18. Digging a deeper hole?

**MAEVE**

I still couldn’t believe my luck when he uncuffed and set me free. As I hesitated and looked around the room nervously, feeling the heated gaze of the two men, I knew for sure that every step I take next has to be cautious. Even the slightest of my mistake could be death-defying.
Unsteadily, I stood on my legs and wobbled a little with a few steps as Xander was quick to lend a hand.
The man was uncharacteristically gentle, and I had to stare dumbly to decipher whether it was at all possible. Could a man really turn into a wolf? Who was I kidding? It was very much possible, for I have already witnessed the shifting.
“Thank you,” I managed to whisper, offering an awkward smile.
Regaining the balance, I hobbled out of his apartment and into mine and shut the door. And just to be sure, I turned the three locks. I hoped against hope that it would not come to that point where he would actually force his way into my home, all aggressive and violent.
However, the fear and anxiety were already lurking around somewhere in my brain. The sheer dread of the transformation repeatedly played in my head and flashed every time I tried to close my eyes.
Once upon a time, the visions of the human past and traumas were my concern. And now, I found out that my neighbors were convertible-werewolves, and one of them being magically paired with me—or so he claims.
I strode over to the kitchen, grabbed a yoga bar and a bottle of water, and ran straight into my bedroom. I doubted if the world of the internet could be of use now, but as a woman of this century, my first instinct was to turn to my laptop.
One search led to another, jumping from site to site and playing the videos non-stop, I did not realize that the sun has already set for the day. By the time the laptop blinked for low-battery, I had already exhausted all my energy and yoga bars. And yet, there was no conclusive information.
The downside of the comprehensive world of the internet was that anyone could talk baselessly about anything. Apparently, the occult subject was highly questionable, and because there was little to no proof, and all the points touched were inaccurate, I came up with nothing.
However, I was clear about one vital thing – and that I could not stay in this place anymore. Deep down, I feared my safety was compromised, and sleeping with one eye open was not a solution ever. So, I quickly grabbed a sling bag off the closet, stuffing the essentials like phone, charger, wallet, and passport, and I decided to escape. A motel for the night would be better or any place where I could think with a sane mind.
Since using the entryway or elevator wouldn’t be a wise option, I opted for the fire escape and unlocked the window. The zigzag of metal between layers of balconies was almost scary as I stared at the pattern dubiously.
What were the chances that I would slip off, break my neck, and die? But if I retrospect, my life was not exactly full of logical decisions either.
As I put my weight onto the first step, I realized that this would be a lot harder than I envisioned. The things squeaked worse than a rusty gate. And given how the air was quiet as a sleeping town, the noise seemed like a chorus.
“Maeve! Open the door!”
The sudden bark boomed like a blast, and my heart rate lurched into a higher gear. *No way!* Clumsily, I tried to swing a leg onto the other side, except my hand slipped.
“Ah!”
I had to spend every ounce of balance, on the one hand, to find my footing when the sound of forced entry through the door rented the air. Xander was merely a few seconds away. And the thought alone could make my skin turn pale.
I only managed to climb down a floor when a large, capable hand roughly grabbed my arm and yanked me back. Even if I had a fighting chance, I didn’t use it. Who could win against the strength of a wolf in human clothing?
“You have some nerves!” he gritted out, awkwardly hauling me back through the same window I had climbed off. My breaths came in pants, mixed with fear and exhaustion.
“You can’t blame me for trying,” I wheezed, meeting his blazing amber eyes.
Xander condemned me to a silent treatment for the longest minute as I staggered to the nearest chair and plopped down. It took a long time for my adrenaline to settle, but he appeared to be the least bit composed.
The anger rippled within him, so profusely, I could feel the wrath in waves. My assumption was only solidified when he finally decided to break the silence. “I trusted you,” he fumed, his voice as cold as Arctic glaciers. “And you just proved me how wrong I was.”
“You told me not to share your secret,” I countered a little haughtily. “I did not tell anyone. How is this breaking your trust?”
Xander closed the gap in two long strides and pinned me with an irate glare. “Is that all you have to say?”
“I didn’t know that I was being interrogated.” If my trembling voice was any inclination, I was a little terrified if I had crossed a line.
“Oh, this is about to get more difficult than that.” His crooked smile stretched wide as he slowly straightened himself. “You are not leaving my sight.”
And before I know it, his hand was clamped over my forearm, dragging me in his wake as he marched towards his apartment. I considered yelling for help, but the chances were too bleak. Besides, I couldn’t afford to anger him any more than he already was.
He slammed the door shut and released me. “Do you plan to abduct me away in your apartment forever?” I argued. “I have friends and colleagues, Xander. If I don’t show up at work, they will be suspicions. Good luck dealing with the police then. Oh, and yes, if they come for me then, I am sure as hell telling them what I saw.”
And because I was not a convincing liar, he detected it right through me. “You are not telling them anything because they won’t find you. For centuries, my clan existed among humans. And yet you came up with no evidence of our existence.”
I blinked at him. “How…how did you…?”
“We are supernatural creatures, my beloved mate,” he declared. “We have our own powers.”
“Again with the mate!” I rolled my eyes. “I am not your mate!”
“Really? Have you never felt our connection?” Xander moved closer, almost in the shadowy steps of a predator, and backed me against a nearby wall. “I am pretty sure that I smelled your heat far too many times and especially when I had spanked you.” Long, powerful fingers traced the side of my face, but it was his spicy breath that fanned my ears gave me goosebumps. “Seems like my human mate has a fragile memory…”
I felt a slight frisson of unease but quickly pushed it away. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything.
“I hate you,” I said, hardening my voice and staring intently into his eyes. “I absolutely loathe you.”
The force of my words hit him, and for a nano-second, the hurt reflected in his eyes. But Xander was quick to mask it off and covered up with a crooked smile.
“We will see.”
With that, he deposited me in his bedroom and exited, leaving me alone in a familiar setting. The door burst open only a few hours later as he walked in with his deadly grace.
“I could feel you, Maeve,” he drawled, almost teasingly. “I could always smell your fear as well as your desire.”
Nonsense. “You are kidding…”
“You are gift from the Goddess,” he said as I watched his eyes darkened with need. “You are mine, all mine.”
A growing fear stemmed from his edgy words. “Please don’t do this, Xander,” I croaked. “Please.”
“You don’t believe me, do you?” His brows pulled together, and seemed like he waited for my answer with bated breath. And when I didn’t, he whispered seductively. “But I can show you. I can demonstrate that the goddess did choose you for me and you are the only one who has the power to communicate with my wolf.”
“Please talk in English…” I groaned. *Nothing made sense.*
“Sorry. When I transform, all you have to do is touch me. You will know what I am talking about.”
The fear exploded into shock. “No. No way, I am not coming anywhere near…”
Xander captured my face into his hands in a gentle manner. “Maeve, look at me. I will never hurt you; I can never hurt you. My wolf would rather die protecting you, but he will never cause you any harm,” he said; his words carried the weight his conviction and compelled me to accept for what it was.
And I did feel his words. They reverberated and echoed within the walls of my heart and caressed my soul. *Was this bond really that powerful?*
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