LOGINMaddie's Pov Jax didn't just walk into the room; he invaded it. The heavy air of the VIP section seemed to suck toward him, fueled by the raw, jagged energy he brought from the club floor. I tried to stand, my mouth opening to explain, to tell him why I was sitting here with a man he considered an enemy, but the words died in my throat."Jax, wait—" I started, my voice thin.He didn't even look at me at first. His eyes were pinned on Rave, who remained casually leaned back against the leather sofa, a glass of amber liquid held loosely in his hand. The contrast was sickening—Jax, vibrating with a violent, feral need to protect or destroy, and Rave, the picture of cool, calculated authority."So this is where you go?" Jax’s voice was a low, dangerous growl that vibrated in my chest. "This is who you run to when things get hard?""It's not what it looks like," I said, finally finding my feet. "I was just—"He didn't let me finish. Jax marched across the plush carpet in three long, preda
Maddie's PovThe bass from the club floor was a dull, rhythmic throb beneath my feet as the Boss led me toward the secluded lounge. My heart was still hammering against my ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. I looked up at him, his profile sharp and unforgiving in the dim light of the hallway."Thank you," I said, my voice barely a whisper. I cleared my throat and tried again, louder this time. "Really. Thank you for helping me back there. I don't know what they would have done if you hadn't stepped in."He didn't look at me immediately, his hand still firm on mine. "They would have been a nuisance. Men like that don't know the value of what they try to touch." He stopped at a set of heavy, velvet-draped doors. Two large men stood guard, nodding instantly as he approached. "I don't like nuisances in my club, Maddie.""I just... I didn't expect anyone to notice," I admitted, rubbing my arm where the other man's grip had been. He turned to me then, his dark eyes searching my face.
Maddie's Pov The phone on Kiara’s coffee table vibrated for the hundredth time since Tuesday. The screen lit up with Silas’s name, the glowing rectangle mocking me in the darkened living room."Still?" Kiara asked, walking in from the kitchen with two glasses of wine. She didn't wait for an answer. She picked up my phone and tossed it onto the armchair across the room. "Maddie, it’s been four days. You’re turning into a ghost. Look at you.""I feel like a ghost," I whispered, pulling the fleece blanket tighter around my shoulders. My eyes were still puffy, and my chest felt like someone had scooped out the middle with a jagged spoon. "Every time I close my eyes, I see Jax’s face when I walked out. Or Dare’s hands shaking. They’re probably tearing the city apart looking for me.""Let them tear it up. Maybe they’ll find some common sense while they’re at it," Kiara snapped, sliding into the seat next to me. She handed me a glass. "You can’t stay in this apartment forever, Mads. You hav
Maddie's Pov The gravel crunched under my boots, the sound echoing through the heavy silence of the driveway. My fingers were cramped from gripping the handle of my suitcase so hard my knuckles had turned white. I didn't get five steps toward my car before the front door hissed open again."Maddie, stop! Just—wait!" Silas’s voice was a whip-crack in the night air.I didn't turn around. I kept walking, shoving my bag into the trunk of my car with a frantic, uncoordinated strength."You can't just drive off," Rook shouted, his heavy footsteps thudding on the porch. "It’s two in the morning. You’re upset, you’re not thinking straight. Let Dare drive you at least."I spun around, my back slamming against the trunk. The four of them were lined up on the porch like a firing squad—Silas, Rook, Dare, and Jax bringing up the rear, his face shadowed and haunted."I am thinking clearer than I have in months," I snapped, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and exhaustion. "And don't you dare t
Maddie's Pov My palm stung, the heat of the impact radiating up my arm. Jax’s head was turned to the side, his jaw tight. The silence that followed was suffocating.“Don’t you ever,” I whispered, my voice thick with tears I refused to let fall. “Don’t you ever suggest I wanted this. I wanted a job, Jax. I wanted a life that wasn’t dictated by your paranoia and your brothers’ shadows.”“Maddie, wait,” Kiara stepped forward, his expression pained. “Jax didn't mean it like that, he’s just—”“He meant exactly what he said,” I interrupted, stepping back and letting the boss's coat slide off my shoulders. It hit the floor in a heap. I looked at Rave, whose eyes were dancing with a dark, triumphant light. “And you. Stay away from me. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m done.”“Madeleine, be reasonable,” Rave started, reaching for me.“Don’t touch me!” I screamed. I turned to Jax, my heart breaking. “You think I’m doing this for attention? You think I enjoy being bullied by my co
Maddie's Pov Jax stormed straight towards us, his eyes blazing, a low growl rumbling in his chest. I felt his hand close around my arm, his fingers digging in just above my elbow, trying to pull me away. “Let go of her,” he snarled, his voice tight with barely suppressed fury.But the boss, Rave, held onto my other arm just as tightly. His grip was firm, unwavering, not hurting me but making it impossible to move. He didn’t even look at Jax, his gaze still fixed on me, a strange possessiveness in his dark eyes. “She’s with me,” he stated, his voice calm, almost lazily dangerous.I was caught between them, my arms stretched out, feeling like a tug-of-war rope. My face burned. Everyone was watching. Every single person at that party had stopped dancing, stopped talking, and was staring directly at us, at me. I could feel their eyes, a hundred pairs of them, dissecting my humiliation. My stomach clenched. It was like they were fighting over a prize, not a person, and it made my skin cra
Madeleine's POVDust gathered on my face as a heavy object rolled me down the street. I heard the distant sound of vehicles and how closely they moved past me, but my eyes did not open.It felt like a dream. It seemed like I was in the middle of nowhere, with my hands and eyes tied up by my captor,
Madeleine’s POVI stared up at the tall oak trees before me, glaring at the beauty of the skies. I noticed the gradual disappearance of the full moon. The deed had been done.I'd been rejected by my mate. I'd been cast out by the same pack that I'd served for twenty-four years. The same guards who
Madeleine's POVI ran quickly towards the stage, hoping the guards wouldn't block me from getting there. No one had stood up to present themselves as the Alpha's mate. Was that not enough proof that I belonged to him?“Step back. Calm down. Have you forgotten who Damon is?” I said in my mind, but m
Madeleine’s POVIt was almost time.I heaved a deep breath, clasping my palms around the sides of my head to reduce the noise coming from the Grand Mating Ceremony Hall.Everyone was anticipating the full glow of the moon. The hall was packed with stars. Several Alphas sat at the high tables, wavin







