*Tatum*I stand in my old room, the one I was leaving before Russel’s untimely neck poke, rendering me unconscious. Maverick’s arms slide around me, his chest pressing into my back and his chin tucking into the crook of my neck as I relax into him. After everything, his embrace is still where I feel the safest.“What happened to Russel?” I ask.“I will have to ask Artemis,” he says. “He sure as shit won’t show his face here again now that everyone knows he is a traitor.”“Traitor? Or just loyal to a different Alpha King?” I ask, turning to look up at him and the corner of his lip tips down. “They are the same thing in this pack, Tatum.” he says softly and I can feel a little of my hope slipping away. Our last potential option is Maverick going rogue and hopefully being welcomed into Alpha Kit’s kingdom. But how would he handle that? Truly? As someone who not only respects but is friends with the very Alpha, he protects.Would he grow to resent me for his actions? And what if Kit doe

*Maverick*My eyes burn, the writing all bleeding together as I try to focus on the journal I found. The cracked old leather binding showcases how damn old it is, though it doesn’t have dates or a name to whose handwriting it may be. It has taken me five days to get to this book. The last one in the whole fucking library and now my only hope for answers. After this, there is no hope that anyone has ever broken out of the oath outside of going rogue, which, according to the books, has only happened a handful of times. I’ve gone back and forth between second chance mates books to oath books, hoping for crossovers and find nothing. All it has done is make me crave my mate and fill me with a deep need to accept this bond. A second chance mate is a rare gift. We all know that, but I didn’t know how rare. And the occurrence of a second chance mate being the same mate as the one once rejected? Well, that actually occurs more often than I thought it would. It is an attempt to heal a soul th

It’s bitter out. The cold air is relentless as it whips around, the wisps of little snowflakes blowing in my face as I stare at my parents’ grave. Their grave is massive, no doubt costing thousands, and I tilt my head, wondering how Tatum of all people paid for it. The thought of her creates an ache throughout me, my heart exhausted and battered from all the back and forth for the past two days waiting to see her.I couldn’t bring myself to text her back or even attempt to answer her calls, as I hid like a coward. If I would have answered I would have told her, There is no hiding the truth from her and she deserves to be told in person. I deserve to witness her heartbreaking so I can never forget what I have done to her time and time again. “You’ve been avoiding me,” her sweet voice calls out behind me and my eyes slide shut, relishing how she sounds, the happiness that laces her teasing words. I want to hold on to this, fucking cling to it like a baby clings to its mother, but I’m

*Maverick*I know I won’t be able to see Tatum tonight, not without the pain that will overtake me like it does every fucking time she comes to my mind. With the way the oath is going, it is trying to burn her from my memory, punish me for the bond that was divined for me.If I had any other option, I would take it. I have searched for two months alongside Artemis and Milo and at times, even River would pull an all nighter looking for something. Anything that would relieve me of my suffering, and Tatum’s as well. There is nothing, just as there wasn’t two months ago. The only way I can think to end the suffering, truly be rid of the pain, is to end it. No, I’m not the type of man to kill himself. That’s not how I plan to go out. I have respect for the life I was given, the talents I have. What I don’t have respect for are the rogues that started this all. The callous, soulless assholes who only wish to maim and murder for fucking entertainment.Their attack is the one that led me dow

Maverick tries to reach up to touch me back, his eyes distant but happy, as if he is moving in a fog. My tears run unchecked down my cheeks as I try like hell to calm myself. There is so much happening all at once. In my mind and around me, I feel overwhelmed, completely lost in what to do with all of it. “I need you to keep him from moving.” The healer tells me, touching my shoulder gently. “We have to get his arm bandaged before infection sets in and he loses it.”I lower my head, pressing my cheek to his as he turns into me, a satisfied hum on his lips.“Mav, stay still. You have to stay still, otherwise it will hurt,” I whisper in his ear.“I want to touch you,” he says back, his words sounding slurred as he tries to turn toward me.“No, no,” I rush out, splaying my hand over his chest to still him. My stomach boils when I touch his open wound, but I keep my eyes closed, my face pressed to his as I breathe through it. “You need to heal. ““I don’t want to.” He mutters, and I sigh