✧

"What's happening now?" I grunt to Maddox as we walk to the office.

He slams the door behind him and I can only presume it's not good. He stares me down with his dark eyes and a vein bulges out of his neck as he folds his arms over his chest. "Some of the pack are getting restless."

"What do you mean?"

"They say they're keeping them in the dark and we're not being transparent with what's going on with Malakai."

My eyes roll and I sit down on the office chair stretching my limbs. "For the reason that we don't want them to start panicking. The last thing we need is for people to start putting us in danger."

"We need to do something, Haze," he exhales with a determined gaze.

My jaw tightens. "Not right now."

Maddox scoffs. "Oh my God, this is about your precious little mate, isn't it?"

I stare at him with a death glare.

"Fuck," he releases a strangled laugh and begins to pace the office. "You're a fucking idiot."

"We need her."

"You need her," Maddox snaps as his eyes burn with fury. "You didn't think about the rest of us when you decided to make your life into a dramatic movie and fucking kidnap her."

My nostrils flare at the tone of his voice. I despise him sometimes but we've known each other for far too long to ruin what we have—even if we bicker like there is no tomorrow. Somehow we make each other better.

"With my powers I will be able to protect us from Malakai."

"But do you realise that what the elder said might be bullshit?"

"It might!" I yell and stand up, letting the chair scrape against the floor. "But it's the best chance I've got. We've tried everything else and now Malakai wants my blood."

Maddox's eye twitches. "Have you seen that pathetic girl upstairs? She will never help you get your powers back."

My hand stretches out and I throttle him, shoving him back into the wall with all my strength. "Don't you fucking dare talk about her like that," I spit. "Say another fucking word and I'll break your legs."

"Oh my Goddess," he exhales, attempting to shrug me off but I grit my teeth and hold on tighter. "This is more than the powers now, isn't it? You think you could actually fall in love with her."

"Shut up," I hiss. "You know nothing."

Maddox's expression morphs into something I despise. "Holy shit," he manages to shove me off. "You're willing to throw everything away for some girl that you barely know."

"She's my mate, Maddox," I clench my fists together and convince myself not to hit him, even though I really, really want to. "She's not just some girl."

"I swear," he steps towards me and glares heavily. "You fuck this up for us, I'll kill you myself."

We all want a new shot at life with a brand new beginning. But we have to fight through the shit first and we can't do it if we don't work as a team. This is literally the opposite working as a team but Maddox and I have threatened each other for most of our lives.

He hates Malakai as much as I do.

My eyes narrow. "I'm not going to fuck anything up. Wait and see."

Maddox turns his nose up at me and I ignore the rude gesture. "We need to do something about the pack," he straightens out his T-shirt. "Aurelia's schedule is working and we need to keep it up. It's time we tell them about Malakai, despite the fact it might create panic. They deserve to know, it might make them better."

"Or mass chaos." I deadpan.

"That, or they turn on us and that is something that we don't need."

He leaves the office and leaves thoughts swimming through my head. All I wanted was to keep the pack calm and not let rumours spread and create fake fear. But they're not stupid, we know we're training to the bone for a reason.

"Damnit," I grumble under my breath and stare at the wall.

Black smoke begins to emit from the palms of my hands and I growl at the sight of them. My powers are almost uncontrollable without the other half of the amulet. My shadows are a blessing but not when I can't fully grasp them the way I should.

The ultimate power I could possess when all the power resides in me. The damage they can cause will be earth-shattering, and I refuse to let Malakai take that away from me.

He thinks the other half of my amulet doesn't exist. He believes he saw it perish in a fire along with our parents' things. But I still have it and I'm eager to slide the two pieces together and destroy Malakai once and for all.

✧

After spending the afternoon pulling together a logical plan to inform the pack about our plans, I glance at the clock and feel my wolf howl at the thought of not seeing Viola for a few hours.

Maddox's news interrupted us and I wonder if she still hates me after I gave her the chance to speak to her brother. I head upstairs and unlock her door before knocking and stepping inside.

To my surprise she's sitting on her bed eating from the tray of food the kitchen staff had prepared for her. Something inside me softens at the thought of knowing that she's treating her body right.

I clear my throat and she glances at me. I don't expect a smile. I don't get one.

"How's the food?"

Her nose wrinkles. "Could be better."

A small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. I wouldn't want anything less than the truth from her. Nothing is sugar coated and I hate to admit I admire her backbone. She might look dainty and innocent but she definitely has something to say—always.

My eyes study the way she raises her hand to her lips and takes a bite of the triangle sandwich. The smile on my lips quickly disappears when I notice purple and black bruising along the edge of her wrist. A hand mark.

I stalk towards her and her face drops with surprise and a sprinkle of fear. I reach forward and take her hand. "Haze," she cries out as if I'm about to do something.

My gaze hardens on the marks along her delicate skin. They make me want to set this world on fire and I've never felt like this in my entire life—especially not over another wolf. The bond is sizzling inside me as I continue to stare at the horrific marks that boil my blood.

I bite down on my jaw as dark shadows erupt around us and Viola releases a screech. She hasn't seen my shadows before but they're not dangerous, not unless I want them to me.

"Who did this to you?"

The shadows wrap us up in a security blanket, pushing the outside world away. Viola's eyes wobble as she looks up at me, her throat tensing and relaxing as she watches my chest move rapidly.

I lick my lips and attempt to calm my wolf.

"Tell me, who the fuck did this to you?"

Her shoulders shake as she pulls her hand back and covers the mark but I've already tattooed them into my brain. Whoever has done this to her is going to fucking pay, and it's not going to be pleasant.

"Viola," I snap and she flinches.

I'm losing my damn mind. If she doesn't tell me right now, I'm tearing the entire pack apart until I find the fucker who has put their hands on my mate.

"The guard," she confesses and lowers her head as if she's embarrassed. "The one who you ordered to bring me up to my room."

My nostrils flare and I see red. As much as I want to turn around and drag that asshole in here, I stare at Viola as she shrinks into herself. I perch on the bed beside her and the shadows begin to drop.

"Show me your hand," I say as calmly as possible but it comes out rough and wrong.

Viola seems startled by my statement but she doesn't protest. She unfolds her arm from her body and I gently take it in my hands, examining the tender flesh. I frown and breathe through my nose heavily.

"The healers can help," I exhale.

"It's fine," she brushes off and attempts to take her hand back but I don't let it go. "It'll heal by itself. It's fine."

I shake my head once. "No. You're weak. The reason it hasn't already started healing is because you've not been keeping your strength up. This needs to be healed."

She sighs. "You're not going to let this go. Are you?"

"There is no way I'm going to look at those marks and keep my head every time I see you," I grumble through my teeth. "It makes me fucking homicidal."

Viola flinches at my confession but I don't know if she realises that I'm telling the truth. I'd kill anyone for her and I'd have absolutely no guilt about it whatsoever. Yet, I don't know what possesses these insane thoughts.

My skin tingles in ways that I can't even comprehend and I watch Viola's skin begin to pimple. The connection of the bond, it's heightening our senses and the bond. God, the bond makes me want to wrap her up and protect her forever.

I can't trust anyone in this damn house.

"I'll bring the healers up and then we can talk about what happened."

She purses her lips but doesn't say anything. I drop her arm and feel like I'm at a loss. I leave shortly after and send the pack doctor's up whilst I locate Callum, the guard that has just fucked up his own life.

I order him up to Viola's room as the healers leave and I check her arm to make sure that they've done the best they can. Every inch of her skin is now back to her soft pale complexion and I exhale a breath of relief.

"How does it feel?" I ask.

"Better."

"Good."

There is a knock at the door and I call for them to come in. Callum steps into view and Viola visibly tenses behind me, attempting to push herself away into the headboard. I hate that she's scared of him.

"You needed me, Haze?"

I study Callum's lazy eyes as he drags them over my face and at Viola behind me. "Don't look at her," I snap. "Never fucking look at her again."

Callum's back straightens and only now in this moment does he release that he's done something wrong. Sudden terror etches its way across his face and a trail of sweat drips down the curve of his temple.

"I think you have someone you need to apologise to." I state as he gulps and flicks his eyes to Viola. "Eyes down."

Callum glances down but aims his words at her. "I'm sorry for being a little forceful earlier."

"Forceful?" I gawk at his words with a sour laugh. "You think the way you acted was forceful? You were acting fucking barbaric."

"I'm sorry," he rasps. "I never intended to hurt her."

I glance at Viola who is scowling at him. "You're never going to do it again, are you?"

"No, Haze."

"That's right," I smirk at him. "Because I will never let it happen ever again."

My shadows begin to emerge from my hands and I direct towards Callum who starts breathing heavily. I lower my head but keep my gaze on him as I channel my powers as best I can.

They start to swirl around his head. "Haze, wait. I—"

I tighten my fists and the shadows twist at an alarming speed. The sound of his neck cracks and his body drops to the floor in a heap. Blood trickles out of his nose. Viola screams from behind me.

"What the hell have you done?" She bellows.

I turn around to face her but she's backing away from me as if I'd do the exact same thing to her. Her eyes swim with tears within seconds and they fall down her face when she blinks.

"Stay away from me," she chokes.

Her breathing is all I can hear. Erratic and frightened. It haunts me.

"I promise, I won't let anyone hurt you."

Viola breaks down into a full sob and I frown at her reaction. Shouldn't she be happy that he's gone? Now he'll never be able to hurt her again.

"Y-you killed him," she attempts to catch her breath.

"He hurt you. Anyone who lays a finger on you, I'll destroy, sweetness."

"Oh my Goddess," her fingers claw at her hair. "You killed him. You killed him."

I take a step back as she falls onto her side and clutches the front of her jumper in a tight fist. "First thing you should know about me, Viola," I say loudly to grab her attention. She peeks her tear stained eyes at me. "I don't take people hurting what's mine lightly. If anything I showed him mercy. Trust me, I can be a vicious bastard and you'll really hate me then."

She sniffles and pushes herself up with a hand. "You'd do worse to me?"

"Sweetness, I think we've already established that I'd never hurt you. Not unless you asked me to."

Viola's eyes flare but I don't think she's grasping what I'm saying.

Soon, she'll find out and be begging for more.

✧

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Author's Note

Talk about touch her and die, hehee he really said this trope is for him🤭🤣

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