Maya

“What…What do you mean by that, Nate?” I mustered the courage to ask, my body melting into his arms—this was first time ever that we were so close. It had always been certains incidents and the accidents like the one in Jackson’s birthday party that brought us close but this was the first time when one of us had actually initiated it.

“You know what I mean, Maya,” He slowly turned me around but did not allow me even an inch to pull away, we were close, too close actually—our faces were inches apart and lips were almost brushing. Looking into his fine grey orbs made my heart beat faster. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say because I actually knew the meaning beneath his previous question but to be honest, it was hard to believe that he was actually asking me that so upfront today.

I released a low breath, swallowing the lump in my throat. The contact made my skin tingle, a strange desire crawling up my insides. It wasn't purely sexual; rather, it was that feeling when you want to do nothing else in the world but hug the person before your eyes, promising to hold them till death do you part.

He was that person for me…

In fact he’d been that person for a very long time. I just never voiced it. 

“All these years, Maya… Before you, every fucking day of the thirty-hundred and sixty five days, I fucking felt it pass. Every hour and second, and every minute, I felt nothing but pain. But after you, I don’t know why, but these seven years, they just passed in the blink of an eye,” he murmured, his gaze fixed on me as he lifted his hand and brushed my hair away from my face. His touch made me close my eyes—peace. Every time he touched me, I could only feel peace in his touch. “And to me, you are not just another pack member or friend; you have become something very special. Someone I would never want to let go or let anyone take away.”

“Oh… Nathaniel,” tears gathered in my eyes at his words. I didn’t know what else I could say—his words were melting my heart, melting the ice that had coated my insides all these years. I couldn’t help but look at him, just him, forgetting that there was even a world around us.

"So I want to know," he moved his hand to caress my cheek, "What does the connection we have mean to you? Do you still see me as just a friend? An alpha who saved you that day and you'd always be grateful for, or someone you'd want to have in your life and make a part of it?"

I knew my answers. I knew them well, but courage eluded me.

It was a monumental step to take, uttering those words when my faith in men had been shattered. Nathaniel, however, was the one I had placed my trust in long ago. It shouldn't have been difficult, should it? Then why did my heart race, and why was hesitation so formidable to overcome?

"I..." I began, my voice trembling, "It’s not for fun, Nate. It was never for fun. You... to me, you and Jackson are now my whole world. I never thought you'd ask, but since you have, yes. You are a part of my life, Nate, one that I never want to let go," I managed to piece together, somehow.

A smile broke onto his face as he asked, "And what if I say that... I love you?"

My heart stopped. It just stopped right then and there. My eyes widened in surprise as I looked at him.

Did... did he really say that?

"What... what did you say?"

He brought his other hand to my face, cupping it with both hands. He gazed into my tear-filled eyes, his own glistening. "I have spent years in the dark, Maya. Regretting my existence every day, dwelling on things I couldn't fix or bring back. I cried, I begged, I tried to take my own life, but nothing really gave me an escape. I was in the dark, at the toughest phase of my life, debating whether to live or just end it... and that's when you came. You came and fixed everything," he confessed, a smile on his face despite the tears in his eyes.

“Just you being here, in the pack, before my eyes, became a strange solace to my soul. You became the cure, the reason, pretty much the only things that made me want to keep going," he said, his words washing over me. "You are that one guiding light that lit up my whole world. You fixed me without even knowing that you were doing that. And you gave me… Jackson. What else could I ever ask for in this world?"

A soft smile broke on my face upon his words, and I sniffled. "Don’t cry, please."

"You are crying too," he emitted a small laugh as I wiped his tears, pressing my forehead against his. Unbeknownst to him, he was fixing the last few pieces of the puzzle of my life, making me whole again. "I have found my world within you, Maya. I have found everything in you and Jackson. I couldn’t save my mate and my child, but I promise I will save you and Jackson, even if it means sacrificing my own life. I will protect you from every demon, every storm, and every problem. I love you, Maya. I love you more than anyone in this world ever could."

"Shhh…" I breathed out. "You don’t need to say anything else." I looked at him, a smile spreading on his lips. "I love you too, Nate." With that, without a care for the world, I pressed my lips against his. He deepened the kiss, drawing me closer and settling his hand at the back of my head.

It felt good. To be kissed without force. To be kissed with love and not vengeance. And to be kissed, knowing that with this person, I’d be safe, valued, no matter the circumstances.

The kiss was soft and gentle, just like Nate. Every swipe of tongue, every caress of his lips, was soft and full of love. He didn’t leave a single spot to let me know that in his heart there was only love and care for me. He kept it soft and slow—not triggering a single memory from the past.

As we broke the kiss, he looked at me smiling, his gaze full of admiration, his thumb brushing over my cheeks. "Will you be my Chosen Luna, Maya?"

And my smile dropped...