12. Maeve
12
MAEVE
W hen there’s a knock at my door just before eight thirty in the morning, my heart races. It takes a moment for me to calm down enough to remember that I have a security team prowling around outside my home and that my alarm system is set.
I’m as safe as I can be whilst I remain inside my house.
Adrian and Helen dropped me off on Monday and arranged for a food delivery for me. I’ve kept the alarm set, my cameras on, and have spent most of my time since being home in my bedroom.
Monday night was rough, and I don’t think I actually slept until the sun rose. I slept most of the day yesterday and ended up taking an anxiety tablet so that I could relax last night, knowing I’m back at the archives today.
It didn’t do much more than take the edge off, which was a relief in itself, but since it’s worn off, my body is back in the flight stage.
There’s another rapid knock, and I pull up the cameras, not surprised in the slightest to see the familiar mop of black hair of Julian. With a groan, I press the button that allows me to speak.
“I’ll be out in fifteen minutes.”
He looks around, his eyes darting up to the camera, before he nods. He walks away from the front door, and I have no idea where he’s going, but honestly, I don’t care.
I don’t like him, and this situation isn’t one I’m happy with. It’s hard on a good day, never mind on a day like today where I’m completely riddled with fear, and every sound, every shadow, every touch sends me into a mini panic attack.
I don’t want to deal with the very spoilt, lying Graves.
I finish eating my breakfast, wash my bowl, adjust my hair, and then head outside. I lock up the house, setting the alarms and the cameras, and look around for Julian.
I’m not going to wait for him. I was out exactly at the timeline I gave, so his lateness is not my problem.
“Hey, Maeve, wait,” he shouts. I could turn around, but I don’t bother. Instead, I hear him jogging to catch up with me.
His pegasus is close to the surface, and it’s weirdly calming being around him. He emits an aura, a soft one, that is comforting.
My chromius is very happy to be around this energy, and we soak up as much of the calm as we can.
“How did you sleep?” Julian asks.
“What were you doing wandering around my house?” I counter.
“Chatting to your security detail,” Julian replies. “I just wanted to touch base and see how the night was and if they spotted anything.”
“And that’s your business, why?”
He gives me a side glance that I ignore.
“So, how did you sleep?” he asks, changing the subject back.
“Just like my safety, that’s none of your business,” I mutter, keeping my head low as we enter the main part of town. Despite it being early, there’s plenty of people milling about, and I know we’re drawing eyes.
As someone who didn’t grow up in the compound but is related to Adrian, Julian draws a lot of attention. People are intrigued by him, and it doesn’t surprise me that people are very interested in him.
He’s a Graves, away from the nest, and arguably pretty. He’s an easy political target for those wanting to be close to Adrian, and he doesn’t seem very smart, so he’s malleable.
But I prefer being alone. I have no friends by choice, I have no strong connections or people surrounding me because I don’t like them.
So, being with Mr Popular over here, people are not only interested in staring, but they’ll be talking and wondering all about me.
I fucking hate that.
Especially with everything going on. I’ve never once trusted the people on this compound, but now, I’d happily see them die, knowing they could be the ones terrifying me for their own sick amusement.
“You’re so funny,” Julian says. “Want some coffee?”
“No.”
“Want some tea?” he asks, gesturing to the coffee shop where Daisy works. I shake my head, and he sighs. “Let’s head to work, then.”
The entire walk, he’s stayed far enough away that he won’t accidentally brush against me, but close enough that it’s obvious we’re together.
It’s weird that I’ve not felt anxious with him by my side.
Hatred, for sure.
But no anxiety.
“Can I ask a favour?” Julian asks, and I look at him for the first time today. His baby blue eyes meet mine, and my heart beats erratically.
“I don’t do favours.”
He groans. “It’s a work thing.”
“Hm. What kind of work thing?” I ask, cocking my head. I smirk, coming to a stop, as his eyes dart over my face, an almost confused energy coming from his pegasus.
“I’ll tell you about it once we’re there,” he says, letting out a huff of air. I follow alongside him, the air crackling with a weird kind of tension that doesn’t resolve by the time we’re seated in the archives.
My chair smells like Julian, and it irks me, but I don’t comment. He doesn’t either as he sits two seats down. I spin on the chair to face him and raise an eyebrow, done waiting for answers.
“What do you want, then?”
“Have documents ever gone missing from here?” he asks.
I frown, shaking my head before nodding. “Yes. Once.”
“What was it?” he asks almost eagerly.
“Why?” I look around the room as if I’d spot some hidden camera. Is this their newest effort to control me?
Now that we know I’m being stalked, and it’s not actually Adrian, is this their newest ploy?
Try and get me arrested for stealing and try to pressure me into something?
My chromius whines.
“I was working on transcribing a document on Friday, and when I returned on Monday, it was gone,” he replies, and I freeze. “To my knowledge, the only people with permission to be in here are me, you?—“
“Adrian and Glenda,” I finish.
“Nope, her permission was removed when they fired her,” he says, and I can’t help but laugh. His expression softens, and I immediately stop.
“Adrian wouldn’t come and take a document,” Julian says, covering the awkward air.
“I have no doubt that he would if it was something that could put him or his position at risk.”
Julian’s brows furrow. “What was the last document that went missing?”
“It wasn’t one document. It was a whole set. I mentioned to Glenda about how some files from the hospital had made their way here, and she told me to just start working on them anyway.”
“And then?”
“Two days later, they were gone, and Glenda had no idea what I was on about when I brought them up to her,” I say, shaking my head. “I hadn’t been here long and never thought much of it.”
“How did you know they were from the hospital?”
“Well, I assumed. They were ones that had Dr names on them and were some form of trial. I saw Dr Jones’s name on one sheet and Adrian’s signature.”
Julian freezes. “My uncle’s signature was on them?”
My chromius and I are unsettled with this conversation, and clearly, something is happening that I’m not privy to. I could push, and I have no doubt that Julian would reveal his secrets.
But I’m so fucking close to freedom, and I don’t want to impact it by getting any closer to Julian or whatever drama he’s stirring up.
“Yes.”
He nods. “The document I had on Friday was one outlining something Eldenwood had been doing.”
“I keep a record of all the documents I transcribe,” I say, turning to the computer and logging on. “Date?”
I look it up and shake my head. “No, nothing with Eldenwood from then. I do have a few other documents that have his name on, though, from around the same time.”
“How do I access this information?” he asks, coming to stand to the side of me. He keeps a distance between us, making sure not to tower over me or make me uncomfortable.
I don’t know if it’s purposeful, but it lowkey pisses me off. He’s clearly changed tactics to try and get me to lower my guard.
It’s a fool’s attempt, though.
I won’t ever drop my guard for another Graves.
“ A re you sure you’re okay?” Julian asks, and I nod my head, shooing him away. I’m exhausted, despite only working half a shift, and I’m completely socially worn out.
Today wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. Annoyingly, Julian was completely and utterly respectful of boundaries I never even had to enforce. He stayed back, let me have my space, kept his emotions tempered so even his scent didn’t upset me.
There’s not a single thing he did wrong.
He was polite, respectful, eager to learn about the system I put in place, and kept all conversation to work topics from the moment we entered the archives until the moment we left.
It’s quite irritating.
It’s still easy to hate the man when I know he’s just playing the long game with no true regard for me, but he’s at the very least slightly more respectful than his uncle.
“I’m fine,” I repeat, grimacing slightly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
He nods once. “Let me wait until you’ve gone inside.”
“Why?” I ask, turning to raise a brow at him. “I won’t be showing you my alarm code.”
“Funny that you think an alarm would stop me from getting to you should the need arise,” he says before his face flashes with regret.
“Don’t worry, I already knew that,” I say with a shake of my head.
Just as easily as he earns a tiny bit of respect, he throws it away. Typical man; can’t ever keep up the game for long enough to win the prize.
I disarm my alarms on my phone and step inside without even a goodbye for Julian. I lock up behind me, grab the post, and make my way through to my lovely, dark kitchen.
With a flick of the lights, I freeze. On the table is a bouquet of roses.
White, with red blood coated all over them.
There’s a letter right next to them, and I’m crossing the room and grabbing it before I even realise I’ve moved. The writing is bright red like last time, and it turns my stomach.
My pretty little mate,
I’ve been really patient with you, haven’t I? I’ve watched from afar as I work to earn your love and affection, but today, today you tested me when you decided to give your attention to someone else.
Julian Graves.
That man is a blight upon the purity of our bond—a blemish on our connection. I saw the way you spoke with him, how you let him walk with you, how you smiled at him, as if he had the right to exist in your perfect orbit. I could feel the poison of his words in your ears, the taint of his breath too close to what is mine.
You gave him too much of yourself, my perfect mate, and it felt like a blade stabbing into my very soul, twisting with every word you exchanged with him.
It hurt, Maeve—you hurt me.
Again.
You know how much it hurts me when you stray, even if only for a moment. You know the lengths I must go to in order to protect you, to keep you safe, to stop these worthless vermin from tainting you.
But I forgive you.
How could I not?
Your heart is so pure and so innocent, and it can’t see the depravity and danger that these vermin represent. But I do.
Do you know how long I’ve waited? How many nights I’ve watched you toss and turn, your body aching in that delicious way it does when you’re craving me?
I know you’ve just emerged from your heat. My soul burned with the knowledge that you must once again be alone for it. I could feel your yearning, your need.
I spent the entire time in my own rut, desperately chasing the high that only you can give.
I ache for you, and I can’t wait for the day that we can be together, my pretty little mate.
But until that day, you need to learn. This is a punishment for you as much as it is for him and Adrian Graves. You need to understand how wrong it is to let anyone else even imagine they could stand in the place that should be mine.
You’re my mate, Maeve, and nobody else will touch you—not in their thoughts, not in their dreams, and certainly not in reality.
Julian Graves could never comprehend the depth of your beauty and the purity of your soul. He doesn’t understand that you’re meant to be cherished, worshipped… possessed. But I’ll make sure he learns, my pretty little mate.
They’ll all learn.
I’ll make them.
You are mine, Maeve. Every time you feel the pull, that deep, throbbing need inside you, know that I feel it, too.
And soon, so very soon, I’ll be ready to answer that call. I’ll be better for you, my love, and you won’t need to suffer alone anymore. I’ll be by your side.
Don’t forget, my little mate, that whilst you may not see me in the shadows, I am always there with you. Watching, protecting, yearning. And soon, my little mate, we’ll be together, as we always should’ve been.
You’re mine.
Only mine.
With all the love that my soul can offer,
Your Mate
I immediately flip the note over, but there’s nothing else written. Just another psychotic note from a madman who has decided to threaten Julian and Adrian.
If he wasn’t so utterly obsessed with me, I don’t think I’d truly mind.
Let him kill them. It’s only doing me a favour.
My chromius hisses, her energy completely frazzled compared to my calm. But even her energy feels distant, as if our bond is muted.
Adrian had assigned one of his enforcer goons to keep watch of my house all day today whilst I was at work. They weren’t meant to leave and were meant to report any incident to Adrian, who likely would’ve told me so I didn’t come home to this. I had cameras running from the moment I left to the moment I arrived back here.
But if Adrian never alerted me, either the enforcer left the house or he missed this entirely. I can’t bring myself to review the footage.
I feel empty. Every single scrap of safety I have gets ripped away bit by bit.
Roses dripping with his blood, and a blood-stained letter. No death this time, just a threat for one to occur.
That’s progress, right? Surely?
My thoughts are flickering through my mind like static, feelings trying to bubble over the internal block, but I can’t process them. I don’t let them settle. It’s easier to just keep moving.
I don’t know if he will escalate and manage to kill Julian, but I know I won’t be here to find out.
I tried things Adrian’s way. I relented and compromised and put my sanity on the line once more.
But he couldn’t keep me safe because he doesn’t care enough to do so.
I pull out my phone, my hands steady as I dial the number. My chromius whines, but I ignore her. This isn’t the time to be so emotional.
“Hello,” Atticus answers, sounding calm and collected.
That’s a very good start to our call.
“Hello, it’s Maeve,” I say, tapping my foot on the floor, as my chromius whines in my mind. She’s not happy with me making this call because she knows what is going to happen.
We’re going to leave, and for some reason, she cares that we’re leaving the pathetic, lying, pick-me Julian Graves, who thinks he’s our fated mate.
It doesn’t matter that we can’t feel the bond.
It doesn’t even matter that I refuse to check if we have a bond.
My chromius is so desperate to survive, to no longer be alone, that she wants to believe the lying, manipulative narcissist.
She knows there’s such a tiny, tiny chance that he’s telling the truth, and she’s willing to risk everything to find out.
But it sucks for her because I am not.
“I’m going to be heading over to you today. I expect I’ll be there in a few hours.”
“You’re coming today?” he sounds a little agitated.
“Yes.”
“No, we agreed on a month . I only?—”
“I know you and Adrian talked about the stalker threat behind my back , and unfortunately, I received another letter today. Targeting me, Adrian, and Adrian’s nephew.”
My tone is as empty as I feel.
Numb, broken, fractured .
I hear a heavy sigh from the alpha lion, but he relents. “Okay. I’ll make sure they’re aware you’re on the way today. I’ve got a team prepared to pick you up, and they’ll bring you to me.”
“Good to know. Adrian will probably be in touch. Will you be reiterating your decision to allow me to come?” I ask.
“Yes. I’ll see you in a few hours, Maeve.”
The phone goes dead, and I let out a slow breath. My chromius is still unhappy, her annoyance trying to pulsate through our bond, but I don’t care enough to let it in.
We’re both being led by our desperation for survival. The difference is, I can’t rely on a man for it, and that’s all she craves.
One call down, one to go, and then, finally, I’ll be free.
I dial Adrian’s number, and I’m surprised when he picks up after only two of the ringing tones.
“Maeve? Are you okay?” He sounds frantic, and I frown. There’s a foreign feeling inside me that I shove down.
“Why are you so concerned?” I ask in a monotone voice.
“You have only ever called me when there’s been an issue,” he says slowly. I can hear some of the tension fade out of him. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I’ve packed a bag, and I’m heading to the Phoenix Pride today. Can you get the boat ready?”
“What?” he demands, agitation filling his tone. I can picture him sitting up properly, squeezing his phone that much tighter.
Honestly, he really needs to remove the stick from up his ass.
“I’m leaving today. I’ve called Atticus, and he’s more than happy for me to go.” Resigned might have been the more accurate description of our call, but who cares? “I just need you to organise it with the docks.”
“We had a plan. Atticus has a situation to handle, and then he’s?—”
“Atticus’s problems are not mine. I’ve received another note, and it’s time for me to go. I’m not in any mood to stick around and deal with this.”
Adrian sighs. “I’ll call the docks and arrange for transport. I’ll want to speak with you in person, and with Atticus, before any decision is made.”
His voice is the deliberate calm that he does when he’s seething inside. I don’t even need to be there to see the way he’s reacting.
“The decision has already been made, Adrian. He’s been here, in my house. I’m done.”
I hang up the phone and storm up the stairs to pack a bag so I’ve got some of my things with me for the journey.
I’m so fucking done.