Maya

Restlessness consumed me, and its source totally eluded me. Pacing back and forth in the room offered no relief; neither did the solace of books, nor the distraction of a movie or series. Literally nothing. 

I was stuck. 

Alone in my room, it echoed with my thoughts. Jackson was absent, having joined Tyrone and Ivy for the night. They had spirited him away to their room, already stocked with his favorite snacks and chocolates. 

"God, what is wrong with me?" I muttered, burying my face in my hands with a sigh. The turmoil was intensifying, an inexplicable ache was pulsating through my heart. It felt as though something ominous lurked on the horizon, a foreboding that I couldn't shake. Worst of all, the weight of the world seemed to settle on my shoulders, pressing down with an unforgiving force. My wolf, too, wasn’t quite calm. I could sense her distress as well.

What the fuck was actually going on?

I didn't want to entertain thoughts of something bad or unfortunate looming because I'd wasted years doing just that, achieving nothing but squandering my time and peace. So, I just didn’t want to do it again—it was worth nothing.

Standing up, I reached for a glass of water, the cool liquid soothing my dry throat. As the minutes passed, old memories stealthily crept into my mind, defying my earlier belief that the situation couldn't worsen. I was fucking wrong, dreadfully so.

"No, you can't think about them, Maya..." I whispered to myself, already hyperventilating, "You can't!"

Running my fingers through my hair and pacing back and forth trying to find some sort of relief, I reached my breaking point too soon as tears gathered in my eyes.

No! I promised I wouldn't shed another tear for them. I can't let them win again.

I hastily wiped away my tears, forcefully pushing aside the bitter memories and the haunting flashbacks of when they had mercilessly abandoned any shred of mercy. Opening my door, I headed downstairs. Fresh air—maybe it could help. I wasn't certain, but at least I could try rather than suffocate within the four walls. The walls that seemed to speak, echoing the painful words my mates had once hurled at me without a hint of remorse.

Reaching the garden, I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes. I wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing away the chill as the winds whispered through the night. It was cold outside, just like the cold that already shrouded my heart. 

Taking the first few deep breaths, I closed my eyes, attempting to relax. Slowly, it worked, bringing a measure of relief and the tension began to ebb away. Maximus and Leonardo's faces, the hatred etched in their eyes, still lingered in my mind, but at least I no longer felt like my whole world was crumbling.

"I wish I could forget the two of you. I wish I could wipe your very existence from my memories..." I whispered, my voice trembling. "I so badly wish that I'd never have to see your faces again, not in dreams, nightmares, memories, or worse, in real life."

"Having the same problem again?"

Nathaniel's voice suddenly rang out, jolting me from my thoughts. He was keenly aware of my struggles and the trials I'd faced. In this world, there was no one who knew me better than him, understanding every ###Chapter of my life.

"Yeah, just the same old stuff creeping into my head," I shrugged, letting out a shaky laugh before turning my attention back to the sky. Looking at the moon—whose company I still didn't relish—I couldn't deny that even in her soft light, I found solace. She was the one who had written my fate so cruelly, yet she also provided an escape.

Maybe, in a few more years, I'd find it in myself to love her again. To believe in the moon goddess and her plan once again.

Nate walked closer to me, standing right by my side. "It's pretty cold outside; you should have at least draped a shawl around you before getting out."

"And you should have also thought about wearing something instead of roaming around half-naked," I chuckled. "Seriously! What's your issue with shirts?"

"I like to show my body, after all, I have worked so hard to achieve it," he grinned, causing another bout of laughter to escape me.

"Oh, really?" I crossed my arms over my chest, looking at him suspiciously. "I doubted that I have ever seen you participate in some intensive workout sessions. You are plain lazy, and it’s your luck that you have naturally a perfect body."

"Hey, abs do not come naturally. I work out for them," he retorted.

"I don't believe it," I shrugged, enjoying getting on his nerves.

"This is ridiculous, Maya. You yourself have fetched me water so many times during my workout, and now you are denying that you haven't at all seen me working out?!"

He was speaking the truth, but I wasn't going to agree that quickly. I mean what was the fun in that?

The confused look on Nathaniel Richardson’s face was always amusing to see, and I doubted I'd ever get bored of it.

"I don't remember…" Suppressing my smile, I shrugged and turned around to walk away, but suddenly he grabbed my wrist. My body froze at the contact, and my feet halted. Before I could turn around by myself, with a swift tug, he pulled me close so that my back collided against his chest.

I gasped in surprise, my hands clutching onto his that was around my waist.

"I never thought I'd ask you like this. But it seems like I can't hold myself back anymore. This—what you do all the time: get on my nerves, crack jokes, and shy away whenever our eyes lock and whenever we get close," he began, his voice a gentle whisper, his breath hitting my neck as he pushed my hair to the side. My own breathing accelerated at his movement. "Is it just for fun, Maya? Or is it the same for you as it is for me? Have you ever felt what I feel?"

Oh... god. I think I fall for you.