Valencia!

Seventeen

Maximus stood in the kitchen, gripping the edge of the island like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. “I want to see Valen,” he said, his voice low but certain. From the couch, Griffin looked up, a bottle of water in his hand and concern in his eyes. “Max . . . I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. You need to get your head straight first.”

Maximus stared down at the counter, jaw clenched. “I need her, Griff. I need her back.” “I know, man. But now’s not the time,” Griffin said gently. Maximus scoffed and pushed off the counter. “I’m going to Washington to get her back.” He grabbed his keys and moved to the front door but before he could reach it, Griffin was there, slamming his palm flat against the door to hold it shut.

“I know you saw the video, Max,” he said quietly. “Didn’t you notice anything . . . different about Valen?” Maximus paused, confusion flickering across his face. “She’s more beautiful than ever.” Griffin just shook his head. “No, man. There’s something else.” He pulled out his phone with a sigh and scrolled through his feed before handing it over. “Watch it again. Pay attention this time.”

Maximus frowned, taking the phone and watching the video Griffin had queued up, one of Valencia in soft candlelight, her face radiant with happiness. At first, all he could see was her beauty, her smile. But then his eyes dropped lower . . . and the truth hit him like a punch to the gut.

“No . . .” he whispered, his hand moving to the back of his head as he stepped away, sinking down onto the couch. His entire world spun. Griffin sat beside him quietly. “Why is this happening right now?” Maximus muttered, pain etching his voice. “Why didn’t you tell me she and . . .” He couldn’t finish the sentence. It hurt too much to say it aloud.

This . . . this must’ve been exactly how she felt when she thought Terra was carrying his pup. The ache in his chest grew heavier with every breath. His heart fractured under the weight of it. “This is why you need to get your s**t together,” Griffin said calmly. “No relationship is stronger than a true mate bond. Don’t worry about her and Ty.”

Maximus glanced at him sharply, his frustration rising. Get it together while she has someone else’s pup? That’s his advice? He scoffed, feeling the sting of anger in his throat. “She doesn’t know what really happened with Terra,” Griffin continued. “She left because she thought she had to. But if you stop numbing yourself with whiskey every night and start acting like the Alpha you are, things can still fall into place.”

Maximus stared at him, unsure whether to punch him or thank him. “And how exactly am I supposed to focus on anything else?” Griffin gave him a pointed look. “We’ve got a succession ceremony to plan. If we don’t get those invitations out, our outlying pack members won’t make it home in time.”

The words hit Maximus like a revelation. The ceremony. All pack members were required to return for the ceremony . . . including Valencia. For the first time in weeks, a sliver of hope sparked in his chest. He could see her again. Maybe he could fix this. Maybe he could accept the pup as his own. Maybe, just maybe, he could still have a future with her.

“Alright,” he said finally, standing and rubbing the back of his neck. “Let’s do that then.” Griffin nodded. “Good. Let’s start by pulling the guest lists.” As Maximus moved to join him, a new focus settled over him. It wasn’t just about ceremony or duty anymore. He was done drowning. He was ready to fight for the woman he should have never let go.

Griffin moved toward the office, already pulling up shared files on his phone, but Maximus lingered for a moment in the kitchen, gripping the edge of the counter once more, this time, not for balance, but to steady his resolve.

He could still see Valencia’s smile from the video, her laugh echoing in his mind like a melody he didn’t deserve to hear. Her body had changed. She was carrying someone else’s pup now, and that truth threatened to crush him under the weight of regret.

But the bond between them, the one the Goddess had woven into his soul, hadn't disappeared. It had simply been buried beneath the mess, the betrayal, the misunderstandings. She hadn’t abandoned him. She’d protected herself. Now it was his turn to protect what mattered.

When he entered the office, Griffin was already hunched over the desk, flipping through paper invitations and muttering about pack protocol. “We need to send out formal notices to the northern territories first. They take the longest to respond.”

Maximus nodded, walking to the desk and grabbing the stack of parchment. “Make sure hers gets priority.” Griffin glanced up. “Valencia’s?” Maximus didn’t hesitate. “Yes.” Griffin nodded. “Done.”

As they worked in silence, the air shifted. For the first time in a long time, Maximus wasn’t running from the past. He was preparing for the future. Each envelope sealed, each name crossed off the list brought him closer to the day he’d see her again.

He didn’t know what would happen when their eyes finally met. Maybe she’d hate him. Maybe she’d look at him like a stranger. But maybe, just maybe, she’d still feel it too. And this time, he wouldn’t let her go.

Maximus sat back in the chair, the faint scent of ink and parchment clinging to the air as Griffin handed him the next list of names. But his thoughts weren’t on logistics anymore. They were on her. Valencia.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the look she gave him that day . . . half fire, half tenderness. She was the only one who could make his heart feel anything at all. He’d made mistakes. Big ones. But he wasn’t going to let them define him. Not anymore.

He wasn’t just going to clean up the mess. He was going to reclaim what was his. Not through control or manipulation, but through truth, action, and the love he’d never stopped feeling for her. He would prove he was worthy, not just of her forgiveness, but of being the kind of Alpha and mate she deserved.

Even if she didn’t want to be his again, he would show her he’d changed. That the Maximus who let her walk away was gone. That the man standing in his place now wouldn’t hesitate to fight for her. For her pup. For their future, whatever it looked like.

He looked over at Griffin, who was watching him closely. “Make sure the Alpha Suite is ready,” Maximus said quietly. “For who?” Maximus didn’t blink. “For her.” Griffin nodded solemnly. Maximus leaned forward, pressing his palms to the desk as he spoke aloud, not to Griffin, but to himself, like a vow. “I’m not losing her again. I don’t care what it takes.” Because this time . . . he would be ready.