Secret Vows
1120 Words
Marverick Pov ;
As I sat at my desk, typing away on my computer, my mind kept wandering back to the conversation I overheard between the maids who bathed Akira. They were whispering behind her back.
"I've never seen scars like those before," one of the maids whispered, her voice barely audible as she helped Akira into the bath. "They're so... deliberate."
"I know," the other maid replied, her eyes wide with concern. "It's like she's been broken, piece by piece. And the way she flinches when you touch her... it's like she's still waiting for the next blow."
I grabbed my phone and dialed Rachel's extension. "Rachel, come in here for a minute," I said.
Rachel entered the room, her expression curious. "Yes, sir?"
"I need you to call Dr. Lee, our pack's skin specialist," I instructed. "Book an appointment for...Akira."
Rachel's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded professionally. "Right away, sir. Shall I have him come here or-"
"No, book the appointment at his office," I replied. "I want this to be discreet. And Rachel?"
"Yes, sir?"
"I want you to personally escort Akira to the appointment. I don't want her going alone."
Rachel nodded, her expression understanding. "Of course, sir."
I turned to Rachel, my mind still reeling from the memories. "Rachel, I need you to do something for me."
"Of course, sir," she replied, her expression attentive.
"I want you to discreetly investigate Akira's previous pack," I said, my voice low. "I want to know everything about her life before she came to our pack. Specifically, I want to know if there were any... incidents, check with the Moonpack, see if they'll share any information with us.''
Rachel nodded, her expression determined. "I'll take care of it, sir."
After Rachel left my wolf stirred within me, his voice echoing in my mind. "Why did you hesitate last night, Maverick? Why didn't you claim Akira as your own?"
I remained silent, unsure of how to respond.
My wolf growled, frustrated. "Akira is our true mate, Maverick. I know what you're afraid of, but she's different. She can't die like the others."
I felt a surge of fear at his words. "I'm afraid," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I won't let Akira suffer the same fate as the others. I'll protect her."
My wolf snarled, unsatisfied. "Protect her? By keeping her at arm's length? By not claiming her as our own?"
I knew my wolf was right. I was afraid of losing Akira, of failing to protect her like other girls in the past. But I couldn't overcome the fears tha's controlling me. I needed to find a way to overcome it, to claim Akira as my own and keep her safe.
Memories came flooding back, like a tidal wave crashing against the shores of my mind. Echoes of the past I'd desperately tried to keep buried rose to the surface, refusing to be silenced. The faces of the other girls I'd grown close to, only to lose them in mysterious and tragic circumstances, haunted me. If I claimed them, they'd die the next day, without fail. It was a pattern I couldn't ignore, a curse that seemed to follow me like a dark shadow.
I thought back to Emily, her bright smile and infectious laugh silenced forever. Sarah, with her quirky sense of humor and adventurous spirit, gone. Rachel, sweet and gentle, lost to me. All gone, because of me. The weight of their memories crushed me, the guilt and grief threatening to consume me whole.
And now, Akira... I couldn't bear the thought of adding her to that list. The fear of losing her, of being the cause of her demise, was suffocating me. I felt like I was drowning in my own darkness, unable to escape the cycle of pain and loss that seemed to define me.
"What do I do?" I asked my wolf, seeking guidance.
My wolf's response was immediate. "Claim her, Maverick. Make her yours. That's the only way to truly protect her."
I remembered the pact between my pack's grandfather and Akira's parent's grandfather, the agreement that the Silvermoon pack's
Alpha would marry the future Luna of the Nightshade pack. I had tried to resist, but fate had brought Akira to me.
Now, I was determined to use all my abilities to protect her from the mysterious death lurking around me. I couldn't let her suffer the same fate as the others. I had to keep Akira safe, no matter what.
The day flew by in a blur, and before I knew it, I was heading home from the office, exhausted. As I rolled into the living room, I was greeted by a sight that made my heart skip a beat.
As I rolled into the living room, I was struck by the warmth and joy that radiated from Akira. She was laughing and chatting with the maid, her face alight with a happiness that was like a balm to my weary soul. My exhaustion forgotten, I felt my heart swell with emotion as I gazed at her, my eyes drinking in the sight of her smiling face.
I was transfixed, unable to look away from the radiant beauty before me. Her laughter was music to my ears, a sweet melody that filled my heart with longing. I felt a pang of tenderness, a deep affection for this young woman. I sat there in my wheelchair, frozen in awe, unable to look away from her smiling face. Her laughter was infectious, and I found myself wanting to join in, but I couldn't muster the words. I was too caught up in the moment, too captivated by her happiness.
As I gazed at Akira's smiling face, I suddenly remembered the conversation I had with Rachel earlier that day. Rachel's words came flooding back to me:
"Alpha, I spoke to one of the pack members who knew Akira from her previous household," Rachel had said, her voice low and serious. "They told me that Akira was never treated as a member of the pack. She was constantly beaten and maltreated. The pack member said they always felt pitiful for her."
I remembered the look on Rachel's face as she told me, her eyes filled with concern and compassion. I felt a pang of guilt and regret, knowing that Akira had suffered so much in the past.
I felt a surge of anger and protectiveness towards Akira. How could anyone treat another living being with such cruelty?
My eyes never leaving hers, I made a silent vow to myself. I would do everything in my power to keep her safe, to make her feel loved and cherished. She deserved nothing less.
- Writer
