Chapter 101 : Dark Alliances

Maya

She stumbled back but was restrained by the clawed hands protruding from her belly. Staring at it uncomprehendingly, Maya gripped it with one hand. Blood spilled from her mouth, wetting her chin as she followed the claw back to its source. Wide eyes, filled with confusion, met his crimson gaze.

"Na...tha...niel?" she whimpered, more blood spilling from her mouth, coating her tongue with a coppery flavor.

He smirked evilly at her.

"You're really surprised, aren't you? You believed every word I told you." He said this as if it surprised him a little.

"I don't... don't understand..."

"No? Let me explain your confusion. I lied."

Maya blinked uncomprehendingly at his confession.

"Rylan and his misbehavior are not what you believe. I am not what you believe me to be. All the bad things you accused me of are true. And there are many more."

"No... No!"

It can't be true, she thought wildly, her nails clutching at the hand that was stabbing her. But, looking into those evil eyes, she knew she didn't need proof that he had stabbed her to know that what he said was true. He had betrayed her and lied to her all along. And for what?

"Why?" Maya demanded, coughing up her own blood. Why had everyone betrayed her? What mistake had she made that this kept happening?

His smirk turned wicked, downright sinister. "Because I wanted it. Killing is one thing, but inflicting pain is another."

What?

"Your painfully confused expression is quite beautiful, Maya. I wish I had a mirror to show you."

Then Nathan approached her, and she could only gasp and writhe in pain as he drew her close and whispered in her ear, his breath hot on her body.

"I won't kill her. My Karen will live... If she survives her shift."

With a stunned look from Maya, My Karen? she rephrased his words in her mind. He continued. "Ah, yes. She's quite unique, isn't she? I wonder what kind of she-wolf she'll become, will she retain her spiritual power, or will she be torn apart by the two auras inside her?"

"What... what are you... planning, bastard?"

"Now, now. Should we use name-calling? That would be rude. You should be happy because I plan to help Karen through her transformation because I care about her even more than you do. With my help and the help of the sacred moonstone, her soul will be blackened and tainted. She will become a powerful true she-wolf, filled with bloodlust, thirsting for chaos like me. Or, she will die. If it's any consolation to you, I truly hope she survives."

Knowing that she only had a split second before Nathan finished her off, Maya ignored the pain she felt and wrapped her arms around him and tried to absorb him into her body.

"I won't let you touch her!" She shouted, filled with desperation to save Karen. Whatever Nathan had planned for her, it didn't bode well for Karen. She would die to protect her if that was what it took. Maybe then her soul would be cleansed of the crimes she had committed.

******

Karenina

Before Maya was stabbed by Nathaniel, she had been filled with a strong determination to fight them both. She didn't know what Maya was playing at, pretending to be Helga, taking her away from Xavier's pack house, but she felt that it meant her death... because of Nathan's betrayal, before he revealed that Maya loved her. Karen was shocked, waiting for her to deny it, but she did not.

She couldn't understand it. How could her feelings be so deep after such a short time together? Of course, Karen already knew that she was attracted to her - given the kiss - but love? If so, it was a sick and twisted version of killing Helga just so she could be close to her.

It kept being revealed to her during Maya and Nathan's conversation. She couldn't help but feel sad for Maya even though she probably didn't deserve it. Or did she deserve it? If it wasn't for being under his influence and his lies, perhaps Maya wouldn't have turned into a murderer. She recalled her conversation with Benjamin. That was when she learned of the betrayal that almost killed Maya, attacked from behind, and left to die in a painful way, all because she was attracted to the same sex because she was different. Then, that was how Nathan 'saved' her.

Feeling conflicted, she wasn't entirely sure whether she should hate Maya or pity her. But all she knew was that Maya had suffered so much, betrayal after betrayal. Maya did not deserve this. Maya was the same victim as everyone else who was played by Nathan, who ruined their lives. Hadn't he manipulated Rylan and Carolina into trying to kill each other? And Selene too. Perhaps, she could forgive the wrongs Maya had done, but she would never get to that point if Maya died.

Until she finally realized that she did not want Maya to die.

"Maya, stop!" She stepped forward, reaching out her hand towards the woman's back, but it was too late.

In almost slow motion, Nathan's body began to merge with Maya's. The sharp claws that pierced Maya held her in place, then disappeared along with the rest of Nathan's body. Left standing alone, Maya stumbled, almost falling to the ground.

She hesitated for a moment before lunging forward. "Maya!"

Catching her from behind, her legs came out from under her, and they both landed hard on the ground, Karen kneeling with Maya on her lap, her back supported by Karen's arms. Blood soaked her dress, but she barely noticed.

"Maya? Are you okay?"

Green eyes flickered open, a small smile spreading across bloodied lips before shadows converged on her expression. The smile faded and then disappeared.

"Don't worry, Karen. I'll get better. You... need to leave. It's not safe here. I can't... protect you like this if someone else is attracted to the scent of my blood and investigates."

"I'm not leaving you! Nathan-"

"He's dead," Maya cut in softly. Water filled her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Karen. For everything. I didn't..." She shook her head. "I know this doesn't mean much, and it doesn't fix what I've done, but I'm really sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Never."

"Maya..."

Maya smiled again, a soft smile, before lifting her hand to bring it closer to her cheek. "I just want you to know how much I love-"

Weeping, her hand fell to her chest, clawing at herself.

"Maya? Maya! What's wrong?"

"He's... he's... alive...'"

In a strange contortion of moving flesh, his face popped out of the front of Maya's dress, his red eyes staring down at her. It frightened her so much, it almost scared her, Karen almost screamed and knocked Maya over.

"Do you think you can kill me that easily, Maya?"