Chapter Seventy Four - It's Time - Maya's POV

I sigh as I pick another piece of bacon off the plate. Evelyn is quiet, but I'm not sure why. She just watches me eat, mostly. Eventually, she lets out a huff and looks over at me with a look I can't even begin to explain. 'What is it?" 'How are you feeling after yesterday?" She asks, her voice almost inaudible. 'What?" 'How was training?" This time she asks a little louder. 'Oh, it was fine," I say with a laugh. 'I'm just sore and wondering what's next." She shakes her head as she looks at me. Her gaze trails down to my exposed legs, which have some bruises from falling and the practice. I'm uncertain what she's thinking, but it doesn't look good. 'He could have hurt you," she whispers. 'He didn't, though. This is nothing," I say, my eyes landing on a large bruise on my left calf. 'At least, I don't think it is." She wrings her hands in her lap as she glances down at the same bruise. 'Others, the ones who are outside the territory, would do worse to you and I know this, but I hate seeing you hurt." 'Why? I'm just human." Her reaction doesn't make sense to me, no matter which way I look at it. I'm just a human who Damian claims is his and dragged into this. None of the pack like me, that I'm aware of, except maybe Evelyn and Damian. Simon makes me cringe and the more I'm around him, the more I begin to doubt his allegiance. 'The longer you have been here, the closer I feel we have become. I'd like to think of you as my daughter," she says as she looks at the fireplace. 'I know it seems silly for an old woman like me to think like that. But I never got to have children, so I adopt who I can. No one should ever feel alone." I glance over at her, seeing her in a new light. Her eyes well with tears as she lifts her gaze to meet mine. 'Oh, Evelyn." I drop the piece of bacon I'm holding to the platter and get up from the chair to close the distance between us. My arms wrap around her and I can't squeeze her tight enough. 'Thank you for adopting me. I haven't had my mother in so long that I've forgotten what it feels like to have a motherly figure." That's all it takes for the tears to pour down her cheeks. 'The attack scared me. I thought I might lose you." I laugh. 'It'll take more than that to get rid of me." She abruptly pulls back, a knowing look in her gaze. 'You sure about that?" I laugh louder as tears well in my eyes. 'Well, I am very aware that I'm only human and can die easily. That is one thing that has become very apparent, but I hope that the training will help me at least hold something off until I can get help. It's not the best plan, but it's better than no plan." She nods. 'Anything is better than no plan." A faint smile spreads across my lips as I reach up to wipe her tears away with my thumb. Everything is going to be fine. It may not look like it at times, but I know things will work out, even though I'm still hesitant about some things. I still don't know much about this world I've been thrust into nor do I know that I'll make it out alive. The prophecy Damian won't tell me about looms over me like a dark storm cloud. And I still think one of the women from the pack may kill me, eventually. But for now, there is a small peace in knowing that I'm not alone. Evelyn cares for me like a daughter, which is something I never dreamed I'd have. After how my father treated me growing up and the fact my brother is the golden child, I just never knew anyone else would truly care. 'Don't let Damian be too hard on you during training. He might break your bones," she says, then laughs as she dries her tears. 'That idiot. Sometimes I want to smack him." My mouth opens in surprise. 'I thought I was the only one who felt that way." 'No. Even though you may think since we're shifters that we don't have human emotions or act like humans, we do. We're closer than you think." Her words catch me off guard. I've never voiced that thought out loud, but she already knows. It's true I haven't seen them exactly as people or at least as fully human. They're stronger, faster, and so different. Before I can reply, she reaches out, snatching me by the chin with her fingers and turning me to face her. 'Listen to me well, Maya. For you to survive, you need to stay close to Damian. I know you are skeptical and don't understand, but it's crucial that you do. That man would literally lay his life down to protect you," she says as she stares directly into my soul. 'It will make sense in time." 'Is that what a mate means? He's told me about it and I have guessed his feelings toward me, but it seems like so much more than a husband and wife type of thing." She nods. 'It's soul bonding. There will be no separation. Once you're his in all ways, then you are his forever. It's stronger than any marriage vow you may make as a human. His life is yours." The bedroom door swings open slowly, and Damian leans against the doorframe, staring right at me. Evelyn looks over her shoulder and laughs. 'It's about time you showed back up. I think you need to have a talk, a very important talk." She stands from the chair, and I lean back, allowing her some room to leave. Once she slips out the door, it's just us in the room. There's nowhere to go or run. He comes inside, shutting the door. 'She's right. I think it's time to talk." 'Are you sure? You don't look like you want," I say as I stand and back away from the chair. 'I told the pack about you being the key and now it's time for you to know."