Maya

My throat constricted at his question, a knot of fear coiling within me, while my heart drummed an erratic rhythm against my ribs. It was sheer terror, a sinister presence creeping up my insides, leaving me paralyzed.

With every fiber of my screaming caution, I instinctively recoiled from him, taking hesitant steps backward, my hands trembling.

Luna.…..

He asked me to be his Luna….

That one word had a history of mine beneath it. A weight of pure agony, haunting echoes of tragedy that reverberated through the hollow chambers of my past. Luna Ayla's cruel demise at the hands of my so-called mother, the insatiable greed for power embedded in that title, and the cruelty of fate that bestowed it upon me.

It terrified me. The word—It actually absloutely fucking terrified me. 

To become the Luna, Nathaniel would have to mark me, and the mere mention of that branding ritual dredged up memories of that fateful night. They emerged fresh, each recollection as sharp and vivid as if etched into my soul, tearing through the fragile layers of distance I had painstakingly built over seven years.

Nate's brow furrowed as he noticed the shift in my demeanor, genuine concern etched across his features.

"Maya, what's wrong?"

I tried to answer but, words eluded me.

I was a fucking mess.

It wasn't that I resented Nate's proposal. In truth, his offer filled me with a warmth I hadn't dared to embrace in years. But that word... it cut deep, reopening wounds I had long buried beneath layers of pain and regret.

I wanted to say yes, to surrender to Nate completely, to confess that in a world devoid of trust, he had become my sanctuary, my guiding light through the darkest of nights.

But the scars left by Maximus and Leonardo Sterling, the scars of their cruelty and violation, lingered like poison in my veins, staining every moment of intimacy with their venomous touch.

They were the scary shadows of my life and they still are and perhaps always would be.

"Maya, we don't have to rush anything. If you're not ready, it's okay. We can take it slow," Nate's soothing voice drew me back from the abyss. With gentle reassurance, he closed the distance between us, his hands enveloping mine.

"It's okay, Maya," he whispered, "You don't have to explain. Just... tell me what you need."

“You don’t understand, Nate. It’s not that….” I swallowed, shaking my head, the memories bombarding my head from all side—that night was now fresh in my head—how cruelly Leonardo and Maximus took my virginity and marked me as theirs, how within the span of one single night, they ruined me completely.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” He asked, his voice gentle as ever, “Tell me.”

Tears gathered in my eyes, the emotional turmoil too much to bear. Without another word, I found myself turning around and sprinting inside the building.

I rushed into my room, allowing myself to collapse onto the bed, burying my head in the mattress as the first sob escaped my lips.

The horrors of seven years ago felt surreal, as if plucked from a nightmare that refused to release its hold. My mates, Maximus and Leonardo Sterling, had left no avenue untouched in their quest to destroy me. Their cruelty, their torment, had shattered me beyond recognition.

And the painful truth remained: no amount of time could heal the wounds they had inflicted. It cut fucking deeper than any blade: what they had shattered, nothing could mend. Despite my efforts to move forward, the memories clawed their way back, each recollection a searing reminder of the pain I had endured. It was a relentless cycle, a torment I couldn't escape, a burden I carried with every step into the unknown.

When would I ever forget them?

Nate's gentle knocking interrupted the silence, his concerned voice slicing through the suffocating silence, “Maya, are you okay? Do you want me to come in?”

He didn't deserve my silence, my pain. He deserved my love, a love I feared I couldn't give, for I was not whole myself.

"Fuck! I am coming inside, Maya. I can't let you just be on your own," His voice pierced through the barrier I had erected.

As he entered the room, I sat up, meeting his gaze through tear-blurred eyes. His concern, his unwavering support, threatened to unravel the walls I had built around my heart.

"Maya, why are you crying?" Nate got on the bed and cupped my face, wiping away my tears. His touch was tender, soothing to my shattered spirit. It made me feel too safe and I had never felt this safe. Ever.

It was soothing to feel safe, as if all my bones were collectively exhaling in relief. Dark memories fled my mind like the receding tide, while my wounds seemed to heal more deeply than ever before.

Gazing at Nate, I found nothing but warmth and love within me.

I loved this man...

It hadn’t occurred to me until now—I loved him more fiercely than I could ever love myself.

"Did I push too far and make you uncomfortable, sweetheart?" Nate's voice was gentle, his eyes soft with concern. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

Before he could finish his sentence, I enveloped him in a hug, cutting off his words. "It’s not your fault..." I sighed, holding onto him tightly, never wanting to let go. I wished to remain like this, with him close to me, for eternity.

"Then what is it?" His voice was tender as he hugged me back, pressing a kiss to my temple while I nestled my head against his neck, basking in his warmth and scent. "Can you tell me?"

"It’s just..." My voice trembled, memories surfacing. "I recalled the old memories. The word 'Luna' never brought anything good for me, you know that. My mother aspired to be the Luna, but in her pursuit, she destroyed lives, including mine. Ayla lost her life because of that position. My mates... they used that word to torment me, to make my life a living hell. It was always painful, Nate. My entire life was spent in a hell of others' making, and everyone had their unique ways of torturing me. I never knew happiness until Jackson, and then... you."

He fell silent for a moment before gently making me meet his gaze, offering a small smile. "We don’t have to do it. It’s okay, Maya. We can stay just as we are. It doesn’t need a label. Having you by my side is more than enough for me. We don’t have to revisit anything that triggers painful memories. We can stay however you wish."

"But I want to..." I mustered my courage, “That was my life before, Nate. Where the word 'Luna,' the marking, the word 'love'—none of it held meaning. It was all pain. But with you, it’s different. I want to experience what I’ve missed. I want to be yours officially, marked not by force, but by love, and I want that person to be you. I want to overwrite those bad memories with good ones," I confessed, my voice trembling.

"I want to replace pain with love, nightmares with dreams and hopes. Lastly, I want to belong to someone and make sure the whole world knows that..." I met his gaze. "I want this. I want to be your Luna."

"It’s okay, you don’t need to say anything more..." He drew me closer, his forehead touching mine, tears glistening in his eyes.

We closed our eyes, my erratic breathing gradually calming, my aching heart finding solace. And then, breaking the silence, I spoke.

"Make me your Luna, Nate. I want to be yours."

He nodded, his voice filled with emotion. "I will, Maya. I will." And he sealed his promise by pressing his lips on mine.