Page 28 of Wolf Unleashed
“But Alyssa blood-bonded. Twice,” Rafe said. “Even if the bond didn’t take with Tiernan, it took with you. Right?”
“The bond is there. And it’s strong. And growing. I…”
“You can say it, Maddox,” Alyssa said, encouraging him. Clearly she was picking up on his emotions through the bond, sensing he had more he didn’t want to say.
“The bond with you is already stronger than what I had with Isabella. And she was full shifter, angel.”
Her fingers stroked his cheek before she dragged her lips to his, and uttered, “You don’t need to feel guilty, my hero. For loving me or her. I don’t think she would want you to hide away from life.”
Hero?He was no one’s hero. And yet she looked at him as if he could do no wrong. If only he could tell her the full truth…
He kissed her then, taking one last time to feel her lips against his. Her tongue darted out to his, seeking him as desperately as he sought her. The bondvibratedwith a need, a love, he knew he’d gladly drown in if he let himself.
“You can survive being away from me, angel. The bond will remain, but it won’t keep you from living. I believe you’ve been having trouble sleeping because your wolf is seeking a way to escape.”
“She has a wolf,” Rafe repeated to himself as he sat down. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, Artemis. I… I should have listened.”
She turned her head to Rafe and smiled. “I didn’t expect you to believe me, not on this, because I wasn’t sure myself. Sometimes I thought I was just going crazy, other times I thought it was a way of trying to connect with my mom. She’s been gone… dead… a long time. My father killed her. I’m sure of it, but not knowing the truth about her, about myself, has played on my confidence for many years, Rafe. So don’t feel bad. You’ve done everything you can to support me, to be there for me.”
“And he and Tiernan will continue being there for you, angel. They’re free to come and go to their packs, but I’m not. Never have been. The only time I’m allowed to leave is on an assignment, and even then I have deadlines. If I don’t return, my alpha will send guards to bring me back.”
Alyssa whirled around to face him, her eyes flaring. “I don’t care if he sends people after us. It’s just one more set of shifters to outrun. Nothing we can’t handle.”
“Not just any shifters. That network of spies I told you about will be used against us. My alpha has shifters inserted in key positions in military, law enforcement, judicial, and corporate life. I don’t know who or where, or how to avoid getting on their radar.”
“I don’t understand how those shifters are out there in human society working alongside humans when you said no one escapes the pack.”
“They haven’t escaped. They’re still pack, and they follow Drakes’ orders because their families are here. Parents, siblings, mates, children. It doesn’t matter who is left behind. Drake uses them to keep his pack under control. And the information he gleans he uses to protect the pack. He and our line have made it work even when stronger packs have been wiped out over the decades. If I leave here with you, he’ll throw the full weight of his network into finding us. He can’t let shifters, especially strong ones, just walk away. Not only would it weaken the pack, it would weaken his position in the pack and among other packs. And Drake doesn’t do anything that makes him look weak. If he caught up with us, I wouldn’t be the one he killed. It would be you. I can’t—won’t—risk you.”
“Maybe we can outsmart him.”
“We can’t.”
“What then? Just give up and don’t even try? That doesn’t sound like you, Maddox.”
“I lost Isabella because I was thinking of myself, not her or the pack. I won’t make that mistake again. I’m thinking of you, my angel, and my pack. My new pack.” He made a point of meeting Tiernan’s and Rafe’s eyes before returning his focus to her. “Be strong for me, angel. Go with Rafe and Tiernan, where you’ll be safe.”
“I think I’m starting to understand why my mother left whatever pack she came from. There’s no freedom in a pack. No joy.”
“Freedom and joy are luxuries,” Drake said as he appeared on the path with additional white wolves arriving as he spoke. At least ten shifters surrounded the group.
Maddox growled at Drake. “You said I’d have time to explain to her. To convince her to go.”
“Growl at me again, cousin, and you’ll be mourning a second mate.”
Rafe pulled Alyssa away from Maddox and pushed her toward Tiernan. Maddox nearly growled at his female being taken from him, but he understood what Rafe was doing. Protecting her.
The suddenness of losing her touch, her scent, jarred Maddox and his wolf. It was as if a vital piece of him had been ripped away and it left him in shock for a brief second.
Another white wolf charged into the area. Drake growled at the sight of him. “You’re not needed here, Hayden.”
“Hayden?” Maddox said, stepping forward until Drake’s head snapped in warning.
The wolf shifted. Maddox stared at the dark hair, square jaw, and black eyes that were so like his alpha’s. Any doubts Maddox had at the male’s identity disappeared the second he spotted those deep scars across the shifter’s chest and down his left arm from his elbow to hand. Hayden was actually here in the middle of Novak territory, and Drake stood nearby, calm andnottrying to kill him.
Maddox had heard rumors since he’d returned, but he hadn’t believed the brothers had reconciled. Without the slightest scent of fear coming from him, Hayden surveyed Alyssa, Rafe, and Tiernan.
“Have you returned to challenge for alpha?” Maddox asked, unable to strike the hopefulness out of his voice.
