Missy

Ding. Ding. My phone buzzed beside me as I lay on my bed, writing in my diary app. I glanced over to see a message from Vlad.

V: Hey Can we talk?

ME: Right now?

V: Yeah

ME: I guess

V: Come meet me at the cabin. Please?

Biting my lip, I looked out the window. It was getting dark, and escaping the packhouse unnoticed seemed impossible.

ME: I don't know if I can get out.

V: Just slip out.

With a heavy sigh, I locked my tablet and placed it under my pillow. V and I needed to talk, instead of continuing this awkward charade. I should also tell him that Maddox would be around almost all day, for the foreseeable future. I wouldn't be surprised if Liam kept someone watching me until he relinquished the Alpha title.

I didn't want to get him in trouble, but I hoped Maddox was still outside with Junior as I started down the hall. I had no such luck; Junior was climbing the stairs, looking dirty and grass-stained. "Hey, bud. Where's Maddox?" I asked.

"He went to shower. He made me fall," he grumbled, pushing past without another word. If Maddox was showering, I could probably sneak out. I quietly descended the stairs, making myself as small as possible. I slipped out the back door and headed toward the treeline. Just as I thought I was safe, someone cleared their throat behind me. I froze, turning to see Maddox standing there, arms crossed.

"I thought you were staying in your room the rest of the night," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just going for a run," I said, not entirely lying.

"You know Alpha doesn't want you going anywhere alone," he said.

"It's fine. Go shower. You look like a mess after training with Junior," I said. I didn't need Maddox tagging along to meet Vlad.

"Missy, no. I already let your dad down once, and I'm not doing it again. If you're going out, I'm going with you!" he said, getting irritated.

"I don't need to be babysat," I weakly argued.

"What's gotten into you? What's with this sudden change?"

"I'm going to meet Vlad, okay?" I admitted, looking away, unable to meet his eyes. The air thickened between us; we were both silent for a moment.

"Fine, I'll go with you," he finally said, his voice somber.

"No, it isn't necessary. I wouldn't ask you to do that," I said quietly. Heavy footsteps stopped in front of me, and I looked up to see Maddox giving me a steadfast gaze.

"You aren't going alone, so it's me, or I call a warrior to escort you. It seems you don't want anyone to know where you're going, so the choice is yours," he said.

I weighed my options. I didn't want anyone to know about the cabin, but Maddox was preferable to anyone else. I sighed. "Fine. Come with me, but I need to be alone with Vlad."

"Fine," he said, sounding bitter. "Lead the way." He walked past me, into the trees in the direction I was headed. I wondered if I should text Vlad that Maddox was coming. He'd be irritated, I was sure. I didn't get much time to think when Maddox called, "Coming?"

I jogged to catch up. "Sorry," I muttered.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Somewhere no one else knows about," I said.

"And where is that, exactly?" he asked.

"We'll get there faster if we shift," I told him. He nodded, pulling his shirt over his head. When he started to remove his shorts, I got the hint. I hurried behind a nearby tree, quickly removing my own clothes, leaving them in a pile and shifting. When I emerged, Maddox was waiting.

"Lead the way," he said. We both ran deeper into the trees.

"When we get there, can you maybe stay outside?" I asked.

He gave me a sideways look. "I guess. Where is it?"

I was quiet for a minute. He'd see it soon enough. "An old cabin we found," I told him.

"Are you sure it's safe? Doesn't it belong to someone?"

"About as safe as anywhere else, I guess…"

"Fine, I'll stay outside, but you're going to let me check it out first."

"Alright," I agreed. As we ran, Maddox scanned the woods. His cautiousness made me uneasy. Soon, we neared the cabin. "It's right ahead. I need to shift and dress," I linked him.

"Wait," he said, slowing down. Maddox began circling the cabin, sniffing the surrounding area. "Stay close," he said as he moved. I followed, trying to figure out if he smelled something or was just checking.

We made a wide arch around the cabin before he approached. "Maddox, what's wrong?" I asked.

"I smell something. It's faint, but it's… wrong somehow," he told me. As we neared the front, Vlad was standing by the door, looking around. When his eyes found mine, he looked relieved, until he saw Maddox.

"What's going on?" he called. I moved away from Maddox, heading for a tree to change behind. I changed quickly, putting on clothes and hurrying out from behind the tree.

"Sorry," I said, stopping in front of him. "I can't leave the packhouse alone." His eyes flicked to Maddox before returning to me.

"Is he staying then?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, but he's going to stay outside."

"Missy, I don't think we should be here. I can't identify this scent, and it's barely there," Maddox linked me. I turned to him.

"No one knows about this place. We've been here a dozen times," I told him.

"That was before rogues were constantly pushing at our borders," he argued.

"Please, Maddox? Just a little while, and I'll go back with you," I pleaded.

"What's wrong?" V asked behind me.

"Maddox is worried. He smells something off," I told him.

"He doesn't need to be. No one knows about this, and nothing's been touched," he said.

I looked back at Maddox. His expression, even in wolf form, showed his nervousness. I walked over and placed my hand on his muzzle. His eyes widened, uncertain.

"It's okay, Maddox. I trust you and him. Just howl if we need to leave, and I'll come running, I promise," I linked him. His head dipped once, and he turned away, moving into the trees. I returned to the cabin doorway where V was waiting. He gave me a tight smile before stepping aside.

I entered the cabin I hadn't seen in weeks. Nothing had changed, except something had been thrown at the wall, creating a small crater. V shut the door and stood with his back to it, hands in his pockets, giving me a sheepish look.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked quietly.

"I miss you," he said softly. He looked down, seeming nervous. Usually, he was so confident.

"I wasn't really the one with a problem…" I replied. I missed him too, but I wasn't sure if it was him or the certainty I felt before Maddox and everyone else arrived.

"I know, and I should never have made my problems yours," he said softly.

"So, where does that leave us?" I asked, holding my breath.

He was quiet. "Where do you want it to leave us?" It was my turn to look away. I couldn't answer honestly because I didn't know. After a minute, he continued, "I'm sure all of this has made things difficult for you. But, Missy, I really love you and never meant to hurt you. I have no doubt you are my mate and hate myself for letting you down that day." He closed the distance, gently touching my face. I met his eyes, recognizing the sincerity in his gaze.

"V, I just…" I trailed off. How could I tell him things weren't the same, and I wasn't as sure as he was? I couldn't break his heart and push him away.

He cupped my face with both hands. "It's alright. I get it. It's my fault. But if you aren't going to push me away, I won't stop fighting for you. I don't care when your birthday is or when we'll know; I love you, Missy." He leaned his forehead against mine, and I closed my eyes. Where was this V when I was freaking out in the safe room or alone afterwards?

We stood like that for a long time, unmoving. Finally, he pulled back and kissed my forehead. "He's probably anxious out there. I don't know what he smelled…" he said. "I'll let you go. But before you go, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I whispered.

"Let me take you out before your birthday. I want to celebrate with you before it's officially the day, and we know one way or another," he requested.

I nodded. "Sure," I said, trying to smile.

He smiled, relieved. "You should get back to the packhouse. I'm sure your dad won't be happy you're out all night," he said, releasing me. I nodded. He stepped aside, and I moved toward the door. As I stepped out into the cool night air, Maddox was waiting outside, facing the trees. His head turned, looking at me over his shoulder. I headed down the steps and toward the trees to shift.

Once shifted, I met Maddox in front of the cabin. V stood on the steps watching us. With one last look at him, Maddox and I took off back to the packhouse.

Azalea

Standing before the bathroom mirror, I leaned against the counter, one hand on my belly. This child was giving me a hard time. The cramping was excruciating, and my stretching skin itched. Liam entered quietly; his scent intensified. He wrapped his arms around me and under my belly.

"Lean back," he whispered. I did, my body obeying. As I leaned against him, his hands lifted the weight of my pregnancy, and I sighed in relief. "Better?" he whispered.

"Mmmhmm," I hummed, enjoying the lessened pressure. He chuckled softly.

"How's my pup?"

"Doing good," I said. "She likes when her daddy holds her." I felt his smile. He liked me calling the pup 'she.'

"Missy ran off with Maddox a while ago," he said, feigning nonchalance.

"Are you worried?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," he admitted.

"Do you regret letting them stay together in her room?"

"No," he said. "I think he's good for her."

"Me too," I said. "I really like him."

"There isn't much time left before her birthday," he said. "She'll be of mating age." He said this as if I didn't already know. He and Gavin were probably upset their pup was about to be an adult.

"Liam, why doesn't Vlad have a definitive scent?" I asked. I wondered if this was related to Abraham knowing about the vampire bite.

He sighed, nuzzling my neck. "Abraham came to the pack after his mate was killed and Vlad was hurt. Vlad was bitten by a vampire. Abraham hasn't seen him shift since. After everything Theodore told us, I'd imagine he was bitten by an older vampire, but has lost his connection to his wolf."

"How sad," I mused. He nodded.