Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Maya felt Wraith’s instant alarm as she woke. He means to suicide. He will destroy himself and Rogue to protect you.
Maya didn’t need her leopard to tell her Gorya’s intention. She’d already guessed; she just hadn’t been certain of his motivation. Part of her feared that he regarded her as so damaged he thought it useless to even try with her. She herself thought that. She was broken beyond repair. But there were the leopards to consider. And there was Gorya. He wasn’t nearly as bad a man as he thought himself.
Mostly, if she was admitting the truth to herself, every cell in her body and mind rejected the idea of losing him. That was how conflicted and confused she was. It wasn’t logical and made no sense, but she couldn’t bear the idea of any harm coming to him.
Rogue will stop him, she assured Wraith.
Rogue is very strong, but Gorya is stronger. My mate cannot prevent him from doing what he intends. You are the only one who can.
Now suddenly I’m important to you. You didn’t consult me when you accepted Rogue’s claim on you. It didn’t matter to you in the least how I felt. And it didn’t matter to Rogue how Gorya felt.
That isn’t true. You were too afraid. I accepted his claim, and that gave you time to accept Gorya. If I hadn’t, you would have run. You would have been unhappy. This way you have a chance to be happy. Rogue and Gorya have a chance to continue to live.
“I’ll have Gedeon escort you away from here as soon as you’ve rested. He’ll make certain you’re completely clear of all shifter territory. I never should have allowed Rogue to put you in this position.”
Maya sighed. She knew she wasn’t capable of a relationship with Gorya. What could she possibly give him? She was damaged goods. How could she fight for him if she wasn’t prepared to live with him? She struggled to think of a way out for them both. She knew there wasn’t one. Either she accepted the situation and his claim on her or she took the out he was giving her and walked away, leaving him to do whatever he felt he had to do.
Gorya still faced the window, refusing to look at her. He might have regained control, but that only added to the determination in every line of his body. From the back, he looked relaxed, once more the man who appeared to command everyone around him when he chose. She found it interesting that he could appear so easygoing and charming, and yet the moment he entered a room, those around him knew he was in charge and listened to every word he said.
“Maybe before we make permanent decisions, we should just slow everything down.”
Maya couldn’t think what else to say to him. She needed time. Sliding the pack from her back, she placed it on the bench at the end of the bed.
“It’s best if you just go now, Maya. I’ll text Gedeon and have him come get you. Grab a bottle of water. Use the bathroom. If you’re hungry, Gedeon and Meiling can feed you before you take off. He’ll let me know when you’re safely away.”
She noticed his fingers had curled tighter into fists. The fists were pressed against his thighs. His hands were back to displaying tension.
“Are you saying you’ve finally come to your senses and realized from my panic attack that I’m too much trouble and you don’t want to be with me after all?” She forced a note of self-deprecating humor into her voice.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Maya. I’m doing my best to save you. It isn’t easy letting you go. I have no idea how to have a relationship. None at all. But I can’t imagine living in this world without you. I’m doing my best for you. You have to get out of here now.”
There was sincerity in his tone. Her stomach rolled, and heat rushed through her veins unexpectedly. He didn’t want her to leave any more than she wanted to go. He was in the same dilemma as she was. Neither one of them knew what they were doing or how to fix what was broken in them.
“I think we should slow things down, Gorya, and not make decisions so fast. We’re both a little tired and hungry. I’m not quite ready to say we can’t make this work.”
“Really? You’re prepared to be my partner in every way? Sleep in my bed?”
There was a harsh rasp to his normally charming voice. A note of desire. Maya winced, grateful he wasn’t looking at her. She swallowed the first six things she considered saying, choosing her reply carefully.
“I have no idea if I’m even able to be a partner in every way. Honestly, I very much doubt it. The idea of it terrifies me, but I’m willing to consider ways to do this. We haven’t explored any possibilities. If you really want to give up this easily, go ahead and text Gedeon to come for me. I won’t believe for a moment that it’s because you’re trying to save me. You have a leopard. No one wants to deprive their leopard of its mate if they find the right one.”