Maya POV
Garrett misses the punch aimed at his face.
In five years of training with him, Maya has never seen the Alpha of Blackthorn miss a punch. She's never seen him distracted. She's never seen him anything other than completely focused and lethal.
Until now.
Maya's fist connects with his shoulder instead of his jaw. Garrett barely reacts. He just steps back and looks at her like he's trying to remember where he is.
"Again," he says flatly.
Maya doesn't move. She crosses her arms and stares at him. Around them, the other warriors stop training. They can feel it too. Something is wrong with their alpha.
"You're not here," Maya says. "Your body is but your mind is somewhere else. That's the second time in training you've missed an easy hit. That means you're thinking about something. Something that matters more than training."
Garrett's jaw tightens. He doesn't like being called out but he knows Maya is right.
"The medical wing?" Maya asks carefully.
He doesn't answer. But he doesn't have to. The way his hands clench into fists tells her everything.
"How long has this been happening?" Maya presses.
"Since I found her," Garrett says quietly. "Now get back to work."
He walks away before Maya can respond. She watches him go and realizes she's been right about everything. The distraction during meetings. The way he leaves early. The nights he doesn't sleep because he's standing guard over a woman who doesn't even remember his name.
The alpha who built his reputation on being untouchable is falling hard.
And it's terrifying.
Later that afternoon, Maya finds Riley alone in her room. The Silvermoon woman is sitting by the window looking out at the forest like she's waiting for someone to come rescue her.
She probably is.
"So," Maya says, closing the door behind her. "We need to talk about the alpha."
Riley turns and smiles. That smile is dangerous. It's the kind of smile that makes you forget why you came to warn someone. It's the kind of smile that makes you understand why Garrett is throwing away his entire empire.
"What about him?" Riley asks.
Maya sits down on the bed. She's here to test this woman. To figure out if she's going to destroy Garrett or if maybe, just maybe, she's actually good for him.
"He's not kind," Maya says bluntly. "If you're thinking this is some fairy tale where the powerful alpha falls for the girl and they live happily ever after, you're wrong. Garrett is the most powerful alpha in three territories because he's ruthless. He'll do whatever it takes to win. He'll sacrifice people. He'll sacrifice himself. But kindness isn't his thing."
Riley doesn't look shocked or disappointed. She just looks sad.
"I don't need him to be kind," Riley says quietly. "I just need him to be real."
Something shifts inside Maya's chest. That's the right answer. That's the answer that tells her this woman isn't trying to use Garrett. Isn't trying to manipulate him. Isn't looking for some fantasy version of him.
She's looking at the real thing and she wants it anyway.
Maya leans forward. "Can I ask you something? And I want the actual truth."
"Okay."
"When you look at him, what do you see?"
Riley thinks about this. She takes her time answering which tells Maya she's not just saying what she thinks Maya wants to hear.
"I see someone who's carrying so much weight," Riley finally says. "I see someone who's built walls so high that nobody's ever gotten close enough to knock them down. I see someone who's been alone for so long that he doesn't know how to not be alone anymore. And I see someone who's choosing to be less alone because of me."
Maya nods slowly. That's the truth. That's exactly who Garrett is. And this woman sees him completely.
"He's completely obsessed with you," Maya says. "Just so you know what you're dealing with. When Garrett decides something, he goes all in. There's no halfway with him. There's no compromise. There's just complete commitment or nothing."
"I know," Riley says.
"Do you?" Maya stands up. She walks to the door and pauses. "Because that obsession is beautiful right now. It's making him feel things he's never felt before. But obsession can also be dangerous. It can blind you. It can make you do things that destroy everyone around you."
Riley's face goes pale. She understands what Maya is saying. She understands that her presence is a bomb waiting to explode.
"People are starting to notice," Maya continues. "The way he watches you. The way he leaves everything to come find you. The way his entire body goes tense when anyone looks at you wrong. People talk, Riley. And people who feel threatened by what Garrett is doing won't stay quiet for long."
"What should I do?" Riley asks desperately.
"I don't know," Maya says. "I'm just warning you that trouble is coming. People are going to notice that he's obsessed with an enemy Luna. And when they do, everything changes."