Page 57 of Ruthless Reign

When Maverick enters his guest house a few hours later, he doesn't look surprised to see me—like I just casually break in every day.

But he does pause when he closes the door, doing a double take at my neck. I see the veins in his temple bulge, but I don't give him time to react, crossing the room until I'm right in front of him.

"Yes, we had sex," I say openly, not bothering to deny it. "We're all going to have to get used to it. But you're my mate too. I'm in this with you."

Maverick stares at me with a hardened face, but I refuse to back down. Finally, he relaxes—kind of—slumping slightly as he lets out a sigh.

"I don't know how I feel about all this, Nyx," he murmurs, running a hand over his face.

I cup his cheeks, forcing him to look at me. "I do. I love you, Maverick—even though sometimes I want to kill you as well. But I'm strong, like you. We can't let the past define our story."

There's a flash in his eyes, a pained expression breaking through. But if he's shocked that I know so much, he doesn't show it.

"I know you're strong," he answers, grabbing my hips. "But I can't promise I won't end up killing the others."

Smiling, I step into him, bringing our bodies together. When he smells apples—his shower soap—on my skin, he smiles softly.

I can see his eyes darting back to my neck, and I figure now's as good a time as any to tell him what I want.

"Complete the mate bond with me," I whisper. "I want to be yours fully—your mate, your Luna."

His eyebrows furrow as he glances down at me silently, but after a few seconds, he nods.

Stretching up on my toes, I bury my face into the crook of his neck, placing soft kisses along his skin. He tilts his head, giving me more space to move, and wrapping my arms around his waist, I hold him as I sink my teeth in. He doesn't make a sound except for a single shaky breath, and when I'm done, his hand brushes the hair away from my neck, canines elongating as he finally marks me.

Mira howls in my mind, a sense of peace and fulfilment in both of us.

Pulling back, we stare at each other, and finally, it feels like I'm home—everything falling into place.

Maverick leans down, pressing his lips to mine and I kiss him back. When we break apart, I'm nearly ready to drag him to the bedroom when Alpha Daxton's voice suddenly appears in my mind.

"Stevens, I need you to come to my office immediately."

I groan, letting out a frustrated growl. "Damnit. Alpha Daxton's timing isimpeccable. I swear he cockblocked me on purpose."

Maverick gives me an amused look. "What made you think I was going to give it up?"

Slapping his chest, I grab his hand, dragging us both toward the door. "Well, because of that comment, you're coming with me now."

I don't know what I was expecting when I walked through the door into Alpha Daxton's office. Apparently, bringing Maverick was the correct move, because Cade and Lex are here as well—the two of them standing against the wall, staring at the person sitting in front of the desk.

She turns to look at me when I enter, her expression appearing hostile.

"There you are," she mutters dryly, throwing a look of disgust toward the men.

"Lydiana?" I mumble, blinking a few times to make sure I'm not hallucinating.

The witch is the last person I thought I'd see in Shadow Creek, let alone in Alpha Daxton's office.

"Apparently, she had another premonition—one that couldn't wait," Alpha Daxton tells me with a hardened glare.

I frown, stepping further into the room as Maverick closes the door behind us. He gives her a snarky look, which doesn't go unnoticed by Lydiana. She wiggles her fingers, and I can't help but think it's a silent warning.

"I want to speak to the girl alone," she shoots at Alpha Daxton. "Leave us."

"Absolutely not," Maverick interjects. "Anything you say to her can be said to us."

She looks at me, and I give a calm nod. "It's okay. They want to help. What's going on?" I ask quietly.

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