Chapter 7

Maya's Pov 

In front of me the cleaning products just faded as I wrestled with trying to still the hurricane inside of me.

My fingers moved robotically washing surfaces and batting bottles around, but my thoughts wouldn't settle. His presence still lingered in the air, a faint electricity that made it impossible to breathe normally. Who was he? And why did he look at me like that? My wolf stirred, a flicker of life after weeks of unsettling silence. It wasn't a boisterous voice but a subtle whisper tingling on the border of my awareness, yet it was enough to cause me to stop. 

“Something about him…” she murmured, her voice weak but deliberate. I shook my head, trying to block her out. My wolf and I had been distant for months, the bond between us fractured by the weight of everything I’d been through. Now wasn’t the time for her cryptic remarks. 

The faint sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor, but I ignored it, focusing instead on the rag in my hands. Yet, no matter how hard I tried to concentrate, fragments of memories began surfacing—memories I’d tried so hard to bury. A dimly lit room. The sensation of being held close, safe, and warm. I held my jaw, clearing my head through shaking it. No. It was only my hallucination, a wicked game from my restless mind. Those memories weren’t real. They couldn’t be. 

“Maya, are you okay?” The familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned to see Claire standing at the door, her arms crossed and an amused smile playing on her lips. She was the only other person around me, the one person who was able to get beneath the walls I'd erected over myself. 

“You've been standing there for a good minute, “, she approached laughing, gently knocking me with the elbow. “Thinking about your prince charming, maybe?” I rolled my eyes. 

“Hardly. Just… distracted.” Claire tilted her head to the side and smiled. 

“Distracted, huh? That’s not like you. You’re usually laser-focused when we’re working”. She narrowed her eyes at me playfully. 

“What’s going on?” I hesitated, debating whether to tell her. Finally, I relented. “It’s nothing. Just… the boss. He came by earlier.” Her brows shot up in an instant. 

“Jayden? As in, Jayden Sinclar? The CEO?” I shrug, avoiding her gaze. She exhaled breathily, crossing her arms again as she stood by the doorway. 

“Well, that explains it. The man has a reputation for being intense. But…”

She studied me carefully, her voice dropping to a more serious tone. 

“Why do you look so spooked? Did he say something to you? Or do something?” 

“No. It's just." I stopped, unable to express my unease about the strange sensation I had, his gaze on me like he could see into me and know all of the secrets I was concealing. 

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.” Claire didn’t look convinced. She straightened up, stepping closer and lowering her voice to a near whisper. 

“Look, Maya, I don’t know what kind of vibe he gave off, but guys like him… they’re trouble. And you don’t need more trouble in your life. You’ve had enough, don’t you think?” Her words stung more than I cared to admit. I nodded, though the unease settling in my chest didn’t ease. 

“I know.” I muttered, focusing on the spray bottle in my hand. Claire tilted her head, her expression softening again. “Hey,” she said gently, nudging me with her shoulder. “I’m just looking out for you, okay? You’re too good for whatever drama someone like him might bring. I feigned a smile, which did not quite reach down to my eyes. 

“Thanks, Claire.” She gave me a reassuring pat on the arm. “Come on, let’s finish up.” “The sooner we’re out of here, the better.” We worked side by side, the familiar rhythm of cleaning helping to ground me, if only a little. Still, I couldn’t shake the conflict brewing inside me. Part of me wanted to heed Claire’s warning, to quit this job and disappear before anything else could go wrong. But my wolf, faint though her voice was, protested. 

“C'mon," she begged, her voice cutting a dangerous edge. Why? I mumbled to myself, not speaking very loud since I didn't want Claire to hear. When we were finished with cleaning, I grabbed my bag, ready to leave, but as I turned toward the exit, a shiver ran down my spine. The sensation of being watched was unmistakable. I glanced over my shoulder, and there he was. Jayden stood near the window at the far end of the hallway, his piercing gaze fixed on me. Sunlight filtering through the glass illuminated his angular visage and emphasized the seiousness in his gaze. 

“Uh, Maya?” Claire’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You good?” I snapped my attention back to her, forcing myself to nod. 

“Yeah. Let’s go.” Claire followed my gaze briefly, her brow furrowing when she spotted him. 

“Is that…?” Yeah," I interjected, my tone flippant and more forceful than I meant. 

“Let’s just get out of here.” She didn’t argue, sensing my urgency, and we began walking toward the exit. However, whenever I moved a bit my wolf became increasingly loud. 

“Stay,” she growled, the word vibrating through my chest. “Don’t run.” I quickened my pace, ignoring her protests. My heart raced, a mix of fear and something else I couldn’t name. Looking at me out of the side of her eye, Claire remained silent, probably dismissing my nervousness as fatigue. As we stepped outside, the cool evening air hit my face, grounding me just enough to push the lingering tension aside. Claire let out a low sigh, glancing back toward the building. 

“Well, that was weird,” she muttered. “Do you think he was watching us?” I shrugged, not trusting myself to answer. The last thing I wanted to do was to rethink on how his look had set my skin toasting and how my wolf was getting frisky. 

“Hey,” Claire said, nudging me lightly. “You’re off the clock now. Forget about him, okay? Let’s grab something to eat or—” 

“Not tonight,” I cut her off, offering her an apologetic smile. 

“I just… I need some time to clear my head.” She frowned but didn’t push further. 

“Alright. All right, but if you feel like talking, you know how to get to me.” I smiled, and watched as she walked into the opposite direction. The cool breeze tugged at my hair, carrying with it the faintest hint of his scent, like smoke and cedar wood. Substantially when I moved on, I felt that this didn't end. Not by a long shot.