Chapter 141: The Chase Begins

This was the moment. The pivotal point.

It was either Maya was correct, or she was terribly mistaken.

Standing there, her fiery red hair catching the last rays of the setting sun, Maya felt an unsettling sensation creeping under her skin.

It was as if the moon was pulling at her, its gravitational pull amplifying her unease.

This time, the feeling was different—stronger, more pressing.

Unlike previous times, there were no stern instructions telling her to stay put. No strong reason to hold back the wave of anxiety building within her.

If she was wrong this time, she couldn’t even begin to imagine the repercussions.

The specifics of what could happen were hidden in mystery, kept out of her reach.

Maya had tried numerous times to be part of the cryptic discussions that happened behind closed doors, especially in Alex’s office.

But it was ~fruitless~. She knew what she knew, and that was it.

Because if she was wrong, they couldn’t just stand by, waiting for a result that could only be described as disastrous.

The predator they were afraid of would eventually come for them, forcing them to act, forcing them to make a move.

And now, this moment, right here—it was the edge from which they could either dive into safety or tumble into the void.

Maya’s heart throbbed in her chest, the fear pumping through her veins. ~For the love of God and all that was fucking sacred—just this once, she really, really needed to be right~.

“Are you gonna keep staring out the window until you see a man turn into a wolf?”

Her tense watch by the window was broken by Julian’s voice, a sudden interruption that sent a jolt down her spine. She had been avoiding him all day, but could you blame her?

It wasn’t on purpose, not really. How could she concentrate on anything else when the ghost of potential destruction hung over them?

Despite her usual ~I couldn’t care less~ demeanor, Maya wasn’t sure if she could maintain it tonight.

The memory of his touch stayed with her like a ghost, an otherworldly presence that haunted her thoughts.

The echoes of his heartbeat resonated in her mind, a persistent rhythm that matched the fast pace of her own pounding heart.

Maya had no regrets. She did all she could. If everything fell apart, if their world collapsed into ruins on this fateful day, she would bear it.

She would claw her way out of the rubble and find a way forward through the devastation. Someday, she believed, she would conquer this pain.

But she didn’t know what she could do or say today that would make a difference if this ended in ~death~. Nothing. So, that was exactly what she decided to do—nothing.

“Maybe. You would know the plan better than me, right?” she responded, her voice rough, heavy with stress.

Julian hadn’t been involved at every step, but she had seen him slip into Alex’s office a few times. She hadn’t pushed. She hadn’t asked. No one had told her. Maybe there was a reason.

Similarly, she had told Olivia to stay put, encouraging her to keep out of it. Maya was used to carving her own path and setting her own course.

But she understood that sometimes, rules had to be obeyed, and there was a logic behind the way things were.

As much as she might disregard norms with her sharp words, she wasn’t a leader. This was her reality; one she had reluctantly accepted. So this was her reality. ~Fine~.

“If he is a wolf, he’s not gonna be visible,” Julian replied.

“So what, you’re all gonna go out there and chase a wolf?”

“No, we wanna catch him as a human. ~So we know~.”

“So you’re going…now?” she managed to choke out, her voice strained.

~Julian was leaving.~

The realization struck her like a sudden punch: the understanding that he was here just to say goodbye.

He was about to leave, his exit unexpected and unannounced. Maya felt a cold grip tighten around her heart.

If they were wrong, if their guesses turned out to be fatally incorrect, he would die. Maybe Alex too. And then, maybe everyone.

Julian reached out to her face, cradling her cheeks. She resisted the urge to pull back, staying still.

“Before you snap at me, I’m here to say goodbye,” he said.

“Oh? Going back to your old life once this is over?” ~She knew what he meant~. Maya was deliberately pretending this would go well and they would catch the bad guy.

They had done it before. They could do it again.

They were stronger, they were wiser… Right?

“Maya.”

“Don’t say it.”

“Why not?”

“Giving up is akin to saying goodbye. Is that what an Alpha does?”

She tried to maintain eye contact, as if throwing down a gauntlet. He had no real power over the impending events, but she couldn’t…she wouldn’t…

No. Goodbyes were pointless.

His death wouldn’t alter anything. He couldn’t approach this with the thought of his demise looming.

“Okay.”

~He accepted the challenge, as he always did~. Just like when he claimed her…over and over. Because she couldn’t voice the words. She shouldn’t.

It was the mating messing with her mind. Too many uncertainties, too little time to feel…~that~ way.

“Then, try not to die,” she suggested.

“You should stay put.”

“I guess I’m the last line of defense,” she responded, her tone laced with sarcasm.

“Probably why I’m in the dark. I’m waiting for Jason. He’s got Alex’s plan all memorized.”

Mentioning another man’s name made Julian’s jaw clench. ~Ah~, so he didn’t appreciate the tables being turned.

“Willow should be safe in her little cage,” she added.

“I’m not concerned about that.”

“Good.”

“You’re infuriating, do you know that?”

“Thanks.”

“Most people wouldn’t take that as a compliment.”

“I’m not most people.”

She thought he might drop it, but he didn’t. He leaned in, planting a kiss on her forehead. How cliché, how futile.

Yet her heart pounded in her chest, and she allowed her eyes to close.

~One moment.~

She’d freeze time for one moment.

She couldn’t stop him. She couldn’t escape.

She couldn’t alter his destiny or hers.

But if he died… Well, she’d resurrect him just to kill him herself.

She’d have to trust him.