by Mia Wolf
“They’re gorgeous! You really didn’t have to,” I say as I take in the scent of the fresh flowers. “Come on in. Sebastian, Sarah’s here.”
“Hey, Sarah. It’s nice to finally meet you,” Sebastian says while gesturing with a spatula in his hand. The rest of his attire makes him look like he’s on a covert mission because he’s dressed in all black. All he needs is a pair of black sunglasses to complete the outfit.
I place the bouquet in a vase that I found lying in one of the kitchen cupboards and put it at the center of the table.
“About the interview,” Sarah says, and I join her in the hall, leaving Sebastian’s side. “They want to meet you again. If that goes well, they’ll hire you.”
“About that,” I hesitate. “I really appreciate what you did for me. But I’m not entirely sure about it. There’s been so much going on lately. Do you think that maybe I could pass up the opportunity for now, and then perhaps we can talk about it again in a couple of months, when things are a little quieter?”
“Of course,” Sarah says. “I’ll tell them that. But first, we have a dinner party to get going!”
That’s when the doorbell rings again, and this time it’s a whole lot of people at the door. Jessica, who’s rocking a red bodycon dress, wraps me into a hug the moment she sees me. Joshua is right behind her and greets me; he has a bottle of wine in his one hand while he uses his other hand to usher Jessica inside. Then Ashley and Warren step forward; they each give me a kiss on my cheek and enter the house. Then I notice two more people who I haven’t met before. The woman has an uncanny resemblance to Warren.
“Hi, I’m Rose,” she introduces herself. “I’m Warren’s sister, and Ashley’s my boss.”
“And I’m her husband,” says the man. “Andrew.”
“Thanks so much for coming,” I tell them and gesture inside. “Come on in. I’m Maya. My… boyfriend Sebastian’s in the kitchen. We’ve been here for a few months, so we thought it was about time we got to know people in the village better.”
“We weren’t sure if there’d be enough food, so we brought some,” Rose says while taking two glass dishes from Andrew’s hands and placing them on the table.
Sebastian comes out of the kitchen and puts a hot pan right in the center of the table that’s now laden with food. “Welcome, everyone! We’re happy you’ve all come. Please dig in,” he says and slips into a chair. I sit next to him.
The conversation flows naturally around the table, with the boys talking about football for a while and the ladies discussing and appreciating each other’s outfits. I feel a bit out of place in both of the groups, but it’s good enough that I’m sitting here and having a meal with this many people. It’s a miracle that I’m here actually, given that I had plans to never talk to another human soul again. The thought seems foolish now as I sit amidst the chatter.
“So, Maya, how come you moved here?” Rose asks after a silence sets in the room, and the only sound is of spoons clanking against dishes.
I don’t know what to say. I can hardly tell the truth, given that the people of my village might still be looking for me. Besides, I don’t want my past to define me.
“Starting a new life,” I say and raise my glass of wine for a toast. Sebastian slips his hand into mine under the table, squeezing it when I look at him. Something passes between us, like we both have our secrets that we’re not ready to share with the world just yet. Hopefully, they’re not bad enough to make us outcasts.
“To starting a new life.” Sebastian raises his glass and clinks it with mine as everyone else joins us and raises their glass, too.
We talk about politics, work, and the village council while we eat and laugh and have the time of our lives. Rose and Andrew talk about their new ventures for RISE, which is the company that Andrew started. Rose is now leading the apparel division for his company, or at least is going to in the coming few months she tells us.
Jessica and Joshua are busy with their son, who has just started to walk and can reach places that are not kids-friendly like the kitchen countertop. Jessica shares a story of this one time when he got his hands on a kitchen knife, and Jessica found him just in time to snatch it out of his grip. She tells the tale with such conviction that I have chills by the time she’s done.
Ashley and Warren talk about their upcoming trip to Europe and how they’re excited to travel there together for the first time.
Then, everyone starts asking Sebastian and me what’s going on with us and whether we have plans for the near future. I remain quiet, having no idea what our plans are.
“Come on, I’m sure there’s something to tell,” Jessica, who’s sitting right next to me, encourages me, nudging me with her elbow. I shrug my shoulders because there’s really not that much to talk about. Nothing that counts as a fun dinner time conversation, anyway.
“Actually,” Sebastian interjects, “there is something. I didn’t want to do this publicly for obvious reasons, but here goes.”
He slips out of his chair, and I’m staring at him with absolutely no idea why he would do that. But there seems to be anticipation around the table because Jessica is looking at me wide-eyed, covering her mouth to hide her glee.
I wonder if I’m missing something, then turn around and find Sebastian kneeling on the floor. He has a small box in his hands, which he opens, revealing a ring.
“What’s going on?” I say because I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.
“He’s asking you to marry him, silly,” Jessica chimes in from behind me, and everyone bursts into laughter.
“Will you marry me, Maya?” Sebastian asks, his voice throwing me off that metaphorical cliff.
Before I can make sense of the situation, I realize that the answer is sitting right at the tip of my tongue. As my eyes meet Sebastian’s, I see that there’s a fire in them, the same fire we felt that first night we really saw each other for the first time. “Yes,” I whisper.
Sebastian slips the ring onto my finger and stands up to hold me tightly. “Yes,” I whisper in his ear again, and I blink back the tears of joy.
“Congratulations,” Jessica says, and then everyone jumps up and congratulates us.
People are clapping Sebastian on his back and shaking our hands. “You know, If you don’t already have plans for your mating ceremony, then it can very easily be organized here,” Joshua says.
Sebastian and I look at each other, and it’s obvious that we both really love the idea.
***
After everyone’s gone home and we’ve cleaned everything up, Sebastian puts his arm around me and guides me to bed. We’re both exhausted, and I nestle my head in the crook of his neck and let his warmth envelop me. Sleep claims me instantly, letting me fall and fall into a darkness that is so absolute that my eyes submit to it and shut of their own accord.
I don’t know how long I slept, but when I awake, I feel exceptionally groggy. I open my eyes and see a high ceiling above me, so high that it feels like I’m in a church. Am I still dreaming? The moment sense returns to me, I wince from the pain in my neck and realize that I’ve been lying against a wall with my head in an awkward position. It’s uncomfortable, to say the least. Then I notice that my hands are tied.
Where the hell am I? Is this some kind of sick joke?
I lift my head slightly, still disoriented, and see high-backed chairs in front of me, lined up in a large hall, increasing the impression that I’m in a church. But no, I don’t think I am, because unlike in a church, there are lockers in the back with paper stuffed into some open ones, and there’s a desk standing close to me on the altar-like platform where I’m lying on the ground.
My years of training suddenly kick in, and I try to identify any open wounds on my body. I’m relieved to notice that there aren’t any. My eyes scan the room for any threats, although there’s not much I can do in my position. My feet are tied too, and the rope is digging into my ankles.
I’m confused and dizzy, and I try to think of
the last thing I can remember. Instantly, I see Sebastian’s face at the dinner party, kneeling on the ground, a ring in his hand. Did that actually happen, or was it simply a sweet dream? I touch my left hand and feel a ring there. So it did happen, then. I’m engaged.
The realization brings joy and hope to my belly as I try to remember what happened next, but nothing comes to mind. My brain hurts, and my chapped lips tell me that I’m dehydrated. Someone must have taken me. Was it someone from my village? The place doesn’t look familiar at all.
Well, whoever took me, I might as well find out sooner than later.
“Hello!” I yell, hearing the words echo around me.
I scrutinize every object in the room, looking for possible weapons, but the place is full of regular office supplies. There’s a photocopier in the back, there are staples on the desk in front of me, and there’s a mountain of paperwork. What kind of place is this? It doesn’t seem to be a church, nor does it really look like an office.
“Hello!” I yell again.
I breathe in and out, telling myself that this may not be the worst-case scenario that I’m afraid it is. Perhaps this is just someone’s idea of a joke.
That idea is thrown out of the window when a man I’ve seen before walks out of a room from behind me. He’s the man who was at Sebastian’s place that day I broke into his house. Another man is on his heels, a man with an evil smile twisting his features
“Welcome at Code Blue,” he says. “I’m Daniel, and you must be Maya.”
Chapter 36 - Sebastian
I wake up with a weird light-headed feeling buzzing through my brains. I’m unwilling to open my eyes, afraid that the moment I open them, I realize that it’s all been a dream. Proposing to Maya, hearing her say ‘yes’, the prospect of spending the rest of my life with her… It can’t have been real, can it? Am I really that lucky this time? Is everything going to turn out just fine in the end?
My hand comes out from under the blanket and starts searching for Maya, but it can’t find her. Perhaps she’s up already, making breakfast in the kitchen. I smile and slowly open my eyes. But as I do so, I instantly see that something’s wrong.
The sun is high in the sky, as though it’s noon already. There’s a tissue beside me, and when I pick it up and smell at it, I realize that it’s drenched in chloroform. My brain goes into overdrive. What the hell happened? Where is Maya? I jump out of bed and start frantically searching the house. No Maya.
When I enter the living room, I see that the front door is ajar, and there’s a note on the table.
We’ve got her. Don’t go looking for her, it says.
I instantly recognize the handwriting; it’s Ash’s. The scenario is suddenly crystal clear in my hand. They must have taken her while we were both asleep, out like a light after last night’s wine. They probably used the chloroform tissues on both me and Maya, which explains why I didn’t notice anything.
Daniel has Maya.
I dress at lightning speed, and five minutes later, I’m driving at a hundred and twenty miles per hour in Andrew’s car, making my way on the highway to Code Blue’s headquarters. I told Andrew to text everyone in the village and make their way to Code Blue as well. I’ll be the first to arrive so I can buy Maya some time.
There’s anger in my veins; so much anger that I could beat someone bloody right now. It’s taking everything in me to keep my bear form in check. Daniel is a human, and he should damn well be afraid of me, but I know that he has enough shifter bodyguards that I can’t stupidly walk in there in my bear form and hope to achieve anything. I can’t be stupid because he has Maya and if I make just one tiny mistake and lose her, I won’t ever forgive myself.
The thought of where she might be right now and what she might be going through chills me to the bone. God knows what Daniel is planning to do to her. The thought of him touching Maya rips my insides to shreds.
I think of Maya’s beautiful face as she said yes to me, making me the luckiest man alive. I won’t let Daniel take our future away from us, and I save the rage inside of me, save and nurture it until it’s time to hand it back to that monster.
I reach Code Blue in under three-and-a-half hours. I use my card to get into the building and am simultaneously glad and suspicious to find that it still works. I throw the doors open and burst into the church-like headquarters. Daniel is sitting at the altar-like platform at the end, looking like a priest.
My eyes find Maya, lying on the floor with her hands and legs tied. There’s blood at the corner of her mouth, and I’m already mad. But I have no choice but to control myself, because Ash is standing right next to her, holding a knife above her head. Half a dozen bodyguards are standing behind them.
“Sebastian Kurtz,” says Daniel. “Fancy seeing you here. I thought you left Code Blue. You seem to be eager to come back.” He laughs maniacally.
“Why do you have my wife hand-cuffed, Daniel?” I punctuate every word with anger.
“Well, your wife seems to be of importance to one of our clients, and you know how we are with our clients, Sebastian. Their wish is our command,” he says. “You would know, you have carried out so many of our missions.”
“What do you want?” I ask Daniel. “What’s it going to take to leave her alone, to leave us alone?”
Daniel laughs again. “Don’t be crazy, Sebastian. Are you seriously trying to tell me you want to leave Code Blue for her?” Daniel points at Maya as if he’s talking about a plaything he might throw away.
“That’s my wife you’re talking about,” I say, gritting my teeth and exercising every ounce of control I can muster to control my bear.
“I told you he’s gone mad,” Ash says, and Daniel’s smile turns into a frown.
“You’re nothing but a filthy rat,” Daniel says. His face contorts, revealing the Daniel who has beaten me half to death before. The Daniel who spits venom because he’s barely human. He’s pissed that his toy got snatched away from him, and now he can’t handle his frustration. “A scheming, ungrateful—”
“Save your breath,” Maya interrupts him. “One more word and I will make sure I personally slit that throat of yours.”
“What did you say?” Daniel turns to her.
“No, talk to me!” I yell at Daniel. If Daniel does anything to hurt Maya, which I know he can and will if the opportunity arises, I will not be able to forgive myself.
“I said, keep your mouth shut, or I will gladly do it for you,” Maya replies to Daniel as if she’s not tied up and lying there completely helpless.
“Maya, please be quiet,” I say. “This is between Daniel and me.”
“No, it’s not, seeing that it’s me who’s lying on the floor here,” she says to me, then turns back to Daniel. “You know why your dumb client wants me, right? Or did they not tell you?”
“Right,” Daniel speaks calmly, his anger from seconds ago disappearing into thin air. “We have been informed of your skills. I was hoping to get a glimpse of them, actually. But it looks like you’re not in a position to do anything.” He grins, then chuckles, then bursts into maniacal laughter again. He does seem to be enjoying this quite a bit. I’m really hoping that Andrew and the others will show up soon because I’m not sure how much longer I can keep my bear under control.
“Don’t tempt me,” Maya says, which only makes Daniel laugh harder.
“You’ve got yourself a fiery one here, Sebastian. Too bad neither of you is leaving here tonight. I’m still very disappointed in you.” Daniel points to me. “After everything Code Blue has done for you, I have done for you, this is how you repay me?”
“All you’ve done?” I can almost feel my bear beating against my ribs. “All you’ve done is abuse and harass me and use me as an instrument to carry out your wishes, you crazy psychopath! All you’ve done is beat me bloody and make sure I stay down.”
I will not be playing Daniel’s game anymore, I absolutely refuse to. Never again will I give him the pleasure of seeing me lose my self-cont
rol when he wants me to, or show him my anger which only feeds his ego.
“Say that again,” Daniel says in a dangerous voice.
“You’re a monster,” I say.
Daniel walks towards the center of the platform where Maya is. A sharp sound echoes around the space, the sound of Daniel’s hand meeting Maya’s cheek. She doesn’t make a sound, but when she lifts her face, I see red marks on her smooth, white skin. He’s going to pay for this with his life.
“I’ll make you regret that,” I whisper, preparing for the fight that is to come.
Silence settles in the room.
“Take him,” Daniel commands, and Ash and a bunch of his other bodyguards step forward. But just as they move towards me, I hear screeching tires outside, and the door swings open.
Joshua, Warren, Andrew, and a bunch of other bears from the village burst into the room. My eyes lock onto Daniel, who walks backwards then runs inside his office and locks himself in. Ash and the bodyguards also back off slightly, looking at my reinforcements with wide eyes.
I rush over to Maya and take her face in my hands, gently grazing my fingers against her cheek, where her skin is still red from Daniel’s assault.
“I’m okay,” she assures me, putting her cold hand on mine.
“I’m going to make him pay for this,” I say as I grit my teeth and quickly untie the knots around her wrists and ankles.
“I think I’ll like that very much.” She smiles.
“Maya, I’m sorry about all this—”
“Sebastian,” she stops me. “Not the time.”
“Right.”
The door behind us flings open again, and about a dozen more Code Blue operatives flood in. Maya and I both join the kerfuffle.
Chapter 37 - Maya
The whole church-like space turns into a battleground with the bear shifters from the village fighting the Code Blue operatives who are dressed in all black. I see Joshua and Warren throwing punches at random guys. I feel a rush of gratitude running through me, and I can’t believe all of these people showed up for me.