Chapter 7 : Hidden Motives

Maya

Maya tried to touch her again, not liking the look on the girl's face. However, Karen again rejected Maya's touch by taking a few steps back.

When Karen finally realized that she was somehow connected to Nathaniel, her anger exploded. This meant that Maya could not be trusted. Ignoring the fact that Maya had never harmed her before, she dismissed it as part of a plan she didn't know about.

"With Nathan, what is your relationship with him?" she asked firmly. "And don't lie. Your scent is exactly like his."

Nathaniel Visconti, or better known as Nathan, is a rouge werewolf. Not only that, he is also a half-blood black witch. He is the reason for all the pain and frustration her friends are going through. He tricked Rylan and his lover until one of them was separated while the other was sealed for 5 years. He destroyed Selene's home, killed her family, kidnapped her brother and erased his memories. He placed a curse on Mike's right hand that destroyed his grandfather, grandmother, and father before him— he made them watch as the curse grew worse over time until it consumed him completely.

He absorbed the bodies and powers of the werewolves he deemed necessary to make himself stronger, hoping to become a powerful true werewolf. He wanted the sacred moonstone for himself to strengthen his purpose. As she watched Maya, fear crept up her spine and anger burned in her eyes. Killing another person to gain her power was bad enough, but absorbing a body and molding it to become one with her body was despicable.

When Maya heard the name of the man who had just been mentioned, her eyes widened. She replied honestly, "You must be the chosen one he mentioned. The guardian of the sacred moonstone. That's why I felt you were carrying the fragments."

But she remained suspicious, "But you never tried to take them from me."

"I intend to later, Karen, for my master needs them."

"Over my dead body! Now tell me, what is your relationship with him?"

"He gave me life to take revenge on my enemy when I was near death. My enemy is now dead thanks to Nathaniel's help. Now I serve him," Maya replied firmly.

"I should have killed you, Karen." She said again with a frown on her face.

Karen froze, knowing that a fight between them was inevitable. If only she hadn't been so stupid and taken Maya at her word. Of course, her offer of help was just a lie to get close to her and kill her on alert. But looking at Maya's sad face, she could not understand why she was wearing such an expression. And if her words were to be believed, she didn't even know that she was the guardian of the Sacred Moonstone.

Karen was confused, but there was no doubt in her mind that Maya, as one of Nathan's subordinates, would not let her live.

Then Maya approached her and held her face with clawed hands before she could blink. Karen thought she was attacked and got ready to unleash her magical powers, but Maya tilted her head up and lowered her own to kiss the startled girl.

Karen couldn't move, and she didn't have a chance to, because the kiss was so quick that she almost believed that it was all a delusion. As Maya began to speak, she could feel her warm breath touching her lips as only a few inches separated their mouths.

"I was sent to the Alpha Xavier competition on my master's orders, to take advantage of the number of female wolves and absorb the stronger ones. Then I sensed you, a young hybrid wolf and guardian of the werewolves' heirloom Sacred Moonstone, and his curiosity made me investigate. I thought about killing you after feeling the shards of the gem you were wearing, but now—"

Staring into her piercing green eyes, Karen saw something she never expected to see on a woman's face. Desire. She lowered her lips to hers again, but before they touched, Karen raised a hand to hover over Maya's chest. She unleashed a powerful blow that pushed Maya away from her.

Wincing from the impact, Maya slowly got up from the ground a few steps away and looked at Karen with an angry expression on her face. Before she could decide whether to kiss the young girl's angry face or punch her, a powerful aura approached.

Resignation filled Maya's face as she realized she had to part with her. She knew she was no match for an Alpha like him. Nathan warned her not to use the abilities she had been given in front of the Westwood Pack Alpha or he would kill her, but not before he found out about Nathaniel from her.

She was sure that Karen was not going to keep quiet about what they shared. Nathan had once said that they had some kind of alliance, and with the new burn Karen had given her, she knew that she considered herself an enemy.

"We will meet again, Karen. Try not to belong to anyone until then," Maya said. Even though she was a young girl, Maya wasn't sure what she was going to do with Karen once she escaped, because she couldn't bear it if someone else had her.

Karen started to ask what she meant, but suddenly she couldn't breathe as a poisonous fog rose from the ground. She felt sick, coughing and covering her mouth with her hand to try to filter the air as the purple mist blocked her view, partially obscuring the twilight sky and killing the surrounding plants.

She knew she had to escape or die in this mist. Karen knew that Nathan's toxic smog had no effect on her spiritual powers. So she sent out a pure aura that dispersed the fog around her, making it easier to breathe. She didn't know how far the smog had spread or how many women were left in this horrible marriage game, but Karen knew that if she had to face the poisonous smog and struggle, she was in trouble. She was tired and her spiritual strength wouldn't last forever. Her human body could not keep up with the grueling demands of today's events.

Then she felt another aura approach and was about to cry out of frustration until she realized who it was. She felt relieved as she felt his presence coming closer. Even though she couldn't see him yet, his presence alone calmed her. She heard him before she saw him.

"Karenina."