Chapter 39: What's going on?Maya's POV I felt like I was desperate to put on a smiley face, whereas hers was an embodiment of a stone sculpture looking down on people with distaste. “Should I apologize and clear up the situation?” I asked myself. I saw no need. I was the one who got beaten, stuffed in a car and made to suffer the dread of watching myself almost get buried.Besides, my apologies would also mean nothing if she decided that she wanted to keep to her work after that day. I was sure Kylian had warned her and that was partly why she addressed me officially.“Is he back from hunting with his pack?” I cleared my throat and inquired.“Yes ma'am. There are some guests waiting and he would like to introduce you to them,” She replied, bowing her head. After that she stood straight for three seconds and turned to leave.“Marianne,” I softly said her name with a light smile. She turned to me with her eyebrows raised.“I hope everything is fine,” I whispered, loud enough for her
Chapter 40: A prey in a predator’s landMaya's POV She stared down at my stomach and rolled her eyes at me. With a hiss, she turned to the men who she led me to and the widest smile I had ever seen on her face appeared out of nowhere. “Welcome, it's an honor that you could make it,” She greeted, holding hands and exchanging pleasantries. I felt a firm grip on my stomach, it held me and brought me closer to where it stood.“I'm sure you are confused as I am right now?” The voice said.I turned to my back to unveil who it was. It was Kylian, standing too close to my face. I felt like kissing him, his warm breath all over me came down like a fountain of warm bath. I gulped saliva as I looked at his neck. His skin was smooth and glassy.“Maya, get a grip!” I snapped out of my filthy thoughts. I was in public for goodness sake. I swirled my hair and exhaled “I'm very confused. Care to explain what's going on,” I whispered to him, making an angry face.“My parents decided to show up out
Chapter 41: A walk of exhaustion Maya's POV I brushed my hair to the left and nodded with uncertainty. Mrs Castle hopped towards my direction and grabbed me again.I wondered how she made herself the spotlight regardless of her dependence on me following her around. I was an award waiting to be shown off and bragged about despite my lack of interest.She dragged me along with her, forcing me to smile for her guest. According to her, no one was there to see me, they were there to witness the continuation of her family's bloodline and I was just a vessel.She deserved a slap but not from me. Definitely from one of her friends who carried themselves with poise and looked down at me. Were they aware I was royalty now? What made me sick of it was that I was forced to smile through the hot mess of greeting guests. I was tossed around till my head began spinning terribly. I wanted to sit for a minute but Mrs Castle continued leading me until she was done with everyone and left me to mysel
Chapter 42: Nothing like a bitter truth Maya's POV “Separate duties?” I asked, chuckling lightly “You mean to say that he works in the palace and you work outside, is that it?”“No,” he quickly replied “I work for Kylian's parent while he serves Kylian,” I pouted my lips and raised my brows “Well that's not so different,” I placed my hands on my waist and raised my head “Is there anything I should know besides that” He looked at me and laughed, so hard that I thought he was about to crack a joke. “Yeah, there's a lot you should know,” he chorused “And,” I said, gaping at him to spit it out.“You will be seeing me often,” he flashed his hands at me and shook his head “My mistake, you will be seeing Mr and Mrs Castle a lot as from today,” My voice got sharper as though it had been waiting for an awakening “What? Why is that? I thought they came for their regular short visit,” “No,” Dexter shook his head and pointed to the door “They will be staying for a while. So you better bra
Chapter 43: A visitor I'd hate to see.Maya's POV Days went by but they weren't as bad as I thought it would be. Every morning, Mr and Mrs Castle would check up on me; Their unborn grandchildren. She would give me tips and tell me not to lie straight for too long. Everything they did was for the safety of my child, which was good but it felt ingenuine to me. If they could rip out the babies in my womb and nurse it, they would have done it already.Only Kylian's warmth felt real to me. I longed for his visits and whenever he did, I cherished it. I wanted more of his presence and less of the daily routine his parents put me through. Each day, it was ‘take this’ ‘Don’t do this’ ‘breathe more’ like they wanted to choke me with duties . I remember Mr Castle telling me the continuation of the Red Phoenix Pack was lying in my hands and if I messed it up, it would be the end.End of who? He didn't say more on that but his message was clear. If I failed them, I was going to go. That day I f
Chapter 44: The silence is an answerMAYA'S POV How could one take the attention without trying at all? She glanced at me and blinked quickly, my eyes capturing every of her action in slow motion.Her eyes were blue, like that of the sky. She kept staring at me with a surprised gazed while I stared back in awe and curiosity. What was this beauty doing here? She could have been Kylian's sister but he never mentioned having a sister.Kylian seemed enraged at her presence, Mrs Castle's eyes shone so brightly with love as she stared at her excitedly. She was a few breaths from jumping up in excitement. And the lady, well, she kept staring, her expression changing from sheer curiosity of who I was to a contorted look on her face. She twisted her lips dryly as though fate had picked me to be her sworn enemy. When she had enough of me, she swirled her long blonde hair and gazed back at Kylian with an evil look on her face.“I went against so many odds to get here, I won't be treated like t
Chapter 45: A surprise right at the door.Maya's POV I knew it was Kylian behind me but I couldn't turn to look at him, I couldn't let him see the hurt in my eyes. I didn't want to feed his ego with my misguided thought that he cared for me. Pretty sure I looked stupid to him. As my eyes were soon to be flushed with tears, I took a deep breath and stared at Jennifer a second time; she had a smirk on her face, she knew I was sad with the news but she just couldn't hold her satisfaction of seeing me broken. She smiled all the way through, whispering her response to me again as Mrs Castle stood silently beside her.“She's not my girlfriend,” a resounding voice echoed behind me. It had grit and authority behind it. “She's my ex. We broke up some years ago,” Kylian continued.His hand was still on my back, he gently moved it to my shoulder and grabbed it softly. “I don't have anything to do with her,” he affirmed. My attention was still fixed on Jennifer but I heard him clearly, Every b
Chapter 46: Times are never the same.Kylian's POV I kept good at my promise to Maya. I wanted her to feel safe in my home, make it hers, and also live comfortably with her. I started by getting rid of all the rebel pack members in my territory. No one was going to attack Maya and feel safe. Time unfolded as days and one day, when I was out on a hunt, a messenger ran towards me, all the way from my palace. He had a message for me and it seemed urgent. I stopped my hunt to get his information, but the messenger dropped a bombshell. My parents were heading to my palace. This was sudden and unannounced. No calls, no news or text just a sudden message. I raced back to welcome them, thinking they came in for a short visit. From afar, I could hear the soft melody of music. An odd thing that was only peculiar of my father when he expected guests. “They’d have to settle down before they could throw a party,” I thought to myself. No one else dared to disturb the tranquil environment I enfo
Chapter 69: Goodbye, Red Phoenix Pack Maya's POV The wardrobe squeaked open again and I heaved in frustration. I took care of the squeaking by hiding my bags at the far end of the wardrobe.The last thing I wanted was for Kylian to find out about my plan. He was too kind to me, I couldn't break the news to him. He would try to stop me, claiming he wanted his child and the end of our contract.That was where my fear stemmed from. I wanted to be with them forever. Being a contracted mate sucked, I wanted more. I positioned the little things I would take on my journey to strategic places, making sure he wouldn't suspect the first second he entered. After I was done hiding my bags, I paced around the room waiting for his entry. Few minutes later, I heard noises at the door. I had exhausted my patience and longed to see him. I couldn't control myself, I rushed to the door and flung it open.A maid stood there with curious eyes, gaping at a brown envelope on her hands. She immediately
Chapter 68: It's all blank from now Maya's POV It was tempting enough to take their money but they kept pushing to offer more. A greedy scum, that was what they saw me as. Mr Castle stared at me to beg him. They wanted me to play out what they thought of me to be.I never asked for their money nor did I need it. I knew it was going to be tough the moment I stepped my foot out of the palace but it was a risk I was willing to take. I wasn't going to reduce myself in their eyes. I inhaled deeply and said “No,” confidently.“I don't need your money,” I declared, standing boldly and looking them straight in the eyes. They laughed, looking at each other, thinking I was bluffing. “Come on, now is not the time to pretend, alright,” Mrs Castle pitched “Feel free to demand all you want, as long we never see you again,” “You had me going for a second,” Mr Castle laughed. “Like you'd see a million dollar and refuse it,” They continued laughing and when they got to their fill, they stopped
Chapter 67: The threat of a lifetime Maya's POV I was caught on the act and couldn't deny it. My mouth blew wide open with no sound coming out as a response.Mrs Castle crouched on her knees and opened one of the bags. The jewelry box I had stuffed inside fell like a thud on the floor and opened. It was mine to begin with but as for long as I remained In Kylian's home. She had the right to call me a thief because I planned to run away.Explaining would be useless, my fate was sealed and I was in danger. This was going to turn out brutal for me or so I thought.“I can explain,” I managed to speak.“What's there to explain?” her face lit up as she tried to withhold a chuckle “You are saving us the stress of pushing you away,” she exclaimed, delighted as a morning sunshine.“You should have said this sooner,” she continued, picking up the jewelry box and handing them to me.Suddenly, the door quaked open, my back behind it. Was that Kylian? I tried to keep this under wraps but my luck
Chapter 66: It's time I said goodbye Maya's POV They wanted me gone. Jennifer had gotten into their head and taken her first step. What terrorized me was catching Kylian giving his mother a nod. It could have been for anything but he looked affirming. His eyes glowed with interest like he was desperate to give her an answer. “I will not,” I cried, holding my chest for self comfort. I would not look like a fool in people's eyes anymore. Madeline took the crown jewel from me; Barry. He wasn't mine from the start because he never confessed he love me I watched him go up to the podium and chose my twin sister over me. History wasn't going to repeat itself, I resolved in my mind.Instead of watching him pick Jennifer over me, I'd rather leave faraway from where they could never trace me. I would not be decieved for a second time. I gazed at my stomach, it was large and protruding. Daily, I could feel the early signs that I was about to give birth. It felt closer each day but it didn't
Chapter 65: Be my pawn.Jennifer's POV The plan worked perfectly with a little miscalculation on my path. Maya was supposed to attack me when I hit her but shockingly she stood frozen, lost and confused. She was supposed to retaliate and scream back at me. A big fight was supposed to happen, making me look like an angry mother defending her son. Instead, Maya opted out for her usual calm demeanor. With Mr and Mrs Castle racing out to witness the commotion, I knew we not only had to lie that she hit my son but we had to convince them that we got in a fight. “I've done everything to make things right. I don't want problem anymore,” I cried “All she had to was mind her buisness,” “It's okay, honey. You did what every mother would do,” Mrs Castle consoled me.“Was the fight necessary?” I asked “I only wanted to stop her from going wild on my son. I didn't know she'd turn her anger against me,” My tears flowed endlessly as I tried forcing them out with every horrible event I could t
Chapter 64: Jennifer's perfect placement from the past.Jennifer's POVShe hesitated, sighing and looking around like she was incapable of obeying my orders.“Anne, don't make me stand up, you're not going to like it,” I threatened.She began heaving angrily and clenching her fists, ready to attack, but I didn't fret a muscle. I maintained my calm and waited for her snap out of her short rebellious stage.“I haven't had a free time to speak to you since you came,” Marianne gave up, dropping to her knees in panic. I smirked in satisfaction, my lips pouting as she bowed her head in fear. “I thought you were about to lash out,” I fixed my attention at the silly teacups on the tray and tapped on my chair “You certainly have forgotten who I am,”“No ma'am, I'd never forget. I wanted to explain to you, nothing else,”“What do you wanna explain,” I uttered, my mood turning angrier by the second “You have failed me once and cost me my life and now I'm here, you act like we don't have a histo
Chapter 63: The messy part of life.Jennifer's POVMaya! Daughter of an Alpha from another pack. I was enraged when I got to know of her relationship with Kylian.“This can't happen, not when I want him back,” I cried “Are people so thirsty to get in my nerves or what?”I was sick of living alone. I wanted Alpha Kylian back at no cost. His pack was greater than before and I genuinely missed him. But there was a catch, someone had allegedly snatched his heart, and it wasn't anyone ordinary. She had a ravishing beauty, her eyes glowed like emeralds and her hair swooped down her shoulders. She was a tough competition to my beauty and she spoiled my hopes of breezing back into Kylian's life without lifting a finger. I was smart but I hated losing. The first time I saw Maya, I knew It was going to be tough at getting Kylian back. I knew when Kylian loved someone and that made me scared. How was I going to snap him out of it? How was I going to push Maya away? I wanted him for myself and
Chapter 62: Here's my reply.Kylian's POV “Sick,” she whispered, looking down on her feet. “No, Alpha,” she quickly responded “Just a little tired,” She lied.I knew she wasn't tired. If she was, then her heart wouldn't be beating like I was about to place a rock on her. I hissed and continued walking, sensing her taking troubled steps away from me. “What the hell is going on with her?” I muttered, disgusted by everything. “Kylian,” my mom waved at me from her room, forcing me to wait. I tried guessing what she was about to tell me as everyday was a mystery with her. Sometimes she'd complain about herself and talk all through without actually seeking my advice and some days, she'd recount her day and point out life would be boring without her. This was going to be different. I saw it in her face, in the way she marched vehemently towards me. She was a raging storm waiting to be calmed down.“What happened this time?” I complained and sighed in frustration. I had no need to take a
Chapter 61: It's all in my head.Kylian's POV I wasn't ready to have Jennifer into my home. No, not with Maya around, but she flashed our son like it was a ticket to get her in. My mother wanted her back and my father loved her figure in the public's eyes but none of them knew who she truly was. I knew part of the reason was because I couldn't bring myself to tell them that their precious pick for me was nothing special at all. It was part of Jennifer's nature to be catty, so it wasn't a surprise when I gave her a place in my home and she resolved to pick enmity with Maya. I saw it on her face at the moment Maya walked in on us. She could recognize that I loved her and Jennifer strode to wreck it apart using any means necessary. It wasn't to her knowledge that using Hans as a weapon against Maya was out of hand. Anytime Jennifer could get my attention, She would do it without thinking twice. She wanted me to argue with her, talk to her and look her in the eyes, but I was over al