*Blair*
I took a deep breath as I stood in front of the door. Ever since I’d learned about Emile’s betrayal, I’d been yearning to see Maddox. Unfortunately, he’d been swamped with his Beta responsibilities, and I couldn’t get a moment with him. But now, the news had reached me that he was about to leave with Zander. I couldn’t wait any longer. My feet carried me to his doorstep.
I gently knocked and waited there with a pounding heart. The door slowly creaked open. A look of sheer surprise washed over Maddox’s face.
“Blair?! Umm… You need something?” His voice quivered with concern, and his eyes held a mixture of shock and curiosity.
“Can I come in?” I whispered, a soft smile on my lips.
Maddox hesitated for a moment, then opened the door wide and stepped aside, granting me entry. I heard the door close softly behind me. As I entered his room, I couldn’t help but inhale deeply, lost in the scent that surrounded me. It was distinctly Maddox, a blend of the forest and the refreshing aroma of rain.
My heart raced wildly with his presence so close, and I could sense his eyes on me, even without looking at him. It made me want to turn and run into his arms, but I resisted, focusing instead on the room to banish those tempting thoughts from my mind.
The room exuded an air of elegance, with its stark contrast of ivory and black furnishings. The walls stood pristine in white, absorbing the heavy silence that hung between us. Maddox stood there, his patience a testament to his unwavering composure.
I took a few moments to gather my thoughts before I summoned the courage to face him.
“Maddox, I heard about Emile,” I whispered, my eyes filled with empathy, searching his.
His frown deepened, and he averted his gaze.
“Blair, if you want to talk about those things, I don’t have time. I have to leave in a few hours, and I have to pack and prepare for it ,” he said with a curt edge, striding purposefully to the table where maps and notes sprawled like a cartographer’s masterpiece. Clothes and assorted belongings lay scattered on his bed, a visual indicator of the impending departure.
A dirty thought flickered in my mind, conjuring images of him with me on that tousled bed, a fantasy that drew an involuntary hitch in my breath. Panic seized me, and I shook my head vigorously to dispel the tempting reverie.
“Maddox, talk to me!” I implored, taking determined steps toward him.
“Leave me alone, Blair,” he retorted sternly, his eyes fixed on the intricate details of the map. However, his grip on the pencil in his hand tightened painfully, indicating his inner turmoil.
“No, I won’t!” I declared, my refusal cutting through the charged air.
Maddox, turning to face me, was a tempest of fury, his anger palpable in flaring nostrils and blazing eyes.
“Are you here to mock me?” he spat out, the words sharp and laced with resentment.
“Hell, no! Why would I mock my mate?” I snapped back, irritation bubbling up at the unjust blame he seemed to cast upon me.
“I don’t fucking have a mate! And I don’t ever want to have one,” he growled, fiercely glaring at me in a display of frustration.
But you have me!
“This doesn’t happen just because you say it. We both are mates, and the Moon Goddess has done this,” I argued, my conviction unwavering.
“Blair, don’t try my patience. I am not in a good situation to mess up with,” he warned, his eyes darkening dangerously. There was a vulnerability beneath his tough exterior, a silent plea for understanding.
My heart ached for him. Despite his vehement denial, the pain he carried was evident. Emile’s betrayal had inflicted wounds that ran deep, and I could see the fractures in Maddox’s resilience.
“I am not messing up with you, Maddox,” I murmured, my gaze softening with all the love I held for him.
A breath of vulnerability hung in the air as I bared my soul.
“I am here to share your pain,” I admitted, a quiet resolve in my voice as my hand rose, trembling from hesitation slightly, to make contact with his chest.
An electric jolt passed between us, an unspoken connection that surged through my veins. His reaction was palpable a sudden jolt, an Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. The charged atmosphere crackled with an unspoken understanding.
Summoning courage, I closed the distance between us, our gazes locking in a silent exchange. The acknowledgment of our connection, the undeniable bond of mates, lingered in the air like an unspoken vow.
Deep into his stormy grey eyes, I whispered, “Let me heal you.”
My mate!
“Blair, my belief won’t change just because I am now mateless,” he ground out, the words carrying a weight of pain that seemed to pierce through the layers of his stoicism.
You still have a mate, stupid!
Though I didn’t share his perspective, I found myself nodding in understanding, respecting my mate’s decision.
“You deserve better than me,” he mumbled, gently removing my hand from his chest and turning his back toward me.
But now I couldn’t accept his words. I couldn’t agree with him. My conviction bubbled up, and I couldn’t hold back any longer.
“There is no one better than you for me, Maddox, because no one can care for me as you do, my mate,” I declared, reaching out to grab his hand.
The sensation sparked to life when my skin touched his, leaving me yearning for more of his touch. A gasp escaped from my parted lips as our eyes locked, leaving me breathless. His chest heaved as his gaze darkened, dropping to my lips. His fingers curled around my hand, pulling me closer. My eyes widened as my petite form crushed against his hard body. In that stolen instant, the world seemed to fade away and only he mattered.
My mate!