The walls of the pack house were designed with beautiful drawings of wolf-like art, which Maya thought were excellent and aesthetic as she and Derek walked toward the place where she had left her warriors an hour ago.

  She was happy that her uncle had managed to uphold the pack, even after the last pack war. She was also relieved that her betrayal hadn’t caused Derek much lasting mayhem beyond a broken heart and a damaged trust.

  As she observed the bustling activity in the pack—the children running up and down, the group of women talking and laughing—she quietly concluded that her cousin’s pack was warmer than hers.

  Her own father had stopped children from entering the main pack house, claiming they were too distracting and disturbing.

  She abruptly halted, her mouth dropping open, when she saw a human male carrying a pup, or rather, playing with one. Instinctively, she tapped Derek.

  “What’s a human doing in your pack?” she asked, bewildered by the sight.

  “As you can see, he’s playing with a pup,” Derek replied, slightly amused by the expression on her face—his earlier resolve to stay hostile toward her temporarily forgotten, an expression that reminded him of times when they had been inseparable.

  He couldn’t blame her either. Knowing his uncle, he was sure the man would never allow humans anywhere near his pack; he would have killed them on the spot.

  Although Derek was still working past his own dislike for humans—especially since his mate was one—he still believed his uncle’s hatred for the wolfless beings was barbaric.

  “I can see that,” Maya said finally, rolling her eyes, forgetting for a moment that she was supposed to be hostile. “I’m asking why he is allowed to do that.” Her eyes remained glued to the scene.

  “Well, he is the little pup’s teacher. He must have come for his private lessons,” Derek explained, watching alongside her.

  The human male, oblivious to being watched, carried the lively pup into one of the houses positioned adjacent to the main pack house.

  “Your father allowed it? Wouldn’t the human notice some irregularities about us?” Maya pressed, still finding it unbelievable. Her father would never allow such a thing.

  It had taken serious intervention from her mother before she and her younger brother were allowed to attend high school in a neighboring county. Even then, the privilege had come with strict conditions—no dating humans.

  Flings were tolerated, but not relationships.

  She had done neither, throwing herself into training and pack duties. She wondered if that was why she was still mateless—her naivety, or perhaps her resistance to those who showed interest.

  “No. We are very careful about that,” Derek replied, wondering what she would say if she discovered he was working for a company owned by a human.

  “But why would your father allow it? We don’t really need the education,” Maya muttered, echoing her father’s exact words when her mother pushed for college.

  He had claimed education wasn’t necessary, that pack duties mattered more. But her mother had persisted until he reluctantly agreed to consider it.

  “Well, maybe,” Derek said. “Or maybe not,” he added after a moment. College was the only way he could see his little witch, and he wasn’t about to give that up. So it mattered.

  A smile crept across his lips—completely unbidden—as he thought of their moments together, especially that kiss. He had been completely undone by her second kiss.

  He had to admit—his little witch was a good kisser. He hoped she hadn’t kissed anyone else like that.

  The mere thought of another man’s lips on hers made him growl—a low sound that instantly snapped Maya’s attention toward him.

  “What’s wrong?” Maya asked, worry softening her features as her caring instincts overtook her hostile front.

  “Nothing,” Derek muttered, thrown off by the genuine concern he saw on her face.

  Was she ever sorry for what happened seven years ago?

  He dismissed the thought immediately. She was probably pretending to get on his good side.

  “Okay then,” Maya shrugged her shoulders in forced nonchalance. It wouldn’t do either of them any good if her father discovered they were already fraternizing.

  “So, are you attending college then?” she asked, shifting the topic.

  “Yes. Is there any problem?” Derek resumed walking, wanting to see the new visitors already. His friends were probably there.

  “Not really. Just curious,” Maya replied, wishing her father would allow her to attend college. Maybe she would find her mate there—if the Moon Goddess willed it.

  “Or maybe you’re trying to get information for your father, as usual,” Derek said sardonically, increasing his pace as he walked toward the pack’s meeting hall, not sparing her a glance.

  The gesture carried a cutting contempt.

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  —

  Derek sighed as he heard the bitter edge in his cousin’s voice. He couldn’t mistake it for pretense—his remark had genuinely hurt her.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  A familiar, unwanted thought crept into his mind. Was she finally feeling sorry for what she had done to him years ago?

  He hoped she was.

  Not because it would fix everything—they would never be what they used to be—but because some small, foolish part of him still wanted to believe that she cared.

  The trust between them had already been shattered, like fragile glass dropped from a great height. You didn’t glue something like that back together. You only learned to be careful of the shards.

  "Spaced out again?"

  Derek heard Shane’s voice through their shared mindpath and cursed under his breath.

  What is it this time? he wondered with irritation.

  He looked around sharply, finally taking in his surroundings.

  Damn! He was standing at the entrance of the Pack’s meeting hall.

  And worse—he was being stared at.

  Pack members from his side stood in an organized row to his right—his friends included, while the visiting warriors from his cousin’s pack stood on the opposite end, watching him like he was some strange spectacle.

  Realizing he’d just been caught unaware, he straightened, then stepped fully into the hall with deliberate confidence. He ignored the lingering, disdainful stares thrown his way by the visiting warriors.

  He already knew what they were thinking—that they were doing his pack a favor by being here. That they were superior. That his pack needed saving from the White Steed Pack.

  They wouldn’t be thinking that in a week.

  His pack wasn’t weak.

  And he would personally prove it.

  “Good evening, everyone.”

  A chorus of replies followed, but the response from the Wind Winders Pack could barely be called a greeting. It sounded more like reluctant muttering.

  “There’s no need for a long introduction,” Derek continued coolly. “I’ll get straight to the point.”

  His eyes flicked briefly toward Maya as walked to join the front line of her people. She stood tall, authoritative, every inch the Alpha she would become.

  Against his will, a spark of pride welled up in his chest.

  She really had grown into her role.

  His thoughts drifted briefly to Curtis—his other cousin. The one who had once tried to poison him with unknown shrubs simply because he believed Derek was stealing his sister’s attention.

  He snorted inwardly. I should ask Maya about that lunatic later.

  “You already know why you’re here,” he said aloud, directing the statement to Maya’s pack.

  “Yeah, to help you train.”

  The interruption came from a warrior in the Wind Winders Pack before Derek could continue.

  Derek’s jaw tightened. He had been about to describe the arrangement as an exchange of skill and battle knowledge—not some one-sided charity program.

  So not only did he have warriors to train, he would have egos to deal with.

  “Don’t interrupt an Alpha, Louis,” Maya snapped quietly, her tone sharp with authority.

  Derek scoffed softly. Who’s to say she didn’t mind-link the idiot to do it?

  Maya heard the sound and exhaled silently. She knew what it meant. He didn’t trust her. Not even now—maybe not ever.

  She did not miss the way his eyes had hardened toward her after her correction.

  I really have a long way to go with him, she thought. If reconciliation was even possible.

  "So you can break it again?" Sia, her wolf, cut in bitterly.

  Maya winced internally. They had always clashed over this topic—her betrayal.

  Sia never let her forget it. Never softened it. Especially that night when she had spied on Derek… and still reported him. Sia had made sure that guilt robbed Maya of sleep.

  Her wolf did not believe in excuses. Only consequences.

  "If you plan to hurt him again, don’t bother trying to fix anything," Sia said at last, then went silent.

  Maya swallowed.

  Her wolf was right.

  Mending something just to break it again would hurt far worse than leaving the damage as it was. Maybe it really was better to maintain the mask of bitterness. The illusion of hatred.

  Derek did not need to know that she had counted every year until she might see him again.

  Or that when she arrived earlier that evening, her eyes had searched desperately for his mother.

  She had missed her.

  And her pancakes the most.

  “Don’t mind my beta,” she said aloud finally, gesturing toward the tall, broad-shouldered man with dark brown hair beside her. “He can be unreasonable at times.”

  The beta scowled, clearly offended. He did not understand why Maya was apologizing to a pack she had no reason to bow to.

  “There’s no problem at all,” Derek replied coldly. “Are these the only warriors you came with?”

  He glanced over the roughly twenty warriors standing behind her.

  “Yes,” Maya answered. “If you need more—”

  “No,” he cut in. “They’ll do.”

  She nodded. “Then which of yours will be coming with us?”

  “All present here—except those two,” Derek said, pointing at Shane and Clem.

  “Why?” Maya asked, genuinely puzzled.

  She actually recognized both men. She had once played with them as children.

  They didn’t seem to remember that part. Their eyes carried nothing but hostility now.

  “Because I need my beta and gamma close,” Derek snapped. Her question had only irritated him further, because he believed she already knew the answer.

  “I see… Who leads your warriors then?”

  “He’ll be here shortly,” Derek replied, already linking Shane to demand Leo’s whereabouts.

  "He’s on his way," Shane answered promptly. "Just heard from him."

  “He should be here already,” Louis muttered arrogantly. “Aren’t they moving over tonight? You’re running out of time.”

  “They’re leaving tomorrow morning,” Derek corrected flatly.

  “No, cousin,” Maya interjected firmly. “They’re leaving tonight. We won’t leave our pack defenseless.”

  A wave of murmurs spread through the warriors.

  Derek’s jaw clenched. Then slowly, he exhaled. “Fine. I understand.”

  Relief ghosted across Maya’s features.

  “Where is he?” she asked again, her restlessness showing now.

  She wanted out of the hall. There was a scent in the air. Sweet. Pulling. Yanking at something deep within her.

  It was growing stronger by the second—and it was making her skin prickle uncomfortably.

  Her heart began to race.

  It can’t be…

  Please don’t let it be…

  “He is…” Derek began.

  “I’m here.”