Chapter 137: Mark of Eternity

Maya’s pulse quickened, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. ~Shit, shit, shit, shit!~

She sprinted down the corridor, her bare feet slapping against the cold floor with each frantic step. She didn’t care about the noise. She couldn’t afford to.

Her sole mission was to find Olivia.

Maya’s gaze flicked from door to door, hoping to spot the familiar one. It was the middle of the night, and she knew she shouldn’t be doing this.

But she couldn’t resist. The moment Julian had drifted off, she had seized the chance.

The moment his eyes closed, she had made a run for it.

The way she had sprung from the bed might have roused him, but he wasn’t in the hallway chasing her.

So far, she seemed to be safe. She should be okay.

At last, she arrived at Alex and Olivia’s door.

In this predicament, Maya did the only sensible thing—she hammered on the door with all her might. “LIV, LIV, LIV!”

But it wasn’t her beloved friend Olivia who flung the door open. Instead, it was a very irritated alpha with his eyes still shut. And he was bare-chested.

And...oh, alright. No pants either. Well, it seemed she wasn’t the only one who had enjoyed herself tonight.

“Maya, what the fuck?” he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. “What’s your problem?”

“Me? Nothing. At least I had the decency to put on underwear and a T-shirt. Can’t say the same for you.”

He scratched his head and sighed. “Fucking hell.”

“And that’s my cue to step in,” Olivia interjected timidly as she positioned herself in front of Alex.

Olivia was the sweetest soul, and she knew Maya had zero interest in Alex—god, never. But Maya couldn’t blame her for blocking the view.

“We need to talk.”

“Maya, you can talk to Liv—”

“No, she needs to talk to me now.”

Ah, so someone was more alert than their dear Alpha.

“Liv—” Alex began to protest.

“Alex, her fucking neck!”

Alex glanced at Maya, and she gave him her best grin as she pointed to her neck, displaying her new permanent mark.

Well, maybe it wasn’t so permanent, not if Julian continued with whatever death wish he had in mind.

“Are you—”

“Yes, I am. Very stupid. Now, can I talk to Liv?”

He sighed, shaking his head at her before dismissing her. “This is a bad idea.”

“Yes, it is. Now, thank you,” Maya retorted, grabbing Olivia’s arm and pulling her out of the room.

At least Olivia was dressed. Then again, Olivia was as dressed as Maya was—clearly post-coital attire.

Olivia let Maya drag her, who hoped to find a vacant room but knew better. The living room would have to suffice.

They nearly tripped down the stairs as Maya led Olivia until they finally collapsed onto the couch.

“Can I have my arm back now?” Olivia asked, trying to extricate herself from Maya’s firm grip.

“Shit. Yeah, sure,” Maya replied, releasing her fingers.

Olivia sank into the couch, her eyes locked on Maya’s neck. “So,” she started, her voice filled with intrigue. “You’re gonna have to tell me how on earth this happened.”

Maya sighed, a blend of embarrassment and annoyance washing over her. “Should I start with the birds and the bees talk? Or do you already know that, considering you have a kid?”

Olivia’s eyes narrowed, her skepticism clear. “Ah, ah,” she feigned laughter. “I didn’t think you’d let him bite you.”

Maya’s shoulders stiffened, and she looked away for a moment. “I didn’t.”

“But…” Olivia’s voice trailed off, her eyebrows arching in surprise.

Maya met her friend’s gaze with a blend of defiance and uncertainty. “I bit him.”

Olivia’s body relaxed, her confusion evident. “And now I’m even more confused,” she said, her voice laced with frustration. “~You~ bit ~him~?”

Maya shrugged, her face a mix of resignation and defiance. “Because he was being an idiot.”

Olivia’s arms shot up in exasperation. “Sure, because that’s the perfect reason to commit to someone for eternity.”

Maya gave a nonchalant shrug, trying to make light of the situation. “It’s better than doing it without a clue what the hell you’re doing.”

“No, it’s not. You should know better, young lady.”

Maya’s defiant tone reflected her inner turmoil. “I do know better. That’s why I did it, okay?”

Well, that wasn’t exactly the reason. Truth be told, she hadn’t intended to do it.

Caught up in the heat of the moment and under the influence of Julian’s overpowering alpha aura, her judgment had faltered.

She couldn’t shake him off.

She had talked a big game, and now she had to follow through. He had challenged her. He had thoroughly dominated her, trying to subdue her and put her in her place.

And secretly?

She had absolutely loved it.

Something was definitely off with her. Or perhaps that was why she had ended up with an alpha as her mate—of all the damn wolves.

Regardless, he had made her lose her senses, pushing her to her limits…

She knew he was trying to divert her, to overpower her. So, Maya had done the only thing she could think of.

She had outsmarted him. The specifics of his silly plan were somewhat hazy in her mind…

But she knew it would be better for him if they weren’t mated.

He was behaving like a lone wolf.

So, she had acted like a child…and won.

She ensured they were tied together. That way, he couldn’t make foolish decisions about her life without her input. It was maddening.

And that was why she had done exactly that…before he could.

~Well, that happened. Oops.~

Whatever.

She could pull that stunt—he couldn’t. She was the one who had been dealt a lousy hand. From the start, this had been nothing but a disaster.

Olivia broke the silence, her eyebrow raised in amusement. “So, from your silence, I gather you messed up?”

Maya groaned, burying her face in her hands. Her voice muffled, she grumbled, “It’s all his stupid fault. He left me no choice.”

Olivia couldn’t resist adding a touch of sarcasm. “Yeah, it definitely sounds like he forced you to bite him first. Absolutely.”

Maya spread her fingers to peek at Olivia, her expression pleading. “Can we dial down the sarcasm a bit?”

“Can we?” Olivia retorted, smirking.

“I was trying to buy more time. I didn’t know what else to do,” Maya admitted, her voice a blend of regret and frustration.

“Okay, I messed up, are you satisfied? It’s done now. I can’t undo it. But neither can he. So…you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.”

Olivia’s expression softened, her tone becoming more empathetic. “I guess this applies to both of you?”

“Liv! I asked you here for advice, not to interrogate me!”

“What advice? What could I possibly say to rectify this?”

Something? Anything? Maya was desperately seeking a solution, but deep down, she knew there was no remedy. They were bound for life.

She had made the decision, and now she had to deal with the repercussions of her arrogance and pride. She had the power to choose, and now she had to live with her choice.

“I don’t know,” Maya conceded, her defeat clear. “I had to prevent him from doing something stupid. Did…did Alex tell you what he was planning?”

“He didn’t mention it,” Olivia responded, understanding the underlying dynamics. Alex had probably withheld the details from Olivia, fearing she would tell Maya. And he wasn’t entirely wrong.

But in the end, it was Alex’s initial foolishness that led Olivia to confide in Maya. “But I think Julian was planning to be the bait.”

Of course he was.

So it was a suicide mission. Maya’s initial suspicions were confirmed. Julian planned to be the bait, putting himself at risk. Did he have no sense of decency? Bait? Seriously?

“Is he freaking kidding me? What about ~me~?”

“Not to side with the devil,” Olivia started, crossing her legs as she carefully chose her words. “But I think he was considering you.”

“How is that considering me?”

“He didn’t want you to die.”

“He was contemplating death as his only option?”

“I don’t believe he ~desired~ death. He was just prepared to gamble with it.”

But she might not have been. He didn’t have the right to make that call for her. She should have consulted him before deciding to bite him.

Her own thoughts seemed to be turning against her.

~Perfect.~

“Now he can’t. Or he’ll have to give it some thought.”

“We all have to give it some thought, Maya.”

Alright, yes. In the grand scheme of things, this wasn’t just about her.

Maybe that’s why Alex let Julian’s daring plan proceed—it safeguarded the pack and, technically, it safeguarded Maya.

But did it really?

She was aware they didn’t bring this beast here, but the brutal truth was that he was here now. And they had to deal with the fallout together.

“Then we need to have a discussion. No one should be making life-altering decisions without consulting others,” Maya stated firmly.

“It’s tough,” Olivia echoed, a touch of empathy in her tone. “I’m sorry Julian didn’t confide in you.”

Maya’s irritation surged, and she shook her head. She didn’t want pity. She wanted to channel her rage, to confront Julian for his actions.

Olivia should comprehend Maya’s fury since Alex had hidden things from her before.

“I could have devised a better plan if he had consulted me.”

“Possibly,” Olivia admitted, not entirely convinced.

Maya wasn’t seeking Olivia’s approval. She wasn’t even sure what she hoped to gain from this late-night chat. She had acted on impulse, guided by instinct, and now…

Now this was her reality.

Everything seemed to be spinning out of control.

The impending full moon couldn’t be held responsible this time.

Maya had been able to attribute their previous encounter to the moon’s pull and their enforced seclusion to keep the hunter from exploiting their weakness.

“Liv?”

“Yes?”

“Why didn’t he?”

Olivia furrowed her brow, clearly struggling to keep up with Maya’s thought process.

“Why didn’t who do what? Maya, it’s the middle of the night. You need to be more coherent than this.”

But Maya felt she was being coherent. She sensed a glimmer of clarity amidst the turmoil. “Why didn’t the hunter take action during the full moon?”

“I’m not sure. Perhaps our patrols scared him off?”

“It doesn’t add up. We discovered fields littered with dead bodies. Do you think he was deterred by a few wolves? He wasn’t—still isn’t.”

“Maybe he didn’t want to act then.”

“But he didn’t do anything significant.”

“Maya, please get to the point. I’m worn out.”

“No, but that’s exactly it,” Maya insisted. “He should have done something. Killed some of us, left some bodies. But he didn’t.”

“Okay?”

“Willow—Willow mentioned they kept moving, changing locations, but she didn’t know why.”

Olivia teased, “Must be crucial for you to actually use her name correctly. But I’m still not following.”

Maya felt she was on the brink of a revelation as the puzzle pieces fell into place in her mind. She had all the pieces, but she couldn’t quite assemble them.

~Come on, Maya, connect the dots.~

“He was tracking them,” Maya said.

“A hunter would do that.”

“Yeah, but no one can detect his scent.”

“Maybe he concealed his scent.”

Maya dismissed Olivia’s suggestion. “Maybe, but Willow would have spotted him, wouldn’t she?”

“Perhaps not,” Olivia conceded, her voice laced with doubt.

“Come on, he’s a human. He’s too proficient for a human. He shot me without me even noticing him.

“He’s killed so many wolves. He’s either not alone, which doesn’t add up because someone would have slipped up, or he’s alone and too skilled,” Maya argued fervently.

She couldn’t reconcile with the notion of the hunter being just an ordinary human. There was something eerie about his capabilities and actions.

“Liv, I think...I think the hunter’s a werewolf,” Maya whispered, her voice barely a whisper.

Olivia’s eyes bulged with shock. “Hold up. You’re telling me the werewolf hunter is a fucking werewolf? Maya, are you listening to yourself?”

“I am,” Maya responded, her gaze steady as she drummed her fingers on her thigh. “It’s not as crazy as it sounds.

“Consider this. What if Julian or someone from his pack...what if they bit him? The night he slaughtered Julian’s family?”

The thought struck Maya like a bolt of lightning, and she saw the same realization dawn on Olivia’s face.

“Maybe he knew, maybe he didn’t. But he escaped, and then...” Maya’s voice trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

“He transformed during the next full moon,” Olivia concluded, the puzzle pieces clicking into place.

“It’s possible. Think about it, Liv! Wouldn’t that give him a reason to despise Julian? Sure, he’s a hunter, sworn to exterminate all werewolves, but his relentless pursuit of Julian?

“That’s personal. He wants to torment Julian, make him pay for what he’s done,” Maya reasoned, urgency creeping into her voice.

“Because he’s become the very thing he detests most,” Olivia whispered, drawing in a sharp breath.

“The hunter isn’t concerned about survival. This is a suicide mission for him, too. He wants his revenge on Julian...and then he wants to end his own life.

“He doesn’t plan on making it out alive,” Maya concluded, the weight of the realization pressing down on her.

“It’s a wild theory,” Olivia murmured, though her expression suggested she was in agreement.

“I need to speak with Julian,” Maya announced, springing to her feet. “Immediately.”

Julian, the one she’d been avoiding, the one she’d been fleeing from, might have the answers she needed.

Even with his fragmented memory, perhaps some of this would jog his recollection.

She could be mad at him later. Right now, she needed to speak with him.

“Thanks, Liv!” she shouted over her shoulder as she sprinted towards the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Maya could faintly hear Olivia’s confused mutterings from the couch, but she didn’t have time to make sense of them.

If she could crack this part of the mystery, it would give her the time she needed to sort out the rest of her life.

She might be on the brink of insanity and her theory might sound ludicrous, but what if she was right?

Maya dashed back to her room and once she was there, she flung the door open, slamming it against the wall.

If he wasn’t awake before, he certainly was now. As she stumbled in, she found Julian, sprawled on his stomach, his ass exposed.

~So he was asleep~. Incredible. He hadn’t even noticed her leave the room. Asshole.

“M—Maya?” he stuttered, looking around.

~Yup~, she had a clear view of the ~weapon~ hanging between his legs, and why was he already semi-erect?

~That thing~ had also played a role in making her act foolishly and take stupid risks.

~Worth it, though~.

~But definitely ~not~ the time, Maya.~

“I think he’s a werewolf,” she blurted out.

“Excuse me?”

~Okay, she really needed to work on her communication skills~. “I think the hunter’s a werewolf.”

“Come again?”

~Jesus, she didn’t need a repeat of her conversation with Olivia, for Christ’s sake~.

“I think you bit him when he murdered your family, and that’s why he despises you and why he’ll stop at nothing to find you.

“I think he wants to inflict pain on you and make you pay for what you did to him. That’s why no one can find him. That’s why he doesn’t leave any human traces.

“And that’s why he was inactive during the full moon. ~He was transforming, too~.”

Maya was panting, trying to catch her breath after her rapid-fire explanation.

And judging by the way Julian was staring at her, blinking as if he was trying to process her words…

She wondered if he’d even understood any of it.

Or if he was silently questioning her sanity.

“Wouldn’t we be able to smell it?” he finally asked after what felt like forever.

“Look, I haven’t figured out all the details, okay?” she retorted before huffing. “I—~you~ would know…better than me.”

“I—”

“Perhaps you could try to recall. I realize it seems utterly insane—”

“It’s plausible,” Julian cut in.

“Plausible that the hunter is a werewolf, or plausible that I’m insane?”

“Both,” he responded, grinning.

“Now isn’t the time for humor, buddy. You’re not off the hook yet.”

“Says the girl who bit me without any warning.”

“I—I did what I ~needed~ to do to prevent your foolish self from committing suicide.”

“I didn’t inform you of my plans.”

“That’s why I knew it was reckless and suicidal.”

“Maya—”

“No, I’m not engaging in this right now. We’ll handle my issue. Then we’ll tackle yours.”

Julian raised an eyebrow, and with a single glance, she could decipher the naughty thoughts swirling in his mind. “I don’t mind that issue at all.”

“Really, because I assumed—”

“You didn’t assume anything. The only thing you should be focusing on is your memories and trying to confirm if I’m correct,” Maya stated.

“Understood, ma’am.”

~That was an improvement. And more courteous~.

“You might want to involve your foolish alpha.”

“You mean my ~second~ foolish alpha. I’ve already got one standing right here.”

She couldn’t undo her actions—so she might as well enjoy it.

“Are we discussing it?”

“You can talk. I’ll go fetch Alex,” she retorted, shooting him a glare before departing to pester Alex for the ~second~ time that night.

~Damn it.~

Why couldn’t she have had this revelation before she sunk her teeth into Julian’s neck?