'We have come for Hannah.'
Those were the only words that flitted across his mind as he faced the winged warrior before him. And he didn't like it. Not one bit.
His nostrils flared in annoyance as a low growl escaped him.
'He isn't going anywhere with my mate.'
Koda paced.
The words were clear enough for all to hear as Maddox repeated them through clenched teeth.
"It was not a request mortal," Michael stepped forward with hands resting gently on the hilt of his sword.
"Maddox?" Brody whispered in a warning tone as he stepped beside him.
He could feel the tension in the living room growing. He could smell the nervousness from the wolves standing around them; wearily looking at the three archangels suited for battle.
"She is my mate, she isn't going anywhere," he stepped closer to Michael.
It was evident he was ready to go up against anyone and anything that tried to take Hannah from him.
"She is in grave danger being here. She must come with us," the angel behind Michael stepped forward.
His demeanor calmer and more peaceful. Less menacing than Micheals.
"I'm Raphael," he said sternly; clearing the space between them.
Maddox only nodded. He waited tensely for the Angel with sad eyes to continue, his heart thudding louder and faster, his jaw clenched in anger, his brain was finding it hard to understand what was happening.
"It is imperative that she returns with us," Raphael insisted.
It wasn't a good enough explanation.
"Maddox!" Hannah mindlinked faintly.
His head craned back as he stared at the ceiling. Anxious to return to her, he looked back at the Angel Raphael that followed his gaze.
The brief exchange of understanding in Raphaels eyes with his, set him at ease. It felt strange but he just as quick brushed it away.
His gaze shot back to the ceiling at the sound of a thud and he was out of the livingroom within seconds, storming up the stairs to their bedroom.
He paused at the door and backed away. Shock forming on his face with what he was seeing. A feral growl followed as he stumbled back into the hall.
"Hannah?" His voice tightly calls to her.
He is awestruck with the gurgling growl responding back to him.
He carefully extends his hand to the beautiful white wolf facing him with its muzzle peeled and drawn back bearing its sharp teeth.
She snapped. Lunging forward an inch. Her hackles raised, she lowered her head ready to attack.
Koda followed in kind.
"Who the hell are you?" The smooth feminine voice brushed his mind but it wasn't Hannah's.
Confused he shook his head crouching to all fours. His nostrils flared with the familiar scent of his mate that was now stronger. Potent.
A growl escaped him.
"Hannah?" Maddox glared at the white wolf.
She blinked and shook her head. He could feel the internal struggle.
"Where am I? Why did you wake me?"
"Holy-....is that...Hannah?" Brody gasped behind him at the door.
Maddox shot his cousin a look that clearly said,' you think?'
Shortly, he was joined by everyone that was in the livingroom. The standoff was filled with tension as they exchanged weary glances at each other and then with awe at the white wolf.
Hannah moves restlessly. Her eyes open and close, her paws flex, showing enormous, sharp claws. He watches anxiously as she struggles. Koda paces excitedly introducing himself.
Her scent filled the air. Instinct pushed Koda closer.
"I'm Koda."
After struggling more, she whines and lowers to her stomach in exhaustion.
"I'm....Nia."
Relieved, Maddox lowers to his knees and gets closer. Weary blue eyes watch him come close. She pants and tries to pull away.
"Easy there, I won't hurt you," he murmurs, carefully placing his hand between her ears.
She pushes into his hand. He rubs her muzzle and glides his finger along her soft fur in wonder. A beautiful rumbling begins from her chest as she inches closer.
"What...happened to me?" Nia whispered gently looking up at him.
Koda whined.
Maddox shook his head trying to come up with the answer. The vulnerable and fearful tone of her voice tugged heavily at his heart. He lowered his forehead to hers; letting her rub her muzzle along his cheek.
Then realization kicked in. He gasped and leaned back. The other day when they made love, something changed.
Their bond felt stronger. The pull tighter.
"Not too long ago, there was this beautiful whispy blue light that coiled from my chest and a stringy mist of white expelled from Hannah."
He felt her stiffen and pull away.
"What is it?" Koda questioned.
"We are soul bound," she whispered in awe.
"Soul bound?"
"Soul bound?" Maddox mumbled with confusion.
"That's impossible," the rumble of Michaels voice interrupted the silence in the room.
They all turned and parted the way for him to enter with Raphael and the other Angel at his side.
Maddox looked up to face him.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because that has not happened for centuries. Unless....." Michaels voice trailed off.
"Unless what?" He ignored the Archangel.
A silence drifted between all of them. Nikki silently watched the beautiful white wolf in the room with surprise.
Brody stood alert listening. The pack lined the halls and half of the bedroom in wait of an explanation.
"Unless both you and Hannah are from one of the royal ancient bloodlines," Raphael stepped forward.
"Ancient bloodline?" Maddox and Brody asked in unison.
"Maddox," Hannahs voice brushed over his mind.
Distracted by it he turned to face the white wolf and dropped to his knees before her.
"What happened to me?" She cried.
She sounded so terrified. He rubbed her gently and pulled her close.
"Something is wrong. I'm trapped."
"She is...fighting me. I d..don't think I can..."
He understood what she meant. She is not coexisting with Nia. Her wolf has been dormant. Locked away this whole time.
"I know," he murmurs, rubbing her fur. She pushes into his hand.
"Can you change back, Nia? Bring Hannah back to me?" The wolf's eyes widened. As he feared, she doesn’t know how.
"Maddox, help me please. Make this...go away." Hannah cried out.
"I'm scared."
"You have to calm her down, Maddy," Nikki whispered.
"Come back to me, baby. I need you," He murmurs. She turns her blue eyes on him, and their gazes lock. Neither of them seem to breathe. Finally, the air around her shimmers.
"That’s it, baby," He encourages, but the shimmer fades.
"I can't." She whines and moves restlessly. Her eyes open and close, her paws flex, as she stretches and frantically turns in circles.
"Nia, help her." Koda begins to pace.
"The voices. Who are they? Why can't you get me out of here." Hannah sniffles.
"Shhhh," he whispers. " I will get you out. It's okay. I will be with you the whole way. I'm going shift with you sweetheart, you're not alone. I will never leave you alone, Hannah."
Maddox began rapidly shedding his clothing as he mumbled soothing words to her. Within seconds, he was on all fours nuzzling her. Coaxing her to relax.
Everything around her felt sharp and heightened. The haze of warmth from his touch calmed her.
"Change for me one more time, baby. Shift back," he said soothingly soft as he glided his body along with hers.
He licked her face, then her ear.
"I've been without you for way too long," he murmured softly.
His touch sent a charge through her body and she whined.
"You have to help her, Nia. Hannah doesn't know what to do to change back to her human form. She is afraid." Maddox urged again.
The air around her shimmers once more but it fades again causing Hannah to pace and bark. The scent of her frustration and fear has Maddox growling and nudging her.
"Hannah, look at me," he demands.
A strange blanket of energy trembled and shivered over him.
"Come back to me. I need you. Think of us. Focus on us, Angel," he hisses nuzzling her with a fierce determination.
And she did. And then it happened.
The air shimmers with a burst of sparkling blue light, and Hannah appears pale, but more gorgeous than anything as her wings spring up from her back and she falls limp in the safety of his arms.
"Get her some water quickly," he yells.
Everyone shakes from their stuper and clamors out of the room leaving the 3 Archangels and Brody standing there.
Within seconds he is handed the glass of water and he helps Hannah take sips of it.
Raphael and the Sentry quietly observe how he attentively takes care of Hannah.
"I think the 3 of you should leave," Maddox grumbles with his back to them.
"We are not leaving," Michael insists.
Maddox ignores them as he pulls her close and stands with her in the cocoon of his arms; shielding her away from them.
He could sense her mood and emotional distress.
"As you can see, my mate is in no condition to receive ...visitors," he sarcastically grounded out the words between his clenched teeth.
Michaels shoulders flexed as he was about to step forward. Maddox followed suit in all his naked glory without a care, ready to confront the arrogant angel.
"As you wish, we will return another time," Raphael stopped Michael.
"Brother, it is best that we leave," he murmured to Michael.
"She needs to return with us," he hissed stepping closer to Raphael.
"In due time, look at her. I don't think she is any condition to fly. Besides..." He turned to look at her in Maddox's arms.
"They are bound to each other. One can not survive without the other," he looked at Michael.
"You have some explaining to do about that, brother," Michael hissed before storming off.
Raphael stood there. Guilt and pain crossed his face as he looked at Maddox then to Hannah that stared sadly at him with big round eyes.
He took two shaky steps towards them. He held her gaze and lowered his head.
Shame was all he could feel.
His fingers trembled as they slowly raised up to touch her but just as quick he pulled them away when he heard a warning growl coming from Maddox.
He took that as his answer. He stepped back.
"Take care of her," he whispered.
With a clenched jaw Maddox nodded standing his ground as the Archangel slowly turned away and left. Shortly after Brody followed him out and shut the door.
He walked with her and placed her gently on the bed.
Her eyes settle on his and she smiles weakly at him.
The strange surge of energy that flows through him swirls into her and back. It feels weird. But good.
"We found our mate, yessss!!!!" Koda pants happily and paces with Joy.
"Mate? I never agreed to be your mate," Nia sassily replies.
A form of a grin forms on his lips as bewilderment blooms in Hannahs eyes listening to Koda and Nia argue.
"Either way your my mate," he clutched her fiercely against his body.
He doesn't hold back. He claims her mouth with every bit of ferocity inside him. The need to possess, claim, mark, and mate with her floods through him in a torrent of desire.
"I’m so damn sorry I wasn't there to protect you when you were taken," he croaks when they finally part from the kiss, both gasping for air.
"I will never let anything like that happen again. I'll never leave you alone. That's a damn promise."
She rubs his cheek gently with a loving tenderness that makes him shiver, and he is reminded of the fragile state of her health.
A stab of guilt for kissing her so hard pricks him deep but just as fast morphs into something lustful and hot when she pulls him close for another kiss.
A rumbling growl fills the quietness of the room as he spreads above her in a welcoming invitation of her loving caresses, insatiable kisses then devours her until she lay sated and content in his arms.
Sometime had passed as he quietly listened to her breathing. Then he shifted sideways to face her when she began to fidget.
He caressed her cheek gently and held her gaze. Her eyes spoke volumes more of what he felt through their connection. And her nibbling her lips added to the fact.
"When I was..." Her voice trembled.
"Shhh, I know," he pulled her close and placed a quick kiss on her lips.
"How did this happen? How did I turn into a wolf?" He focused on sad, confused brown eyes.
He swallowed at the tight knot in his throat before carefully explaining the little bit of information he got from Michael and Raphael.
She sat up slowly. Confusion creased her brow.
"What do they mean by royal blood?" She faced him.
"Does this mean....I'm really not Seraphim? Maybe this explains why I'm so different from the rest....why I could never do anything right," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheek.
A soft warm amber red formed in his eyes as he tilted her chin up. He cupped her face and rubbed away the tears with his thumb.
"There is not a single thing wrong with you. You're perfect just the way you are," he pulled her close and claimed her lips; quieting her little protest that would have followed.
All she could feel was the soothing rumbling from his chest that calmed her fears.
"What does all of this mean, Maddox?" she looked at him.
"Does this mean...I am no longer an Angel? If not then....what am I?"
He cupped her cheeks and held her gaze. The vibrant red in his eyes continued to glow as he caressed her jaw.
"I don't know. But what I do know is...wings or no wings, sweetheart, You're my Angel." He lowered his head to hers and tenderly kissed her lips.
That sudden pull of their bond urged her to answer to his touch. Iridescent blue eyes rose to his. It boiled his blood seeing her so distraught and confused.
He spent the better half of his life wondering why he hadn't found the perfect mate, only to give up all hope of ever having one. Then she fell literally in his lap and turned his world upside down. But, when she went missing that world came crashing down around him. He was in agony and pain the whole night without her.
He had come to realize then that Brody was right.
He loved her more than he could put into words. He knew their bond was special because of what she was. But he never imagined it being like this. So strong, fierce and empowering.
After what went down tonight. He needed answers.
Her kin had a lot of explaining to do.
******
😱😱😱😱
Whattttt????
How did you like it.
Tell me down below.
Share this story...I will repeat this until I'm blue in the face.
Share me, share me, share me...
Why won't you share me?
Either way here it is.