CHAPTER 5
1281 Words
MAYA
Two weeks passed in a blur. Every morning, Raphael taught me to fight. Every afternoon, we studied history. Every evening, we had dinner together. And every night, he walked me to my door and said goodnight without trying to kiss me.
It was driving me crazy.
I could feel the mate bond getting stronger every day. When he was near, my wolf perked up. When he touched me during training, my skin tingled. When he smiled at me, my heart did stupid flips.
But he never pushed. Never demanded. He was giving me time.
It should have made me grateful. Instead, it made me want him more.
"You're distracted today," Raphael said, easily blocking my punch.
We were in the training yard. I had improved a lot. I could now last almost five minutes before he pinned me.
"Sorry," I muttered.
"What's wrong?"
How could I explain I was confused about everything? "Just tired."
Raphael's gold eyes saw too much. "You're lying."
"Maybe I don't want to talk about it."
"Fair enough." He grabbed two wooden practice swords. "Then let's fight instead."
He tossed me a sword. I caught it awkwardly.
"I'm going to hurt you," I warned.
"I hope you try."
We circled each other. Raphael moved like water. I moved like someone who had held a sword twice in her life.
He struck first. I barely blocked it.
"Good. But relax your hands," he said.
We traded blows, him teaching, me trying to keep up. Sweat dripped down my face. My arms ached. But I didn't want to stop.
When we fought, I didn't have to think about anything else.
"Yes!" Raphael grinned when I hit his arm. "You're learning."
I grinned back. Then I saw his expression change. His smile faded. He looked past me.
I turned around and felt my heart drop.
Derek stood at the edge of the training yard.
My ex-mate looked the same. Dark hair, brown eyes, strong build. He wore his pack colors. There was a mark on his neck where Vanessa bit him.
Seeing it made me sick.
"Maya," Derek called out. "I need to talk to you."
Raphael moved beside me. "This is private property. You're not welcome here."
"I just want five minutes with Maya. Please." Derek raised his hands.
I should have said no. But part of me needed closure.
"It's okay," I told Raphael quietly.
"No, it's not." His jaw was tight. "You don't owe him anything."
"I know. But I want to hear what he has to say."
Raphael looked at me for a long moment. Then he nodded. "Five minutes. I'll be right there." He pointed to a spot twenty feet away. "If he upsets you, I'm ending this."
"Okay."
Raphael walked away but kept watching us.
Derek approached slowly. "You look good. Different."
"What do you want, Derek?"
He flinched. "I heard you were here. With the king. I needed to see if it was true."
"It's true."
"Maya, what are you doing? That man is dangerous."
I almost laughed. "You mean he's not like you? Someone who makes promises and breaks them?"
"I never promised you anything," Derek said. The words stung. "We were never official."
"You're right. So why are you here?"
Derek stepped closer. "Because I made a mistake. Vanessa is not what I thought. She's cold and cruel. She only cares about status."
"That's not my problem."
"Maya, please. I know I hurt you. But we can fix this. I can reject Vanessa. We can start over."
I stared at him, shocked. "You're married. You marked her."
"Marks can be removed. Marriages can be annulled." He reached for my hand. I pulled away. "We're mates. Come home with me."
"No."
"What?"
"I said no, Derek." I stood straighter. "We were never mates. You didn't want me enough to fight for me. And now you don't get me at all."
"You'd rather be here with him?" Derek pointed at Raphael. "He's using you. Once he's done, he'll toss you aside."
"That's enough." Raphael's voice cut through the air. He was suddenly beside me. "You've had your five minutes. Leave."
Derek looked between us. "You marked her. You actually marked her."
"Not yet," Raphael said. "But I will. She's my mate. My queen. And you will never speak to her like this again."
"She's pregnant!" Derek blurted out.
The words hung in the air.
I felt Raphael tense. Felt his power leak out.
"How do you know that?" I asked, my voice shaking.
"Cara told me. She's worried about you." Derek's eyes were wide. "Is that baby mine, Maya?"
I was tired of secrets. "Yes. The baby is yours."
Derek's face went through shock, joy, then possession. "Then you have to come home. That's my child. My heir."
"That child is mine," Raphael said, his voice a dangerous growl. "Maya is mine. And if you don't leave in the next sixty seconds, I will show you what happens to people who threaten what belongs to me."
The threat was real. Several guards appeared, surrounding us.
"Derek, go," I said quickly. "Please. Just go."
Derek looked at me. I saw the moment he realized he lost. "This isn't over. That's my baby. I have rights."
"You have no rights," Raphael said. "You rejected Maya when you married another woman. Now leave before I make you."
Derek backed away. "When you realize he doesn't care about you, don't come crying to me."
He left. The guards followed to make sure.
I stood there shaking, arms wrapped around my stomach.
Raphael turned to me, his face softer. "Are you alright?"
"I don't know." My voice was a whisper. "He knows about the baby. He's going to cause trouble."
"Let him try." Raphael placed his hands on my shoulders. "Maya, look at me."
I looked up at his burning gold eyes.
"Derek has no power here," Raphael said. "That baby is mine the moment you agree to be my mate. No one will dare challenge that."
"But he's the biological father."
"Biology doesn't matter. What matters is who will love that child. Who will raise them." He moved one hand to my stomach. "I will be their father in every way that counts. If you let me."
Tears burned in my eyes. "Why? Why would you do this?"
"Because you're my mate. When I look at you, I see my whole future. And that future includes this baby. Our baby."
Something broke inside me. All the walls I built, all the distance I kept, they crumbled.
I threw my arms around Raphael's neck and buried my face in his chest. He caught me, holding me tight as I cried.
"I'm scared," I admitted. "I'm so scared."
"I know," he murmured, stroking my hair. "But you don't have to be scared anymore. I've got you. I'll always have you."
We stood there in the training yard, holding each other. I knew people were watching. Everyone would know by dinner that their king held the Omega girl while she cried.
But I didn't care.
For the first time in my life, I felt truly safe.
When I pulled back, Raphael wiped my tears with his thumbs. "Better?"
"A little." I laughed shakily. "Sorry. I'm not usually this emotional."
"You're pregnant and dealing with your terrible ex showing up. I think you're allowed to be emotional."
That made me laugh for real.
"Come on." He took my hand naturally. "Let's go inside. You've had enough excitement."
As we walked back to the palace hand in hand, I realized something.
I had three weeks left of my trial month.
But I already knew my answer.
I was going to stay.
- Writer
