Their pace was steady as they travelled through the woods. Maddie had tried to argue that she could shift and they could move quicker, but Michael had refused after changing her bandages. Her shoulder was healing slowly thanks to the silver blade that had cut her deep and, even though she protested, she held her arm against her chest taking the weight off the wound. They had decided they wouldn’t stop again until they reached Silver Moon, and he answered her grumbles by reminding her of the hours of walking they had left to do. He had woken her at first light, an apology in his tone. It didn’t matter that she had wounds to lick or that she was weighed down with exhaustion, they still had the trial to pass, and now winning seemed even more important than before. Michael didn’t seem to have any problem continuing like nothing had happened. She wondered if that was what his life had been like for the last sixteen years; fighting for his, and his pack’s, lives every day, leaving him w

“All three of them? But they were split up.” Maddie whispered, though she couldn’t see or hear the wolves. Her stomach dropped. It had been Lewis’ idea to split the three Red Dawn wolves up and yet they had found their way back together and managed to ditch their team members. She didn’t know if Nala had been left behind and then attacked by rogues, or if Daniel and Mark had taken her down, but there was something malicious going on. Why else would they be waiting in the port if they could cross over to Silver Moon and secure their places in the next trial. Michael returned to Nala’s side and rummaged through her pockets before he pulled a glowing rock from her cargo trousers. Maddie’s hand came to her chest, feeling the pair to it beneath her t-shirt. “This is just in case we get separated.” He slipped it over his head, before locking her with a firm gaze. “I need you to stay here and watch Nala.” A prickle raced down her arms, sending a shudder through her. “Where are y

Everything hurt. The feeling was becoming familiar to her after the last trial and the training sessions in between. Maddie wondered if she would ever finish a trial without feeling like she had been chewed up and spit out. Her body was leaden, trying to coax her to just lie down and go to sleep, but she remained on her knees, the last of her energy keeping her upright. Bodies surrounded her as she sagged, panting her efforts and feeling the burn of the day rip through her harsher than before. She could barely look up to thank the wolves around her but managed to tilt her head towards Michael. Though he was still on his feet, there was a tremble to his frame. She smiled, but her happiness was cut short when Erik’s roar cut above the crowd. He was at Nala’s side in a moment, fretting over her body much like Michael had done the day before. He growled with each expelled breath, sharing terse words with the Dark Night Alpha that she couldn’t hear. Then, he was calling for help with the

His lips were like liquid fire as they claimed hers; a red-hot desire burning into her, making Maddie melt into his embrace. He held her like the restraints on his touch had shattered; tight, firm, possessive. He locked her to his body like he couldn’t bear to let her go but it still wasn’t enough. She pushed against him, loving the way her softer body moulded around his. She threaded her fingers into his hair, clutching to press his lips closer, to taste more of him. It was heady, it was carnal, it was the tension of days in each other’s company with little more than a tease shared between them. And it still wasn’t enough, With a growl she climbed into his lap, nestling her legs either side of him. His hands grabbed at the back of her thighs, kneading the flesh and helping her balance. Maddie rocked against him in time with their desperate kisses, creating a frenzied rhythm between them that demanded satisfaction. Michael danced sweet kisses over her throat, her head rolling bac

Michael POV - There weren’t many places around the Silver Moon pack where Michael felt comfortable. He was used to always having his guard up, waiting for the next breach or bad news to befall his pack, but on a territory where everyone considered him an enemy, he had never felt so many eyes on him. He constantly had to be careful to not say or do the wrong thing. There were only two times he relaxed, as much as an Alpha could in another’s pack; when night fell and when he was alone with Madeline. He had been gifted the peace of her company for a few hours that evening, but once they left his room, the guarded awareness he always held returned. He couldn’t find the comfort of her touch or even walk beside her as they headed to the grand hall for dinner. The boundaries they had managed to crumble over the past few weeks had to be replaced with false walls. It would create problems for her if the pack suspected she had softened towards him. Michael didn’t mind the ruse. He wa