Unavoidable

Unavoidable

Maya couldn't shake the weight of Liam's last words to her

"This is just the beginning, Maya."

Those words echoed in her mind like a constant drumbeat, no matter how much she tried to drift away from it. For days, she avoided Liam at all cost, focusing on her training, classes, and anything else that could keep her mind preoccupied. But her efforts to maintain distance were becoming useless.

Liam was everywhere.

It started subtly from a passing glance in the pack halls, a casual appearance near her usual spots in the woods. But soon, it became consistent. Wherever Maya went, Liam found a way to be there. And to make it worse, her wolf betrayed her the more, growing restless and no longer resisting whenever he was near, pulling her toward him even as she keep fighting to stay away.

The first time she cornered him was during a pack meeting in the training hall. Alpha Marcus had assigned a scouting mission to some of the younger pack members to survey the southern border. Maya wasn't expecting to be chosen as part of the scouting, but due to her exceptional ability Marcus couldn't gamble not picking her.

"You'll lead the team," he declared, been the alpha's order, there was no room for argument.

Maya stood tall, nodding. "Understood."

"And Liam will accompany you to assist you as your second in command on this mission," Marcus added, his voice tender, though the decision seemed anything but Liam's. 

Maya stiffened, her sharp inhale giving away her displeasure. She glanced sideways at Liam, who leaned against the far wall, arms crossed. He smiled which made her blood boil more.

"Sir Marcus,That is not necessary ," she said through gritted teeth, addressing Alpha Marcus. "I'm capable of handling this on my own, without his assistance."

Alpha Marcus raised a brow. "Liam's experience on the field will balance your instincts. It's my decision not his!."

Liam stood off the wall and walked over, his confidence infuriating. "Relax, Maya," he said calmly . "I will accompany you just to make sure you don't get yourself in over your head."

Her wolf growled inside her, she was angered with his statement, and the undeniable pull his presence caused. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Good thing I'm not volunteering to babysit anyone ," Liam shot back, his voice low enough that only she could hear. His eyes burned with that same intensity she'd seen in the clearing. "Think of it as hmm…backup."

Maya turned away from him, her hands clenched at her sides. She could already feel the coming tension, and she hated that Marcus had forced her into this.

---

On the mission, Liam was unrelenting. He tried not to overshadow her physically, but his presence was oppressive in other ways. He spoke only when necessary, keeping his eyes on her as though he were waiting for something. Which kept maya on edge.

At one point, while they walked through the dense forest, he broke the silence. "I know You've been avoiding me as much as you can."

Maya didn't glance back. "Maybe because I don't want to talk to you."

"That's not going to work, you know," he said calmly, his tone almost conversational. "The more you fight this, the harder it's going to be."

Maya stopped abruptly and spun to face him. "You think this is some game, Liam? You think you can just keep showing up and force me until I give in? It doesn't work like that."

His expression didn't waver. "You tell me how it works, then. Because your inner wolf doesn't seem to agree with you."

Her jaw tightened, her pulse quickening. "You don't know anything about what I'm feeling right now ."

Liam stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I know you feel it, Maya. The bond. The pull. You can deny it all you want, but it's not going away."

She refused to step back, even though her instincts told her to. "You think this is about the bond? You don't understand me at all."

"Then make me understand," he said, his eyes searching hers. For a moment, she thought she saw vulnerability in his gaze, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Maya scoffed, shaking her head. "You don't get to demand anything from me, Liam. Not after everything you've done to me ."

Liam's jaw clenched, but he didn't press further. Instead, he stepped back, giving her space. "You can hate me all you want, but you can't run from this forever."

---

By the time they returned to the packhouse, Maya was restless . Every word Liam had said replayed in her mind, making her question everything she thought she knew about herself. Her wolf was restless, her emotions was a mess.

Later that evening, as she went back to her room, hoping for a moment of peace. She barely had time to close the door before a knock sounded. She froze, her heart pounding. She didn't need to guess who it was.

When she opened the door, Liam stood there, his expression unreadable.

"What do you want now?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

Liam hesitated, his usual confidence wavered for the first time. "We need to talk."

Maya narrowed her eyes. "About what? 

How you've made it your mission to invade every corner of my life?"

He didn't reply her. Instead, he stepped closer, his voice low and quite serious. "Something's coming, Maya. Something bigger than you or me. You can feel it, can't you?"

Her stomach tightened at his words, sending a chill running down her spine. She wanted to dismiss him, to slam the door in his face. But the look in his eyes were dark, intense, and unyielding 

Which made her pause.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice shaky now.

Liam's gaze didn't waver. " I guess you'll find out soon enough."

Before she could question him further, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the doorway with her heart pounding and her countenance disturbed. 

For the first time, Maya felt the weight of something bigger looming over her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that Liam was right. 

Something was coming. 

And she wasn't sure if she was ready to face it. 

Suddenly a low, menacing howl echoed in the distance, cutting through the night air. It was unlike any howl she'd ever heard before, and it sent fear down her spine.