Alpha Maximus pulls me close. Our lips almost touch as we gaze into each other's eyes with desire. Suddenly, our lips smash together. My fingers glide through his hair, and his hands wrap around my waist. I feel like I'm floating in the air as sparks flow through my veins. Our lips part. I blush and look down, but Alpha Maximus gently takes my chin and pecks me on the lips. He kisses me repeatedly, then playfully down my neck, making me laugh. 'I'm going to shower, and then I'm going to go up the road and see if I can find some fresh clothes and anything else you need. Then, afterwards, we can have some dinner. I’m sure you are starving,’ he says. ‘I am,’ I smile. There’s a knock at the door. I open it to see Nathan is there with a suitcase. 'Hey, Hope, I have Alpha Maximus's suitcase here. I'll bring it in for you,’ he says. He places the suitcase on the bed. 'If you need anything, I'm just one door down, okay?' he offers. ‘Okay, thank you, Nathan,’ 'Before I go, I want to say

Alpha Maximus I can’t sleep after losing my best friend. My sweet little Hope is screaming in her sleep. As I gently wake her, she burst into tears. 'Nathan didn't do anything wrong! He didn't deserve to die!' she cries. She had just dreamt of the explosion and Nathan dying, a trauma I knew she would forever have. I wish I could have shielded her from seeing it, from being there. I wish I could have prevented Nathan's death, the explosion, all of it. My mind replays when the car window wound down, revealing a gun pointing at the petrol tanker. I knew that the whole place would explode if he shot the tanker. It was a run-or-die situation. Then I grabbed Hope's arm and ran as fast as possible, praying to the Moon Goddess if we could just outrun the explosion in time. Not wanting to think about it, I nuzzle my face into Hope's neck. My tears drip down her neck as I listen to her little heartbeat as she has managed to fall asleep again. Finally, at some point through the night, I, to

I inform Hope of the details of the conversation with Alex, explaining our plan. 'No! Maximus!' She cries. 'What if something happens to you and you get hurt or get yourself killed?' she sobs. 'I'm a Lycan, not a werewolf. I have the strength of three Alpha's put together. If I take them on one by one, then there is no way they can defeat me,' I explain. 'What if the pack members also attack?' she asks. 'Well, hopefully, it won't come to that. If I’m careful enough not to be seen, but if it's a small pack, I should be able to take the whole lot on.’ 'But what if it's a large pack?' she asks. 'I’ll be fine,’ I assure her. 'You don't know that!' 'Hope, whatever happens to me doesn't matter. What matters is you surviving and you being safe,' I tell her. Hope storms off into the bathroom and shuts the door behind her. I can hear her crying, and it’s breaking my heart. I walk over to the door and knock, 'Hope, I'm sorry I upset you,' I say softly through the door. She opens the do

Hope The men drag us into the Van and hold us down. Then they tie our wrists behind our backs using cable ties. 'Let us go!' Sally screams. 'What are we going to do with the human?' one of the men asks. 'What are you talking about?' Sally yells. 'Alpha Maximus is going to kill you all for this!' I growl at the men. They laugh at my words. Sally looks at me in confusion, 'Alpha, what?' she says. 'Where are you taking us?' I ask the men. 'Well, the intention was for you to die alongside Alpha Maximus, but Alpha Tate argued that you are his property and that he should choose what will become of you,' The man tells me. My breathing quickens as I begin to hyperventilate, 'You're taking me to Alpha Tate?' 'Yes,’ he says. 'No! Please, let me go! I don't want to go back to Alpha Tate! Please, he will hurt me,’ I beg. 'What Alpha Tate does with you is not our business!' he snaps. 'Now it's a long drive to Dawnbury, so I suggest you sit tight and stop talking!' he warns. 'Is that

My beautiful Goddess, my mate, is sitting in front of me, staring into my eyes with the most beautiful smile. I’m lying in a bed completely naked. Hope straddles herself on top of me and wraps her arms around my neck. 'What happened? Where are we?' I ask. 'Alpha Tate and Alpha Liam are dead. I ordered our new pack members to bury them all,' she says. Smiling, I cup her face, 'I see you’re already adjusting to being Luna?' I smile. 'Well, you were knocked out from the Wolfsbane, and everyone began to bow down to me and kept chanting Luna! So, I got them to help carry you here to rest, and then they all stood around waiting for more orders. I wanted to do the right thing by the dead, so they were all buried except for Alpha Tate, Liam and Sam. I had their bodies burned to ashes,' she smiles. 'You are a true Luna indeed!' I say, kissing her on the forehead. I swing my legs off the bed, and everything sways. 'Oh no, you don't!' Hope says. 'You must stay and rest until all the Wolfs