CHAPTER 23 MAYA Today made it two weeks since he brought me here. The memories of the night before that day wouldn't stop disturbing me. I remembered how my boss nearly killed me and how Leo showed up when all hope was lost. But that was gone now, and I didn't have to worry about any of that anymore. Every corner of the Packhouse felt like some kind of maze back then but things were different now. I knew my way around, now. I hated it that since then, I still couldn't fully grasp who Leo was. He had been unpredictable every single time. And the past past days had made that even more vivid. He had made it a rule that I joined him for dinner every night because I had skipped a meal and felt a bit dizzy. I knew he was worried, but forcing me to come eat with him wasn't going to help it. It only ended up making me angrier. I didn't mind much however, because the meals were far and way better than anything I was used to before coming here. However, there was ju
CHAPTER 24 LEOThe next morning came faster than I'd thought. I was still rubbing my eyes from sleep when I heard footsteps in the hallway. I instinctively knew those footsteps were headed for my room. That was the moment the door burst open and Estelle stormed in with a face that was red with anger. She was barely holding it together. She hadn't even knocked. I quickly sat up, swinging my legs over the sheets. What was she doing here and why did she look like I'd murdered someone. "You followed me last night, didn't you?" She hissed at me before crossing her arms over her chest. Well, I wasn't prepared for that. How the hell had she known? I froze immediately as if I'd been doused with a bucket of guilt. There was no denying it now because it was just the both of us in the darkness last night and she must have seen me. She kept staring at me, her jaw clenched and eyes trained at me. "Why are you not saying anything?" She asked. I let out a sigh, not knowing
CHAPTER 25 LEOIt did not take time before I found out about their meeting and if there was one thing that I knew very well, it was the fact that men and women were hardly just friends. As time goes on, things happen and then the narrative starts to change. I was not born yesterday and the moment I saw my footman looking at Maya for a second longer then he was supposed to, I knew that something was up. The guard had told me that they bumped into each other and just introduced themselves but he took the initiative to come tell me because I had made it clear to them to come to me when things like this happened. In the next few days, I made attempts so they could come across each other and it worked pretty well because it gave me all the answers I needed.The way he smiled shyly when she was around and the lingering glances was also obvious that it was almost pathetic. I could not let this continue so I had to find a way to get him out of here. Maya was lonely most o
CHAPTER 26 MAYAI never thought the air in the Packhouse was ever going to feel that light but since the day Leo left, that had been the case. His absence meant that only a few people were going to be watching every single move that I made and I was not prepared to waste this opportunity at all. I was so free but I could walk about without worrying about how he was going to feel. For the first time since I came to this place, I got out of the gates of the Packhouse. And it was safe to say that that was the happiest day here. The world outside was vibrant and alive, exactly what I wanted. The sound of a booming town and smells that I had almost forgotten came back to me. The rest of the town was not large but there were places that bustled with hustle and the cobblestone streets were lying with a lot of shops and neon signs that glowed brightly In The Dark. One thing was clear, I could not get enough of this place and that was why I was still walking around. I wa
CHAPTER 27 LEOWhen I arrived at Mavericks Estate and got besieged by the fanfare, I was not surprised and that was because he was good at treating people well. A lot of servants were already waiting before I even arrived and the moment my car pulled up, they quickly came closer to help me out with almost everything. One of them opened the door while the other rushed to carry my bag. The third offered a silver tray with a glass of what looked like freshly squeezed juice. “What's this?” I asked.“Courtesy of the Alpha.” He replied, smiling at me.The attention was all too much and that had me wondering what he really wanted me to do. What was his real intention behind calling me for a meeting? Whenever things like this happened, it was usually because the alpha wanted something to be done for them. I hope that this was something I could do and not end up disappointing him in the end. I grabbed the glass and chugged down the contents before this feminine voice beh
CHAPTER 28 MAYALeo had been gone for two days now and the air at the Packhouse was a lot better now. Even these nights when I'd come home worried, I felt better. I had no idea how long he was going to be away, but one thing was clear, I was not going to waste this chance. It was either now or never. These days had been nothing but fun. I slipped out of the Packhouse as soon as the sun was high in the centre of the sky and the Pack members were already going about their day, taking care of one business or the other. Because of that I was always able to blend in with the few servants who went in and out for errands. Nobody noticed me leaving and that was a good relief. I'd decided last night that I was going to see David today and that was exactly what I did. The walk to his place wasn't far, but every now and then I looked over my shoulder to make sure that I wasn't being followed. One of the guards could have seen me, and might have just chosen not to forceful
CHAPTER 29 LEOI kept turning around in my bed because no matter how many times I tried to sleep, sleep wouldn't come, not even a single wink. Everything in my head was just a chaotic mess, revolving around Maya. I did not want to think about her because she had told me that everything was okay but I had this feeling that everything was not okay. I had this feeling that she was hiding something from me and I needed to figure out what that thing was. When I had called her in and spoken to her today, she seemed all distant and seemed as if she wanted to be done with the conversation and leave immediately. Also the way she had sounded so cryptic. And yesterday... I had no idea where she had gone because she was not in her room for a very good part of the day. I had pretended not to notice anything about that even though it worried me so much. Unable to stay still any longer, I sat up and ran a hand through my hair. The silence was so heavy and the only thing that b
CHAPTER 30 MAYAThe only sound in the room as I sat there was the sound of my own breathing. I was still staring at the door because I had no idea what to do in here. My fingers kept shaking with the edge of the blankets as I thought about how long this was going to last. While he was gone, I had been able to come up with a plan so I had arranged with my maid who brought me lingerie from my room. Tomorrow, I will wear it inside but cover it with a simple zip-up gown. He was going to be back soon and I hoped my mission would work. This punishment was just suffocating and I had no idea how long I was going to be able to hold it together before I would go crazy. Being locked here with only access to a guard, a maid and Leo himself was more than a punishment and as every minute dragged by, the walls of the room seemed to close in more each day. There was no way I could take it anymore. So I needed to talk to him and maybe if I apologised again and really begged him
Chapter 38: Maya. The day of the party arrives like a storm—fast, loud, and impossible to ignore. I stand near the large kitchen doorway, watching as people buzz around the estate like frantic bees. Servants rush past with trays of food, clinking glasses, and floral decorations that seem far too grand for what should just be another celebration. I pull my shawl tighter around me, feeling smaller with every passing minute. These kinds of gatherings, with their shimmering gowns, confident laughter, and overindulgence, are not my world. I feel like an intruder. A shadow among the light. The grand hall transforms into something unrecognizable, filled with chandeliers that glitter like a thousand stars. The air carries the thick scent of roasted meat and expensive perfume, a suffocating mix that settles in my throat. I move quietly, keeping to the edges, where no one will notice me. Today, Alpha Leo’s pack will celebrate some political milestone—one I didn’t ask about. One I don’t belon
Chapter 37. Leo's POV I don’t know how much longer I can endure this. Courtney's voice grates against my ears like nails scraping against glass. She’s been at it for hours—complaining, arguing, pushing her way into a place she doesn’t belong. My room. My sanctuary. “I’ve always shared this space with you before,” she huffs, standing at the edge of my bed with her arms crossed. The light from the lamp softens her sharp features, but I see the stubborn set of her jaw. “Why should tonight be any different?” Because you’re not my mate, I think bitterly. Because the very thought of you here now makes me want to tear through the walls just to escape. “I’m not sharing my bed, Courtney,” I say, my voice cold and measured. I’ve repeated myself three times already, yet she doesn’t let up. “Why not?” she challenges, tilting her chin up. “I’ve always been here for you. I’ve done everything for you! I’ve stood by your side when no one else did—” “And I’ve given you my gratitude for
Chapter 36: Maya POV. I do my best to make myself invisible in this house. It's a survival tactic I've perfected since arriving here—move quietly, avoid eye contact, stick to the shadows. The mansion is vast, its hallways endless, and its silence oppressive. I’ve memorized the routes to the few places I need to go: the garden for my short, doctor-ordered walks, the kitchen for a glass of water when no one else is around, and back to my room, my solitary refuge. It’s easier this way, avoiding people. Avoiding her. Courtney’s presence is everywhere, even when she isn’t. It’s in the way the staff glance at me when I pass, the way my footsteps echo too loudly in the hallways, the way the air feels charged whenever I step out of my room. I know she doesn’t want me here. The feeling is mutual. After my walk today, I head straight to the shower. The hot water runs over me, washing away the tension in my muscles. I stay under the stream longer than I should, letting the heat soothe the ac
CHAPTER 35 LEO Anybody could smell the festivity in the air. The Packhouse was crammed with a lot of activities as servants and maids went around preparing every single corner of the Packhouse for the party tonight. It had been a very long time since a celebration of this sort happened here. As I made my way down to the courtyard, I could smell the polished woods fresh scent of flowers that were being chopped and decorated. It felt like chaos, but the kind that was meant to make things better. It was controlled, but chaos nonetheless. I had a lot of things to do so I needed to shift the work to someone else. As soon as I was ready to have the information disseminated, I called for everyone and asked them to gather in the main hall. How was the only place that could contain every single servant here. They filed in quietly, knowing better than to waste time because a lot of things still needed to be done. Claudia was standing beside me and there was a slight
CHAPTER 34 LEOWhen I walked into the courtroom the next morning, it was packed and I knew it was because of my announcement yesterday. I'd solved the problem that bugged them the most, but you could never just satisfy the council. The tension in the air was so thick you could slice it with a knife and every eye seemed to be watching. I was standing there, dressed in a dark suit with my jaw clenched. Silas was sitting across the room with his lawyers and he looked so hard and cold. I'd put him off many times, and I suspected that this day was going to come. I always knew he wouldn't go down without a fight, even when the answer was staring at him in the face. There was nothing he was going to do to get what he wanted, yet he still went after it. Once the judge entered, we all stood. I had only been to court once, and it had my heart pounding even though I knew I was going to win this. The hearing for the will contest soon started with both sides taking turns
CHAPTER 33 LEOI had decided to come out today, despite anything that might have wanted to day against that. It didn't matter to me because all I needed at the moment was to be outside again, feel the air on my skin and the sun on my back. I couldn't stop thanking myself for making that decision because it felt almost perfect. The warm sun against my skin as I slowly made my way through the pack gardens with Estelle standing beside me to make sure I was feeling okay. I trudged along the path, crunching the gravel beneath my feet and smelling the fresh scent of flowers that came my way. However, my mind was still somewhere else. It was almost impossible to shake the heaviness that had settled in my chest now. These past few days have been nothing but confusing and lonely. That's when my mind went back to what Leo had told me at dinner. We were mates but it didn't change anything. It made my heart twist with pain again, but I shook off the thought, looking awa
CHAPTER 32 MAYAI woke up the next morning feeling so empty and drained. I still remembered everything he said to me last night. I'd tried so hard to push it off but the words wouldn't stop echoing in my head like a song stuck on repeat. Of course we were mates but that wasn't going to change anything. Every single word he'd said seemed to chip away at my soul. I didn't know if that feeling was hope but it was probably dead now. He had made himself very clear to me last night and I appreciated it that he didn't hide any emotions as he spat it all out, loud and clear. Now I just had to find a way through these emotions that were wreaking havoc on me from within. My thoughts were interrupted when a knock sounded on the door. "Miss?" "Come in." I called out before getting into a sitting position. Given another option, I'd have loved to sit away the rest of the morning thinking about that night even though it made me feel bad, unwanted and rejected. My maid came i
CHAPTER 31 LEOWhen I walked out of the Packhouse and onto the courtyard, the sun was already high in the sky. That was something about this season, early mornings and early nights. A few weeks ago at this time, it was all dark and chilly. The air was crisp and the smell of freshly cut grass invaded my nostrils the moment they came. I could see the new recruits from where I was now. The Pack training centre wasn't far away, and I had them training already. I'd chosen this time because it would be the peak of the training and I'd get to watch them and say a few words to them before moving to the next task on the litany of things I needed to do today. It was a whole lot. When I arrived, the recruits were now arranged in perfect rows, with faces as serious as a sculptures's and eyes that crackled with a lot of nervous energy. As much as all of them wanted to look confident and all, one of the perks of being an Alpha was being able to see through it. Sometimes when
CHAPTER 30 MAYAThe only sound in the room as I sat there was the sound of my own breathing. I was still staring at the door because I had no idea what to do in here. My fingers kept shaking with the edge of the blankets as I thought about how long this was going to last. While he was gone, I had been able to come up with a plan so I had arranged with my maid who brought me lingerie from my room. Tomorrow, I will wear it inside but cover it with a simple zip-up gown. He was going to be back soon and I hoped my mission would work. This punishment was just suffocating and I had no idea how long I was going to be able to hold it together before I would go crazy. Being locked here with only access to a guard, a maid and Leo himself was more than a punishment and as every minute dragged by, the walls of the room seemed to close in more each day. There was no way I could take it anymore. So I needed to talk to him and maybe if I apologised again and really begged him