Chapter 117: Chapter 117

“Maya?”

Her head jerked up at the sound of Alex’s voice, her heart hammering in her chest. She was speechless, but she didn’t need to be. He got it.

“Who did this?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know,” she managed to say, her voice muffled by her hand.

“Move.”

She did. No questions, no protests. Maya simply stepped aside, clutching the nearby counter for support.

She didn’t need to see this again. She didn’t want to face it again.

It wasn’t about being fragile or incapable. Maya had witnessed bloodshed before, been part of horrific scenes, but there was something about the person responsible for this that unsettled her.

Even that twisted freak Will hadn’t sunk this low.

It was revolting. Someone was taking pleasure in murdering them, ripping them to pieces, mutilating them. Who the fuck found joy in this?

“I don’t know them,” Alex said, his voice slicing through her thoughts.

“Another unknown wolf?”

He nodded as he stepped back inside. “I’ll have someone clean it up.”

“Did you catch a scent or anything?”

Alex shook his head. “I’ll have them go through everything before disposing of it.”

There was one potential lead they could follow, but the thought of it twisted her stomach into knots. However, this wasn’t about her.

“Maybe we should question that girl. She showed up all bloody and uninvited.”

She watched as Alex stifled a smirk, folding his arms across his chest. What was so funny? “That girl?”

Maya blinked slowly. “You know who I mean.”

Why did she have to mention her name? She couldn’t even recall it correctly. Tree…something. Will…Willow. It sounded eerily similar to Livy’s psycho name.

Maybe there was a link there.

Obviously, she was another budding psychopath.

~Solid reasoning.~

~Very solid.~

“Right, my mistake. He’s your mate—~unofficially~.”

Even Maya could tell that Julian didn’t appreciate that term. Who could blame him? He didn’t know her, and now strange girls were appearing, along with dead bodies. Again.

Death and oddballs seemed to trail him wherever he went.

Mate or not, she needed to be wary.

“This is fun for you, isn’t it?”

“Tremendously.”

“Go to hell.”

“You should be saying that to him, not me.”

“Oh, fuck off. You should be thankful I’m keeping my distance.”

“I wish it were that easy.”

Yeah, she wished it was, too.

“So, go get her.”

~Wait, what?~

“Pardon?”

“Go get the girl. You think we should see if she knows this person. Go get her.”

“Why me?”

“Somehow I think you’d be the best person to keep a close watch on her.”

“I really despise you.”

“I’m devastated,” he responded, his tone utterly flat.

“If she doesn’t get here safely, it’s her own damn fault.”

“Understood.”

Damn. He wasn’t going to let her off the hook, was he? It wasn’t fair.

Maya didn’t want to be overwhelmed by these feelings, to feel this way, but they kept surfacing despite her attempts to stay composed.

She loathed the girl. Plain and simple.

Despite the claim of being a pack member, Maya sensed the discomfort, the yearning. Willow was too ambiguous.

If their relationship had been clear-cut, she wouldn’t have hesitated. Now, it was as if she struggled to define it.

Nope, she didn’t like it.

She shot Alex a glare, then turned away from him, marching toward the room where Olivia was keeping Willow.

Her hands were balled into fists, each step echoing against the floor in a release of frustration.

“Hey.”

~SON OF A BITCH.~

A sharp breath escaped her as she slapped a hand to her chest. ~What the fuck was his problem?~

“ARE YOU AN IDIOT?”

“I thought you heard me.”

Did she hear him? No, she hadn’t. Damn, she’d been so wrapped up in her fury at that girl, and then the body…she was totally thrown off.

“No, I didn’t catch you. I was off to get your girlfriend.” The word was like vinegar on her tongue.

She didn’t need to say it, but she did. He was “amnesia guy.” That was something she could use to her advantage. Petty as hell? Absolutely.

Whatever.

“My girlfriend is standing right here.”

She wasn’t sure whether to scoff, laugh, or slap him. All seemed appropriate.

“Dream on, buddy. Not happening.”

“Maya…”

“No, don’t want to hear it.”

“Hear what? Your jealousy? It’s okay, you can confess.”

“I don’t owe you any explanations. And I’m good. I don’t trust her, and you two can return to your strange little pack.”

~Yeah, Maya…that’ll teach him.~

“Do you trust me?”

“No.”

“Fair enough.”

“Can you move now?”

He shook his head. “I have another plan.”

“Do tell.”

“I think she’s hiding something.”

“Wow, you figured that out all on your own? Could’ve told you that.”

“She won’t talk to you.”

“I can be quite persuasive, you know.”

He smiled at her, but she noticed the tension in his jaw. “She might talk to me. Without any extreme measures.”

Maya pursed her lips. “Oh, sorry, didn’t realize you two needed some privacy.”

Or that it would bother her this much. It felt like something was clawing at her heart, stripping layers from the pulsating organ. She didn’t like it.

“Maya.”

His voice had changed. She straightened her back, as if that would make her taller, and lifted her chin. “Julian.”

He moved a step closer, and despite every instinct yelling at her to retreat, she stood her ground. He was an Alpha, but he wasn’t her Alpha. No way.

“I know you don’t trust me. I know if I wasn’t your mate, I would have been discarded long ago.

“There’s nothing I can say to make you trust me because the truth is, I don’t know if you should trust me. I don’t even know who I am.”

That was surprisingly candid. And personal.

And he was standing very close.

“Is that supposed to persuade me to let you in there with her?”

“I want to help. I also want to find answers.”

“Answers that benefit you. How does that help me?”

“I won’t lie to you.”

If she didn’t know any better, she would have believed him. He said it with such conviction, making her heart flutter.

“How can I be sure you’ll tell me everything she says?”

“We could use phones.”

HOLY COW.

Why was everyone sneaking up on her? Maya tilted her head, watching Olivia appear from behind Julian.

“Weren’t you in there with her?”

Olivia shook her head. “She was resting. I went to the restroom.”

“What about phones?” Julian interjected, breaking into the conversation.

“Take Maya’s phone and keep it with you. We’ll call and listen in. Then you’ll know he isn’t doing anything he shouldn’t,” Olivia suggested with a wink.

Oh, come on. It wasn’t just about jealousy; it was about trust. Just trust. How many times could she say it before it sounded as phony to her as it did to them? ~Forget it.~

“Works for me,” Julian said, turning his attention back to Maya.

Okay, fine. If she thought about it logically, yes, there was a better chance that Willow might talk to Julian without any pressure from them.

He could use a few tactics here.

But some of them, like pretending he remembered her, made her stomach churn, and a part of her didn’t want to hear that. But since they all seemed to agree, so be it.

She retrieved her cell from her back pocket, punching in Olivia’s digits.

As she waited for the ring to be answered, she slid her phone into Julian’s front pocket, her fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary.

“Don’t screw this up, handsome.”

“So, you admit I’m handsome.”

The chuckle that followed wasn’t hers. It was Olivia’s. He wasn’t even that funny.

“Don’t leave your lady hanging.”

“I’ll make it quick, so my lady can wait for me in our suite.”

“Keep dreaming.”

“My dreams are far more interesting than that.”

“Alright, I’m leaving now.”

“Do I get a performance?”

“You get this,” she retorted, beginning to retreat backward while keeping her gaze on him.

She flashed him a wide grin for a fleeting moment, then spun around, raising her middle finger high.

~Unbelievable.~

“Hurry up, Olivia,” Maya called out, not bothering to glance back. She avoided locking eyes with him again.

~Typical alpha arrogance.~

No matter. She’d be privy to their entire conversation. And if he dared to end the call, she’d make him pay.

Alpha or not.