Chapter 4
Breaking Point
The forest canopy above swayed gently, patches of sunlight flickering across her face. For a moment, she felt weightless, like the world around her had paused.
Then the pain hit.
A dull, aching pressure pounded against her skull, radiating through her limbs. Her body felt like it had been wrung dry, every muscle screaming for rest. She tried to move, but her strength betrayed her.
"Maya?" Caleb's voice broke through the haze.
She turned her head slightly and found him crouched beside her, his face pale and drawn with worry.
"Caleb…" Her voice came out hoarse.
"You collapsed. You scared the hell out of me." His hands hovered uselessly, like he wasn't sure whether to help her sit up or let her rest.
Maya groaned and pushed herself upright, ignoring the way her vision swam. "I'm fine."
Caleb shot her a look. "You're not fine. You're—"
"I said I'm fine!" The words came sharper than she intended, but Caleb backed off, clearly unconvinced.
For a long moment, the only sound between them was Maya's uneven breathing. Then Caleb sat back on his heels, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "What's going on, Maya? You've been acting weird since your birthday, and now this. You're not yourself."
She turned her head away, guilt clawing at her insides. Caleb was her closest friend—had been since they were kids. He didn't deserve her silence.
But how could she tell him? How could she admit that the moon, fate, or whatever cruel force dictated their world, had tied her to Liam?
"It's nothing."
"Liar."
Maya flinched.
Caleb exhaled heavily, running a hand through his hair. "If you won't tell me, fine. But whatever this is… you can't keep pushing yourself like this."
Maya's heart clenched. She hated worrying him. "I'll be okay," she said softly, though the words felt hollow.
He didn't answer. The silence stretched between them, heavy and uneasy.
By the time Maya made her way back to the packhouse, the sun had dipped low on the horizon, smearing the sky in strokes of orange and purple. Each step felt like a battle. Her wolf was silent, curled up inside her like a wounded animal.
The bond was taking its toll.
How long can I keep this up?
She shook off the thought and entered the packhouse, hoping to slip upstairs unnoticed. The sounds of laughter and conversation carried through the air—families gathered in the common room, children running underfoot, warriors trading stories of training. For most, it was an ordinary evening.
For Maya, it felt like she was dragging a boulder up a mountain.
She had almost reached the stairs when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.
"You look like death warmed over."
Her pulse spiked. She turned slowly to find Liam leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, arms folded across his chest. He wasn't smirking this time. He was watching her, his expression unreadable.
"I'm not in the mood for you, Liam," she muttered, brushing past him.
His hand shot out, gently catching her wrist. The moment his skin touched hers, warmth flooded through her—an unwelcome surge of energy that sent her heart racing. She yanked her arm away as if burned, glaring at him.
"Don't touch me."
His jaw tightened. "You can't keep pretending this isn't happening."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, turning on her heel and heading for the stairs.
"You're killing yourself."
The words stopped her cold.
She looked back over her shoulder. Liam was still standing there, but the arrogance was gone. His dark eyes were steady, his voice quieter when he added, "The bond… you're fighting it. That's why you collapsed today, isn't it?"
Maya's chest tightened. "You don't know anything."
Liam pushed off the doorframe, stepping closer. "I know more than you think. You can't keep running, Maya. You're only making it worse for yourself."
She hated the way his voice softened, the way concern flickered across his face—real concern, not some game.
"I'm not running," she bit out, her voice shaking. "I'm making a choice. A choice not to be tied to you. A choice to live my own life."
Liam stopped a few feet from her. "And how's that working out for you?"
The question hung between them like a blade.
Maya opened her mouth to respond, to snap back with something sharp, but no words came. Because he was right. She felt like she was unraveling, piece by piece, the longer she fought against the bond.
Liam's gaze softened. "You're not weak for accepting it, Maya. It's not… a curse."
She swallowed hard, her throat tight. "You think I want this?" Her voice cracked. "You think I want to be tied to you?"
His expression flickered with something—hurt, maybe—but it vanished just as quickly. "I didn't ask for this either," he said quietly. "But it's real. Whether you like it or not."
Maya's hands curled into fists at her sides. "Stay away from me."
She turned and climbed the stairs before he could respond, her heart hammering painfully in her chest.
Maya shut the door to her room and leaned back against it, her head tipping back as she exhaled shakily. Her wolf stirred weakly inside her, a faint pulse that only made her feel worse.
Liam's words echoed in her mind. You're killing yourself.
Her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, burying her face in her hands.
"I didn't ask for this," she whispered to the empty room.
Her wolf whimpered softly.
Maya squeezed her eyes shut, her thoughts spinning. Why him? Of all the wolves in the pack—of all the people fate could have chosen—it had to be Liam. The arrogant alpha's son who had tormented her for years.
Her chest ached, and tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them back. Crying wouldn't change anything. She just had to be strong—had to resist.
A faint knock startled her.
"Maya?"
It was Serena, her younger sister's voice muffled through the door.
"Go away," Maya croaked.
The door creaked open anyway, and Serena peeked her head inside. "I heard you weren't feeling well. Can I… can I come in?"
Maya wiped at her eyes quickly and nodded.
Serena padded in and sat cross-legged beside her, her usual bright energy dimmed by concern. "Are you sick? Dad says you haven't been eating much."
"I'm fine," Maya said automatically.
"You always say that," Serena replied softly. "But you don't look fine."
Maya glanced at her sister and felt her heart soften. Serena didn't know about the mate bond—didn't know how heavy it weighed on her.
"It's complicated," Maya said after a long silence.
Serena frowned but didn't push. Instead, she reached over and squeezed Maya's hand. "You don't have to do everything alone, you know."
Maya swallowed hard, nodding weakly.
She wished it were that simple.
Maya's body trembled with exhaustion, and the weight of her thoughts pressed down on her. The world outside her room felt distant, like she was trapped in a nightmare she couldn't wake from. Her wolf howled weakly inside her mind, each howl carrying the echoes of the bond she refused to acknowledge.
She pulled her knees closer to her chest, trying to steady her mind. I can't give in. I won't.
But the longer she fought it, the worse the pain became. Her entire body ached, as if her very essence was being pulled in two directions—one toward Liam and the other toward herself. The tug-of-war inside her left her exhausted, drained of the strength that had always defined her.
Suddenly, the door creaked open again, and Maya barely had time to react before a figure stepped into her room, moving silently as if they already knew what to expect.
Liam.
Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him, standing in her doorway with an intensity that made her heart race against her will.
"I told you to stay away," she rasped, her voice hoarse from the strain of holding back everything she felt.
Liam's eyes softened, his usual cocky demeanor gone. "I don't want to hurt you, Maya." His words were almost a whisper, a quiet vulnerability she hadn't expected from him. "But this… this isn't something you can run from."
She shook her head, unable to stop the tear that slid down her cheek. "I don't want this. Not you. Anyone but you."
The words burned in her chest as soon as she said them. She didn't want to hurt him, didn't want to admit how desperately she was beginning to feel the pull of the mate bond. But she had to. She had to make him understand.
Liam stepped into the room, his gaze never leaving hers. "Then stop fighting it."
Maya's breath hitched as his presence filled the room, the bond between them thrumming louder, sharper. She could feel his wolf, too—raw, untamed, and just as desperate.
"I can't," she whispered.
Her head spun, and the room seemed to tilt. She staggered to her feet, grabbing hold of the nearest chair to steady herself. Her vision blurred, and her pulse pounded in her ears.
"Maya?" Liam's voice was suddenly frantic. "Maya, no."
She felt it before she saw it—a sharp, burning pain shooting through her chest like a wave crashing over her. Her wolf screamed in agony, and her knees buckled beneath her.
No. Please.
"Maya!" Liam's voice was the last thing she heard before everything went black.
The darkness was complete, and for a fleeting moment, Maya wondered if she had truly passed out—or worse, if the pain of rejecting the bond had finally taken its toll on her. The room felt cold, the air heavy with the scent of Liam's desperation.
Then, in the midst of the darkness, she heard a sound she wasn't prepared for—a low, guttural growl. Not Liam's.
It came from somewhere deeper inside her, primal and fierce.
Her wolf was no l
onger quiet.
And this time, it wasn't just begging her to accept the bond. It was demanding.