Page 8 of M.A.Y.A (After the End #4)

Chapter Five

Maya waited until Isaiah and his soldiers left the cabin before she stood and walked to the dresser to inspect the food selection that was laid out for her. Meat and cheese, jam, fruit, and two small bottles of water.

She was just a child the last time she had food that didn’t come in a freeze-dried container packaged for wartime. Maya wanted to dive in, to shove the different flavors and textures into her mouth and savor them.

But first things first. She needed a shower.

She still smelled like the bleach and antiseptic that was used in the lab, and she hated the reminder.

There was an adjoining bathroom that she’d seen when Isaiah had first left the cabin.

She’d hoped there was hot water, a luxury she’d dreamed of every time she’d been forced to go through the sterilization process in the lab.

Taking a moment to look through the bedroom door, she listened for Isaiah before she retreated to the bathroom.

She shouldn’t trust him. He was virtually a stranger, but there was something about him that tugged at her.

She didn’t know if it was the mysterious mate business that he kept referring to, or if the power that radiated off of him just made her feel safe.

Maya flipped on the light, wincing at how bright it was, and the way it reminded her of her glass box prison.

She scanned the small bathroom and realized that the lighting was where the similarities ended.

It was functional, with a single sink, toilet, and shower stall.

Regardless, Maya loved it because it afforded her privacy.

Quickly stripping out of the button-down shirt Isaiah had given her, she fiddled with the nobs in the shower stall until she was able to get the hot water running.

She checked to make sure her bandages were water sealed and wasted no time in stepping under the overhead nozzle, tilting her head back and immersing herself in the spray.

As her body relaxed, Maya was overwhelmed with relief, with gratitude that she escaped. She looked down at her hands, at the metal glinting off her left arm. She then lifted the same hand to her chest, where there was a small port that connected straight to her metallic heart.

She’d cried when they’d first torn her apart.

She’d screamed when she’d seen the metal plate on her arm.

She’d even wished for death on more than one occasion.

However, she’d never been grateful for the skills the scientists had given her.

Not until those same skills enabled her to fight back, to survive and possibly protect another world from the same annihilation that her dimension had been subjected to.

In the privacy of the shower, in the cocoon of warmth she’d never thought she’d experience again, Maya unlocked the part of her mind that she’d sequestered away and wrapped herself in grief.

She wondered what her parents were doing, and if they were still alive.

She questioned her purpose as she used the soap dispenser attached to the shower wall to wash herself.

Then she swallowed the lump in her throat as she shampooed her hair.

When the sadness became overwhelming, she locked her feelings away again and focused on the next steps of the plan.

The towels in the linen closet next to the sink were warm and soft. She wrapped one around herself and stepped out of the steamy bathroom, only to run into a hard, muscled chest.

Isaiah’s words were gruff, his voice low, when he spoke. “Are you alright?”

“Of course.” She was trembling now. “Why do you ask?”

Isaiah stunned her when he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. The touch was soothing. There was a spark of something more, of a longing that she’d never experienced. It scared her.

“I can feel your sadness inside me, tiny warrior,” he said gently. “Whatever it is that you were remembering, you’re breaking my heart.”

Maya’s jaw dropped. “Wha-how? What do you mean?”

“We’re mated, remember?” Isaiah said.

“I’m still unfamiliar with the term.”

The rugged planes of his face relaxed as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over the curve of her cheek, leaving a trail of sensation in his wake.

“When you saw me for the first time, did you feel anything…different? Like you were somehow in tune with what I was feeling, my next steps, and where I was in the room?”

She didn’t respond. He already knew the answer.

“In my world, the world you’re in right now, wolf shifters are born from divine fated mates.

A fated mate is when destiny pairs shifters together, sometimes with humans or bi-species individuals.

Souls are matched, hearts are inextricably tied, and minds connect.

There is no science behind it. There is no religious component. It’s more…universal magic.”

Her heart began to beat faster, erratic and quick to the point where her alarm on her control panel let out a soft steady beep. “I’m not—I’m not human anymore. I doubt this universal magic applies to robots or other inanimate objects.”

He stroked the side of her neck and used his thumb to tilt her head up so she could meet his eyes.

“There is enough humanity within you that fate decided you’re for me.

From the moment I saw you in the clearing, and from the moment you opened your eyes to me, we’ll always be attuned to each other in ways that no one else will ever understand. ”

“So, you don’t have a choice? You’re now…just stuck with me?”

His jaw clenched. “No, we’re stuck with each other.”

She wanted to apologize, to tell him that she’ll do what she can to get him out of this mess she created when she landed in his world.

He had been kind to her, and here she was, her very presence ruining his life.

She took a step back, feeling the loss of his touch more than she wanted to admit.

Her fingers clutched at the towel she’d wrapped around her body. “I have so many questions.”

Isaiah nodded. “Then we’ll talk. Why don’t you get dressed? I had my Betas bring you some clothes.” He motioned to the small stack of what looked like leggings and T-shirts on the bed. “Then eat something and meet me outside when you’re ready.”

Before she could predict his next move, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. The brief contact sparked a shiver through her body.

She watched in stunned silence as he turned around and walked out of the room.

* * *

Maya had to compose herself before she dressed.

It took her a minute to feel comfortable with the serviceable underwear and bra, as well as the jeans that were just a touch baggy at her hips.

After years of nudity, her skin felt overly sensitized at the constant brush of fabric.

The blouse felt too restrictive, so she switched it for Isaiah’s button down instead.

Isaiah. Her…mate. His scent was still in the fabric she draped around her shoulders. She didn’t know if the idea of a mate was something she could get behind, especially if it meant that she’d changed the trajectory of his life. She’d have to talk to him about figuring a way out.

In an effort to distract herself, she slowly nibbled on the food that Isaiah’s soldier brought her.

The flavors were intense, almost painful in her mouth at first, but she felt weaker than usual, so she ignored the sharpness of the meats and cheeses so she could regain her strength.

From what she learned in the lab, she didn’t need to eat more than what she’d consumed when she was fully human as her body generated the energy to keep her computer parts running.

However, it had been a long time since her last ration.

That explained why she finished most of what Isaiah’s Beta Alex had set out for her.

When she finished, she realized the soft cheese that was labeled brie, paired with the apricot jelly, was her favorite combination. She hoped that when she achieved her mission, she’d be able to try it again. Maybe she’d ask Isaiah if he had any more.

Maya picked up the discarded wrappers and carried them into the large living space.

There was a fridge in the kitchen area and a waste bin under the sink.

She then crossed the room and peered through the front window curtains.

Isaiah said to meet her outside, but she didn’t see him in the field that reached the tree line.

She slipped her bandaged and sore feet into a pair of sneakers that were tucked against the wall next to the entryway. They were her exact size. Then she opened the front door and stepped through.

It took Maya a minute to adjust to the warmth, to the bright sunlight, and to the strange feeling of peace she felt.

She crossed the clearing, tilted her face up to the sky, and let the warmth wash over her.

The artificial light produced in the bunker lab was nothing like the real thing.

Her breathing slowed, her mind cleared, and she felt the tension in her bones relax as she stood, palms outstretched, soaking in the rays.

It brought tears to her eyes. She was free.

She remained in stillness for what had to be twenty minutes at least, healing under the open sky.

It wasn’t until a rustling sound in the brush had her body tensing again.

She turned slowly to scan the clearing. Her eyesight was better than when she was fully human, but it didn’t detect anything until a wolf the size of a small car pushed through the trees.

The animal had a shock of black fur with gold eyes, and a dusting of white on the muzzle. His steps were slow and sure, and his gaze was locked on her.

Maya’s breath caught. Her stomach tightened. The panel on her arm beeped, and she recognized it as a stress response.

Wolf. Predator. Dangerous.