And even I had this strange need to protect them more than I ever did before.

The twins start getting grumpy and Neah tells us she is taking them to get some food. Eric and Mallory head off home leaving Dane and I alone.

“There’s more isn’t there?” I ask

“I’m putting precautions in place.”

“In case something happens to you, right?”

He sighs. “There has always been a plan. I had siblings. But if something happens to me and Neah now, the boys are not anywhere near old enough

to step up. I need a Black that can hold the position until they come of age. And you are more than capable of running a pack.”

“It’s not going to come to that.”

“Still, precautions.” He mutters.

I nod. If I had known about his precautions beforehand, it wouldn’t have made a difference. I still would have accepted.

“I also need to go through our history with you.” He adds, “Just in case. But first, I want to check on Ryken.”

We head down to the gates. The last place I expected to find Ryken. Dane informs me that the other guard had to leave because his wife went into labour.

Ryken is busy chatting to the second guard, but puts a hand up to acknowledge us heading towards him.

“What’s that?” I could see something further up the road towards the main road. A dark object sprawled across the ground, almost hidden by the shadows of the trees.

I couldn’t smell anything.

“Open the gates.” I yell as I get closer.

Ryken gives me an obscure look but pulls the gate back just enough to let me through.

I tell Dane to stay back. If it was a trap, it was better for just one of us to get caught in it. I move forward until I catch the subtle scent of a Human. Slowing my steps, I scan the nearby trees, sniffing the air. But there’s nothing other than familiar scents from the pack and the Human.

“Shit.” Red waves peak out under the hood over her head.

“What is it?” Dane calls out.

“Get Brax.” I yell back and roll the person on their back.

Maddie’s eyes are closed. A large gash runs from her temple, over her right eye and down to her chin. She needed stitches and probably antibiotics.

I lift her off the ground, and hurry her back inside the gates. “Don’t just fucking stand there!” I snap at Ryken and the other guard. “Close the gates!” How had they not seen her? How had they not seen whoever was responsible for this?

“Klaus is at the hospital.” Dane tells me. I don’t hesitate and charge across the grounds.

“Maddie?” Klaus mutters as I burst through the doors. “You found her?”

“She was outside the gates, like this. Dane is finding Brax. She doesn’t smell like a Lycan anymore.”

He ignores me and investigates the wound on her face. “She’s not healing either.”

He works quickly, cleaning the

wound as I check her hands. Blood and bits of skin and hair are trapped under her nails. I have seen it so many times in my human life. She had fought the bastard. Tried leaving a mark. Had she gotten away from him? Had she made it back here alone?

“WHERE IS SHE?!” Brax yells.

“She’s with Klaus.” Dane tells him. “Just give him a chance to assess her.”

“Are you sure it’s her? All I can smell is Human.”

I step out of the room. “It’s her. He has done the same thing to her as what he did to Blair and the other woman.”

He pushes past me and steps into the room, only to turn around and walk back out.

“Brax.” Dane blocks him. “You need to keep it together.”

“I’m not part of your pack.” He growls back at Dane.

“Going out there when we have no idea how she made it back, is not going to help you or her.”

“I think she made it back here alone.” I tell them what I saw under her fingernails. “I don’t think she was dumped.”

Brax narrows his eyes at me. “Did you find her?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Outside the gates.”

“And who was guarding the gates?” He demands

“None of your business.”

He looks at Dane for answers.

“I’m with Damien on this one. I can’t

have you shooting my pack when

we don’t have any information. Now

sit

ast and hope that your mate is

en.swnovels

Brax glares at both of us but sits in the chair outside of Maddie’s room.

Klaus comes out after a little while.

“She’s a little dehydrated. I’ve stitched her up. Her body isn’t even healing a little so she will scar and it’s not the only scar she will have. I found deep scratches on her back too. Most likely from a Lycan. I would say from the cuts on her feet, she was running and then passed out.”

And neither one of the men at the gates saw her.