Ashes and Scales: Remember Us, Mate

Chapter10: A Blissful Haze

MAIA

The kiss deepened, and I could feel the heat between us intensifying with each passing second. My arms moved on their own, wrapping around his shoulders and pulling him closer, eager to feel every inch of him against me.

The fire of the moment engulfed us, and Keir flipped us around with a swift movement. We tumbled onto the bed, my back hitting the soft mattress as he landed on top, his weight pressing down on me, sending shivers down my entire body.

I instinctively wrapped my legs around his thighs, bringing him closer while my hands trailed up his back. His lips remained on mine, devouring mine as if we did not have much time left, and my fingers finally found their place in his hair as our breaths became heavier, the sound filling the room and mingling with the soft moans that escaped us both.

His lips were like fire—hungry and relentless, as if he was determined to consume every part of me, weakening my knees and making me grateful to be lying down.

Abruptly, they left mine and trailed down to my neck, burning my skin with need as his breath heated it. A wave of sensations swept over me, making my breath ragged and my heart pounded crazily, as if my chest were about to burst open.

Every touch, every kiss felt like electricity surging through me. I had imagined this moment for so long, dreamed about what it would be like to be this close to him, and now that it was happening, it was overwhelming in the most perfect way.

But then, a sharp knock on the door jolted us out of our blissful haze. We both froze, breathless, and stared at each other for a moment before Keir let out a sigh. He leaned down and kissed my forehead softly, whispering that he needed to get to the door, his voice thick with desire, and I nodded, the red creeping up my cheeks and burning my skin.

He slowly pulled away, leaving me lying on my back, trying to calm my racing heart and steady my breathing. As he moved toward the door, I remained where I was, feeling the aftereffects of what had just happened, my entire body tingling, the sensation still buzzing through my veins.

I could barely think straight. The sensation of Keir's lips on mine, his hands, the way we fit together—it was everything I had ever desired and more, and despite my efforts to calm down, my heart continued to race.

But a wave of nervousness overcame me after a moment as reality set in. I quickly sat up, my hands trembling slightly from the intensity of what had just happened, as I pushed my hair back into place. With my cheeks still red, I inhaled deeply and tried to gather myself while Keir opened the door. Whoever was on the other side was about to enter, and I needed to look composed. I straightened my shirt, adjusting myself before moving to the edge of the bed, and in that moment, Mrs. C entered with a sub box.

"I just came from the market, and when I passed the pizzeria, I saw they had a buy one, get one free deal," she said, holding up the box. "Your favorite sweet and sour sub was included." She then looked over at me, having just realized I was in the room. She greeted me, and I responded in a softer tone than I intended, as if she could see through me and knew exactly what we were doing when she knocked.

I was relieved she was not a wolf; otherwise, she would have smelled my arousal because I was practically dripping.

"How is the job going?" she asked casually, and I told her it was going well. "I’m learning a lot about how rich folks operate," I added with a small, nervous laugh and she smiled kindly, saying she was happy and proud of me.

“I didn’t know you were here, Maia. Otherwise, I would have bought you something," she went on, and I told her it was fine, that I would share it with Keir. She asked if I liked tuna, offering me her turkey and tuna sub. But I politely declined, explaining that I was not hungry. I had not eaten since lunch at work, but I did not think I would be able to eat with these butterflies in my stomach.

Mrs. Chaddock nodded, softening her expression as she asked me to remind Keir to take his medication after the sub. I promised I would. With that, she said she’d bring us some soda, still holding the shopping bags in her hands. Keir and I thanked her, and he offered to come get the soda. He brought the sub over to me on the bed before helping his mother with the bags.

My cheeks flushed again, suddenly shy, as he glanced back and promised to return shortly before shutting the door. “Okay,” I whispered, watching them leave the room.

When the door clicked shut behind them, I took a deep breath and scrambled to my feet, rushing to the bathroom, desperate to see myself in the mirror.

Looking at my reflection, I blushed even more at how flushed I still was. "Get a grip," I whispered to myself, attempting to quiet the wild thoughts racing through my head. But no matter how hard I tried, the inevitable question arose: What next?

I had confessed my feelings to Keir. He kissed me. What did it all mean? Did he feel the same way, or was it just a spur-of-the-moment reaction? Maybe he kissed me because he heard me say I loved him and didn’t know how else to respond. I hoped with everything in me that it wasn’t just that. I wanted it to mean more.

Keir didn’t have to worry about me finding a mate. There was no one for me in our town, and I was not going to risk bringing a stranger into our lives and jeopardizing my family's safety.

Some wolves continued to hold on to the mate bond, hoping to find "the one," but I had long since given up on that. The greedy wolves had ruined it for everyone when they discarded the bond, leaving others like me waiting alone while they moved on. And I couldn’t hold out hope for someone who might reject me because I wasn’t wealthy or influential enough to matter in their world.

Shaking my head, I washed my sweaty hands. As I returned to the bedroom, Keir walked back in at the same time, carrying the soda.

We exchanged smiles as our eyes met, and he handed me my drink before taking a seat beside me on the bed.

“I’m not going to eat. I’m not hungry,” I said and he pouted, his eyes widening dramatically as he playfully whined, “No, please don’t make me eat alone!”

I giggled at his antics. “Okay, fine, I’ll have a small piece,” I relented, but when he cut me a piece, it was huge.

“That’s not small!” I complained, laughing, but I took it anyway, knowing he wouldn’t let me off the hook.

As we ate, the tension between us eased, and our conversation shifted to lighter topics. His mom had forgotten to pick up her inhaler from the pharmacy, which stayed open late. Keir asked if I’d go with him to get it.

“Of course,” I said and suggested we walk, thinking maybe we’d have a chance to talk about what happened on the way.

•••

ZORAYA

I stood in front of the mirror, my eyes scanning every inch of my reflection as I prepared to leave the house. The silver dress hugged my body perfectly, emphasizing every curve. There was no denying how beautiful I was. But tonight, I didn’t feel it.

Under my left eye was a tiny pimple, invisible under layers of makeup, but I knew it was there and it mocked me. I had no idea what caused it or what had bitten me, but it was enough to dampen my spirits. I hated it. Flaws like that didn’t belong to someone like me—not when I had an image to uphold.

I sighed, grabbed my clutch, and headed toward the door. I didn’t want to be late. Cian had called earlier, and we discussed the tender that his family had finally obtained—the one that both of our families had been vying for for the previous six months.

Billions were at stake, and it was a war of sorts, with both sides relentless in their efforts to win. I was happy for Cian and his family—genuinely happy. But when I told Tori, who came to see me after speaking with my mother, she looked at me as if I were the devil.

What was wrong with feeling happy for them? It was not like I was saddened that my parents had lost the bid, and I would not pretend to be to please her or them. They started the entire feud and dragged it out for years, poisoning everything around them with their accusations.

They claimed Cian's family trafficked wolves and ran an underground fight club, forcing unwilling wolves to fight to the death for their own entertainment. They claimed they were terrible people who had done unspeakable things, but they had no proof. Not a shred. And yet, everyone—including Tori—fed into their toxicity.

I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. They had no right to say such things without evidence, and it made me sick. Cian's family was out there feeding the poor and doing good for people, which my parents could never do, no matter how righteous they claimed to be. And now, I was invited to share in their joy, despite being their daughter.

I shivered, thinking about the last interaction my father had with Cian when he surprised me at my dorm and found us together. He lost his mind. He caused a scene so humiliating that I could barely look Cian in the eye afterward. I never forgave him for that. Every time I thought about it, I felt a burning hatred towards him.

I was glad they decided to extend their weekend getaway. Otherwise, I would not have been able to go to Cian's house because they would ask where I was going and check on me, which irritated me and made it difficult for me to live my life. I don’t get why parents have a child and then dedicate their days to torturing that child.

I headed downstairs and made my way toward the front door. But just as I reached it, the door swung open and I froze. This couldn't be happening.

"What are you doing here?"