It's already over

It's already over
Maverick's POV

“You don't have to get involved.”

“I know.” She answered.

“Then don't.”

She fell silent.

My father sighed.

“This is exactly what I'm talking about.”

I looked at him.

“What?”

“You're allowing anger to control you.”

I laughed under my breath.

“You summoned me here, accused me of being distracted, and now you're lecturing me about anger.”

“I am reminding you that one mistake can cost lives.”

That silenced me. My father walked back to his desk and picked up a map. He spread it across the table.

“The eastern forest stretches farther than most of our patrols realize. If someone is moving there, they have several routes they can use to enter or leave without being noticed.”

I leaned over the map.

He pointed to a narrow section between two hills.

“This area.”

I studied it carefully.

“There is an old trail here.”

“Yes.”

“It's barely used.”

“Exactly.”

I looked at him.

“You think they are using it?”

“I think we should assume they are.”

My heartbeat quickened.

Suddenly, the shadows the servant had described didn't seem so harmless. Someone could have been inside our territory. Someone could have been watching us. And if they had been watching, they might have already learned more about us than we knew about them.

My father folded the map.

“I want you to take charge of the eastern patrol tomorrow.”

I nodded slowly.

“I will.”

“And Maverick…”

I looked at him.

“Keep your head clear.”

His eyes shifted briefly toward Flora.

“Whatever happens, the safety of this pack comes first.”

I understood exactly what he meant.

I didn't answer immediately.

Then I nodded.

“Understood.”

I turned toward the door. Flora remained by the window.

As I passed her, she quietly said my name.

“Maverick.”

I stopped.

I looked back.

Her expression was troubled.

“Be careful.”

For some reason, those two words unsettled me more than my father's warning.

I stopped near the door and glanced over my shoulder. Flora was still standing beside my father, and the sight made something dark twist inside me.

I needed to speak to her.

Alone.

"Flora," I called.

She looked at me.

"I want to talk to you."

Before she could answer, my father stepped forward.

"Whatever you have to say to Flora, you can say it here."

I clenched my jaw.

"I don't want to talk to her here."

"Then you don't need to talk to her."

My father's voice was calm, but there was something dangerous beneath it. He was my father, but he was also the Alpha, and when he used that tone, it wasn't a request.

It was an order.

I stared at him.

"This concerns me too."

"It concerns Flora and me," he replied.

My hands curled into fists.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then Flora touched my father's arm gently.

"Alpha Malcolm."

He looked at her.

"I'll be fine. I just want to speak with him for a few minutes."

My father's expression hardened.

"Flora—"

"I promise I won't waste time."

He looked between us suspiciously.

I could tell he didn't trust me.

Good.

I didn't trust myself either.

Finally, he sighed.

"Five minutes."

Flora nodded.

"Thank you."

I walked outside without waiting for her.

The cool night air hit my face, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside me. I stood a short distance from the house, waiting.

A few seconds later, Flora came out.

The door closed behind her.

We were alone.

I turned toward her.

"What are you doing here?"

She frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Here." I pointed toward the house. "What are you doing in my father's house?"

She stared at me as if I'd asked the stupidest question in the world.

"It is the Alpha's house. Everyone is welcome."

I gave a bitter laugh.

"Stop joking with me."

"I'm not joking."

"Then tell me the truth."

She folded her arms.

"I am telling you the truth."

I stepped closer.

"Why were you inside with my father?"

She hesitated.

That hesitation was enough to make my heart pound.

"Flora."

She looked away.

"Your father asked me to stay."

"Why?"

Silence.

"Why?" I repeated.

She finally looked at me.

"Because he proposed to me."

Everything around me seemed to stop.

I stared at her.

"What?"

"He proposed."

I actually laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"My father proposed to you?"

"Yes."

My stomach tightened.

I looked toward the house.

My father.

My Alpha.

My own father.

He had looked at Flora and decided he wanted to marry her.

And somehow, the thought felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

"What did you say?" I asked.

Flora lowered her eyes.

"I haven't given him an answer yet."

Relief hit me so suddenly that I almost staggered.

"You haven't?"

"No."

I swallowed hard.

"Then don't."

Her eyes snapped toward mine.

"What?"

"Don't say yes."

She stared at me.

I could see the uncertainty in her expression, but there was something else there too.

Determination.

"I think I'm going to say yes."

My chest tightened.

"You can't."

"I can."

"No."

She frowned.

"Maverick—"

"You can't do this."

"Why?"

I opened my mouth, but the words didn't come immediately.

Because I was your first love.

Because you were mine before you became his.

Because every time I looked at you, I remembered everything I'd tried to forget.

Because the thought of calling you my stepmother made me sick.

Instead, I said the only thing I could.

"You're my ex-girlfriend."

Her expression changed.

"I know."

"And he's my father."

"I know that too."

"Then how can you possibly think this is okay?"

Flora took a slow breath.

"Because people move on."

The words struck me harder than they should have.

"Move on?"

"Yes."

I shook my head.

"You can't just become my father's wife."

"Why not?"

"Because you're Flora!"

She looked confused.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're not some stranger he met yesterday. You were with me."

Her face tightened.

"We were together a long time ago."

"And that doesn't matter?"

"No."

I stared at her.

"Not to you?"

She shook her head.

"No."

I stepped back as though she'd pushed me.

She continued quietly.

"What happened between us is over, Maverick."

"Is it?"

She didn't answer.

I moved closer again.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you're completely over me."

Her lips parted.

For a moment, she said nothing.

That silence gave me hope.

Then she whispered, "I am."

I laughed bitterly.

"You hesitated."

"I was choosing my words."

"You hesitated because you know I'm right."

"Maverick, stop."

"No! You stop pretending this is normal."

Her eyes hardened.

"You don't get to decide who I marry."

"I know."

"You don't get to tell me what I should feel."

"I know."

"Then what do you want from me?"

I stared at her.

"I want you to remember what you're doing."

Her expression softened slightly.

"I haven't forgotten."

"Then you know exactly how strange this is."

She sighed.

"I understand that it's difficult for you."

"Difficult?"

I almost shouted.

"You're going to become my stepmother!"