✧

I watch Viola sleep. I can't take my eyes off her.

After what happened out on our territory, I couldn't have her anywhere but right by my side. She's snuggled up between my sheets as I prop my head up on my fist and watch her chest right and fall softly.

My fingers raise to brush back a few strands of her hair from her pretty face. I glance at her recovering ear, the doctors did a good job of setting it but it's not one hundred percent bonded back together yet. I couldn't give a shit about my own injuries, not when she's my main priority.

The blood in my veins is still burning hot. She shouldn't have been out there. She should have listened to my orders and stayed back. I don't care if we're equals, she doesn't have the strength the rest of my pack have and I'm not willing to lose her. I was more than capable of sorting out those humans myself.

I still have the lingering taste of her on my lips. The passion. The desire. The possession.

Goddess. Her mouth fits mine perfectly and I've never been so settled. As if all my questions about this life have been answered and it's all because of her. To think I believed that my mate wouldn't change my life like everyone says and describes.

She didn't just change my life, she's altered the chemicals in my damn brain.

I'll never be the same again after meeting her. She is a vision.

Viola's eyes flutter open slowly as she stirs and releases a soft whine. "W-what time is it?"

"Early," I whisper. "How are you feeling?"

She pauses for a moment, licking her lips and clearing her throat. "I'm okay."

"Your ear?"

Her hand moves to touch the healing injury but I stop her before she makes contact.

"Don't," I shake my head. "Let it heal."

"It's fine," she whispers back and pushes herself up.

Viola's eyes flick over my face for a long moment and I move to sit up beside her, my fingers urging to reach out and clutch hers against mine. I study her face and tilt my head as she doesn't remove her gaze from me. "What are you thinking about, sweetness?"

"Has Noah been talking to Elijah?"

"He's trying," I admit. "But he's being reserved, probably worried to tell the truth."

"Can I see Elijah?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I talk to him?" She asks. "I'd like to be more involved with the pack, you said before you would let me. I want to help and I've got some questions I'd like to ask him, see if that helps with what's going on with Malakai more."

I blink at her determination to figure this shit out. What more could I ask for from my mate? She's willing to help and a part of me doesn't understand why. I kidnapped her. I drugged her. I held her here against her own will and she wants to help me? I'm starting to realise that I don't deserve this perfect woman.

How I have her trust is beyond me. All I know is, I'll make it up to her.

"If you want to, sweetness," I nod. "If you think it'll help."

Viola's tired expression lights up. "It's better than nothing, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna go shower and get dressed. Meet you downstairs?"

As I watch her hop off my bed my wolf whines inside me, desperate to have her beside us again. But she's right. We need to find out more. I know I'll have her to myself tonight and every night until I die.

Twenty minutes later I meet Viola downstairs by the front door. We head towards the basement and I hold open the door before we walk down the stairs, bypassing all the guards that are keeping this trespasser behind bars.

Viola steps around the corner but I grab her before she can go any further. She looks up at me with her big eyes and frowns with confusion. "Whatever you do," I whisper. "Don't get too close."

"Mm."

"No, Viola. Do you understand me? Do not get too close to him. Stand back. I could not be more serious."

Her lip tips to the side. "Yes, Haze. I understand you."

We enter the basement and Viola spots Elijah sitting in the corner. She doesn't step anywhere near the bars, not close enough for him to grab her or try anything. She pauses and laces her fingers together.

"Hello," she whispers.

Elijah glances up at her but he doesn't move.

"I'm Viola. You're Elijah, right?"

"What's it to you?"

"Haze told me that you have a lycan form," she states and I stand back, arms folded over my chest.

Elijah pins her with a stare. "And what?"

"My brother has a form like that," she says softly. "It gives him greater power. He can sense scents and other things that give him a sixth sense. Is that why Malakai told you to look for us? You had the resources and he used you to find out information."

He remains silent and looks at her before pushing up from the floor. I hear her gulp but she doesn't back away. "Malakai uses people."

I scoffs. "Don't we know it."

"And he used you?" Viola tries again in her gentle voice.

"He doesn't care about us," he rasps. "He never has. He doesn't care who dies, as long as he gets what he wants. Even if they're his own people."

I nod at his words. That's not news to us.

"Then why aren't you opening up to Noah? I know you guys are mates."

Elijah almost flinches at Viola's words. "Because how can I trust him?"

"How can he trust you?" She shoots back.

"I guess neither of us can truly trust each other."

"What is Malakai really up to?" She takes one step forward and I tense.

Viola. I warn.

I've got this. I'm not getting any closer.

Elijah shakes his head. "Isn't that obvious?"

"Enlighten me."

"He doesn't just want you guys. He wants to take over the entire werewolf community in the country. He wants to run a dictatorship. He wants to be the leader, he wants everyone to bow down at his feet," he grumbles and grits his teeth at the thought.

My nostrils flare. I wouldn't put it past my power hungry brother.

"What do the rest of his pack think?" I rasp.

Elijah's eyes cut to mine. "If we speak out or rebel, we're killed. Some people like the thought of power, but they don't realise they'll never have it. Malakai will take it all and use everyone as his personal slaves, warriors, fuck dolls. Whatever he wants."

Viola's face scrunches up at his words. "Then why won't you help us?"

"What's the point? You want to kill me. I heard what that guy was saying, he wants me gone."

She looks at me and quirks a brow. Who?

Maddox.

Viola rolls her eyes. Of course.

"Will Malakai come looking for you?" She asks.

"Doubt it," he murmurs. "He probably thinks I'm dead because he's heard nothing. He'll be onto the next with better powers and abilities."

She chews the inside of her cheek as she thinks. "What else has he said?"

"That he needs to find something to make his powers even stronger."

Viola looks at me at the same time I look at her. Fuck.

"What does he need to find?" She presses.

Elijah shrugs and leans on the bars. "I don't know. But he's fascinated with finding it."

I thought you said he thinks it's been destroyed? Viola says to me.

I gnaw on my lip hard enough to draw blood. So did I. This must be why he's hunting us to this extent. He knows I have it.

"Anything else of worth?" Viola places a hand on her hip.

Elijah is silent for a long moment as he thinks. "He might boast, but he keeps a lot to himself. I don't know the ins and outs of his plan. All I know is he wants to destroy you, Haze. Then he's going to take everything else for himself."

Viola sighs. "Well, thanks for talking to me, Elijah."

"I owe Malakai nothing."

Soon we leave the basement and head up to the office where Aurelia and Noah are already hunched around the desk working. "Where have you guys been?" Noah quirks a brow.

"Talking to your mate," I state.

Noah's eyes widen. "What did he say?"

"Malakai knows about my amulet," I grumble. "That's probably why he's desperate to hunt us down."

"Should have known," Aurelia shakes her head. "Fuck."

"Is he getting closer?" Viola asks.

Noah nods at her. "Yeah, I've been tracking him and the direction of his pack. I've been trying to misdirect him, but I fear he won't be this delusional for long. He's smart, he'll figure it out sooner or later."

"What do we do then?"

"We fight," I state and Viola looks at me with heavy eyes.

"Haze, you need to get Malakai's amulet," Aurelia says.

Viola hums in agreement. "I've been saying this. I know about the elders, I know what they said. I can help. I can do this."

"No," my voice bellows over them as I slam my hand down on the desk. "I said no."

Fire blazes inside me as I stare at my mate. She sighs and averts her gaze, no one else says anything as the tension in the room grows. Maddox steps inside the office a moment later.

"I think you should let her prove herself," Maddox sneers, leaning on the wall beside the door with a smug look on his face. "See if the little princess can actually do something worthwhile."

Viola shoots him a look. "What is your problem with me?"

"My problem is that ever since you've been here Haze has been distracted, everyone is following you around like a puppy dog and you're taking away from everyone here who has sacrificed everything." He snarls. "You've sacrificed nothing."

"I'm willing to help you, asshole," she grumbles. "I'm willing to help all of you because I don't want you losing to Malakai. I don't want any of you dead."

Maddox's nostrils flare and he walks towards her. Noah jumps in the way and I shove my hand into Maddox's chest, my eyes narrowing with rage. "You fucking touch her and I'll kill you. Do you hear me?"

"See?" He scoffs. "Look what she's doing to you! Brainwashing all of you idiots."

I shove him back again. "She's not brainwashing anyone. She's right, you're an asshole."

"You've gone soft since she got here."

"No, I became smart. She made me realise I was being angry and stupid and irrational with my decisions, not thinking them through. With her I've realised I need to act better, not just for me or for her, but for all of us. Don't you fucking understand that?" My voice booms across the office. "The last thing this pack needs is all of us going at each other."

Maddox turns up his nose. "We'll go to shit because of her."

"I don't see what you're doing, Maddox," Viola steps towards him with a challenging look. "You come in here and shout at everyone, but I don't see you coming up with anything good or being the hero. I'm willing to fight for all of you, yet all you want to do is bring down everyone around you."

He steps towards her, red flashing in his eyes. I shove him before he can reach her. "I said back the fuck up, Maddox." I growl. "She's right. You've been worse than usual and I'm not going to fucking stand for it."

"All of this for a piece of pussy," he mutters.

I pull my fist back and punch him until he staggers backwards. "She's my mate, have some fucking respect."

Maddox presses a hand to his face and groans, then laughs. "You're going to regret this."

"All I regret is making you my second in command."

I turn back to Viola who is flicking her eyes between us with surprise. I reach for her, taking her hand and lacing our fingers together before tugging her out of the office without looking back at Maddox.

She strokes my fist, as if I'm the one in pain. "Are you okay?"

We make it upstairs and into my bedroom for a breather before I shove the door shut. Viola is right there when I turn around, her hands on my cheeks and she's risen up onto her tip toes.

Then she's kissing me.

I cradle her jaw and angle her head, dipping my tongue into her mouth as she whimpers softly. Submitting to my dominance as my arms wrap around her waist, our chests pressed against one another so I can feel her heart pound against mine.

"Punish me," she whispers into my mouth.

"What?"

"Punish me," she pleads. "For not listening to you yesterday. I need you to punish me."

I pull away from the kiss slowly and study her flushed face and dilated eyes. My cock stirs in my pants at her demand. Never in a million years did I think this would be a possibility, but I'm not taking it for granted.

"Goddess, Viola," I bite her lip and she gasps. "What are you doing to me?"

"I need you," she pants.

My wolf howls inside me at the idea of her needing me. Fuck. I need her more than I need oxygen. Maddox might be right about one thing—I am distracted but for good reasons. How can I not when she drives my world fucking crazy?

"And you're going to have all of me," I nip at her skin, a bead of blood rising to the surface. "All of me, sweetness. I promise."

✧

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Author's Note

Haze being protective of Viola is honestly my favourite thing ever UGH🤭

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Can we trust Elijah????😬

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