Unleashing Maverick - COMPLETED

// Twenty - Seven \\

Recap:

Elora fought (and would've won over ) Faye. Afterwards, Maverick came up with a temporary solution to the whole demon problem by having Elora mark him ( since Luna's must mark their alphas unlike other mates).

Chelsea found her mate ( Maxwell- a character you haven't been introduced to yet), and Liz found her mate... our favvv Reece!!

We ended the chapter by having Lucaya ask to talk to Elora....

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El...can I talk to you?"

The masculine voice is from other than Lucaya.

What did he want....again?

Turning around to face him, I take in his full appearance.  Besides his attire being neat, he looks awful. From the dark circles under his eyes to his long and very unkempt hair, he appears as though he hasn't slept in weeks.

I know I see him in school numerous times, but I guess I haven't actually looked at him since the time he confided in me about his problems with his mate, Celeste.

Speaking of her, I also haven't seen her a whole lot lately.

Not that I'm complaining.

"What is it?" I ask softly, noticing how nervous he seems by the way he's tapping his fingers on the side of his leg. He also isn't looking at me in the eye which is odd for him.

"Um can we not talk here... could we go somewhere more um private?" His voice goes up a whole octave by the time he finishes his question.

Sighing, I get up from my seat and approach him.

"Yeah sure. As long as we're back for cake." I follow him to a clearing beside the packhouse, opposite of the party. I text Maverick a quick 'be right back', so he won't  start freaking out and wrecking havoc at the party.

That's all I need.

Once we approach a fallen log, perfect for sitting, he waits for me to sit before taking a seat beside me.

"Is this about Celeste?" I blurt out before he can begin. I watch as his head hangs a bit lower in... shame?

"Yeah... about that... I rejected her."

What?? He rejected her??

"I thought she rejected you?" I study his features as it goes from upset to distressed.

"No. She pretended as though she rejected me, but I had had enough of the false hope and the feeling of her lusting after another. I did the rejection ritual, ridding her completely as my mate. Any sort of bond we may have had is completely shattered." Tears are streaming down his face, and I feel my heart ache a bit for my friend.

The rejection ritual is such a hard thing to do, especially amongst those who have already marked each other and possibly mated. The ritual is usually looked at as a 'last resort' and, although is not physically painful, the emotional pain one receives while partaking is so much worse than any physical pain.

No wonder Lucaya looks like a walking corpse.

"Oh, Lucaya. I'm so sorry... you didn't deserve what she did to you though..." I rub his back as he continues to cry.

"D-do you think the moon goddess will give me a second chance mate? Or am I just a hopeless cause?"

His pleading is making it hard for me to think of what to say. I don't know whether I should be encouraging by giving him more possible false hope, or if I should tell him to just forget about it and continue to support him.

Before I can respond with either of the options brewing in my head, a loud and scarily animalistic howl comes from the deeply wooded areas behind us.

Screams come from the party, and, without hesitation, Lucaya and I run towards it with much curiosity and fear for our friends and family.

Upon arrival to the party, my nostrils sniff the air, smelling the stench of blood and something vile, like a dead, burning carcass.

"Run!!!" a woman who is apart of the Valiant Ula Pack screams, running towards the inside of the packhouse with a child in hand.

The party is in chaos, as tables are upturned along with the scattering of food and decor. I run up to poor Duke as he huddles behind a table, fear spread across his features.

"Duke... what's happening?!" I ask, yelling over the noise. He doesn't answer as his lip trembles, flinging himself on me while letting out deep sobs.

Not wasting time, I take and carrying him in my arms, heading towards the packhouse. I briefly see Vander and Ian, along with our pack warriors in a huddle, all shifting into wolf form and running towards Maverick's and my house.

In the distance I can make out Maverick's wolf running.

It's him.

My wolf says lowly, and I know instantly what she means. His inner demon unleashed himself.

Maverick is the cause for all the chaos tonight.

I try to suppress the tears as I run with Duke still in my arms. After locating several of the party-goers in a secluded study room, I place Duke down on a chair next to another young boy.

"Duke ... do you know where your mother is?" I ask quietly, noticing that most of the people in the room were strangers to me.

"I think mommy is still out there. She told me to hide because she saw Uncle Maverick look all strange and angry. Is Uncle Maverick okay?"

I embrace him once more, mumbling, "I hope so...I really hope so," before running out of the packhouse and to the one place I know I'll find Maverick.

The only place everyone else will overlook.

His sanctuary.

The place where he still feels connected to his twin sister.

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Hey!

So here is a bit of a short chapter to leave yall on your toes ;)

I may be slower at updates as right now I am apart of a writing/graphic competition and school is just starting up for me.

Thank you to all those that continue to read and support me!!

Put your predictions here ---->

Much Love <3

~Madelyn Joy

Edited 12/6/21