Chapter 5

Maya's POV:

Seated between my mom and dad at the worn wooden table, with the sunlight slanting through the lace curtains and catching on the faint lines of worry etched deeper into their faces every day.

They kept exchanging these uneasy glances, Mom’s eyes flicking to Dad, Dad’s hand pausing mid-reach for the bread, both of them clearly wanting to say something but circling around it like they were afraid to start. I could feel the question building between us, until I couldn’t take the silence anymore.

I set my spoon down, and took a deep breath. “Just ask whatever it is you want to ask.” I said quietly, meeting their eyes one after the other. “Please. I can see you both dancing around it.”

Mom’s shoulders sagged a little in relief. She reached across the table and covered my hand with hers. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” She asked, voice gentle but threaded with that mother-worry I knew too well. “Really okay?”

I forced out a smile and squeezed her fingers. “I’m fine.” Dad wasn’t convinced. He leaned forward, elbows on the table, the lines around his eyes deepening. “But are you actually a hundred percent certain you’re better?” He pressed, his tone careful, like he was handling fragile glass. “We see you smiling, but we also see the way you stare off sometimes. We just… we worry.”

I went quiet, wondering if I could tell them about the pregnancy when I still didn’t know what to do with it myself? Saying it out loud would break them even more, the guilt they already carried about the five years I’d spent in that marriage would crush them completely. I didn’t know the right time, or even if there would ever be a right time, to drop that kind of weight on top of everything else.

So I stayed silent, letting the clock on the wall tick louder in my ears, until my phone buzzed against the table. I glanced down and saw Declan’s name lighting up the screen. Without thinking I ended the call, thumb pressing harder than necessary. It rang again almost immediately and I silenced it, but the screen kept blinking with incoming texts.

I ignored the vibration and picked up my spoon again, forcing another bite of soup that tasted like nothing while Mom and Dad exchanged another quick look but said nothing, their own spoons moving slowly as they continued eating. The phone blinked once more and I finally glanced at the messages.

‘Pick up the goddamn call, Maya. I need to tell you something urgent.’

‘Stop ignoring me.’

‘This isn’t a game. Answer.’

I set the phone face-down and kept eating, jaw tight. Another text came through a few minutes later and I read it before I could stop myself. ‘I’m outside the front of your house. Come out. Now.’

“Fuck!” I muttered, pushing my chair back and stood, smoothing my hands down my shirt to hide the way they trembled. “You two keep eating.” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I just need to step out for a minute.”

Dad’s brow furrowed. “Is there a problem?” I shook my head, already turning toward the door. “No. I’ll be right back.”

On stepping outside, my eyes landed on Declan who was leaning against his car with arms crossed over his chest, sunglasses hiding whatever was in his eyes. He looked rested, sharp in a dark button-down that fit him perfectly, hair neatly combed. Better than I looked, that was for sure which told me that he wasn’t losing sleep over us being apart because he was finally free to be with Samantha, and it showed.

What about me? What about the baby growing inside me right now? If I told him, would he choose me?

“Maya!” His voice snapped me out of it, fingers clicking sharply in front of my face. I blinked hard and cleared my throat, the heat of embarrassment mixing with the anger already simmering. “What do you want, Declan?”

He took a deep breath, clearly working to keep his tone even despite the way his jaw tightened. “Do you know anything about the Night Reaper?”

“I’ve only heard rumors about the ruthless rogue who’s been taking over packs in the northern region. That’s all. Why?” He studied me for a while, like he was searching for something hidden in my face. “Anything else? Because it’s suspicious that he’d want you, of all people.”

I felt my brows pull together. “I don’t know anything else about him. And why are you even here asking me this? What does any of it have to do with me?”

Declan rubbed a hand over his jaw, the first crack in his composure showing. “He’s threatening war against me when he has more resources, more packs, more everything. If it comes to a fight, I lose my position, my life… my family’s lives. But he’s agreed to an alliance on one condition.”

I stood there silently, heart thudding as I tried to make sense of why he was unloading all of this on me. Was he here looking for a solution from me again, like old times? “What condition?” I asked, voice quieter than I wanted.

He met my eyes directly. “He demanded your hand in marriage.”

What? There was no connection between us that I could see. Maybe he thought I was still important to Declan somehow, a way to keep him in check. But the rogue already had more power; so he wouldn’t need that. There had to be something else. Still, none of it made sense.

I shrugged, keeping my face blank even as my pulse roared. “I don’t know who the Night Reaper is.” I turned on my heel to head back inside but his hand caught my arm. “I came here to ask you to marry him. So a war doesn’t break out.”

I yanked my arm free, skin burning where he’d touched me. “If the fear of losing your position and your family is the reason you’re here begging, then I’m not listening.”

“I’m not begging ” He said quickly, though his voice had lost its earlier edge. “But refusing this will cost the lives of a lot of people in the pack too. You have to say yes out of compassion for the wolves who once celebrated you as their Luna.”

The audacity of his words, and his complete lack of remorse, made my blood run hot. I turned again, ready to walk away, but his hand was back on my arm, this time gentler.

“Please, Maya.” He said, the word cracking. “If war happens, the Night Reaper will kill my entire family. My life, Samantha’s, Devlin’s, my mother’s, the Elders’ and everyone close to me are all in danger. I’m begging you.”

I stared at him, unable to believe the man who had once told me I’d come crawling back was now the one on his knees in every way that mattered. Still I shook my head. “We both did our parts in the agreement. We don’t owe each other anything anymore so I’m not obligated to do this for you.”

“The agreement required you to bear me an heir but you never did. Now I’m asking you to repay that favor or I’ll demand you pay back every dime I spent on you and your family these past five years.”

I scoffed, the sound harsh even to my own ears. “Fine. I’m willing to pay.” I pulled away and stormed back inside, slamming the door harder than I meant to.

Mom and Dad looked up from the table, concern etched across both their faces. “What did Declan want?” Mom asked softly and I shook my head, throat tight. “Nothing important.” I didn’t wait for more questions. I walked straight to my room and shut the door, leaning back against it as the weight of everything crashed down.

Upset at my fate, annoyed at myself for the tiny, traitorous part of me that had wanted to say yes just to see him smile again. But how much more did I have to sacrifice before he finally saw how much I loved him?

How much before he chose me? He had only come because he was scared of losing his position. He didn't even care if marrying a ruthless rogue might get me killed which proved that he didn’t care. If he did, he would have fought to keep me safe instead of handing me over.

For the next two days I tried not to think about him but I failed because my thoughts kept circling back to the fact that the man I had loved for so long didn’t care about me at all. Mom and Dad noticed the shift in my mood, the way I moved through the house like a ghost. They kept asking what had happened with Declan, but I brushed them off every time.

I didn't tell them the truth because I didn’t want them blaming themselves again for the mess I’d chosen five years ago. So I pretended until the phone rang from my brother’s boarding school.

The principal’s voice was shaky on the other end. “Ethan’s gone missing. He wasn’t in his dorm this morning and we’ve searched everywhere.”

Mom’s hand flew to her mouth and Dad went pale. “Missing?” Mom whispered, voice breaking. “How could he just disappear from boarding school?”

I swallowed hard and kept my voice calm even as panic clawed at my chest. “Did you contact the local police?” I asked the principal.

“Yes.” She replied. “But they said we have to wait twenty-four hours before filing an official missing-persons report.”

I was distraught, the room tilting slightly, but I stayed steady for them. “I’ll come right away. Dad, you stay here and take care of Mom. I’ll handle this.”

Nodding, I rushed up to the room to grab my father's car keys when my phone lit up again, only this time around it was Declan calling. I declined once, twice, three times, but he kept ringing until I couldn’t stand it so I answered. “Stop calling me. I have something important to attend to.”

“I know you’re busy because your brother has gone missing.” The words stopped me cold. “How do you already know? After the divorce I made it very clear to the school, they weren’t supposed to contact you about Ethan anymore so how did you hear about this so fast when we just found out ourselves?”

There was a pause, then he replied. “Because your brother is in my custody. And the only way you’ll ever see him again is if you agree to marry the Night Reaper.”