She flew as high and far that her tired wings could take her. Until she lacked the endurance and strength to go any further.

The unbearable pain in her chest made her weak that she faltered some; forcing her descent into a rough landing. The sparkling lights of the city below kept her in the sky long enough until she found a darkened wooded area to land.

She trembled in tears as she stood retracting her wings. She could not stay here she thought. Her mind just lingered and swirled in lost hope as she trudged slowly through the wooded area onto an illuminated path.

What was to become of her? She sobbed with the whirling question in her mind.

She continued to walk until she noticed more and more people surrounded her. Humans smiling at each other as they held hands and walked passed her.

She looked around and noticed an empty bench in the far distance. With an exhausting sigh, she plopped down on it and hugged her self as she again began to weep inconsolably.

Sometime had passed before she had quieted down to sniffles.
"It will get better," a soft wobbly voice came from beside her.

Abruptly she turned her head. "Excuse me?" she sniffles sadly staring at a male elderly human that now sat on the bench beside her.

"It will get better." he says again softly. "With time and prayer, it will get better," he nods with a smiling sigh.

"Prayer?" she croaked sitting up now, intrigued with this humans knowledge of her kinds invocation to their creator.

"You know of prayer?" she whispered dashing away a tear.

"Of course." he chuckled. "It helps calm the soul and praying to the good Lord is a way to ask for his help in a time of need," he added.

"You know of him. Y-you ask of him?" she searched his soft gaze feeling overwhelmed with his words. How can he know these things?

"Sure thing, every Sunday at Our Lady of Assisi down the block. Plus, they make a mean Minestrone soup after Sunday Mass," he whispered with a wink.

"Where is this Lady of Assisi so that I too can talk to the creator?" again the overwhelming tears began to flow. This did not make sense. He was of divine power. How did he speak to the mortals if knowledge of their existence was forbidden?

He pointed in the direction and she took off. She needed to speak to him. She has never gotten the chance to have an audience with him but maybe if she pleaded with him, he would order Metatron to lift her punishment.

The ache in her chest steadily climbed with the thought of leaving this plain. Leaving him. But she could not stay.

She ran as fast as she could and abruptly stopped at the door to the large chapel. On shaky legs, she climbed the steps until her fingers lifted to the brass handle. Her heart pummeled in her chest with the unknown and the questions to her answers whirling in her head.

She finally entered the beautifully lit entrance and walked in. She gasped as her gaze lifted to the large decorated Dais in front of her. She looked around in awe.

Dumbstruck, she stumbled forward glancing over lit candles and towards the walls. All aligned with statues.

She walked slowly towards the first. And she stared up into the large porcelain replica of an Angel baring his wings holding a sword.
Her legs shook as her gaze lowered to the gold plack and read.
Archangel Michael

She gasped stepping back. Again she looked at it.
"That is not him." she whispered.

She frowned suddenly. "But how do they know of him?" she shook her head.

She went on to the next.
Gabriel
"This is not possible," she blurted out.

She continued on as every statue that falsely portrayed her kinds image, had their names.

Her heart raced as she stood there not able to move and full of confusion and uncertainty.

It was forbidden for mortals to see Angels. That meant none should have been revealed to know of their existence. Yet here these images revealed their names.

Michael
Gabriel
Uriel
Raphael

"My child, are you well?" a male voice gently asked.

Concerned eyes met hers through the mist of tears filling her gaze.
"They lied," she cried.

"It is forbidden for mortals to see them," she blurted out. "To see us!," she shook her head.

With a saddened gaze he stepped closer with a calming voice.
"What do you mean?"

"The statues. You know of Angels. They are here," a torrent of tears fell down her cheek. As she faced the male human that agreed with her.
"They are the Lord's Angels sent here to protect us," he said gently reaching for her and trying to calm her.

"They lied to me. I was told mortals were not supposed to know of our existence. Yet, I'm cast out for what I've done?"

Her chest tightened more with pain as another sob erupted from her throat. Different sensations bombarded her with so much force that her knees buckled.

A warm hand reached for her and helped her to stand. Another gentle voice spoke to her. Soon she was surrounded by another person.
"Sweetheart calm down. Is there someone we can call to come get you?" a female asked her.

No one she thought. She was alone. She had no one.

The voices swirled around her with alarm as their faces slowly began to blur.

Then suddenly another voice more stronger than the rest pierced the darkening haze around her; long enough for her to answer.

"Who can we call to come get you?"

She swallowed heavily at the growing lump in her throat. The addled sensation in her mind prevented her from focusing on the question. But she whispered the name. The name of someone who would come for her.

"Maddox Payne, Alph-," the name spilled from her lips just before her legs gave out beneath her and darkness swallowed her up.

********

He paced furiously before Nikki and Brody. He lost her an hour into her flight as his wolf ate up miles of land, tracking her scent. And then she disappeared.
"I have to continue looking for her." he began to leave.

The sense of impatience was overwhelming not knowing where she was.

"Maddox what if we send the trackers?" Nikki asked.

He shook his head. "I doubt they will pick up her scent it's faint. There is barely a trace of it left here."

The agonizing tug in his chest and Koda's incessant pacing was driving him mad.

"What if we drive in the direction she flew? Maybe we can search for her that way." Brody offered.

Maddox couldn't answer. The foreboding sensation that something was wrong pummeled his senses.

In 3 more hours it will be morning and he needed to get to her. In the state she left in, there was no telling what she was going through. She knew nothing of this world and she was out there in possible danger.

With an enraged growl he was unable to contain, he whirled around and slammed his fist on his desk. The rich mahogany wood shattered beneath the weight of his anger.

His wolf was becoming more impatient more irrational and was threatening to surface.
If I have to tear up this land to find her, I will do it. With or without your help.
We need to leave NOW!. I want my mate.

The unforgiving tone in Koda's voice slightly worried him. He wasn't sure how long he could hold him off. He wasn't sure personally how long he could be without her either. The stabbing pain in his chest was growing stronger by the minute. Being without his mate was unbearable.

"Ready the cars. We are splitting up." he ordered walking towards the door.
"We leave in 5," he turned to leave.

He made it as far as the kitchen when his cell phone rang.
He pulled it out of his back pocket and looked at the unfamiliar number. He hesitated, not in the mood to get a call from some telemarketer. But then again he couldn't afford not to answer.

"This is Payne," he answered.

"Maddox? This is Sheriff Hoyt." the deep brisk voice spoke over the line. He stood rigid to the spot. He hasn't heard from the Sheriff in years since his father stepped down.

Uneased by the sudden call he braced himself for what was to come.
"What can I do for you Sheriff?"

A soft chuckle followed.

"From the tone of your voice I see this call isn't a pleasant one for you."

"Not really," he clipped.

"And we're still holding grudges?"

"Yes, Sir we are," Maddox tightened his eyes. Clenching his jaw. He refused to go down memory lane with him. Especially now.

He could hear the Sheriff sigh in the background.

Impatiently Maddox began. "Look Sheriff, I'm in a bit of a hurry. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually I was getting to that. Maddox, there is a young girl here. Distraught and inconsolable that mentioned your na-"

He shook with relief as he stopped the man from saying anymore.
"I'm on my way." he hung up and walked towards Nikki, Brody and two other pack members.

"She's in Brentwood," he walked towards the cars.

"Brentwood? Maddie, that's 5 hrs away. How-?" Nikki trailed off as Maddox fixed a solid gaze at her.

"She's an Angel sis. Need we say anymore?" Brody whispered teasingly.

With a silent scowl she walked off towards her car leaving Brody behind.

The drive to the town on the outskirts of the city was a long one but he endured it. The death grip on the steering wheel was proof that he would because he was anxious to get to her.

******

After the tortuous 5 hour drive, they finally drove into the quaint town about midday pulling up to the Sheriff's office. They stepped out and walked up the steps.
He could sense her immediately with a bone shattering force that had him gripping on the banister leading up to the doors.
Nikki's brow creased as she exchanged a look of concern with her brother.
"That's her isn't it?"

Sadly Brody nodded as he could sense it as well.

Foreboding, sadness, pain....So much pain.

"Something is wrong," Maddox pulled away from the railing and entered the building.

They followed him in until they stood at a large reception desk. A heavy set officer stood up and greeted them.

"What can I do for you?"

"I received a call from Sheriff Hoyt," Maddox began.

"I will take it from here, Carter," the Sheriff said from behind them.

They turned together to face him.

"This way." he told them as he spun around to walk through a door in the far corner.

Waves of her scent hit him head on in the small hallway all the way towards a backroom. They entered slowly.
His eyes immediately fell to the form of her laying facing the wall on a small cot wrapped in a large quilt.

In two strides, he got closer and dropped to his knees at her side.
"Hannah?" he gently reached for her; turning her to face him.

The jolt of energy he normally felt touching her was alarmingly faint.
He leaned over her and cupped her face. Her skin was cool and clammy to the touch.

"What happened to her?" he turned to pin the Sheriff with a fierce glare.

"I got the call early this morning at the Chapel downtown. When I got there, she could barely speak. No one knows what happened."

He turned away from the Sheriff to look at her again.
"Hannah?" he whispered caressing her cheek; assessing her.
It seemed as if his heart stopped beating, he was listening so intently for her breath. She lay so still, unmoving. His chest tightened with the sight of her unresponsive and quiet. His fingers grazed her cheek as he whispered her name again.

At last, a little movement came and then she opened her eyes.
He stared at them and Koda whined. It stirred something deep in him; the absence of warmth and light in her gaze.

"They lied," her voice shook. A flicker of hurt glazed over in her eyes as they reddened and pooled with tears.

"They said it was forbidden." her voice was barely a whisper.

His brow creased with confusion. She struggled with her words, her emotions were in a disarray.

"It was all a lie," she trembled sobbing in his hold. Her emotional pain touched him on a primal level that left him unhinged. His jaw tightened as he pulled her close; trying to sooth her and calm her.

His mate was hurt.

The look on her face when he pulled back to look down at her, crushed him and angered him. It made him want to pound the assholes that hurt her.

He needed to take her home. He didn't want her another minute out of his sight and away from him.
I have no one. she thought faintly. He heard it. He felt it. Immediately he looked down at her lost gaze.

He lifted his palm and caressed her cheek pressing his forehead to hers.
You have me. She stiffened and looked up at him. Their eyes met for a silent moment.

It was then at that precise moment the bond between them grew and filled her tired soul that her pulse fluttered with the connection. Then his amber red gaze locked on hers and in awe he watched the iridescent glow of her own eyes sparkling beneath her tears, responding to the pull.

Possessively he hugged her close and stood with her in his arms. He stopped briefly before the Sheriff.
"Thank you," he whispered tightly.

The Sheriff gave a brief nod.

They filed out behind the Alpha as he took long strides out of the building and into his waiting car. He held her tight against him in the back of his truck as Brody took the wheel and drove them home.

The days' exhaustion accompanied with the relief of finally having her in his arms, caught up to him as he settled with her for the long drive home.

He pressed his lips to her forehead and pulled her closer, warming her with his assuring words. This time he whispered them to her.
"You have me, Hannah."

"Always!"

*******
Here we go another update.
Happy New years!!!

I want to give a shout out to all my new followers...
And I want to Thank those of you who floods my inbox with the excellent rib-tickling comments. They brighten my day.

So I'm gearing up to make these next few chapters phenomenal and unforgettable pushing it towards an edge of your seat, nail biting plot (twist) that will give you a whiplash...
I'm sure you guys are gonna love 💘 it....(I hope)
Give me some time to iron out the kinks as I strap you guys into Hannah and Maddox's rollercoaster romance. (Don't forget to lift your hands and scream on the 90° pitch going ⬇....)

***WARNING***
For all my bible and religious warriors out there...THIS BOOK IS NOT WRITTEN OR GEARED TOWARDS ANYTHING RELIGIOUS...THERE WILL.
BE SOME INACCURACIES SO I CAN MOLD THIS PARANORMAL ROMANCE THE WAY I WANT IT.
PLEASE IF SOMETHINGS DO OFFEND YOU AND IT DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT AGAIN it's ALL JUST FOR THE SAKE OF A GOOD PARANORMAL ROMANCE.

With that said....I'm off to another chapter...and update another and TRY to UPDATE another(Tempests Embrace) forgive me for not updating I'm getting to it.

Until then, see ya later....