Maya grabbed his wrist, sinking her nails into his flesh. “Let me go!”
He didn’t want to. She was no match for him. It was going to take more than a few nails in his flesh to hurt him. Pulling her in close, he stared into her brown eyes. They were lovely and dark, but he saw the spark of her wolf lying just beneath the surface. She was a strong woman, and she shared a bond with her wolf. He liked that.
“How have you been?” he asked.
“You don’t get to ask me that question. I can find my own way home.” She moved her hand up to his fingers, and this time, as she pulled them back so he’d let her go, he did as she asked.
He didn’t want broken fingers, and something told him Maya hated him. Not that he could blame her, he’d been cruel to her five years ago. In his defense, she’d been freaking young. A baby. Eighteen years old. A newbie. She had her whole life ahead of her, and he … well, he’d seen shit that would make her scream. He had the scars on his body to prove it. He had no choice but to allow her time to adapt, to grow up.
Staring at her now, he couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. She’d been beautiful back then, in fact, she’d been as stunning back then as she was now. At twenty-three years old, she was still young, but … he couldn’t go another visit without seeing her, without smelling her. He probably sounded so fucking freaky, but he didn’t care. When it came to her, he felt this overwhelming need. His bike had lost its appeal. The open road had faded and no longer looked like a freedom road, but a death trap. The only time he felt free was when he visited this fucking pack. The pack he was alpha to. The pack that homed his mate.
He wanted her so badly. That need hadn’t faded.
She pushed his arm out of the way, but if she thought for a second that he was leaving, she would be in for a shock. He wasn’t going anywhere.
Stepping in beside her, Luke took several steps, and she stopped and turned to him. “What are you doing?”
“I’m walking you home.”
“No, you’re not. I can find my own way home. You don’t have to follow me.” She moved again, and he tagged along.
“I told your parents I’d come find you and return you. This is what I’m doing.”
“I don’t know what game you’re playing, but leave me out of it.” She kept walking, and he, well, he kept following.
/Maya/
The scent of frying bacon woke her up.
Maya laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling as the events of the previous night came rushing back to her. The run, the majestic view, chatting with Jordan, running with him, and then … Luke.
She sat up in bed. He’d walked her all the way home. Her father, Ben, had been waiting for her, while her mother, Leah, was in bed.
Running a hand over her face, she reached out for the clock and groaned. It was a little after 7:00. She hadn’t slept in, even though it was a Sunday, and the DIY store was closed.
She spent Sundays at home, helping her mother cook, chilling out, possibly reading a book, and just relaxing before the week ahead. Unless her parents disappeared for sex. They were never quiet. It didn’t help that she now had great hearing. It made listening to her parents easier than it did as a child. She had no choice but to leave the house for several hours, or at least until she assumed they were done.
She stepped out of the blanket and quickly made her bed, before disappearing into the bathroom. Her parents had insisted she have her own en suite, and she couldn’t argue with them. They had sex everywhere and the bathroom wasn’t a sacred place. She had walked in on them doing it there when she was twelve years old. She accepted that her parents loved one another.
A bathroom had been installed in her room less than three months later. Her bedroom and bathroom were the only sacred, non-parent fucking rooms. She didn’t doubt for a second that it would all change the moment she moved out. After using the toilet, she flushed, washed her hands, and then grabbed her toothbrush. She glanced at her reflection and winced.
Maya had gotten into the habit after her first real encounter with her mate, of not looking at her reflection. He’d found her disgusting, and with her inability to lose weight, she hated the sight of herself. Once her teeth were brushed, she ran a comb through her hair and left the bathroom. Heading downstairs, she stretched and yawned, then stepped into the kitchen.
“Something smells good,” she said.
All too soon she became alert to the fact they were not alone. This never happened. Her parents took Sundays seriously. It was their time together, it was family time. Even as she got older, they wouldn’t allow her to work on a Sunday.
Maya stared at the man who rejected her. Luke was at the kitchen counter, a mug of coffee in his hand, and her parents looked happy.
“Yes, something does smell good,” Luke said, looking at her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Maya, that is no way to speak to the alpha!” Leah, her mother, sounded outraged.
“Sweetheart, why don’t you go and get changed?”
She wore an oversized shirt, one she’d had for several years that was well-worn, but so comfortable. Glaring at Luke, she wouldn’t let him see that she was horrified he’d seen her like this.
“I’m good.” She moved toward the kitchen counter, keeping a good distance between the two of them. She hated that her nipples had hardened at the sight of him.
“Something smells good, Mom.”
“Will you eat the bacon this time?” Leah asked.
“You don’t eat bacon?” Luke asked.
She shot him a glare. What business was it of his? Before she got a chance to tell him to shut up and mind his own business, her mother was already talking.
“She’s been on a diet for so long. I worry that she doesn’t eat enough.” Leah pouted.
Maya wanted to growl.
“Diets are not healthy,” Luke said.
He could lie all he wanted to.
“I’ll have some bacon, Mom, thanks.”
She got to her feet, rounded the counter, and grabbed a mug from the top shelf.
“How was your run last night, honey?” Ben asked.
“It was fine. I got out to the cliff.”
Leah tutted. “I hate the thought of you hanging off that ledge. It’s not safe and you know it.”
“I don’t hang off the ledge. It’s a nice place with a good view.” She sipped at the hot black coffee, avoiding looking at Luke. She felt his gaze on hers. Her flesh seemed to heat and one quick glance confirmed her suspicions. He watched her.
“I still don’t like it. You spend way too much time on your own, exploring the woods. We’re worried half to death about the trouble you can get into.”“Mom, I’m fine. Last night I wasn’t alone. Jordan was with me.”Leah sighed. “That’s good. Jordan is a good boy. You haven’t had … you know...”“I’ve told you, Mom, that’s not going to happen. Jordan and I are not mates.”The cup Luke had been holding shattered within his grip.Maya sipped her drink while staring at him over the rim.“I don’t know my own strength,” he said, as an excuse.Her father was already fussing over him, trying to clean up the mess.“Let me grab you another one,” Leah said, reaching for a mug. “It’s such a shame. You and Jordan have been friends for as long as I can remember. He’d make a nice mate, I’m sure of it.”“He’s not mine.”“I know, but you are aware that some people mate even though they’re not fated mates.”She chuckled. “I know that, Mom, and when his mate comes along, I’ll be left high and dry. Trust
Luke stopped eating. “Her transition?”Leah dropped the cutlery onto her plate and covered her face.“We don’t know exactly what happened that night,” Ben said, reaching out to his woman. He rubbed her back, trying to offer her comfort. “From what we’ve heard from her friends and even Jordan, the night was a huge success. They were celebrating.”“I heard her, Ben. I know you heard her too.”“Heard her?” Luke asked. He was tired of hearing Jordan’s name already. The urge to crush him was so strong, but he gained control of himself. He could understand why the boy was besotted with her. Maya was a fucking dream.“She came home,” Leah said. “We were … in the back garden, but she came home, and we listened.”“She sobbed herself to sleep,” Ben said. “The next morning, her face was red and swollen from all the tears.”“And suddenly she doesn’t want my food anymore. I can’t even bake. It’s been so long since I baked anything.” Leah covered her face again. “She won’t even have her favorite, c
By Monday morning, Maya pressed the back of her hand to her mouth to try and stifle a yawn. Yesterday she’d spent all day away from home and arrived late. Her mother had been worried, and had saved her a large dinner of beef, vegetables, and gravy, but she’d not been able to eat.She’d been worried about going home in case Luke was there. He hadn’t left town and she didn’t know why. She hadn’t slept well wondering what he was up to. Putting the nails on the shelf, she began cleaning away the loose ones, picking them up and placing them in the multi-box. Customers could come and grab a handful, and would be charged by the size of the bag. John was really excited when he came up with the idea. Maya hadn’t cared. She’d been smiling and encouraging, but it was still just a bag of nails and bolts. Boring.With the shelf full, she straightened the rest of the boxes before heading toward the other supplies on her list. John had given her a list of items to check for stock. Checking each item
Was he going to say something mean? Cruel?“Like what?”“Like you’re going to fall down. It’s not a good look, babe. You need to eat something. I bet your wolf gets tired easily on a run, right?”It was none of his business what happened to her. Why was he even talking about this?She picked up a fry and popped it into her mouth. It tasted good, but her stomach churned.“See, it’s good.” Luke picked up his burger and took a bite. “I fucking love coming here. The food is always good.”“Is that why you were always passing through?” she asked.“Pretty much. Good food on the road can be hard to come by, but then you have these little delicacies, and you never forget good food.”She shoved another fry into her mouth and started to chew, trying to think of ways to keep him talking. If he was coming to the DIY store, there was no a chance of her avoiding him. Was he doing this on purpose? Rubbing in the fact he didn’t want her? There was no one she could tell. A quick glance around the diner,
He wasn’t used to being rejected. On the road, women were more than willing to share a small amount of time with him. Even with the scars on his face.“Maya?”She got to her feet. “Look, I know you’re clearly used to getting what you want, but I’m not going to have dinner with you. Please, just leave me alone.” She went to walk away and he reached out, grabbing her arm.Did she not feel anything when he touched her?“Will you stop doing that? People will start talking and I don’t want to be the gossip. Stop touching me, stop sitting with me, and stop … just stop.”“You’re my mate, Maya.”“And you didn’t give a fuck about that before, so why bother now?”There was so much he wanted to say to her, but instead John arrived. He had no choice but to let her go, and he was pretty sure in the back of his mind his wolf whimpered. They’d been so long without her.“How was everything?” John asked.“Everything was fine,” Maya said. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”John looked at Luke who smiled
“A wolf’s first time is hard,” Luke said.“So I left. I … I think I felt you before you were cruel to me. Before you said what you did. Before you rejected me. I felt you, and then, what were you going to do?” she asked. “Strangle me? Get rid of the evidence that you had a fucking fat mate?”Luke frowned. “What are you talking about?”“Don’t do that,” she said.“I’m not doing anything. I never once told you, you were fat.”“You better have enjoyed that because that is all you’re getting. I don’t want a fucking mate, and especially not someone like you. You keep this to yourself. You tell anyone and I’ll fucking kill you and your whole family, do you hear me.”She didn’t say it in his voice, but even as she spoke his words, exactly as he said them to her, she heard his gruff, rough voice. They had played in her mind on repeat for so long. She couldn't not remember them. He’d been so angry.“Fucking hell,” Luke said.“I know you’re disappointed in who you were given. I’m not pretty. I’m
“That sounds like an amazing idea.” Ben shook his head. “Her mother and I don’t want her to leave. We get that young wolves like to go out and explore, and get all that wanderlust out of their body, but she is our baby girl.”“I’m going to take care of her,” Luke said. “I promise. I better go and ask for Maya’s help.”Ben nodded. “Er, my daughter can be quite stubborn, and I don’t know what hurt her, or who, but she has a good heart. She loves this pack. I know she’ll be a huge help to you.”Guilt swirled in his gut. Deep down, he knew he was the problem. He forced a smile to his lips. Luke wasn’t used to having to put this much effort in, or to even want to give this much effort to people.Heading across town, he stared at the DIY store and saw it wasn’t particularly busy. For his plan to work, he would need to ask her when she was surrounded by the pack. The only way to do that was at lunchtime.Crap.What he was doing wasn’t fair. He knew that, but he had to keep Maya close to him.
“Thank you.” He wasn’t raised with a pack. He’d learned at a young age to fend for himself, so the pack doing this for him, being so open, was new to him, and hard to comprehend.He took a seat opposite Maya. She glanced around the diner and he offered her a smile.“I know what you’re doing,” she said. “My parents are not happy with my decision either.”“There is no reason for you to leave.” He put his hands flat on the table. “It’s good to see you eat.”Maya sighed and picked up a fry. “So, is this a real job or something you’ve cooked up?”He chuckled. “Trust me, it’s a real job and I don’t think you’re going to like it a whole lot of the time.”The house was in need of some serious TLC.Luke was not wrong. On the outside, the house looked amazing, beautiful, a little unkept, but on the inside it was a mess, and that was putting it nicely. Walls were missing. Electricals were exposed, and it looked like there had been a few animals using it as their sleeping grounds.Maya had dresse