MaxI don’t remember drawing my claws.One moment I was just standing there, breathing in her voice, trying to stay human enough to think. The next, the tips of my fingers burned, nails sharpening into curved black weapons.My wolf was so close to the surface I could feel its heartbeat inside my own.I didn’t care.I turned to Marcus and Leon, my voice rough and low. “Circle the perimeter. If anyone tries to leave, stop them.”Leon swallowed, his eyes flicking to my hands. “Alpha, if there are more men”“I don’t care if there’s an army.” My voice vibrated. “I’m going in.”I didn’t wait for an answer. I was going to save her. I didn't care what it took. I moved forward, silent as death.The warehouse was mostly empty, just crates and old equipment gathering dust. But in the far corner, beneath the swinging bulb, I saw them.Two men. One standing with his back to me, one seated.And Valerie. GodShe was tied to a metal chair, wrists bound, hair falling into her face. Even from across
MaxI have never in my life felt this kind of rage boiling up inside of me. It was the kind of rage that sat in your chest like a ticking bomb, that blurred the edges of your vision and made your heart feel like it was going to crack your ribs.Valerie was gone. She was taken a few meters from where I was. And every second that passed, I could feel her slipping further away.Leon and Marcus waited by the SUV, watching me like they weren’t sure if I was about to shift right there on the sidewalk. Maybe I was. My wolf was pacing under my skin, claws itching to come out, to hunt, to kill. I wanted blood. I clenched my fists until pain shot up my arms. It was the only thing that kept me tethered to some shred of control.“She’s been gone for at least thirty minutes,” Leon said quietly. “They’re already on the move. If we’re going to catch them ”“I know,” I snapped. My voice was low, rough. “Call Marco. I want every contact in the city looking for that SUV. Use the footage. Get a make
ValerieI don’t know how long we drove.Minutes. Hours. It all blurred together.I sat pressed against the cold leather seat, arms wrapped tight around my stomach. My heart wouldn’t stop racing. My skin felt too tight. Every time I tried to breathe, it felt like I was drowning.I thought of Max. Of the way he’d looked at me this morning, so proud, so sure. My throat closed. Would he know I was gone? Would he find me?The man across from me didn’t say a word. He just watched me with cold, assessing eyes. Like I was a problem he was waiting to solve.I forced myself to look back, meeting his stare. If I let myself look away, if I let fear take over, I would break. And I couldn’t afford to break.“Where are you taking me?” My voice was small but steady.He didn’t answer. He shifted slightly in his seat, as if my question was beneath him.I swallowed hard. My hands trembled where they clutched my belly. My baby shifted inside me, like he could feel my fear. The movement made my heart twis
Max I didn’t even realize I was growling until the entire café went silent.Valerie had stormed out, tears in her eyes and fire in her voice, and I didn’t stop her, not because I didn’t want to, but because I needed to deal with the man who’d made her cry in the first place.Richard Blake. Her father.The man who threw her out like she was nothing.“You’ll stay away from her,” I said, stepping forward until we were nearly chest to chest. “Do you hear me?”Richard had the audacity to lift his chin. “You don’t tell me what to do with my daughter.”“She stopped being your daughter the moment you threw her into the streets pregnant and alone,” I snapped, my voice low and dangerous. “She is mine now. And if I ever catch you sniffing around her again, I’ll make sure you regret it.”His jaw ticked. “Are you threatening me, Mr. Black?”I leaned in, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “No. I’m promising you.”Without another word, I turned and stormed out of the café.She couldn’t have gon
Valerie. The cool evening air hit me like a slap as I stumbled out of the café, tears blurring my vision. My lungs burned with the weight of the confrontation my father’s smug composure, Max’s desperate clutch at my hand, the shock in the eyes of onlookers. I couldn’t stay near any of it. Not here. Not now. I hastened toward the parking lot, the sound of my footsteps echoing on the pavement. My chest heaved as I tried to regain some semblance of control, the scent of rain and exhaust filling my nostrils. Somewhere between the burn of acid in my throat and the pulse of my heart, I felt a terrible emptiness. I had wanted strength. I had wanted freedom. Instead, I felt naked exposed to feelings I’d pushed away for years.I slowed at the row of black Sedans and SUVs. My car had been a gift from Max, but tonight I didn’t even remember how to approach it without trembling. I paused at the edge of a puddle, watching its dark surface ripple in the streetlight. All I knew was I couldn’t go ba
Valerie. Since the day I found out I was pregnant, I wanted it to be a boy. I knew nothing about boys, but I knew I didn't want to be a girl mom. And now that I had found I was going to be a boy mom I had all this mixed feelings and emotions. I don’t know how to describe the feeling of knowing you’re bringing a boy into the world.The words still echoed in my head like a lullaby. I couldn’t stop smiling, even as we walked hand in hand across the street from where Max had packed the car toward a cozy little café tucked beside a flower shop. It had wooden beams, ivy on the windows, and the smell of roasted coffee beans wrapped around us like a warm hug.Max opened the door for me without saying a word, and I stepped inside, still slightly in awe of the quiet, steady way he’d been with me all morning. He hadn't let go of my hand since the sonogram.We ordered coffee mine decaf, his black and found a quiet table in the corner near the window. He pulled out the chair for me again, then