Page 17 of M.A.Y.A
“The choice is yours, Maya,” he said. The truth lay bitter on his tongue, but she deserved to hear it. “Don’t worry about me. I’m the strongest wolf in the pack, and I will always do what’s best for my people, mate or no mate.”
She looked up at him now. “I appreciate all the safety that you’ve given me. The food, the clothes, and the company. But I was just released from my glass box. I’m worried that accepting a connection with you might just be another glass box that I'm stepping into. More importantly, I’m worried that I’m damning you in the process. Would a shifter really choose an automaton as his mate?”
“A shifter wouldn’t choose at all,” he said. Then stroked a finger down her cheek. “Fate decides. I’d never hurt you or stand in your way if you wanted to leave, tiny warrior. And if we were together, you’d be your own person. You’d have the freedom to roam.”
Within reason.
As if she read his thoughts, Maya reached out and pressed the palm of her hand against his chest, where his wolf rumbled. “Are you telling me that if we were to claim each other as mates, you wouldn’t be breathing down my neck about security? You wouldn’t want to know where I was at every second of the day?”
She’s right, he thought. He’d go ballistic if he didn’t know whether or not she was safe. As Alpha, his mate was a target for anyone interested in exploiting his weaknesses. Even though Maya was unlike any wolf or human he’d met, she was still vulnerable to attack, which meant he’d have to be careful with her.
“One day at a time,” he said, as he squeezed her closer to his side. “We have two weeks. Give me that time, and we’ll work on the bunker portal problem together while we get to know each other.”
To Isaiah’s delight, Maya rested her head against his shoulder. “I wish we knew how to close the portal. Then I could focus on the rest of my life. I refuse to go back to my dimension, and I refuse to let your dimension suffer the same fate.”
He chuckled. “From the sound of it, I wouldn't want that either. But you don’t have to wait until we close the portal to start living your life. We’ll get you a laptop, I’ll introduce you to one of the Den mothers who can provide any additional education that you may need, and you can stay here at the safe house for as long as you’d like.”
There was a long pause. “And the mating business?”
“Two weeks, tiny warrior. That’s more than enough time for you to make a choice. The decision is yours.”
“Even if I wasn’t partially robotic, we might not even be compatible,” she murmured as she extended her left hand and turned it over to expose the control panel.
“Let’s test fate, then.” Isaiah brushed her hair back from her face. He leaned forward, his eyes locked on hers and pressed his lips to her upturned mouth.
The impact from their first kiss was electric. He felt her shock, her desire course through him from the mating bond. Her eyes remained open and locked on his. He swallowed her gasp and savored her taste. A pillowy soft texture, a deliciously sweet flavor, and a feeling of absolute contentment invaded his bloodstream. He had to fight his every instinct that told him to drag her into his lap and hold her close. Instead, he nipped at her lower lip, tasting the wetness and reveling in the scent of her desire before pulling back.
“Normal is overrated,” he said quietly.
“Normal is what you deserve,” she whispered.
“No, Maya. I want a mate who is strong enough to rule by my side. Your will, your physical strength, and your determination prove that you’re fit for an Alpha’s mate.”
“How can you sound so sure?”
He ran the pad of his thumb over the curve of her cheekbone. He could feel her panic rising, the anxiety that swelled inside her like a tidal wave. “Let’s focus on getting you strong enough to fight your demons, and work on closing that bunker portal. Like I said. Two weeks is plenty of time.”
She nodded, then in a move so playful that it delighted his wolf, she nudged him in the leg with her knee. “In my dimension, people usually date for a while before they talk about long-term commitment.”
“And in my world,” Isaiah replied as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, “Alpha wolves will sometimes take what they want. You’re lucky I’m so nice that I’m not tossing you over my shoulder and dragging you off to my cave.”
She shivered and bit her lip as if trying to control her reaction to him.
Isaiah could already read her like a book.
“It’s getting late,” she said.
He got to his feet. “I’ll let you rest.”
Maya grabbed his hand before he stepped away. “No, that’s not what I meant. Ah, if you’re not tired, can we…tell me about yourself. I don’t think I can sleep for at least another couple hours. You’re here. Why don’t you talk about being a wolf the size of a sedan, and I’ll tell you what I remember about who I used to be?”
Without another word, Isaiah sat again and stunned them both by gripping her hips before quickly relocating her to his lap. When she didn’t protest, he snuggled her closer. This was dangerous for both of them. His control was fractured at a critical time when he needed to focus on pack safety.
But his mate needed him.
“Where do you want to start?” he asked.
Maya shrugged. “Tell me about your childhood I guess?”
