His shoulders are still shaking with laughter as he reaches a hand out to help me up. My whole body feels bruised and sore, but at least nothing feels broken.

"How did you know I was over here?" I huff at him as I wipe the dirt off my clothes.

"You're not exactly great at hiding your thoughts from me, Poppy. I could sense you sneaking around and I put the pieces together."

He puts an arm around my waist and pulls me into him before planting a soft kiss to my temple. I close my eyes and lean into his embrace, allowing myself to melt into his warmth.

"You're not mad?" I mumble into his chest.

"Maybe I would be if you had been successful, but it looks like I don't have to worry too much about any grand escape plans from you."

I smack his chest playfully and place a kiss of my own on his jaw. My pulse quickens as I inhale the heady combination of his own unique scent mixed with his aftershave. Maddox glances at me from the corner of his eye and quirks his eyebrow at me. I don't even have to use the mind link to know that he's thinking the same thing I am.

"Sorry for disobeying orders," I respond, my voice much huskier than I intended. "Can I make it up to you?"

I pepper kisses along his jawline, working my way down his neck to his collarbone as my fingers slip inside the waistband of his jeans, trailing lightly from hip to hip.

"I'm absolutely going to take you up on that offer later, but right now we need to go meet with the other Alphas to discuss what happened."

"We?" My ears perk up at the word.

"Of course. You were there when the bodies were found, you should be allowed to explain what you saw. Besides, I told you I wouldn't keep things from you. You should know what goes on in that meeting, too."

I don't know how to respond except to hug him. It makes me happy to know he trusts me with pack business and that he wants to include me.

"Of course I trust you," he murmurs into my hair in response to my thoughts. "And you're my equal. I know you don't agree with me trying to protect you from what happened today, but that doesn't mean I don't trust you."

"I love you," I reply.

We link hands and walk around to the front door- after several jokes from Maddox about climbing back up the way I came down, of course- and he catches me up on everything our mothers and the other witches discovered in the clearing as we make our way to his office.

I had suspected most of their findings already, but when he tells the other Alphas, it's clear that they're outraged.

"So you mean to tell me that this is your brother's doing? When is this going to end? I don't care if he's family anymore- the longer you keep him alive, the more our packs suffer. When are you going to do your job and take care of him before he kills anyone else?"

I narrow my eyes at Alpha Marshall, wanting desperately to tell him where to shove it. He's an older man who refused to pass on his title to his oldest son and I remember him from the several occasions that my father had the displeasure of working with him. He had always been a moody guy, and by the looks of it, nothing has really changed.

"Yes, Aiden's scent was all over the clearing," Maddox confirms with a pointed stare at Alpha Marshall. "As well as several others. It seems as though he's gained quite the following since I last saw him and their cause against witches is growing. I have a plan, but I need everyone's help in this."

The group breaks into a quiet discussion and they seem to be torn between wanting to help and agreeing with Alpha Marshall, who's getting progressively louder about his disdain for my mate.

"What you need to do is let your father handle this. He should have never handed his title over to you in the first place, you're just a kid for fucks sake. I suggest we all go home and put our packs on lockdown until this pup here figures out what to do with his brother."

My instinct is to sit back and let Maddox handle him. I know he's the Alpha and it's his job to deal with these men, but the angrier I get listening to this ranting, I wonder what my mother and Luna Eira would do in this situation. I can't imagine they were the type of women to just sit back and let their mates handle things.

Before I even fully realize what I'm doing, I'm standing in the middle of the group, my arms crossed as I turn to face the old man.

"You know, Alpha Marshall, I've seen the way you've treated my father over the years and I'm not about to let you treat my mate the same way. It's a wonder anyone has any respect left for you at all. Alpha Maddox was given his position at a very difficult time for his pack and he's already handling it better than most Alphas twice his age. You can judge his methods all you want, but he's willing to lay down his life to protect his pack, which is more than anyone can say for you."

My face feels hot having all these people staring at me, but the embarrassed, and possibly even a little guilty, look on Alpha Marshall's face encourages me to continue.

"Wolves and witches all thrive better together. Packs and covens have been working as a team long before the mate bond even existed. If we all fold now and shut ourselves in like Alpha Marshall wants us to, we're giving these rogues the fuel they need to pick us apart. My kind can't survive without yours. We need all the help we can get."

My impassioned speech is met with complete silence, but I can feel pride radiating from Maddox through the bond. Slowly, each Alpha, except for the one glaring daggers at me, bows their head to me in respect. I turn my head to see Maddox smiling smugly at me and I beam back at him.

For the rest of the meeting, I explain to everyone how my brothers and I happened across the bodies and tell them about the protection spell we felt around them. We spend the next few hours arguing about attack plans and how to keep the covens safe in the meantime, but can't reach an agreement. Eventually, we all decide to reconvene at the end of the week after the Alphas have had time to go home and discuss everything with their packs.

By the time Maddox and I make it back to our room, we're both exhausted. The stress of his duties were evident, the dark circles under his eyes a testament to the kind of day he had. I reach up to run my fingers through his curls, dragging my nails lightly across his scalp.

He lets out a soft moan and closes his eyes as he pushes his head further into my hands. His arms wrap around me and pull me up against him.

"You did amazing in there," he murmurs against my neck.

"I thought Alpha Marshall was going to pop a vein," I laugh.

Maddox smiles before pressing his lips against my throat, nipping softly at the mark he had left.

"It's about time someone put that old bag in his place. I'm so proud of you," he breaths as his hands reach down to grip my ass tightly.

My hands stop in his hair when I realize he's completely hard against me, his length pressed against my abdomen through his jeans.

"I thought you were tired," I gasp.

"I'm absolutely spent," he replies as one hand releases it's grip on my ass to dip down the front of my pants. "But I'm never too tired for you."