Dimitri’s POV
Being next to Maddie was healing my body and my soul in ways I never thought possible. I felt more at peace as soon as she wrapped her arm around my waist and leaned her head on my chest.
I smiled at her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. I missed her terribly.
I never could have imagined I would feel like this. I knew that mate bond was a powerful thing, but I never knew that I would struggle to be separated from her for more than an hour.
“She wanted out,” Will responded to Ellie’s question. “She said that she would change.”
I could feel anger starting to pulsate inside me, but it didn’t even get to develop because Maddie turned her head and placed a soft kiss on my chest. I ran my fingers through her hair and took a deep breath of her scent. I smiled and sighed contently.
“Oh, what a buttload of crap,” Ellie said angrily. “She is obviously lying.”
I looked at Ellie and smiled.
“Obviously,” I said calmly.
Ellie furrowed her brows and looked me up and down.
“Why aren’t you angry?” she asked. “Or annoyed? Or something other than happy?”
I ran my fingers through Maddie’s hair and sighed.
“It’s hard to be angry when I am with my mate,” I said.
It was really hard. I wanted to be angry. Just thinking about my mother had me furious, but it was like something was stopping me from feeling anything other than pure bliss.
Ellie furrowed her brows and shook her head at me.
“Anyway,” she sighed. “Why did you even agree to go see her? We all knew what she was going to say.”
“I just can’t get her reasoning for hurting Maddie out of my head,” Will started explaining. “I am sure that there had to be another reason other than what she told us.”
Maddie tensed up a little. I ran my hand down her back, trying to relax her.
“And you thought that she would tell you?” Ellie asked, snorting. “Let me guess, she didn’t.”
Will glanced at me and smirked.
“We didn’t ask,” Will said.
Ellie furrowed her brows and looked at Maddie.
“Do you have any idea what they are talking about?” Ellie asked. “I am completely lost.”
Maddie shook her head and looked up at me.
“I knew she wouldn’t tell if I asked,” I said as I caressed Maddie’s cheek. “I knew that she wouldn’t tell even if I ordered her to. She didn’t tell me the last time.”
“So what did you do?” Maddie asked quietly.
“I told her what her punishment will be,” I said as I looked at Ellie. “Will and I thought that she may need to be encouraged into talking.”
Ellie smirked.
“How did she react?” Ellie asked.
“But what if she told you the whole truth?” Maddie asked before Will or I could answer Ellie’s question. “She was under your order. She had to tell you everything.”
I looked at her and sighed.
“There are ways to lie or not share everything even under Alpha order, Maddie,” I said softly. “It’s painful, but it can be done.”
Maddie furrowed her brows.
“Wouldn’t you know if she did that?” Maddie asked. “You would have noticed it, wouldn’t you?”
I took a deep breath and released it slowly.
“I don’t remember, princess,” I said. “I was so angry and so focused on protecting you that everything about that day is a blur.”
I furrowed and tried to remember my conversation with my mother. All I could remember was anger and an immense need to grab Maddie and take her away from there.
“Why don’t you just order her to tell you now?” Maddie asked, fidgeting with her fingers. “Maybe there is no need to scare her with the punishment.”
I sighed and cupped her cheeks.
“She deserves it, princess,” I said quietly. “She hurt you. She hurt my greatest treasure.”
I leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
“Please don’t feel sorry for her,” I added. “She hurt you. She wanted to separate us. She helped Savannah come up with the plan to lie to me about her pregnancy.”
I caressed Maddie’s cheek and took a deep breath.
“She isn’t a good person, princess,” I said. “She doesn’t deserve your compassion.”
“Dimitri is right, Mads,” Will added, making Maddie look at him. “She doesn’t deserve it. She deserves to pay for what she has done.”
Maddie took a deep breath and looked at her lap.
“Besides, we are just a few hours away from having nine Alphas in our territory,” I added. “I am not dealing with my mother right now.”
Maddie looked at me and gave me a small nod. I smiled and pulled her to my chest.
“Thank you for being so kind, princess,” I said as I wrapped my arms around her.
She hugged me back and I could feel her relax into my arms. My smile widened. Knowing that she felt relaxed around me was making me so fucking happy. I wanted to be her safe place, just as she was mine.
“Will Maddie be staying with me tonight?” Ellie asked, making me furrow my brows.
Why would…
Oh, shit.
I groaned and ran my fingers through my hair.
“Why?” Maddie asked as she looked at Ellie.
“You will need to, princess,” I mumbled, trying to hide the annoyance in my voice. “I have to go to the border and greet the Alphas.”
Maddie looked at me and furrowed her brows.
“It’s tradition,” I explained as I kissed her forehead. “King has to welcome his Alphas at the border, grant them the entrance to our pack, and lead them toward the throne room.”
“There is usually a short meeting right after that,” Will added. “Dimitri will probably stay out late.”
I wanted to growl and whine. I didn’t want to leave her. I completely forgot about having to greet them at the border.
“Can I come?” Maddie asked and I wanted to say yes.
“Only men are allowed to go,” I said and let out a loud sigh.
“Oh,” Maddie mumbled and my heart broke.
I wanted to take her with me. I didn’t even want her to fall asleep without me next to her.
“We will keep it short,” Will said, smiling at Maddie. “Dimitri will be back soon, I promise.”
Maddie smiled back and I pulled her to my chest. I hated leaving her. I simply hated it.
I kissed the top of her head and buried my nose in her hair.
I didn’t even leave her yet and I already couldn’t wait to come back to her.
