Chapter 8

Eight

"I am learning that being a leader doesn't just mean expecting people to follow you. It means serving the ones you lead. It means giving your time, energy, and resources to others, often before yourself. To lead is to sacrifice." ~Maxim

"You didn't have to ruin all the fun, Adam," Jen grumbled as Maxim's pack crammed into his home, the largest in the pack. Its open living area boasted vaulted ceilings adorned with exposed wood beams, giving it a rustic charm. Maxim had always loved the impressive stone fireplace that served as the focal point of the room, radiating warmth and comfort. Cozy furnishings filled the room, inviting anyone who entered to sink into their plush cushions and stay awhile. Currently, those furnishings were occupied by pack members and the supernaturals Maxim had brought with him. They'd pulled in chairs from around the large dining table to make room for everyone to have a seat.

"First." Adam held up a finger. "I have no desire to be surrounded by a bunch of naked males. No offense," he said to the surrounding men. "And second, your mate would have had my neck if I hadn't clothed them."

Maxim met Adam's eyes. "Thank you, sir." He hadn't liked Alice being surrounded by a bunch of unclothed males any more than Decebel had. "It's handy to have a fae around."

"That's what she—" Adam started, but Crina slammed a hand over his mouth and slowly shook her head.

"Please, don't."

Stella and Jen both snorted with laughter as Maxim's pack stared at the newcomers as if they were animals in a zoo. He couldn't blame them. The members of the Romania pack were quite interesting. Alice shifted next to him, drawing his attention back to her. He rested his hand on the back of her neck, running his thumb back and forth over her racing pulse. He could smell her anxiety and fear.

"Relax, Malishka ," he told her through their bond, feeling her jump slightly in surprise.

"I'm still getting used to this mind communication thing," she responded, her eyes darting around the room and then to the ground.

"Look at me," Maxim said quietly. He ignored the eyes of his pack and kept his entire focus on his mate. She turned her head slowly and tilted it slightly to look up at him. "You are my mate. You are strong, smart, capable, and beautiful. My opinion is the only one that truly matters."

"Have you and Decebel been building a bromance?" Jen asked.

Alice smiled as she glanced at the Romania beta's mate, then looked back at him. "I'm good."

He held her gaze a little longer before giving a nod and turning his attention back to the room. "It is good to see that Alexsey hasn't allowed you all to turn into a pack of wild dogs." Maxim used English on purpose. He wasn't about to be rude and keep their guests from being a part of the conversation. Though he imagined Decebel, Crina, Ciro, and Adam had been around long enough to learn multiple languages.

"We might not have turned into wild dogs, but it appears you've brought some with you." Katya, a slender she-wolf with piercing yellow eyes and long, straight, dark hair, eyed Jen and Stella warily. Had Katya been in her wolf form, her gray hackles would have been raised. Even now, her human lips curled back slightly, revealing sharp white teeth. As one of the few females in the pack, Katya had always been suspicious of any new females that came around. Maxim knew she feared being replaced or losing status within the pack's hierarchy. She worried that one of the males would mate with them, leaving her the last wolf standing. Maxim had never understood her feelings. It was apparent that she wasn't the true mate to any of the males in their pack, and none of the males would have any kind of relationship with her other than family. Still, Katya was hostile toward new females.

"Katya." There was a clear warning in Maxim's tone. His eyes moved to the Romania pack beta when he heard Decebel growl, his eyes glowing as he stared at Katya.

Jen set her hand on his thigh and looked at the other female, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Kitty Katya has claws."

"Oh no," Crina muttered. "She's given you a nickname."

"Even I've learned that's not a good thing," Stella added.

The she-wolf lifted her lip in a snarl. "You left with a high fae and a wolf without so much as an eff-you."

"You forget yourself, female," Alexsey warned.

She ignored him and kept going. "And then you return mated to a gypsy healer who also smells of something else." Katya shot a look at Alice, her yellow eyes glowing. "Something that sucks blood. And you've brought others into our territory. These I recognize as belonging to the pack of the most powerful alpha in history. Did you expect us to be overjoyed?"

Maxim's irritation grew as he looked at the others in his pack, trying to gauge if they felt the same way as Katya. He could tell the majority of the pack were simply curious. There were a couple, Dimitri and Boris, who felt similar to Katya. But then some of his most dominant, like his beta, Alexsey, Ivan, and Sasha, felt something more than curiosity. They felt hope.

"I will address your comments." Maxim stood up slowly from his chair, releasing the hold he had on Alice. "But before I do that, you will apologize to my mate, who is now your female alpha."

Katya's eyes narrowed on him, but they dropped immediately, unable to hold his gaze for longer than a second. Her eyes glowed as she looked at Alice.

"Remember who you are, Alice," he told her through their bond. " An incredibly intelligent, accomplished scientist who discovered a way to merge two supernatural races. You endured being raised by a tyrant and still wound up as a caring, compassionate human being. You've faced trial after trial, and you've not crumbled under any of the pressure. Stand next to me, where you belong, as my equal."

It was only a few heartbeats before she stood up next to him. She slipped her hand in his, and he saw her pull her shoulders back as she lifted her chin.

"I know you don't know me." Alice addressed Katya first and then looked around the rest of the room. "And you have questions as to what, exactly, I am. I will be?—"

"We," Maxim interrupted her. " We will be happy to explain things."

Alice nodded. "We," she reiterated. "I'm not sure what about me threatens you," she said directly to Katya. "But I'm not your enemy. I love Maxim. I want what's best for him, and that extends to those he loves and cares for, which is all of you."

Maxim watched Katya as she stared at Alice, and in less than a minute she dropped her eyes, which meant Alice was dominant. That was a good thing. Though neither Maxim nor Alice knew exactly what she was capable of through the acquired vampire blood, it was nice to know her healer magic provided some self-defense. But that didn't mean Katya couldn't hurt her if she took a mind to. The female was a lethal fighter.

"I apologize"—Katya hesitated for a moment— "alpha. It's hard to trust outsiders. We're a rogue pack."

"How does Fane Lupei feel about that?" Dimitri tossed his head to the side to get his long, jet-black hair out of his dark, brooding eyes. His muscular frame was tense. His arms were crossed over his broad chest. Maxim knew that chest was covered in scars from the wolf's tortured past. Dimitri's chiseled jaw was clenched tightly, and his intense gaze focused, radiating a quiet intensity as he awaited Maxim's response.

"We will get to that," Maxim answered. "I'm going to address the things Katya spoke of first. As far as me leaving without saying anything, this is not a democracy," he bit out. "I am your alpha. I keep this pack in order. With as many dominant males as we have, you all would be constantly fighting and killing one another without my leadership. I left Alexsey in charge and, as my beta, it was up to him to decide how much to share. I knew little about my quest, which means he knew little. If you don't want me as your alpha, then challenge me. Until then, feel free to question me, but do it respectfully. You want my respect. I expect the same from you." After a moment, thoroughly chastised, Katya gave a sharp nod. Maxim looked at Dimitri. "As for your question, Fane will not force us to come under his leadership. But we're going to." There were murmurs around the room, and Maxim waited for it to quiet down. "This is Fane's beta." He motioned to Decebel. "I'm going to let him explain exactly what we, and the entire supernatural world, are facing. Hopefully, you will see why we need to be a legitimate pack. The rest of these newcomers are Ciro, alpha of the Italian pack, and his mate, Stella." Ciro bowed his head and shifted his body so it was slightly in front of Stella. "This is Adam. Many of you have heard of the fae warrior, and his mate Crina." Adam grinned and lifted his chin at the wolves. Crina just smiled. "Now, Decebel." Maxim motioned to the room. "If you will?"

The large wolf stood, and his assertive mate stood with him. Jen slipped her hands into her back pockets as she looked around the room, completely unfazed by all the other wolves staring at her.

"As he said, my name is Decebel, and this is my mate, Jennifer." Jen lifted a hand and waved her fingers, winking one of her large, blue eyes. Decebel rolled his eyes. "If she flirts with you, your best course of action is to pretend she doesn't exist."

Maxim bit back a smile. Damn, he did not envy that male's plight.

"She's your true mate?" Sasha brushed a lock of golden blonde hair behind her ear as she spoke, revealing a delicate face framed by loose curls. Her hazel eyes, flecked with shades of green and brown, gazed intently at the response. Though petite and slender in build, Sasha carried herself with a quiet confidence. Thanks to Adam, she was dressed casually in jeans and a long-sleeved burgundy top.

Decebel nodded.

"And she still flirts?" The she-wolf's eyes widened.

"You're not safe either," Decebel warned, his eyes narrowing.

Jen shrugged. "I'm an equal-opportunity flirt."

Decebel blew out a breath. "She's trying to drive me to an early grave."

"Dude, you're ancient. Any grave you go to would certainly not be an early one. Not to mention, I'd die with you." Jen looked at Sasha. "I'm actually harmless. I just like to keep my mate on his toes. Just don't get too close and you're all safe."

"Wait." Boris spoke up. "Why are we in danger?"

"Because if she flirts with you and you flirt back, I'll kill you." Decebel sounded bored, as if he'd said the same thing a thousand times. Maxim imagined he probably had.

"And what about her?" Sasha pointed at Decebel's mate. "She started it."

Jen bounced on the balls of her feet with a wicked grin. "Oh, I get punished."

"Bloody hell." Crina sighed as she ran a hand across her forehead. "Tell me what Fane was thinking when he sent her with us."

"Entertainment." Adam nudged his mate.

"Message received," Alexsey said. "No one acknowledge that the blonde exists."

"Finally." Decebel nodded. "Somebody gets it."

Jen shot her mate a glare and then gave Maxim's beta the same look. To his credit, Alexsey didn't step back, though he darted his eyes away. She was a very dominant female.

"With that business finished," Decebel continued, "let's get to the rest." Once all eyes were on him, he explained the situation. He told them about the Order, their fall, and then everything that had happened afterward. He explained about the vampires and how they'd been taking dormant wolves as food. Children. Rumbles of snarls and growls filled the room from Maxim's pack. They had no children in their pack. Children were sacred. To harm a child was a death sentence as far as Maxim was concerned. When Decebel made it to the hybrids, he looked at Maxim and Alice. "I'll let your alpha take it from here." Decebel sat back down and pulled Jen into his lap. She seemed subdued. Perhaps she'd decided she didn't want anyone to die on her account. She winked at Maxim. Nope. That was not the reason. She was definitely trouble.

Maxim looked back at his pack. "Before I left, I'd been having dreams about my mate. I wasn't sure that's what it was. But my wolf was. Then Perizada and her mate, Lucian, showed up. They came to tell me my mate was in danger."

"How'd they know who your mate was?" Ivan asked in his deep, rumbling voice. Instead of sitting, he stood tall with broad shoulders and muscular arms crossed over his barrel chest, leaning his shoulder against the wall by the stone fireplace. His shaved head and chiseled features gave him an intimidating presence, though his blue eyes held a gleam of curiosity. Dressed in worn jeans, heavy boots, and a leather jacket over a plain white tee, Ivan had the look of a seasoned warrior.

"How does anyone know something unknowable?"

"Seer, healer, Great Luna," Sasha answered.

Maxim nodded. "I went with them because I wasn't about to take a chance that this female was my mate and not help her. If she wasn't, I'd still have been helping a gypsy healer, which you know are precious to our race."

He paused. The rest of this was going to be difficult for Alice, and Maxim considered how much he actually needed to tell the pack. "There are some things only for you to know," he told her through their bond. She gave a very slight nod but didn't drop her chin. She stood proudly beside him, her arm pressed firmly against his, and he relished the touch.

"Alice was the prisoner of the vampire king, Cain," Maxim told the group.

"Damn," Katya muttered, brushing her dark hair away from her face.

Alice nodded. "Damn indeed."

"Why? Because you are a healer?"

Alice shook her head at Alexsey. "He didn't know I was a gypsy healer, and neither did I. I had no clue about the supernatural world until my father, who's a colonel in the US military and an asshat, requested that I assist some scientists in a very hush-hush project." When they stared blankly at her, she quickly explained. "I'm a genetic scientist. I work with DNA."

Dimitri frowned. "What type of project?"

Alice took a deep breath and let it out. "Cain wanted to figure out a way to merge vampire blood with werewolf blood."

"What the—" Katya hissed as others cursed.

"Impossible." Alexsey shifted, leaning forward in his chair. "I assume he was unsuccessful."

Maxim felt Alice's shame. "None of that, Malishka," he growled through their bond. "You didn't know what you were truly being asked to do, nor did you have a choice."

"I had a choice," she argued. " There's always a choice."

"Death. That's what you wish you'd have chosen?" Maxim wanted to shake her as anger filled his blood.

"There wouldn't be dangerous hybrids out there killing and changing humans if I hadn't figured out what he wanted me to." Disgust filled her voice in his mind. He hated that she felt such responsibility for something that she truly had no control over.

"He was successful," Alice finally answered. "Because I figured it out." She appeared to be waiting to see what they would say, but Maxim was sending out waves of warning through the pack bonds. If even one of them said a disrespectful thing to his female, he just might kill them there and then. He could see some of them flinch at his power.

"He forced you," Sasha said. It wasn't a question.

Alice sighed. "Yes, but I honestly didn't understand the implications, at least not completely. This isn't an excuse, but I was still new to the supernatural world." She lifted the hand not being held by Maxim. "I'm a scientist. Solving problems, figuring out things that seem impossible, discovering things—it's in my blood. So even though at first I didn't believe what my eyes and ears were hearing and seeing when Cain explained things, the scientist in me was curious." She dropped her hand and shook her head slowly.

Maxim's interruption sliced through the tense silence like a knife. "She had no choice," he asserted, his voice tinged with anger. "Cain wasn't her only threat. Her father, the controlling and vindictive colonel, would have stopped at nothing to ruin her career if she hadn't complied." The room fell into a heavy, contemplative quiet as the pack members absorbed this new information, their expressions ranging from disbelief to sympathy. After a minute of uneasy stillness, one member finally spoke up, breaking the heavy atmosphere.

"So what are the hybrids capable of?" Boris asked in a gravelly tone. He was one of the older wolves in the pack, with graying hair trimmed close to his head and a matching scruff of beard. His face was weathered from years of rough, rogue living, but his amber eyes still held a keen intellect. Others nodded, agreeing with his question.

"They're stronger than vampires," Adam said. "All of them can walk in the daylight. They can turn those they bite immediately." Just then, several phones went off at the same time. All the Romania pack members pulled out their devices. Adam's eyes widened. "And apparently, they can travel through portals because the crazy-ass sprite, Celise, who has the Nushtonia , has given them the ability." He held up his phone. "That was a text from Fane. He wanted us to be aware when we travel back."

Alexsey's brow rose. "Travel?"

Maxim pulled Alice onto his lap as he sat. He suddenly felt exhausted. He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees, rubbing his hands together. "The world is changing. We can either change with it or we can become obsolete." He looked around, attempting to gauge their reaction to his words. "The Great Luna has placed Fane in his position for a reason. He's a good leader. Fair, just, and he cares. The supernatural world is bleeding into the human one. Vampires and others who would do evil are no longer living in shadows. The only thing that stands between them and helpless humans is us. Do you really want to sit here and do nothing? Because the trouble will eventually reach us, whether we like it or not. The fight will come to our doorstep. We can either wait and fight alone, or we can join with the others under Fane's leadership and fight with the support of all of them."

Katya shrugged. "Do we have a choice?"

Alice spoke before he could. "There's always a choice." She repeated the words she'd said to Maxim. "But there's a right choice and a wrong one. There's the choice you can live with, and the one you will one day realize you can't live with. So consider that when you're thinking about which you're going to make."

"So if we decide to join with Fane, we have to leave?" Ivan no longer leaned against the wall.

Maxim nodded. "They need our help in taking out the hybrids."

Katya's eyes sharpened as she returned her gaze to Alice. "What do these hybrids smell like?"

Maxim felt something in Alice snap as she met the female wolf's eyes. "They probably smell a little like me because I have vampire blood in me." The words were a challenge, daring Katya to ask why. The she-wolf was not one to disappoint or back down.

"Did he force you to take his blood?"

Alice didn't lower her eyes or her head. She sat up and held her composure, though he could feel her shame. "He saved my life. Another vampire ripped my throat open," she explained. "I was the secret to the formula for the hybrids. Cain couldn't let me die. So he used his blood to heal me."

"But you're a gypsy healer," Katya pointed out unnecessarily.

"And apparently, that's the glue that holds the vampire and werewolf blood together."

"His blood didn't turn you?" Sasha sounded curious, not hostile, as she asked the question.

"Not exactly."

"What Cain's blood did to my mate is not your concern. What is your concern is the fact that there are hybrids out there who are hurting people. If you remember your history and purpose, the Great Luna created our race to help those who couldn't help themselves." Maxim met the eyes of every member. "Choose." There was really nothing else to say. They'd either go rogue and take their own life in their hands or they'd go with him and Fane's pack members.

"You know I'm with you," Alexsey said immediately.

Sasha and Ivan both nodded.

Maxim looked at the rest, those who hadn't said a word, and the ones who had spoken. Finally, when no one disputed him, he stood and nodded. "We travel at first light. Adam will transport us. Since there's only one of him and many of us, we will have to travel in groups. Fane asked that we make tracks and hunt on our way to the sprite realm, which is where they've taken refuge when they're not fighting."

"I'll text Fane and see if he knows of an area with a high concentration of hybrids," Adam suggested. "That will be the first place I take us."

"We're going to the sprite realm." Sasha perked up. "I've never met a sprite."

"Don't get too excited." Jen held up a hand. "They have their bad apples, just like the rest of us."

"You mentioned a Celise," Dimitri said.

Maxim nodded. "She's a bigger problem than the hybrids. But we will focus on the hybrids until Fane asks otherwise."

"Or if we come across her." Jen clenched her fists. "I'm not about to walk away if the psycho sprite is within a mile of me."

"I'm not the only one with claws." There was a brief gleam in Katya's eye.

Jen chuckled. "It's okay to have a girl crush on me. I'm used to it."

"You don't want to crush on Jen." Stella shook her head. "Sure, it's exciting at first, but then she comes home with heads in bags. At some point, it all becomes too much."

Everyone looked between the two of them with confused expressions, as if they couldn't tell if Stella was joking.

Stella's mate, Ciro, whom Maxim had learned was a quiet wolf who simply listened and watched, spoke up. There was no doubt he was dominant. When he was feeling protective of Stella, it rolled off him like a tsunami. "We should rest tonight and begin our travels tomorrow. The journey itself will be tiring, and if we must fight hybrids along the way, then we will need our full strength."

"Agreed." Maxim nodded. "I have a few bedrooms in my home." He motioned toward a hallway. "And there are plenty of extra rooms in various members' homes, and I know"—he paused and glared at his packmates—"that they will be happy to offer any of them to you all as guests."

"We can sleep here." Decebel indicated the large room. "The only one who needs a pillow is Stella, since she doesn't have a wolf form."

"What about me?" Adam held his arms out wide.

Decebel narrowed his eyes. "Are you some kind of a pansy, fae?"

Adam dropped his arms and glared.

"Okay, then." Decebel rumbled. "You don't need a damn pillow. Suck it up."

"I'll remember that when we're flashing and I accidentally drop your ass off in some ocean," Adam threatened. He waved his fingers, and two pillows appeared. He tossed one to Stella.

Jen chuckled. "That would be hilarious." Then she paused. "Until he got eaten by a shark. Then it would cease to be hilarious. Don't drop my male in the ocean, Adam. I'll replace you as my male BFF."

"He's not your male BFF," Decebel growled.

"Says you." Jen smiled and patted her mate on his cheek. "I say differently."

"You wolves are weird," Katya mumbled.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Crina told her.

"Sounds exciting." Sasha grinned as she stood up. This appeared to be a signal to the rest of the pack as they all stood.

"We'll meet out front at first light," Maxim told them as his pack filed out of the house. He turned back to Decebel. "You're sure you don't want separate quarters?"

The beta nodded. "We're fine. It's not the first time we've all had to sleep together."

Maxim's brow rose.

"We've trekked through many forests," Jen added. "Which means sleeping outside in groups, a lot."

Maxim shrugged. "All right. I'll find you some blankets."

"Got them." Katya walked back into the room with an armload of folded blankets. She handed them to Jen and then approached Alice. Maxim tensed but waited to see what the she-wolf would do.

"I respect Maxim," she told Alice. "And I trust him. I have trust issues."

"Really? I didn't notice." Jen acted as if she needed to cough. Decebel slowly slapped her on the back, giving her a warning look.

"But true mates are true mates." Katya bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I was a bitch."

Maxim was a little shocked. But then, Katya was loyal. And as a rogue pack, they all had trust issues. This was going to be an adjustment for all of them, and he had a feeling there would be some ruffled fur when they reached their final destination and mixed with the rest of Fane's large pack. But that was a worry for another day.

"Thank you. I understand trust issues." Alice chuckled. "As I said, my father is an asshat, and being held hostage by a vampire king didn't help matters."

Katya's eyes softened. "I imagine not. Did you get to hurt him before Maxim got you out? Like a stab to the heart, or even a kick to the balls?"

Alice glanced up at Maxim and then looked back at Katya. "I hurt him."

"Excellent." Then she tipped her head to the side, revealing her neck to both of them in a clear sign of submission before heading out.

"She's feisty."

"You want to keep her, Jen." Crina huffed. "We know."

Stella took one of the blankets from Jen. "You realize that at some point we're not going to be able to feed all of your pets, right?"

" Pshht ." Jen tossed her head back. "We're wolves. It's not like we have to go to the grocery store and pay for our food. Also, we have fae friends." She pointed to Adam. "They can make food appear."

"Yes, we're your personal travel service, clothing store, and food court," Adam said dryly.

"You should ask for a raise," Stella told him.

Adam chuckled. "I don't get paid, but I did get a hot little tail I get to—" He grunted before he could finish, as Crina put an elbow in his gut.

"I swear you like it when I hurt you," his mate grumbled.

Jen held up a hand to Adam. "No pain, no gain."

Adam started to hit her hand with his own, but Decebel blocked it and grabbed a blanket, tossing it at the fae, covering his face.

Alice glared at Crina, her brow furrowed. "How come you don't get jealous like Decebel?"

Crina smirked. "Who says I don't?" She peered over her shoulder at her mate. "You better be glad he gave you that blanket. Otherwise, you'd be very cold tonight."

"Ahh, babe," Adam whined. "Don't be like that. You know I love it when you go all furry. You're really not going to keep me warm?"

Crina winked at Alice. "I just handle it differently than our males do."

Maxim shook his head at the female as he took Alice's hand. "I'm taking Alice to our room. There's food in the kitchen." He motioned to a doorway. "Help yourselves." Then he led her out and down a hall.

"Well." Alice sighed. "That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Though, for a moment I was worried Katya was going to rip out my throat."

"I'd have killed her if she'd even moved an inch toward you." Maxim heard her suck in a breath of air and knew she felt his sincerity through their bond. He wasn't making an idle threat.

"She's your pack member."

"You're my mate. That trumps everything."

He pushed open a door and let Alice walk in before him. The room was sparsely furnished, with only the necessities—a simple bed, a plain dresser, and two bedside tables. The walls were bare, devoid of any personal touches or decorations. It was a cold and lifeless space, simply a place to sleep. But for him, it wasn't truly a home. Home was where his mate resided. And now he had found her. She was his everything, his entire world. Wherever she went, he would follow, for she was his one true home. With her by his side, any place could become a sanctuary filled with love and warmth.

Alice looked at him, her fingers intertwined and twisting nervously. "What now?"

Maxim's lips turned up slightly. Her eyes widened a little, and he knew his wolf was making himself known through his glowing eyes. "Now we sleep."

A faint twinge of disappointment pulsed through the bond between them as Maxim approached. Without a word, he enveloped her in his powerful arms and leaned down to press his lips against hers. The touch was meant to be brief, but the taste of her was intoxicating, and it sparked a primal desire within him. A low growl rumbled from his chest as he tugged her closer, unable to resist the pull. As their tongues danced together in a passionate rhythm, he couldn't help but marvel at the trust she showed him. After all that she had been through, she still allowed him this level of intimacy. But as the need for control threatened to slip away, he knew he had to break the kiss before they both lost themselves completely. Because, in that moment, nothing else mattered; they could worry about rest and battles later. Right now, all that mattered was the bond between them and the overwhelming desire they shared for each other.

When he broke the kiss, she was breathing hard, and her eyes were glazed over with lust. He imagined he looked much the same way.

"That will never get old." Her cheeks flushed.

"I hope not." Maxim pushed her toward the bed. She sat, and he knelt down to take off her shoes. "You're stuck with me for a very long time. I hope it only gets better."

Alice watched him quietly as he removed her socks and then lifted her legs, turning her so that she was lying down. She brought her knees up and pushed the covers down beneath her rear so she could drag them back up over her body. Maxim pulled his shirt over his head and then took off his own shoes and socks. He felt her eyes on his skin, and his wolf liked the attention. He commanded his beast to behave as he climbed into bed beside her. The room was illuminated by a single bedside lamp, and he quickly turned it off. Then he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her tightly against him, and slipped a leg between hers, tucking his face into her neck.

"Close enough?" Humor laced her voice.

"I could think of a way to get closer," he mumbled against her neck. He felt the heat of her flush without even seeing it. "Sleep, Malishka ," he whispered. "This is enough for now."

She put her hand around his and sighed as she settled against him. "Thank you, Maxim."

"For what?"

"For giving me hope for a future I never thought I'd have," she said into the darkness. "Regardless of the fact that it's not exactly conventional, you've given me a family. You've given me love."

"You've given me everything. Whatever you need, or want, if it's in my power to do so, I will lay it at your feet."

"I love you, too," she whispered.

Maxim pressed a kiss over the bite mark on her neck and loved that she shuddered from his touch. "Sleep, mate."

Alice felt Maxim's heat envelop her body, and she heard his breathing even out and slow as he fell asleep. She lay in the dark, replaying the evening over and over in her head. His pack hadn't exactly welcomed her with open arms, but they hadn't told her to take a hike either. She'd heard some of Maxim's thoughts, learning that as a rogue pack, they were wary of outsiders, but they did trust Maxim. At some point, she realized she would have to show that she wouldn't be pushed around, or a female like Katya would keep trying to take jabs at her. Oddly, Alice didn't dislike the female, even if the woman had been rude at first. The scientist in her understood that change was hard. She respected that Katya was willing to speak her mind, even if she needed to learn to be a bit more diplomatic about it.

Now, they'd be heading back to Fane's pack, and it wasn't just a one-way trip as it had been when Adam brought them to Maxim's pack. They'd be actively seeking hybrids to kill—hybrids she'd helped create. If she ever saw her father again, she was going to kick him in the junk so hard he'd feel it in his throat.

"Sleep," Maxim growled.

Her emotions must have interrupted his own slumber.

"If you're not tired, I can help you out."

Alice grinned and smothered her laughter. "I'll sleep. You behave." A sudden wave of exhaustion hit her.

"Alice." Maxim's voice was no longer playful as worry replaced it. "What's wrong?"

He rolled her over, and her eyes immediately locked onto the pulse in his neck. She slammed her eyelids closed. No. She didn't want that. She didn't want to see her own mate as a damn food source. How sick was that?

"Stop." Maxim's deep voice rumbled. "You will not be ashamed of who you are."

"You mean what I am," she practically spat out as shame filled her.

"You're my mate. And there is no greater honor than to provide for you. Not to mention, what male doesn't want his female sucking on his neck?"

She couldn't help but laugh. Of course, he would make it sexual.

" Malishka , I'm not making it sexual. It is sexual." His voice took on a smoky quality that made her belly heat. "At least for me it is."

She opened her eyes and stared up at his beautiful face. "It's definitely intimate. I wouldn't want to bite anyone else."

"That's good, because I'd have to kill them." He tilted his head to the side and lowered himself closer to her. "Take what you need, Malishka ."

Her mouth watered as she watched his pulse beating; it was like a siren calling to her. Alice warred with herself. Part of her wanted it, not just because her body needed it, but because she did like the intimacy. But the other part of her was ashamed of the reminder of the choices she'd made while with Cain.

Maxim snarled. "He has no place here. Exile him from your mind. The only thing he did worth noting was save your life. Now, I'm the male in your bed, I'm the male who has claimed you, and I'm the male you desire. Bite me, dammit."

"So demanding." She ran her fingers through his hair and then pulled him closer to her. He smelled good, he felt good, and she knew he would taste good. Alice pressed her lips to his neck and gave him a gentle kiss before sinking her teeth into his flesh. He grunted while she moaned. Better than chocolate. She couldn't censor the thought.

"Good to know where I rank." He shifted their bodies so he lay over her. "Just so you know, when you're done, it's my turn."

Heat filled Alice's veins, and it wasn't just from her mate's blood. Apparently, sleep was going to wait.