My eyes trail over the wound on Madisons face. Klaus had done a good job stitching her up, Making it as neat as possible but it was like he said, she would have a scar, a permanent reminder of what happened.

She couldn’t heal anymore, everything could hurt her.

Her breaths are slow and steady. Ugly purple bruises litter her pale skin and her soul develops cracks as I watch.

I couldn’t feel a connection to her anymore. I couldn’t scent her as my mate and yet I find myself unable to leave her.

Though I should go and shoot those bastards at the gate. Neither of them had seen her. Had she called out for help? Had they seen her and just ignored her? Did they watch her drop to the ground and turn a blind eye?

Stepping out of the room, I find Damien waiting. “How is she?”

“What do you think?”

He studies me. “Is she awake?”

“No. Where’s Dane?”

“Gone to do some investigating.”

“Then I should go too.” I glance back at the room and start moving forward. Damien’s hand hits me square in the chest.

“No, you should stay here with her. I expect she will want to see you when she wakes up.”

“I never claimed her.” I tell him. “I can’t scent her anymore.”

“So you are going to walk away?” He challenges me, “Just like that?”

Madison and I should never have been paired. I’m a Hunter, she’s a Lycan. Was a Lycan. It should never have worked and yet I could not get her out of my head. I had met up with her every single day since she started the fire. At first, it was just to keep an eye on her and to make sure she didn’t do anything else. Then the more I got to know her, the harder it was to stay away and I couldn’t keep my hands off of her.

It was wrong, yet I couldn’t stop.

“Well?” Damien asks

“This is new for me.” I mutter. Making decisions had always been easy for me until it came to her. I had wanted to protect her even though our bond was wrong. I still want to protect her, but I could also just as easily walk away.

“We will find a way to get her Lycan back.” Damien tells me confidently.

“You don’t even know what we are dealing with. That Samara girl said she has been without her Lycan for five years. What if there is no way? What if this is her for the rest of her life?”

“She can stay in the pack. She will be safe here.”

I snort. “You’re actually being serious! Look around you. She was taken from the pack.”

He stares at me but doesn’t speak.

“Go on, say it asshole.” I demand

“Why didn’t you trust your instincts?”

“Are you trying to put this on me?!” I snarl

“You said it yourself, you didn’t like the guy. But you let him go because of one of Dottie’s stickers. You put your trust in a seven year old. A kid that can’t even remember what she had for breakfast.”

“Trust me, I won’t be making that mistake again.”

Groans come from Madison’s room and Damien continues to glare at me as I back up and slip inside to check on Madison

She moans in pain as she stretches out. With her eyes closed, her hand moves to her face. Her fingertips run across the freshly stitched wound. “Ow.”

“Leave it.” I tell her.

“Brax.” She whispers, peering at me through slits

“I’m here.” I pull her hand into mine

“I made it back.” She winces, “Everything hurts.”

“I know. Just close your eyes and sleep. We can talk when you have rested.”

“His name wasn’t Ash.” She

murmurs closing her eyes. “His

name is Cooper.” Her grip on my

hand loosens and her heartbeat slows but stays steady as she drifts back into unconsciousness.

belongs to en.swnovels

“It was just as we suspected.” I mutter to Damien, knowing he was standing in the doorway behind me.

“How did she get away?” Damien mutters.