The Arrangement

“I hope you know Lawrence is in love with you.”

Madeline snorted. She combed through her blonde hair with conditioner, working out the knots. “And why would that be?”

“When he saw those charts and map, I swear he was going to orgasm right then and there,” Emerson said, his amusement echoing through the bathroom.

She laughed while she washed out her hair but then had to close her mouth to avoid getting soap in it. She shut off the shower and grabbed the towel hauled over the glass door. She wrapped it around her body and stepped out. She walked into the closet and put on some pajama shorts and soft t-shirt

When she walked out, Emerson was undressing for the shower.

Madeline glanced at him in the mirror as she was braiding her hair. “Emerson, I-I’m sorry about the fight earlier. I overstepped your boundaries. So, I’m sorry.”

The shower switched off and Emerson joined her side with nothing but a towel on. “You did big ones. Don’t do it again, for your safety. If the wrong person hears you may find yourself six feet under.”

She glanced at him and nodded. That was fine then. She would leave him alone as long as he left her alone.

Madeline sighed and looked at him as he came back into the bathroom with shorts on. “Where do you want me to sleep? If you’re not comfortable, I can sleep in the other bedroom. I don’t mind.”

He rolled his eyes and she glared at him in the mirror. “Madeline, you’re my mate now. And even if I don’t want you with me, my wolf would drive me insane until I had you in my arms. So you’re staying with me. Your things have already been moved into m-our room.”

She nodded. Yes, she understood the wolf thing. Her wolf had been driving her crazy all day when they were apart. And her hormones were crazing. Every time she saw him she wanted to jump his bones. She had to concentrate to not jump on him at the meeting.

Madeline swallowed and walked to their bedroom. She looked around and noted how dull it looked. “I get to redecorate, well, decorate, right? Because it’s so bare I feel like I’m in an asylum.”

She heard his snort. “Knock yourself out, just don’t make it unbearable.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m twenty-three, not three. I’m not going to use princess wallpaper and put up a pink canopy.”

He leveled a glare at her.

“I promise I won’t go overboard.” She held her hands up in mock surrender.

He glared more at her.

Madeline looked down at the bed. “Which side you want?”

“Right.”

Madeline grabbed the book she was currently reading and sat on the left side. She arranged her pillows so that she could sit against the headboard comfortably. She crossed her legs and opened her book.

She lifted her eyes from her book to watch Emerson as he walked from the closet, now dressed in sweatpants, and turned off the light. She switched on the lamp beside her and continued reading.

She had gotten through a couple chapters before putting a bookmark in and closing the book. She set it on the bedside and turned off the light. She got under the covers, turning on her side. She tensed slightly as an arm slung over her and tucked her in against his warm body. Emerson just gently rubbed her back until she relaxed. But as she fell asleep, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.

Madeline jolted awake. It took her a moment to remember where she was. And to remember that it had just been a dream. It was just a dream.

She slowly slid out of bed, putting her pillow in Emerson’s arms when he reached for her. It was covered in her scent and should keep him from realizing she was gone for at least a few minutes.

It was difficult to slip into the closet and back out again without making any noise, but somehow, she managed. She put her hair in a ponytail and a headband on. She laced up her running shoes then quietly made her way downstairs.

She noticed that she a couple tails on her ever since she left the room. She also noticed that serval more were watching her from a distance. It didn’t bother her. She actually didn’t mind the added protection. If a Rogue was too jump out at her, she would have plenty of back-ups.

Madeline put her earphones in and put on some upbeat music. She pocketed her phone and began to run.

Running helped her clear her mind. It gave her a sense peace. And it made her legs look great.

She took the woods, running along the path. She ran until she could think of nothing but her shoes hitting the forest floor. She ran until she could no longer see her body dead mate. She ran until she could no longer see Lucas morphing into Emerson. She ran until she could no longer see Mystic Peak drenched in blood. She ran until she could no longer see her pack in ruins.

Madeline finally stopped running when she couldn’t run anymore when she felt like her lungs were going to collapse on her. She was bent over at the waist, hands on her knees, and panting. There was some rustling behind a tall bush, and a few moments later, her guards popped back up. They had behind her in wolf form.

Ricardo stood next to her and rubbed her back soothingly. “Just take deep breaths.”

She nodded and followed his instructions. A few minutes later and she was standing up straight again. She looked around and didn’t recognize where they were. “Where are we?”

“Eastern Border.” Isiah frowned. “Let’s go back to the House. It’s not safe here.”

Madeline frowned. “The attack yesterday was on the other side. And it was yesterday. It takes them at least a few days to hit again. They need time to regroup and give a report to however is in charge.”

“Still-“

“It’s fine Isaiah. If the Luna wants to stay here longer than we will. Plus she has us if we run into trouble.”

She laughed at Ricardo, who was puffing out his chest and flexing his muscles, showing how “macho” he was. She shook her head at him and looked around. The wind shifted and she recognized the scents she smelled.

Great, more guards.

She couldn’t tell exactly how far away they were, but she knew they were close enough to jump in if the situation called for their help.

Madeline leaned back against a tree and closed her eyes. She sighed quietly then reopened her eyes, smiling at Ricardo and Isaiah’s arguing. She shook her head and looked up at the treetops. She spotted a Red Cardinal in the treetops.

“If you two are done, we can go now.” She told the pair. “And if I didn’t know better, I’d think you two were a couple.”

That go their attention.

She snorted at their horrified facial expressions.

She lifted off the tree. She shook her head as she passed them, following the path that she had followed to get there.

There was a flash of movement on her left and she turned her head to see a giant wolf jumping at her. She didn’t move quick enough and the wolf slammed into her, it’s teeth tearing into her shoulder.

A strangled scream escaped her lips. She shifted under the weight of the wolf and bit him back in return. She managed to get the wolf off her and appeared a glance at her guards, who were occupied with their own Rogues.

The Rogue lunged at her and she lunged back. But she was losing, badly. Blood kept pouring out of her shoulder wound, which was the worst of them. She had some claw marks and her back leg had been bitten as well. She was not a warrior, an Epsilon. She did not fight. She was not strong enough to fight back and win.

She soon found herself on the ground again, the Rogue standing over him. the wolf smiled, his teeth covered in her blood. She tried to get up, she needed to get up. But her what little strength she had left her.

This is it. This is the end. I wish I could have gotten to say goodbye.

Her eyes closed, waiting for the end, but it never came. There was a terrible growl, one she knew well enough. The growl of an Alpha. The growl of her mate.

She whined at the familiar brown wolf and sagged. She knew she would be safe in the presence of her mate. He would protect her.

She heard the distant crashing of other wolves fighting. They must have heard her scream and came running. Good thing too or they would have been dead. Though Madeline still felt like she might.

Blood. There was so much blood around her, pooling. And most of it was hers. Wolves healed fast yes, but they could still bleed out. She could still bleed out.

Tired.

She was so tired.

She just wanted to close her eyes and got to sleep.

The pain had faded away. It was all numb. She was numb. But there was something nipping at her. It was uncomfortable to sleep with something nipping at you.

Madeline opened her eyes and saw her big Alpha standing above her. He was picking up her human hand, nudging her hair, nipping at the back of her neck.

Hm, she had turned back to her human form.

She sighed. She wanted to say goodbye but she didn’t have the energy to open her mouth, much less speak. So she just closed her eyes again, only to be nudged harder. Her Alpha even barked this time.

She wanted to wave him off, but she couldn’t seem to lift her hand.

I’m sorry. She thought as she drifted off.