Maya

The whole day passed without catching a glimpse of Nathaniel to convey my apologies for prying into matters I shouldn't have. As the day unfolded, that concern slipped from my mind, entwining itself in the threads of thoughts about Leonardo and Maximus. I found myself contemplating whether they had received my letter. 

Regret slowly settled in, a realization that I had made my pregnancy abundantly clear, far beyond mere hints; I had practically narrated the entire situation.

Deep down, I knew I shouldn't have revealed so much, but as always, my actions were governed by raw emotions—emotions that always fucks me up.

Now, I feared the consequences. I believed they would intensify their efforts to locate me, perhaps resorting to drastic measures to eliminate me and my unborn child, passing it off as someone else's. Their unfathomable hatred for me left me no room for doubt; they would stop at nothing to achieve their revenge, even if it meant the death of an innocent child.

No matter what I was not going to let them hurt my baby….

Sighing, I filled a jug with water, intending to retreat to my room. However, upon turning to leave, I gasped at the sight of a figure standing in the kitchen’s doorway. Startled, I nearly dropped the jug, catching myself with a swift move as my back pressed against the counter, my free hand instinctively covering my mouth.

"Did I startle you?" Nathaniel emerged from the shadows, his expression a mix of concern and apology.

"No, it's fine," I managed to dismiss it with a small chuckle, though the truth was, he had genuinely startled me. "I'm just a bit jumpy."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I am. What brings you here at this late hour?"

"I was on my way to the borders, just checking everything's fine and planning to return. But then I heard sounds in the kitchen, so I came to check."

"Oh, I see," I hummed before mustering the courage to speak. He was here now, and I didn't know when I'd get another chance, so it'd be better if I said it now. "Actually, Nathaniel, I want to talk to you about something."

"Sure, what is it?" he walked over to the counter, pouring himself a glass of water with his back to me.

Say it, Maya. You messed up anyway.

"Last night... the things I asked, I—"

"If you want to say sorry, I suggest you stop because there's no reason for you to," he cut in, turning to face me. His voice was gentle, much like the gaze he fixed on me. "You did nothing wrong. It was your right to know, especially as a new member of this pack. You deserve to understand where you are staying and who the people around you are. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Still, I shouldn't have asked you. When people inquire about things you try to forget, it hurts a lot, more than anyone can imagine. I've been through it, and I know how hard it is to forget certain memories that cause you pain, perhaps forever," I admitted. "So, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked anything about your past."

He sighed at my statement. "It seems like I'm going to have to deal with apologies a lot from now on. You seem like the type who would say sorry literally for anything."

"Sorry?" It slipped from my mouth, and at that moment, I realized I had just proved his point.

God! I was so fucking foolish.

"I guess you can see it now," he chuckled, shaking his head. "It's okay, Maya. If accepting your apology will make you feel better, then I'd do it. Alright? Your apology is well-received."

I nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear before speaking, "I won't hold you for long then. Goodnight."

As I turned to leave, his voice rang out suddenly, "Wait...."

I turned around to look at him, asking, "You want to say something?"

I saw him hesitate for a second before he opened his mouth, “You said you weren’t treated well in your pack. Were your mates the ones who didn’t treat you right?”

My body froze at his question, my throat drying up as that awful feeling clung to my heart.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t feel comfortable, Maya. I just… wanted to know more about you.”

He wanted to know more about me? But why? Perhaps it was for the sake of his pack.

“It was my mates. They didn’t treat me well, and to be fair, they actually hated me,” I hugged the jug closer to me as I leaned against the counter, “They punished me for someone else’s mistakes and I couldn’t do anything. I tried to bear anything until I couldn’t anymore and I ran away.”

“It’s okay; you don’t have to tell me more,” he flashed me a gentle smile, attempting to walk away. But then, I spoke up.

“You don’t want to know more?”

Surprise was evident on his face as he looked at me, perhaps he hadn’t expected me to say that, “I don’t want you to remember things that would hurt you, just like you didn’t want to.”

“They won’t hurt me,” I flashed him a soft smile, gesturing for him to stand beside me. “My memories, they never leave my mind. Believe me, everywhere I go, everything I say and do, it still remains the first and last thing in my head. Nothing can wipe it off. So, it simply won’t hurt me to tell you about my story when it replays in my head a thousand times a day.”

“You sure?”

A small chuckle slipped past my lips at his caution. He was truly one of the gentlest souls I had come across. He reminded me of my dad, to be honest. Just like him—careful with his words and, no matter how cold he seemed at first glance, always the gentlest and kindest one once you got to know him.

“Stand here, Alpha,” I chuckled, patting the spot beside me, and he slowly made his way closer, standing beside me.

My gaze fixed on the night sky, looking at the full moon. I took a deep breath before I opened my mouth, and just like that, I told Nathaniel my whole story, starting from the day I first met the demons of my life—my mate, my tormentors. And he listened. He just listened.