Chapter 191
Mai’s P.O.V.
I didn’t sleep that night.
How could I?
Every time I closed my eyes, I felt the rush of the wind against my skin, the strength of Liam’s wolf beneath me, the way he ran like nothing else in the world mattered. The way he let me hold on to him without hesitation. It was the first time I had ever felt weightless.
I turned in bed, hugging my pillow, my heart still drumming in my chest. Liam had given me a ride on his wolf’s back. It was a dream come true. One I hadn’t even known I wanted.
I rolled over, pressing my face into my pillow to smother my squeal. Was I actually giddy? Me? Mai Blackwood?
I almost felt embarrassed for myself.
I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut. Damn it, Mai, get it together! I was acting like some love-struck fool over a guy who had made it his life’s mission to avoid me for years. It wasn’t like that. It wasn’t.
Before I could argue with myself further, a knock rattled against my door.
I ignored it.
It rattled again.
I threw my pillow at the door. “Go away, Ollie p>
The door slammed open. Of course, it did. Ollie never respected my personal space.
“What are you doing?” His amused voice rang through the room. “Did you finally go insane p>
I turned my head to the door to glare at him. “I hate you p>
“No you don’t.” he said confidently before he stepped inside, arms crossed, grinning. “Why are you smiling like that p>
“I’m not smiling p>
“Yes, you are.” He strolled over to my bed, flopped onto it, and squinted at me. “You’re glowing. What happened p>
“Nothing p>
Ollie gasped dramatically. “Oh my goodness. It’s Liam, isn’t it? What happened? Spill. Now p>
I groaned. “You’re so annoying p>
“And you’re avoiding the question.” Ollie sat up, rubbing his hands together like a villain in a bad movie. “Come on, tell me. Or do I have to tickle it out of you p>
I swatted at him. “Fine! I—” I sighed, sitting up properly. “I kidnapped him p>
Silence.
Ollie blinked. What p>
I crossed my arms. “I had to. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have listened to me p>
Ollie looked both horrified and impressed. “You kidnapped a guy to make him talk to you p>
“Yes p>
He whistled. “You’re unhinged p>
I smirked. “Thank you p>
Ollie rolled his eyes, but his expression softened. “So, what happened after that p>
I hesitated. “We made up p>
He blinked again. “You’re telling me that you literally kidnapped Liam Rivers, forced him to listen to you, and somehow, that made everything better? Just like that p>
I shrugged. “Not just like that. We… talked. And then he let me ride on his wolf’s back p>
Ollie gaped at me. “No way p>
I grinned. “Way p>
For a moment, he just stared at me, then his smile faded. He suddenly looked serious, which was so unlike him that it sent a chill down my spine.
“Mai His voice was softer now. “I’m happy for you. Really. But you need to be careful p>
My smile wavered. “What do you mean p>
“You and Liam… I know he makes you happy, but you have to remember—we’re not eighteen yet p>
I blinked, caught off guard. “So p>
“So… we don’t know who our mates are.” He hesitated. “I just don’t want you to get too attached and be disappointed if Liam isn’t your mate p>
My face burned in embarrassment. “Oh, my God. Ollie. It’s not like that p>
His smirk returned. “Oh, really p>
“Yes, really.” I lifted my chin. “Liam is just my friend p>
Ollie burst out laughing. “Sure. Just a friend you kidnapped. Just a friend you’re obsessed with p>
I threw a pillow at his face. “Get out p>
Still laughing, Ollie dodged the pillow and jumped off my bed. “Just saying! You’re gonna cry when you realize p>
“GET OUT p>
He bolted out of the room before I could throw anything else at him.
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. That idiot.
Even after he was gone, I could still hear his voice in my head. You’re obsessed with him.
I wasn’t.
I wasn’t.
I wasn’t.
I needed Liam. That was different.
He was the only thing that made the whispers in my head disappear. The only thing that made the world go quiet.
That wasn’t love.
I squeezed my eyes shut. Go to sleep, Mai.
But I couldn’t.
I tossed and turned, frustration bubbling under my skin. Finally, I sat up, my pulse thrumming with an idea.
Screw this.
I needed to check on Liam.
If I saw Liam’s face, I’d feel normal again. That’s all I needed.
I got out of bed, stepping into my bathroom. The mirror above the sink shimmered under the ceiling light.
knew spying on him like this was wrong. Horrible, even.
But I never claimed to be a good person.
Besides, I’d been peeking at him through his bedroom window for weeks now, so what was the difference?
Still, this would be the first time I used magic to do it.
I placed my hand on the cool glass, letting my magic stir.
“Show me Liam p>
The mirror rippled.
And then, there he was.
Sitting on his bed, hunched over his sketchbook, pencil moving in steady strokes.
I smirked. Does he ever get tired of drawing?
I leaned in, drawn to the way his pencil moved across the page. His expression was peaceful, his lips curled into the faintest smile.
Something in my chest tightened—warm, aching.
Then suddenly three sharp knocks sounded at the door.
Liam glanced up as his mother peeked in. “Sweetheart, can we talk p>
There was something about the tone of her voice that put me on edge.
Liam closed his sketchbook. “Yeah p>
She stepped inside, hesitant, like she was crossing into dangerous territory. The edge of his bed dipped as she sat down, hands twisting in her lap.
“What’s the matter Mom?” Liam asked eying his mother with concern.
“It’s about Mai.” She replied with a grim look on her face.
Instantly, the warmth in my chest turned to ice.
I leaned forward, barely breathing.
Liam’s mother exhaled slowly, like the words she was about to say hurt her deeply. “People are talking. They say you’re always with her these days p>
Liam didn’t move.
“I know you are a really nice person, but Mai is dangerous, sweetheart. And after what she did to you as a child and continued to do to you after that Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard. “I’m scared she’ll hurt you again. We had worked so hard to get you away from her poison, I don’t want to see all that sacrifice crash and burn p>
A lump formed in my throat.
“Promise me, Liam.” Her voice was so soft, so desperate. “Promise me you’ll stay away from her p>
I waited.
I hoped.
Begged, silently, for him to say she was wrong.
Then, in the quietest voice, he whispered—
“I promise p>
The world shattered.
I stumbled back from the mirror, my pulse pounding. No.
No, no, no.
He promised.
Promised to stay away from me. Why? Why would he promise such a thing p>
The whispers slithered into my mind, cold and amused. “Let’s Kill her p>
I gasped, shaking my head. “No p>
“Kill her. Make her regret ever making him promise that, Mai p>
“No!” My hands gripped my head, fingers digging in as if I could claw the voices out.
The whispers twisted into something sharper. “Fine. Then hurt someone else. You’ll feel better p>
I clenched my teeth. “No p>
“Do it”
“No”
“DO IT”
And then—everything snapped.
My vision blurred, edges melting into something unreal. My body was no longer mine.
It was just a blink.
A little shift.
And suddenly, I was somewhere else.
A bedroom.
The air smelled different—linen and old paper. Shadows stretched across the walls, distorted by the soft light of a bedside lamp.
Whose room is this?
Then I saw him.
Arthur.
He lay tangled in his sheets, chest rising and falling in steady breaths. Peaceful. Unaware.
Then, something in the air changed.
His eyelids fluttered. His fingers twitched. His breath hitched.
His body tensed.
“Mai?” His voice was thick with sleep, groggy, confused. Then sharper—more alert. “What the hell are you doing here p>
I wanted to answer. Wanted to tell him I didn’t know. That I shouldn’t be here.
But I couldn’t.
The words in my throat weren’t mine.
They spilled out anyway—soft, ancient, twisting through the air like silk unraveling in the wind.
Magic.
A golden needle and thread glowed in my hands, humming with something dark and alive.
Arthur’s eyes went wide.
Terror flashed across his face, raw and real. He pushed himself up, his hands flying to grab me, to shake me awake—
Too late.
The magic had him now.
He screamed.
The sound curdled into something muffled as the magic yanked him down, pinning him to the floor. He thrashed, muscles straining, eyes wild with panic.
I watched—powerless—as my hands moved on their own.
One perfect loop at a time, I stitched his mouth shut.
His muffled cries. His fingers clawing at his face. His body jerking, desperate, fighting against something he couldn’t break.
I couldn’t stop.
I couldn’t breathe.
Then—blackness.
A heartbeat later, I was back in my room.
Warm. Safe.
The silence rang in my ears. My body trembled as I crawled under my covers, curling into myself.
And then, I slept.