LOGINI scoffed, shaking my head at the sheer audacity. I know I have heard him bare out his heart to my parents, but when it comes to Toby, I will never assume.I need to hear it from his mouth.“Why are you here?” I demanded, my voice trembling with so much contained fury. “Have you finally come to reject me? If so, you can just do that quickly and get the hell out of my life!” I snapped. It was better like this; the anger would mask whatever emotion that was still brewing inside me.I took a deep breath, blinking back the tears that were threatening to come down because I refuse to be a crybaby in front of him, and honestly, I blame the hormones.Toby wasn’t just stubborn; he was also cruel. Leaving me wasn’t enough for him, but he had to come and say the forbidden words in my presence.“I am here, love, finally.” He was too calm, his voice steady like I had not just yelled at him. “I know I am late—maybe too late—but I am here now, and I have no plans of going anywhere.”I eyed him from
“Young man, what are you doing here?” My father demanded, his voice cutting through the tension like a sharp blade. I tried not to let the smile slip, especially seeing how he was standing up for me, but he wasn’t even through. “How dare you show up in this pack after all you have done?”“I know.” Toby murmured, bowing his head, and my heart lurched as I heard his voice. I know I shouldn’t be having such a reaction to someone who had broken me, but I couldn’t help it. “I know I have not been the best thing for your daughter, and I acknowledge my fault in that, but I want to make it right.”“Toby!” I snapped, annoyed that he was treating me like I wasn’t in the room with him. How could he just waltz back in here, acting like he could fix everything? Did he really think an apology was enough? “Why the hell are you even here?” He gave me a look that I couldn’t decipher, his eyes raking over me in a gaze that was stripping, and I crossed my arms, as if trying to shield me. But the moment
I don’t know how the shift happened, but my parents and I have gone from trying to destroy each other to trying to make our relationship work.It still baffles me that they had apologized for everything that had happened. I knew how much of a struggle it was for my father to offer the olive branch.It goes against his nature to apologize to someone, and it was even more surprising when I heard myself uttering the ‘forgiveness word.’ But deep down, I had already decided to just let it go even if they hadn’t apologized; however, it was really good hearing it from them.I came out of my office to stretch my joints that had been cramped from sitting for a long time, and the first sight that greeted me was that of my parents holding hands and off to wherever.“Maddie!” My father called a bit too loud, and a frown marred his face when he realized it. It was oddly comforting to see that I wasn’t the only one struggling with this new dynamic.“Father, mother.” I bowed my head to acknowledge t
“Father?” My brothers echoed the words that couldn’t leave my mouth. I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to make sense of the figures standing in front of me.But there he was, his posture still as commanding as ever; my eyes trailed to his side, and as usual, his hands were tightly clasped around my mother. My gaze shifted to the entourage behind them, each holding some sort of travel bag of different sizes that no doubt belonged to my mother—at least 80%.I found myself tensing as he got near, Dylan and Ryan both forgotten. I had gotten so used to ruling without my parents breathing down my neck, and the months they had been away were the best, but they were here now, and I had no idea what to do.I studied them closely, their tanned skin from all the times we had spent in the sun. My mother was wearing a wide-brimmed hat, my father a cap, both of them wearing black two-piece—I think this is the first time I was seeing my father’s legs.The little fat in their cheeks was a sign of a h
“Who the fuck made you cry?” Dylan demanded. His fingers tightened into a fist, and I could just perceive the faint scent of agitation bubbling on the surface.I shook my head, refusing to make this a bigger issue than it already was. I don’t know why I decided to break down in front of them when I knew it wasn’t going to end well.“Maddie, who the fuck did this!” Ryan barked, pushing forward; he raised his hands, ready to lift my head, but he seemed to remember something, and he stopped himself short. “Was it Toby?”My breath hitched unexpectedly, but it was a telltale that the name was obviously the cause of most of these things, and they pounced on it.“What the fuck did he do?” The twins were closing in on me, and it was almost suffocating, especially with the testosterone that was just permeating the air.“It is fine; please just let it go.” I tried to sound firm, but my voice only came out soft.“Maddie!” They hissed in sync, and it felt like the roles were reversed—as if I were
“I don’t understand.” Toby's brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what I had just said, and normal Maddie would have reached out and smoothed those ridges, but I held myself.I have to be focused.“It is as plain as I have said it, Toby. You have two options.” I began, laying it to him as I would to a little child. “You can either decide we are going to do this very well, and you follow me to my pack, mark me, and take your place beside me as my equal.” I had to put the equality there to let him know that I would never see him less. “Or we break the bond here and reject each other because I refuse to do this back and forth with you!”“Maddie, you can’t be serious right now.” Toby frowned, looking at me like I had gone crazy. “I thought we had been making progress. This has been working for us!” He held his hands out in desperation, and I shook my head. “No! This has not been working for us; it has never been.” I yelled. “We have just been trying to make it work. How long do yo
The journey came to an end as the massive gate separating us from the outside world came into view. It creaked open as we approached—I had messaged the guards through the mindlink already.“Welcome to my pack,” I said to my mate as he chose an empty spot in the garage to pack.“Thank you, I can see
“What?” I frowned, settling on the bed better to see him. “What did you just say?”“I want to mark you,” he leaned closer, reaching out and tracing the side of my neck that his mark will rest on, and my body shivered involuntarily.“Toby.” I murmured, unable to find my voice after wearing it out fr
“Where are you going?” Toby asked again, his voice quiet but firm as it cut through the still night. I froze, my body stiff as I turned mechanically to face him, the sound of my movement seeming louder in the silence.“You are just dreaming, love. Go back to sleep.” I whispered, hoping to lure him
I stirred awake, my eyes blinking open, and I was greeted with an intoxicating scent that filled the room—a heady mix of our essences that always ignited something within me, and I rubbed my thighs together, trying to prevent my arousal from spreading. I was far too spent to act on the pull it cre







