chapter 7
Clashing fates
Maya had made up her mind earlier that day—if the mate bond between her and Liam wouldn't release her, she'd force her way out of it. She'd prove to herself, and to him, that fate didn't dictate her choices.
Tonight, she'd decided to test her theory with Jared, one of the newer warriors in the pack. Jared was tall, confident, and had an easygoing charm that made him popular among the pack. Maya didn't feel the magnetic pull she felt with Liam when she was around Jared, but that was precisely why she'd picked him. There was no fire, no intensity—just lighthearted fun.
As they sat by the bonfire, Maya leaned closer, laughing at a joke Jared told. Her voice rang out, clear and melodic, and several pack members glanced their way, exchanging knowing smiles.
Jared grinned down at her, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "You've got a nice laugh, Maya. You don't let people hear it enough."
Maya's smile faltered briefly, but she quickly recovered. "Maybe people don't give me much to laugh about," she teased, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
Across the field, Liam stood at the edge of the shadows, his sharp gaze fixed on Maya and Jared. His fists clenched at his sides, his entire body tense as he watched her lean in closer to Jared, her hand lightly resting on his forearm.
"She's really doing this," Liam muttered, his voice low and dangerous.
Darren, standing beside him, glanced toward the scene and let out a low whistle. "Looks like it," he said, folding his arms. "You've got to admit, she's got guts."
"This isn't guts," Liam growled, his eyes narrowing. "This is—" He stopped, swallowing the rest of his words.
What was this? Defiance? Spite? Or something worse—was it a genuine attempt to find someone else? The thought sent a sharp, searing pain through him, as if the bond itself was reacting to her actions.
"You can't stop her, you know," Darren said, his tone calm but cautious. "The more you push, the harder she'll fight. You know how Maya is."
Liam didn't respond. He couldn't. His wolf was growling low in his chest, its anger and frustration echoing his own.
Maya could feel Liam's eyes on her even before she glanced in his direction. The weight of his gaze was like a physical presence, burning into her back and making her wolf stir uneasily.
Focus, she told herself. This isn't about him.
Jared, oblivious to the tension thickening the air, leaned a little closer. "So, what's the deal with you and Liam?" he asked casually, his tone light but curious.
Maya stiffened. "What do you mean?"
Jared shrugged, his smile still in place. "Everyone knows you two have... history. Just wondering if that's why he's been glaring at me all night."
Maya forced a laugh, but it sounded hollow even to her ears. "Liam can glare all he wants. It's not my problem."
Jared raised an eyebrow, but before he could press further, Maya made her move. Without giving herself time to think, she leaned in and kissed him.
It was quick—a brush of lips, nothing more. But it was enough. Enough to make her wolf whimper in protest. Enough to shatter whatever illusion she'd been trying to create.
Jared pulled back, surprised but not unhappy. "Well, that's one way to change the subject," he said with a chuckle.
Maya managed a weak smile, but her heart was pounding for all the wrong reasons.
"Jared."
The voice cut through the air like a blade, cold and sharp. Both Maya and Jared turned to see Liam standing a few feet away, his expression dark and dangerous.
Jared stood, his posture tense. "Liam," he said carefully. "What's the problem?"
"You're the problem," Liam said, stepping closer. His voice was low, but there was no mistaking the threat in it. "Stay away from her."
Jared frowned, his confusion turning to irritation. "Maya's not some territory you get to claim, Liam. She can talk to whoever she wants."
"That's not what this is about," Liam snapped, his hands curling into fists. His eyes flicked to Maya, blazing with a mixture of anger and hurt. "You're trying to prove something, but this? This is a game you can't win."
Maya stood, her own anger flaring. "You don't get to decide what I do, Liam," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "I'm not yours."
Liam's jaw tightened, his gaze shifting back to Jared. "I warned you," he said, and before anyone could react, he swung.
The punch landed squarely on Jared's jaw, sending him stumbling back. Gasps erupted from the pack members nearby, and within seconds, a small crowd had formed.
"Liam, stop!" Maya shouted, stepping between them, but Jared recovered quickly and lunged at Liam, tackling him to the ground.
The two men grappled, fists flying as growls and snarls filled the air. Liam was stronger, his wolf's fury giving him an edge, but Jared wasn't backing down.
Maya tried to intervene, but Darren caught her arm, pulling her back. "Don't," he warned. "This is a pack business now. They have to settle it."
"This isn't pack business," Maya snapped, struggling against his grip. "This is Liam being a possessive ass!"
Darren didn't let go, his expression grim. "Maybe. But you know how this works, Maya. Let it play out."
The fight was brutal, but it didn't last long. Liam pinned Jared to the ground, his knuckles bloodied and his chest heaving. His wolf was close to the surface now, its presence evident in the wild look in his eyes.
"Stay away from her," Liam growled, his voice more wolf than man.
Jared glared up at him, defiant despite the blood trickling from his lip. "You can't force her to choose you," he said, his voice hoarse. "You'll lose her if you try."
Liam froze, the words cutting through his rage like a knife. Slowly, he released Jared and stood, his body still trembling with barely restrained energy.
Maya stepped forward, her own fury bubbling over. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded, her voice sharp. "You think this proves anything? You think this makes me want you?"
Liam's gaze snapped to hers, and for a moment, something raw and vulnerable flickered in his eyes. But then his mask slipped back into place, and he straightened, his expression hardening.
"You can fight this all you want, Maya," he said quietly, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of pain. "But you can't run from what we are."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Maya standing in the center of the crowd, her heart pounding and her thoughts in chaos.
For a long moment, no one moved. Then Jared pushed himself to his feet, shaking his head. "You've got one hell of a mess on your hands, Maya," he said, his tone a mixture of frustration and sympathy.
Maya didn't respond. She couldn't. Because no matter how much she hated to admit it, Liam's words had struck a chord deep inside her.
And that terrified her more than anything else.
Maya turned on her heel, her blood boiling as she stalked after Liam. "You don't get to walk away after that!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. "You don't get to act like some martyr after ruining everything!"
Liam stopped mid-step, his shoulders stiffening. Slowly, he turned to face her, his expression unreadable but his eyes alight with restrained fury. The tension crackled between them, sharper than any blade.
"Ruining everything?" Liam repeated, his voice calm, but each word was like a storm cloud gathering force. "Is that what you call saving you from embarrassing yourself?"
"Saving me?" Maya laughed bitterly, stepping closer, her finger jabbing toward him. "You didn't save me, Liam. You humiliated me! You acted like some arrogant alpha trying to claim what isn't yours!"
Liam's jaw tightened, and for a moment, his wolf threatened to rise again. "What isn't mine?" he echoed, his voice dropping into a low growl. "You think this is just about what I want? This bond is as much yours as it is mine, Maya, whether you like it or not!"
Maya's wolf stirred inside her, a frustrated whimper that she immediately pushed down. She wasn't about to let it weaken her resolve. "I never asked for this bond, Liam!" she shot back. "And I sure as hell don't want it now. You think you can force me into something just because the Moon Goddess says so? Newsflash—you don't control me!"
Liam stepped closer, his presence dominating, but Maya refused to back down. The pack circled them now, their whispers silenced by the palpable tension in the air.
"I don't want to control you, Maya," Liam said, his voice shaking with barely contained emotion. "But I'm not going to stand by and watch you throw yourself at every guy in the pack just to spite me. It's pathetic."
Her eyes narrowed, the insult hitting its mark. "Oh, I'm pathetic?" she retorted, her voice rising. "At least I'm not a hypocrite pretending to be some noble alpha while throwing punches because you can't handle rejection!"
Liam's eyes darkened, his wolf flashing in their depths. "You think this is rejection?" he hissed. "You think this is me giving up on us? Because, trust me, Maya, if I wanted to make this easy for either of us, I'd let you go. But I can't. And deep down, you know you can't either."
The words struck a nerve, and Maya clenched her fists, her chest heaving. "You're wrong," she said, her voice trembling with anger and something she didn't want to name. "I can and I will."
For a moment, they stood there, their breaths mingling as they glared at each other, their bond tugging and pulling like an invisible thread tying them together.
"Then go ahead," Liam said, his tone cutting. "Keep running. Keep pretending this doesn't exist. But you'll find out soon enough, Maya. You can't fight what's meant to be."
"I'll fight it until my last breath," she spat, her voice venomous.
Liam's smirk was sharp, almost cruel. "Then I'll be waiting, mate," he said, the word dripping with both sarcasm and unspoken desire.
He turned and walked away, leaving Maya standing in the center of the stunned pack. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her emotions a chaotic swirl of rage, confusion, and something raw she didn't want to name.
The whispers of the pack grew louder, like a tide swelling around her, but Maya ignored them all. Her heart thundered in her chest, her wolf clawing at her, and for the first time, she felt truly cornered.
As Liam disappeared into the shadows, she whispered, more to herself than anyone else, "If he thinks I'm giving in, he doesn't know me at all."
But even as the words left her lips, a small, traitorous part of her wondered if she was the one who didn't know herself anymore.