Dear Millie,

It's been two years since you left us. Two years too long. I regret some things, but I don't regret getting rid of your devilish mate. He was something that should have never been born, and I still feel sick knowing you had to be mated to him. Such a volatile creature that didn't deserve a beautiful being as yourself.

I've been searching for my mate since I am now the Alpha of the pack. Father was so heartbroken over everything that he resigned from his beta position, allowing me to take control of the pack.

I will make this pack stronger and better than Alpha Alek had. I will be a fierce leader that will maintain decency, yet show my dark side if need be.

I know you always talked about showing your light no matter what, but look where that got you. It made you want to leave this place, leave your pack, leave your family, and leave me... your little brother.

I will always love you my dear sister, but I will continue on with life. I must, for my pack's sake, and for my own.

Always,
Mav

I blink several times, trying to process the letter as a whole. So he has a sister, but she left. Like, just left her pack?

The part that makes my skin crawl is when he mentioned how he "got rid of" her mate. What did he mean by that? Did he banish him? Or worse... kill him?

I do remember hearing how Maverick took over the Alpha position for this pack, but I guess I didn't realize the other mate was...displaced.

Maverick would never kill someone. Yeah, maybe he can intimidate the hell out of anyone, but he wouldn't actually kill someone unless they were a huge threat to the whole pack. He had too kind of a heart for that...right?

As I begin to page through the diary, I hear voices in the house. Sounding much like Maverick's and another male's. Maverick's voice is easy to detect as it's much lower than most male, and it sounds smooth, much like silk on the skin.

I quickly shut the diary, keeping the hidden letter in my hands. Placing the diary back where I had found it, I rush out of his room and into my own. Thankfully, being a werewolf meant I am fast and can run to my room before Maverick can catch me snooping.

Just as I plop onto the bed, shoving the letter under my pillow, a knock comes from outside the door.

"Come in!" I exclaim sleepily, pretending I was just taking a nap.

I stretch out my arms, faking a yawn as Maverick steps through the doorway. His golden eyes shift to a shade darker as he takes in my appearance. I'm guessing the fake bedhead and my shirt that has crawled up, exposing some of my abdomen, somehow is igniting his present lustful expression.

"Well?" I ask.

He immediately shoots his eyes up to mine, smirking while walking over towards my figure on the bed. He stops as he approaches the side I'm laying on, stretching his hand towards mine. I grab his hand, and he pulls me up to stand next to him. I still can't fathom how tall he is. 

"I hope you'll join me for dinner. Miss Adelaide made her famous pot roast with garlic potatoes. A favorite of mine," he says smoothly, igniting a flame inside me.

If I feel like this without being marked and mated, I can't even imagine how amazing it will feel when I am. I'm literally putty around this devilishly delectable man.

"Sounds good to me." 

Once we have made our way down to the grand kitchen and dining table, a short, grey-haired woman places the pot-roast and other sides down onto the table. 

Her deep brown eyes, and older tanned skin gives her that loving, grandma-feel. I just want to hug the lady.

Which I'm doing right now. 

She lets out a chuckle.

"You remind me of Miss Millie. The girl loved hugs." 

This comment seems to make Maverick upset as he clenches his fist in anger. His eyes are even flickering to the bright neon shade I saw earlier today in class. 

"Miss Adelaide. We don't speak of Millie." His voice is harsh and bitter, and the poor, old woman's face fell to a frown as she nods.

"Yes, Alpha. I apologize." She then exits the dining area, leaving a very pissed off Maverick alone with me.

I begin to fill my plate up, trying to ignore the deafening silence. Maverick just keeps looking straight ahead, not even moving. To be honest, I'm not even sure if he's breathing.

Oh, wait. I saw his chest move slightly. We Gucci.

After I finish eating the food on my plate, I look over at Maverick's, noticing he has only eaten a little bit of the potatoes. His head is hung low, as if he is guilty of something.

Maybe he feels bad for yelling at poor Adelaide?

I clear my throat, causing him to snap his head up. His eyes meet mine. They were back to the normal golden color; a color I was starting to grow fond of more and more.

"I'm done. Would you like me to take care of your plate, too?" I trying to sound as sweet as I can, hoping that it will calm his scary wolf down.

He nods his head. "I need to talk to you. In your room."

I study his expression, noticing that nothing in his expression is giving away any details of what it is he wants to talk to me about. 

"Okay," I reply while grabbing his dishes with mine.

Once I wash them and set them out to dry, I walk back into the dining area. Maverick isn't present. Knowing that he is most likely already in my room, I head upstairs.

I walk in, looking around for any sign of Maverick, but he isn't here. 

Strange. 

Just as I'm about to exit the room, the door slams shut and the lights go out.

What the hell? Is this place haunted?

As I begin to mentally freak out, a hand caresses my cheek and tingles shoot all throughout my body.

Although I know it's Maverick, I'm still freaking out. 

Is he thinking I am ready to mate already?

His hand moves from my cheek, down to my neck, rubbing his thumb in the place where he's most likely to mark me.

Shit.

His breath fans my face; it smells of cinnamon and something dark. Dark like molten iron. I shudder at the invigorating yet disturbingly deadly smell.

Who the hell is Maverick?

By now we somehow have made our way onto the bed. His lips grazing the skin on my neck as his hands continue to mold into my thigh and up my waist. I'm on fire from his touch, but my mind is reeling with anxiety. 

I begin to bite my lip, knowing that the letter is under my pillow. Just as he's almost on top of me as I retreat further onto the bed, my stupid hand somehow hits the letter, making it crinkle with sound. Maverick's big yet surprisingly soft hand finds mine with the letter.

"What are you hiding from me, Elora?"

Me, being the complete awkward freak that I am, just sits in silence, letting him take the letter from my grasp.

He gets up and turns on the little light next to the bed. He scans over the letter, and his eyes begin to glow yellow in anger.

"You were snooping in my room?" I cringe at his question.

I can't look at him as I nod.

He crouches over me, lifting my head up to meet his eyes. A glimmer of something dark possesses his gaze. I have the urge to both run as far away from him as I can yet also pounce on him and let him take my body and soul.

I am losing it, people!

"Oh babe, the more you start to dig up about me, the more you'll discover I'm not who you may think I am," he whispers in my ear, sending both a jolt of warmth and shiver to crawl down my spine.

"What are you afraid of me discovering?" I ask, breathing heavily from the close contact. His breath fans over my lips,  getting so close to where if I moved an inch forward, our lips would be touching.

"I'm afraid of you unleashing me. Unleashing the real Maverick." 

His ember eyes cloud to a haze of black and gold as he gazes into my light blue ones. I hold my breath as he strokes my cheek ever so lightly, making my toes curl in both delight and fear.

Never have I experienced the feeling of being both frightened for my life yet so protected and loved by one man. 

A/N

Hey!

So, please tell me what you think Maverick may be hiding? And why is he suddenly becoming more mysterious?

Also please don't forget to comment and vote! 😘

Thank you to those that are giving my book a chance! I love you!

Much love <3
~Madelyn Joy