Uncontrollable Heat Book 2
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Megan Blake
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50
Destiny Resisted
Book Two
Maya’s existence seems to be going nowhere, and she’s okay with that. She doesn’t require a grand plan or a road to tread. But then, a horrifying find during a routine search sends her world into a tailspin. It presents her with two options: resist destiny or fight for her own version of a happy ending.
MAYA
This is such crap.
How did she get sucked into this again?
Maya wrinkled her nose, surveying the deserted area around her. This was supposed to be a temporary job. Just until Liv got too round and busy with her pregnancy. She had planned to move on, do something different.
But now, Olivia had given birth to her little boy, and yet here was Maya… still doing Olivia’s job…
This wasn’t her job.
But what was?
She’d been part of the pack for as long as she could remember and she’d never discovered something that was uniquely hers.
She’d done the odd jobs, she’d been the nanny, the handywoman, the chef—which had been a catastrophe, and may have resulted in a fire or two. Nothing had felt like it fit.
And now here she was, out in the wilderness, searching for lost wolves, strays, and the weak ones.
Fantastic.
It was fantastic. Some were left to fend for themselves, their packs destroyed, banished for various reasons, like disagreements.
It could be a wonderful thing.
It was.
For Olivia.
The issue was… she wasn’t Olivia.
Maya had no interest in saving a lost soul, a loner, an outcast. If a fool got himself into a stupid situation, that was his own damn fault.
Why should she be responsible for them? If they wanted to belong to a pack, they could figure it out themselves without any assistance.
She had learned early on to fend for herself and survive. If they couldn’t do the same… well, it was survival of the fittest. Sure, one could argue that this mindset could apply to Olivia but…
Well. Olivia’s story was a whole different level of trauma that needed professional help and she wasn’t going near that with a ten-foot pole. Alex was content.
She was content… and Maya was going to leave it at that. No need to stir the pot. Those two could create enough chaos on their own.
She needed Olivia to return to work so she could do something else.
Or nothing at all.
Maybe doing nothing was okay.
What was the hurry? She was young, she wasn’t committed to anyone. Did she really need to have everything figured out? No. She didn’t.
Besides, what was the point of figuring it all out? What if she discovered something she enjoyed, what if she found her purpose? And then what, she’d find her mate, possibly somewhere far away?
Then her entire life would be turned upside down. Did she really want that?
She would like to say screw whoever it was, and her life was her own and she’d live it the way she wanted but… she wasn’t an idiot.
She had seen the turmoil and destruction that had befallen Olivia and Alex. Before that, she’d seen the couples in her pack, in other packs. Together. Happy.
Maya had never experienced the pull, the need to be together. Sure, their situation wasn’t typical, but the fact remained: they couldn’t escape it.
So, it boiled down to this. Did she want to be a pitiful woman waiting for her man? Or could she accept the fact that she might lose everything once she found the one?
Oh yeah. There was still a third option. Never finding her mate.
She would like to say it didn’t bother her, and that she didn’t care if she found the one or not. Most of the time, that was true.
Sometimes… sometimes she wondered how different her life would be if she found her mate.
There was no need for a reality check. No need to shatter the rose-colored glasses. A mate wouldn’t give her a purpose, it wouldn’t change who she was.
She didn’t believe life was a fairytale and that a man would solve all her problems.
But it would be nice to have someone. Going through heats alone was a nuisance. There were nights when she lay alone in her bed, and a little body heat would be nice.
She could find a temporary solution, but it was like scratching an itch. It didn’t solve the underlying problem. Something was absent, missing.
Missing was the right word.
The word lacking annoyed her.
Even if she lived to be a hundred, alone, she wouldn’t consider her life incomplete just because she didn’t have a man. Besides, if she remained single, there would be plenty of men to choose from.
Still, the idea of someone who truly got her was appealing. The thought of working towards a shared goal with a partner was also enticing.
Geez, Livy’s postpartum hormones must be rubbing off on her.
Maya shook her head, her ponytail swishing from side to side. Enough with the mushy thoughts.
The plan was to finish this scouting mission, get shit done, and return to the packhouse. There was a bottle of wine waiting for her, and she planned to drink every last drop.
Alone, of course.
Her usual drinking partner had gone and gotten herself pregnant.
And knowing Livy, she’d be breastfeeding. So, that meant a few more months before they could get drunk together again.
But if she was being honest, she knew things wouldn’t be the same. Olivia was going to be a mom. Her priorities would change and she’d spend her free time differently.
That was okay. There were other women in the pack.
Sure, most of them were either too young or already taken.
But that didn’t mean they didn’t know how to have fun.
Still, it wasn’t quite the same.
Maya generally got along with everyone. Maybe some people didn’t like her… what was the term? Brutal honesty? It wasn’t her fault. Why lie? Why sugarcoat things? At least she didn’t let things fester and she didn’t weave webs of lies.
What you saw was what you got. That seemed fair.
“Maya, let’s go.”
She fought the urge to roll her eyes as Jason’s voice echoed through the clearing. Fantastic.
When Alex couldn’t come, which was often now that Olivia was nearing the end of her pregnancy, Jason would step in. Playing the Alpha.
He wasn’t fooling anybody.
“On my way, chief.”
Even from a distance, she could see the glare he was shooting her way. Oh well. His bruised ego was not her problem.
Time to fetch for the lady boss.
***
Same old, same old.
Nothing but fucking nothing.
Maya rolled her shoulders back and then tilted her head from side to side, cracking her neck.
She had taken a break from her wolf form, sitting bare-assed on a cold, large rock. She had ventured off alone, leaving the rest of the pack members behind.
Another two ways she and Olivia were different.
1. Olivia was uncomfortable with nudity. But that worked out for Alex because he didn’t like other men ogling his mate. Maya, on the other hand, couldn’t care less.
2. Olivia liked to keep everyone close during scouting parties, keeping the group together and regrouping every so often if they had to split up.
Maya didn’t. They were all adults who could take care of themselves. And if a bigger threat emerged, they would know and come to each other’s aid.
Maya had also decided to cut down on the frequency of these scouting parties.
If a stranger came too close, or into these areas, they would leave a scent behind. There was no need to go out every day or every other day.
She had turned them into a weekly sweep.
In her view, this would let them see if other packs were using these lands to travel or hunt. And if they ran into any of them, well, they would handle it.
Of course, she hadn’t shared any of this with Olivia.
Normally, Olivia might have noticed, but with a newborn to care for and a severe lack of sleep, Maya doubted Olivia even knew what day it was.
She was safe for now. Besides, what was the worst Olivia could do? Give her a stern look?
She might be a little afraid of Alex, but not in this case.
Maya was convinced that Alex would be relieved if Olivia didn’t go on as many scouting missions as she used to. Sure, it might cause a fight between them, but that was none of her fucking business.
As far as she could see, it was a win-win situation for Maya.
“Aren’t ya a little cold?”
She didn’t bother turning to look at Jason; she just kept her gaze fixed ahead. “Aren’t ya?”
If she was stark naked, so was he. She didn’t need to look at him to know that.
“Nope, I got warm by, ya know, doing my job.”
“You’re a good little soldier, aren’t you? Want a treat?”
His footsteps echoed in her ears, but he halted before he could reach her. “Why’d you agree if you didn’t want to?”
“Because Livy asked me to, and a pregnant Livy was a sight to behold. The further away from her, the better.”
“She’s not pregnant now.”
“True, but now she’s keeping us all awake with that baby and his impressive lungs.”
“I’ve seen you holding that baby.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t love him. I’m just saying he’s got a strong set of lungs. That he enjoys using at ungodly hours.”
Leo was adorable. Dark hair. His father’s striking blue eyes. But when she was tired in the middle of the night or nursing a hangover in the morning… she did appreciate her peace and quiet, which was currently a distant memory.
“Yeah, he’s kept Alex and Olivia on their toes.”
“I’ve noticed. You’ve become quite the handyman.”
“I assist the Alpha. That’s my role.”
“Of course. We all have our responsibilities, don’t we?”
“Yeah, well—”
Jason’s sentence was left hanging. He froze mid-sentence and went still. It didn’t take long for Maya to understand what the sudden gust of wind had carried.
Her nose twitched, the distinct smell of blood hitting her sensitive nostrils. Blood?
She quickly surveyed her surroundings, looking for any signs of a recent altercation.
There was nothing.
No snapped branches, no trampled grass. Everything was as it should be.
She straightened up, her long red hair cascading forward, barely concealing her bare body. She dug her heels into the chilly mud, slightly bending her knees. Was it a wounded creature or the predator?
Who left a trail?
And who was so careless?
Sure, she had strayed from the pack’s territories, but she hadn’t encroached on anyone else’s lands. Yet the scent of wolves hung heavy in the air. Who would seek shelter or hide so close to another pack’s territory?
It didn’t add up.
“Further ahead,” someone yelled.
She locked eyes with Jason and they both nodded in unison before shifting and sprinting towards the source of the blood.
This wasn’t good.
