Prologue
1990 Words
Prologue
Madison POV
Madison’s eyes snapped open as she felt a warm hand clamping down over her mouth, preventing her from screaming.
“Come on, princess, don’t make this harder than it has to be.” A gruff voice demanded. Madison did the first thing that came to mind and opened her mouth, biting down on the inside of the man’s hand, until a metallic taste filled her mouth.
“Auw! b***h!” He growled, backhanding her in the face. “Grab her legs!” He growled out, drawing Madison’s attention to the others in her room.
“NATH-!” Madison managed to scream out, before she was hit on the head, causing her to feel momentarily dazed.
“This is taking too long!” The man that Madison assumed was the leader barked. “We should have been out by now!”
Suddenly, Madison felt a piercing pain in her neck, followed by a burning sensation in her veins. She groaned against the hand that had repositioned itself over her mouth.
Her eyes went wide when she noticed she couldn’t move.
Fallon! Can you hear me? Madison called on her wolf. When she didn’t get a response, her heart rate started to pick up, panic surging through her.
She took a calming breath, trying to ease her racing heart. Her panic was causing the drug to spread through her system faster.
She felt herself being picked up. All she could see was the ground under her changing from tiles to carpet and then grass, as she felt herself being carried. Unable to move or speak, all she could do was blink her eyes, breath, and swallow.
Madison felt a stray tear flowing down her cheek as thoughts of Nathan flashed through her mind. Was she ever going to see him again?
It felt like hours had passed when she was finally thrown on the floor. Her eyes darted around, trying to get a glimpse of her surroundings. It looked as if she was in a cabin.
“Such a shame…such a pretty girl.” She heard a voice she didn’t recognize as she felt fingers gliding over her cheek before a face came into view.
“Maybe I should have a little taste before we end you.” A brown-haired young man grinned at her. She felt his hand slowly slide down her body.
“D-don’t” she managed to croak out, as tears sprang to her eyes. The drugs were slowly starting to wear off.
“Shhh, don’t worry. We can have a little fun before we end you.” The man chuckled. She felt the skirt of her nightgown being hiked up as she felt the heat of his hands on her hips.
“What the f**k are you doing?” The voice of the leader echoed through the cabin. She heard a struggle before the leader’s face came into her view. She could see the lines on his face, markings of his age.
“W-why?” Madison managed to rasp out. Her voice sounded unfamiliar to her own ears.
“I’m sorry.” The man sighed heavily. “New Luna’s orders.”
“But you’re lucky… You’re lucky because I’m going to let you go.” He said.
Madison’s brows furrowed. Did she understand him correctly?
“I’ve placed a bag with some food, clothes, and a pocket knife here for you. I’ve also left your car out there for you. It’s unlocked. You have to run Madison, run, and never come back. The Luna…she wants you dead. You and the pups.”
Madison’s eyes widened as her hand slowly started moving towards her stomach. How did she know? The only ones who knew were her and the pack doctor. She had wanted to tell Nathan the good news before….
“W-why?” She croaked out again.
“She wants you out of the way. Especially since you’re carrying his heirs inside of you.”
“N-no….W-why.” She tried again, feeling frustrated that she couldn’t speak properly yet.
“Oh, because I knew your father. He helped me when I was in trouble. He was a good man,” the leader explained.
“The drug will be out of your system in a few hours. Then you have to run and never come back, Madison. She’s very powerful. She will never let you live.” The man sighed. “I’m sorry for what I have to do next.” He huffed as he took a large knife out of his back pocket.
Madison’s eyes grew big. Didn’t he just say that he would let her go?
He took her hand in his, the knife edging closer to her skin. Madison tried to pull away, but her limbs weren’t working like they were supposed to.
A guttural cry left her lips as she felt the blade slice through her hand.
“I’m sorry.” The man whispered as he smeared her blood over the knife and his own shirt and pants. “I have to make it believable.”
The man stood up.
“Good luck… Luna.” He whispered, before leaving and closing the door behind him.
“It’s done. She’s dead.” She heard him announce to the other men who had brought her here. She started sobbing silently as she heard their retreating footsteps.
Her whole world had changed in a matter of days. Madison thought back to the moment when everything changed for the worse…
Two months earlier
Madison POV
“Nathan, we can’t…we’re going to be late.” Madison giggled.
“Hmm..” Nathan hummed while kissing her neck. “We have plenty of time.” He breathed, trying to coerce her into bed.
“Nathan, my hair.” Madison admonished, but her protests were already turning into moans as Nathan let his hands slide under her dress.
Finally, the pair arrived at the Prescott consulting and IT headquarters, forty minutes late.
“Nathan! I can’t believe you made us late. This meeting is important.” Madison huffed as her heels clacked on the stone floor.
“Babe, calm down. I’m the CEO, they can’t make the deal without me. Besides, they’ve been one of our biggest clients for years. This is just a formality.” Nathan interjected, pulling her back against him.
“It was totally worth it.” He whispered, causing Madison to smile.
“Pervert.” She whispered with a grin on her face, causing Nathan to chuckle.
They finally reached the conference room. Madison turned to Nathan before they entered.
“You’ve got this.” She told him, placing her hands on his chest. With one final peck on the lips, Nathan pulled open the door.
Madison walked in first. She greeted the business partners and Nathan’s father with a smile. She wondered where Nathan was, but as she turned around, she noticed he was staring at the daughter of their biggest client.
Madison wanted to ask what was wrong when, suddenly, Nathan said a word that would change her life forever.
“Mate.”
Everyone in the room froze. It was so silent, you could hear a pin drop. They stared from Madison to Nathan, to the daughter of the business partner, and back again.
“Hi, my name is Lauren.” Nathan’s mate stepped forward with a smile on her face. Madison looked at her, unable to move. Nathan stood equally frozen beside her.
When she stepped closer, Nathan stepped backward, with a pained expression on his face. He glanced at Madison before glancing back at Lauren.
Lauren’s smile fell from her face as her eyes moved from Nathan to Madison. Her expression hardened and a glare appeared.
“Well, this is a surprise.” Alpha Nyle chuckled, obviously trying to clear the awkward air that was surrounding them.
“This is wonderful news! The Barbey’s and Prescott’s will not only be business partners, but in-laws. No one would dare mess with us. The Blood Moon pack and the Prescott Valley pack will prosper with this union.” A grey-haired man spoke out while slapping Alpha Nyle on the shoulder, completely ignoring the fact that Nathan had arrived with someone.
Madison had yet to utter a single word. She was trying to comprehend what was happening.
“No.” Nathan almost whispered.
“What did you say, son?” Mr. Barbey asked with a smile on his face.
“I said no,” Nathan answered, his voice loud and steady.
Mr. Barbey’s face fell. His eyebrows furrowed together as he tried to decipher what Nathan was getting at. When he finally realized that Nathan was serious, his lips curled back into an angry snarl.
A deadly aura started pouring from him, but Nathan stood his ground. He didn’t even flinch as the Alpha before him stepped into his personal space, getting in his face.
“What do you mean, no?” He snarled. Madison noticed how the man’s eyes darted towards Alpha Nyle, who stood by wringing his hands.
“What I mean to say is, I already have a mate,” Nathan stated confidently, pulling Madison to his side. Madison let out the breath she had been holding as she felt relief flooding her.
“You can’t be serious. You dare turn down your fated mate, my daughter, for her?” Alpha Barbey asked, contempt for Madison clear in his voice.
Madison suddenly felt very conscious about her appearance. Her hair wasn’t as perfect as it normally was due to Nathan’s refusal to stop touching her earlier. She couldn’t help but steal another glance at Lauren, who, after a closer inspection, looked impeccable. Almost like a Goddess.
She wasn’t expecting the snarl that erupted from Nathan.
“You dare insult my mate?” He asked with a deathly calm voice.
“You’re mate? I don’t see a mark on either of your necks.” Barbey shot back.
They had been planning a mating ceremony on the next full moon, hence the missing marks.
“I’m done with this discussion.” Nathan’s eyes turned ice-cold. “I, Nathan Prescott, Alpha of the Prescott Valley pack, reject you, Lau..”
Everyone in the room, bar Madison, started yelling. Lauren even fell to her knees as she pleaded, but one voice could be heard above all else—the voice of Alpha Nyle.
“Nathan!” he yelled out, “let’s not make any rash decisions here.”
“Father, what are you talking about?” Nathan asked. “It was you that arranged the mating between me and Madison. You look down on fated mates. Why would you stop me from rejecting her?” Nathan asked, without even sparing Lauren a glance.
“What do you mean, her?” Lauren scoffed, from her spot on the floor.
“Madison, dear, would you mind going back to the packhouse, while I have a word with my son?” Alpha Nyle turned to Madison. When his eyes met hers, Madison saw something that caused dread to overtake her.
“No, Madison stays. We have nothing to talk about.” Nathan grated out, his grip on Madison tightening.
“Nathan, please…” Alpha Nyle’s voice almost sounded desperate to Madison’s ears.
“Nathan, it’s okay, I’ll go back to the packhouse and wait for you there.” Madison touched his face. His eyes softened as they met hers. He leaned down and captured her lips.
“You don’t have to leave.” He whispered as he rested his forehead against hers.
“I know, but it seems like you have some stuff to sort out here.” Madison gave Nathan a small smile as she reluctantly turned her back to the room and slowly walked out the door.
It felt as though her legs were made of lead as she made her way back to the car they came in, heading back to the packhouse.
- Writer
