promise.” “Thank you,” I said. “Alright,” she murmured, pushing herself up. “I need a shower and sleep. I’m up again in a few hours.” “Okay.” She kissed my forehead and disappeared toward the bathroom. After she showered and got ready for bed, the apartment went quiet again. I dragged my blanket and pillow to the couch—my bed—and lay there staring at the ceiling. Mom would want to know I’d met my mate. But I couldn’t do that to her. Alpha Landon’s father was the one who ruined our lives. Our father died because of him. I couldn’t tell her I was mated to his arrogant, entitled son. Not long after, muffled sobs drifted from her bedroom. Right on schedule. Every night—after she crawls into bed and has to face the empty space where my father should have been—she breaks. She cries until sleep takes her. Tonight it didn’t go on for long, and I was relieved in the worst way, because there was nothing I could do. Listening to her hurt like that made me sick. Eventually I fell asleep. I didn’t know how long it lasted before I snapped awake with a vicious, slicing pain in my stomach. I tumbled off the couch onto my hands and knees, yanked my pillow down after me, and shoved my face into it so my mother wouldn’t hear me scream. I had never felt anything like it. And I had just been beaten by five werewolves. This was worse—so much worse. What was wrong with me?