Chapter 23 #2
“Except becoming a guard and serving in the war earned you freedom that I will never have. Even the highest-ranking Omegas can’t own property or control their own money.
We can’t even leave an abusive alpha because the bond is permanent,” Maya points out.
“And knowing all that, my mother still sent me to a place where I was groomed to be whatever an Alpha might want me to be. Where I incurred a debt that could only be paid through a bonding contract. Where I was taught that my only value was in my designation.”
None of what she says is news to me, everyone knows how the Enclave works. I’ve never questioned the system—never had reason to. But hearing the obvious devastation in her voice makes something uncomfortable twist in my gut.
“No child wants to be made an orphan, Ares,” she says quietly. “Even if the system calls it something else.”
I stare at my hands, calloused from years of combat training. “I never thought about it that way.”
“No one does. That’s how they get away with it.”
We sit in silence for a moment, watching Logan spar with another guard. The clang of their practice swords fills the air between us.
“For what it’s worth,” I finally say, “I had no idea that’s how you felt about it. I would change things if I could.”
Maya looks at me with surprise, as if genuine sympathy is the last thing she expected. For a brief moment, I glimpse vulnerability beneath her carefully constructed defenses.
“I’m glad to hear you say that.” Then a shadow falls over her face and her voice turns soft, as if she is talking to herself as much as to me. “Experience is always the best teacher. All the pain in the world will never hit as hard as the one you have to feel yourself.”
I make a sound of affirmation, despite feeling like I’ve just agreed with something I don’t actually understand.
L ogan tosses another guard to the ground with a snarl, making it the fourth man in the last half-hour to end up groaning and bleeding on the grass. His eyes are wild, pupils dilated with aggression. The remaining guards exchange nervous glances, none eager to be his next opponent.
“I think we’re done for today,” Logan announces when none of them steps forward. He stalks toward the palace without looking back.
“Come on,” I tell Maya, who surprised me by sticking around to watch even after Poe offered to take her back to the apartment. “I’ll bring you back.”
We walk in silence through the palace corridors, her smaller frame keeping pace beside me. I’m still processing everything she told me about her mother, about how different her perspective is from what I’ve always accepted. The worst part is that I can’t even argue with her logic.
When we reach the apartment, Logan is nowhere to be seen, but the sound of a door crashing into the wall means he is here somewhere and probably still working out leftover aggression from training.
“You might want to avoid him until the adrenaline wears off,” I warn her as I head toward my room.
To my surprise, Maya chooses to follow me, trailing just a step behind. I raise an eyebrow but don’t question it as she enters my bedroom and settles herself on the edge of my bed. The nest of blankets and pillows she made during her pre-heat still lies in the corner, untouched since that night.
“You know you’re eventually going to have to clean these sheets, right?” she asks with a small laugh. “No nest can last forever.”
I lean against the doorframe, watching her. “Not unless you promise to make me another one.”
She blushes a pretty pink and looks away. “If you want, though I can’t promise it would be the same. I wasn’t exactly...myself when I made that one. Unless you want to wait for another heat or load me up with blush.”
“The blush can be arranged if you want it.”
Her eyebrows go up. “I assumed that stuff was illegal.”
I laugh. “Nah. Blush is expensive, but perfectly legal. Most Alpha bars sell it from behind the counter.”
“For what purpose exactly?” she asks, voice carefully neutral.
“Recreation, mostly. Though some Omegas use it to enhance heat experiences.” I watch her face carefully. “Logan keeps some in his nightstand. I’ve seen him take it before certain social functions.”
Her expression doesn’t change, but something flickers behind her eyes. Calculation? Interest? I can’t quite tell.
“What does it feel like?” she asks. “It seemed like I only had a little, and then everything went...fuzzy.”
“It amplifies sensations. Makes you more receptive to pleasure.” I pause, remembering how she was that night with Cillian. “Lowers inhibitions too.”
Maya’s hand absently strokes the nest beside her. “No wonder the Alphas wanted us to take it.”
I’d unfortunately missed the spectacle, though I heard enough from Logan about it afterward. “You regret it?”
She looks at me directly now. “I regret not knowing what I was getting into. There is a difference.”
I move to sit next to Maya on the bed, close enough that our thighs touch. Her eyes dart to that small point of contact, but she doesn’t shift away from me. The heat from her body radiates through the thin fabric of her pants, warming my skin.
“Sounds like you liked something about the blush,” I murmur, lowering my voice to a flirtatious rumble.
She shrugs instead of answering, but I feel the little shiver that runs through her body. She tries to repress it, but our proximity makes it impossible to hide.
“Was it the heightened sensation?” I ask, running my fingers lightly along her thigh. “The way everything felt more... intense?”
Her legs fall open slightly, almost imperceptibly, but I notice. At this point, I’ve practically made a study of even her smallest tells. The way her breathing quickens, her pupils dilating just a fraction.
“Maybe,” she finally admits, looking down at my hand on her leg. “Everything felt more….”
“More what?” I press when she trails off, my thumb making small circles on her inner thigh.
“Just more.” A pretty blush spreads across her cheeks. “Like my skin was too small for my body.”
She looks so adorably embarrassed that I can’t stop myself from leaning in. My lips find hers, and to my surprise, she responds immediately, eagerly. Her mouth opens under mine, her hand coming up to grip my shoulder.
The kiss deepens, her tongue sliding against mine as she shifts closer. I taste her desire, feel it in the way her fingers dig into my muscles. My hand moves higher on her thigh, and she makes a small sound in the back of her throat that drives me wild.
Then suddenly she pulls back, breaking the kiss but staying close enough that I can feel her breath on my lips.
“You taste like sweat,” she says, wrinkling her nose. “And dirt.”
I laugh, unexpectedly charmed by her honesty. “Sorry. Training with Logan when he’s in a mood will do that. I don’t think a single part of my body didn’t hit the ground at least once.”
“It’s not bad,” she admits with a small smile. “Just... salty.”
I stand up, stretching my arms over my head. “I should probably shower then.”
Her eyes track the movement, lingering on the strip of skin exposed where my shirt rides up. I pretend not to notice, but satisfaction blooms in my chest.
“You can wait here if you want,” I tell her, moving toward the bathroom. “I won’t be long.”
I pause at the doorway, looking back. Maya hasn’t moved from her spot on the bed, her fingers absently stroking the nest beside her.
“Unless you’d rather join me?” I add with a wink.
She rolls her eyes, but there’s a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “Go shower, Ares.”
I feel oddly gratified that she doesn’t leave, that she is choosing to stay in my space when she doesn’t have to. As I close the bathroom door, I wonder if maybe, just maybe, she’s starting to see me as more than just another Alpha in Logan’s pack.
I take the quickest shower of my life, barely rinsing the soap from my body before toweling off in record time.
The idea of Maya waiting in my room has me moving with uncharacteristic urgency.
When I push open the bathroom door, still securing a towel around my waist, I catch Maya setting my tablet down on the desk with a startled jerk.
Her eyes widen when she sees me, and her hand flies away from the tablet like it’s suddenly turned hot.
“Find anything interesting?” I ask, keeping my tone casual despite the suspicion prickling at the back of my neck.
“Just browsing,” she says with a small laugh that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “After meeting that reporter today, I realized I should probably think about what I’m wearing to the royal games. Everything I do will be scrutinized now that Logan’s being named heir.”
I cross to my dresser, watching her in the mirror as I pull out clean clothes. Her fingers fidget with the edge of her sleeve, and she’s standing a little too straight, like she’s consciously trying to appear relaxed.
“Smart thinking,” I say, playing along. “The press can be brutal. You’d be surprised what details they’ll decide to focus on.”
Maya nods, a bit too enthusiastically. “Exactly. I figured fashion magazines would be a good place to start. I have no idea what colors are in vogue right now.”
I pull on my pants under the towel, considering her explanation. It’s plausible enough—the royal games are a major event, and as Logan’s supposed mate, she’ll be under intense scrutiny. But something doesn’t quite add up.
“Find anything you liked?” I ask, turning to face her directly.
“Not really. Everything’s so... formal.” She wrinkles her nose. “I’m still getting used to all this royal protocol.”
“Well,” I say, pulling a shirt over my head, “I’m sure Logan can have something appropriate sent up for you. Or we could go shopping—might be nice to get out of the palace again.”
Her smile is faint. “I’d like that.”
I’ve spent my life reading people’s physical reactions, cataloging their tells when they’re afraid, aroused, or lying. I know exactly what Maya looks like when she’s turned on, when she’s angry, when she’s scared. But I realize with a jolt that I’ve overlooked something very important.
I have no idea what she looks like when she’s lying.