Chapter 31

Ella patiently sat around the room as Maksim hopped into the shower. The clock on the table read 4 AM. Sleep was nowhere to be found in Ella's eyes. The jitteriness she felt in her system made her want to run laps around the city.

As Ella waited she wondered how she would get Maksim to Juniper. Obviously he wouldn't leave just because she asked him too. He was a stubborn mule. But so was she.

The queen had given her a task and Ella intended to do whatever was necessary to complete it.

Some time later, as the sky outside started to lose just an ounce of it's darkness, Maksim came out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. Ella sat on the sofa as she heard the bathroom door open and then his footsteps walking around the room as if he was searching for something. Pretty soon he walked through the archway that connected the bedroom to the living room and landed his eyes on Ella.

"You're still here?" He asked. His voice was irritated but his eyes were relieved.

"I told you. I'm not leaving, Max," Ella said as she looked into his eyes. She willed herself to not look down. His towel was hanging dangerously low and the way the water droplets from his hair slid down his hard chest made Ella's mouth run dry.

"My name is Maksim," Maksim turned away as he towel dried his hair.

"Stop being a jerk," Ella rolled her eyes.

When she found her body rising from the sofa, she didn't understand what she was doing. It was like her second nature to want to touch Maksim's wet hair. And seeing him after so long only made her want to do it even more.

Ella picked up the towel he had put on the bed and grabbed his arm. Maksim looked down at her in surprise and pulled his hand back.

"Sit down, Maksim," Ella said.

Maksim's eyes narrowed, "No."

"Max, your hair is dripping water everywhere," Ella complained. "Just sit down. Stop being so difficult."

"I'm being difficult?" Maksim laughed. "Oh please, I beg you. Please explain how I'm being the difficult one."

"Do you realize the way you are behaving?" Ella raised a brow. "For the past month, you have been out of control."

"Don't," Maksim took a step back as Ella tried to touch his hair. "Don't speak to me about the last month. You have no idea what it's been like."

"Feeling like there is no one there for you?" Ella asked. "Feeling like you're drowning or six feet under screaming but no one can hear you? Yeah, I know exactly how that feels. I lived through it for three months, remember?"

Maksim didn't respond. He saw the pain in Ella's eyes as she bit down on her bottom lip and tried to keep herself calm.

"At least you didn't have to live with knowing your mate rejected you," Maksim finally said after a pause.

"You were going to reject me!" Ella suddenly yelled. "Don't make me the bad guy. You started this."

"Yes, it's all my fault Ella!" Maksim flared his arm. "You left me!"

"You left me too!" Ella said in frustration.

"So this was payback? You rejected me to get back at me?"

"No!" Ella felt angry tears run to her eyes. "Of course I didn't do that. You needed to see that your actions had consequences."

"That was one hell of a way to show it, wasn't it!"

"Stop shouting at me!"

"You stop shouting!"

"You are such a brat, Maksim!" Ella tugged at her hair in frustration. "You let your emotions rule over you and you never think before you act."

"And what about you?" Maksim laughed. "By the time you're done thinking and considering everyone's feelings the train has already left the station."

As Maksim spoke, Ella's eyes caught a dark mark on the inside of his left upper arm. She squinted her eyes to get a better look, but he was moving so much, she couldn't make out what it was.

"Max," Ella paused. "What is that?"

"What is what?" Maksim looked behind him in irritation.

"No, that," Ella pointed. "On your arm."

Maksim realized what she was asking about and turned away.

"Nothing," he said as she began to rummage through his closet looking for a shirt.

"No, I saw something," Ella's concern grew. She followed him and pulled at his arm.

There, on his smooth skin atop of his muscles in dark permanent ink was her name.

Ella

Ella gasped as Maksim watched her. She ran her finger over it as her heart began to tumble down a hill.

"When did you...."

"I was drunk," Maksim pulled his hand back. "It doesn't mean anything. I'm going to get it removed."

Ella dropped his arm as she frowned, "There you go again. Letting your emotions rule you."

"You have no idea what you are talking about," Maksim said as he pulled out a random black t-shirt and pulled it over his head.

"Even in your drunken state, you were thinking about me."

"Does that make you feel important, Ella?" Maksim snickered.

Ella sighed, "I know you are trying to hurt me because you are hurt right now."

Maksim didn't say anything. He looked at her for a second before he went back into the closet and pulled on some sweatpants.

"Go ahead, Max," Ella said as she watched him roughly dry his hair. "Say anything you want to me. Get your anger out."

"I'm not angry,"

"And you say I'm a bad liar," Ells chuckled.

"Ella," Maksim sighed as he tossed the towel aside. "I need sleep and you need to go."

"Where would I go?" Ella asked. "You're all I have."

"You rejected me," Maksim reminded her again. "We don't have a relationship anymore. I have nothing for you."

"Then why haven't you slept with any of the other girls yet?"

Maksim's brown eyes grew dark as he grilled her.

"That would have been the fastest way to break my heart," Elal said as she took a step forward. "You could have broken me into a million trillion pieces if you touched any of those girls...... why didn't you?"

Maksim's eyes softened a fraction as Ella stepped closer to him. He followed her as she looked up at him with those piercing blue eyes.

"I don't know," Maksim's jaw tensed.

"I do," Ella said quietly. "It's because you love me."

Maksim's heart stopped as Ella reached out and took his hand.

"And I love you," she said quietly. "I love you."

All the pain and the suffering of the past month seemed like nothing compared to the storm that rose in Maksim's heart from Ella's words. He felt his frustration itch his mind like a disease as he had the sudden urge to scream.

But he didn't. He was so drained from everything, he couldn't yell anymore. He looked into Ella's eyes and shook his head.

"Makes no difference now," he said with a broken heart.

As Maksim stepped around her, Ella felt her heart twist. She knew what she was about to do. It was coming out of her life air and she couldn't hold it back.

"What if it's not too late?" she said as she turned to look at Maksim.

As Ella said the word, she looked into Maksim's eyes. She knew he was hurt and lonely. She had felt his pain before. She didn't want him to suffer the way she had without anyone to lean on. And he would have found out the truth eventually.

The only difference was if he had found out much later on, his heat would have been beyond repair. And Ella couldn't risk that.

"What do you mean?" Maksim raised a brow.

Ella took a long deep breath, "Max.....the rejection....."

She had his full attention. He waited for her to speak as she took another deep breath and looked up.

"The rejection was fake," Ella spilled the beans.

Maksim paled. He felt his heart go through a million motions as Ella watched him. Maksim felt as if the air was kicked out of him and then forced back into his lungs.

"You're lying," he said breathlessly.

"You would know if I were," Ella said.

"How....."

"Gemma and Caspian," Ella explained as she dropped her gaze to her hands.

"Why......why don't I feel anything?" Maksim's heart pounded so fast he thought the whole city could hear him.

"I can fix that," Ella said as she slowly walked up to him.

Maksim watched her with alert and cautious eyes as she moved. He didn't know what to believe anymore. Ella stopped in front of him and placed a hand on his cheek. Maksim frowned as her touch felt unfamiliar to him. It was like being touched by a stranger.

But he still wanted her. God, did he want her so bad.

As Maksim watched, Ella slowly reached up to her toes and pressed her lips to his. Ella felt her floodgate of emotions open and run a muck as his lips pressed against her. Tears began to pour down her eyes as Maksim gasped in shock.

From the way his arms wrapped around her body, Ella knew instantly the spell was broken. She felt him pull her closer and press his lips to hers as a desperation rose in him.

But before Ella could respond, he had ended the kiss and stepped back. She looked up at him and shivered in fear as his brown eyes were ablaze with anger.

"What the fuck?" He asked, his voice dangerously low.

"Max...."

"Why the fuck would you do that to me?"

Ella's heart started to rip into a million pieces, "Max.....I know you are mad."

"Mad?" Maksim asked in fury. "I am fucking livid!"

"Max, please..."

"I can't believe you!" Maksim yelled as he took another step back. "Rejecting someone isn't a joke, Ella!"

"I know!" Ella cried. "I know it isn't but I needed you to know what I felt when I read that letter."

"You let this lie go on for a whole month!" Maksim pulled at his hair. "I've been through hell and back. Thinking I lost the most important thing in my life....and now you're telling me it was all fake? I can't not believe this!"

"I know you are mad," Ella tried to regain her calm. Someone had to.

"No, no," Maksim shook his head. "I don't think you understand how pissed I am. Why would you do that to me?"

"I'm sorry," Ella bit down on her bottom lips as fresh fat tears rolled down her eyes.

"You need to go," Maksim said as he took yet another step away from her.

"No," Ella shook her head.

"No, Ella. You need to go back to the palace right now. I can't.....I can't even look at you."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Ella, please. Go."

"No!"

"Fine," Maksim snared. "Do whatever the fuck you want then."

"Max....." Ella said his name as she watched him walk back into the bedroom and pull the sheets off the bed.

Ella stood by the entrance as her mate laid down on the bed in anger and turned off the lights. She stood in the darkness, not sure what to do with herself. She wanted to climb into bed with him and hold him and tell him she loved him. But she knew Maksim would not appreciate that right now. He was really angry and he had every right to be.

After several minutes, Ella walked back to the living room and sat down on the sofa. She turned off the lap on the table before pulling her knees up. Wrapping her arms around her leg, she placed her chin on top and stared into the darkness. Dusk was starting to light up the night sky outside as the world prepared for a brand new day. But in Ella and Maksim's life, there was endless night until further notice.

As Ella sat still wondering about what Mavi and Xavier would say about her decision to tell Maksim the truth, she felt his eyes watching her from the bedroom. She didn't want to turn to look at him, but she knew he was watching her from the darkness. She felt his eyes on her like burning ice.....both cold and hot.

By the time the first rays of sunlight started to break through the window, Maksim had drifted off into sleep. His tired and exhausted mind could stay up no longer as he fell asleep with the sunlight creeping in. Ella slowly got off her seat and walked to the windows. She pulled all the blackout curtains closed and drenched the room into darkness once again. She walked back to the sofa again and laid down staring at the blank wall in front of her.

Slowly, like torture, the hours passed by. Ella wished she could sleep but the restlessness inside of her kept her tossing and turning on the sofa. But just as she was about to give up and sit up, she heard her name.

"Ella....." Maksim called out to her in his sleep.

At first Ella thought she had imagined it. She waited for a while to see if he would call her again.

"Ella...."

Ella jumped out of her seat and walked into the bedroom. Maksim was still asleep. The sheets were tangled all around him as the restlessness was clear on his face. His head tossed from one side to another as he frowned.

"Ell....no.....don't," Maksim mumbled.

Ella's heart shrank painfully as she realized he was probably having a nightmare. She walked around to the other side of the bed and climbed in. pushing the sheets back, she slid in beside Maksim and rested on her elbow. She gazed down at his sleeping face and ran a hand through his hair.

"Ella...." Maksim said her name again as his nose turned towards her.

"I'm here, baby," Ella whispered as she pushed his messy hair out of his face and pressed a kiss upon his forehead.

Ella felt Maksim relax under her touch as he sighed and rolled over onto her. Ella smiled as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and pulled her closer.

There, wrapped in his arms with his leg holding her in place, Ella felt the most secure she ever had in the past few weeks. She let her own body relax as her mind shut off and she too drifted off to sleep beside her mate.

______________________

Maksim woke up to the sweet heavenly scent of magnolia. For a few seconds he thought he was dreaming, but then he realized Ella was truly in his arms.

As Maksim opened his eyes, his heart swelled up. She was here. She was really here next to him and he was living for the way the sparks flew throughout his body. Maksim felt his eyes water as he buried his face deeper into her neck. He wanted to cry from relief.

But as he laid beside her and his mind started to wake up, he remembered what she had planned against him with his family. Bitter anger fell over the relief in his heart like a dark blanket. He couldn't let go of her, but he was too angry to forgive her.

Maksim laid beside Ella as she slept in his arms, his eyes watched her with heartbreak and anger but with also unimaginable love.

She loves me, Maksim thought. She said she loved me.....but then why would she arrange such a big lie for me?

As Maksim stayed awake for the next hour fighting with his mind over his love for Ella and his anger and frustration with her, she started to stir. Maksim froze as he eased his arms from gripping her to his chest so tightly. Ella shifted on the bed and turned away. Her perfect round bottom grazed over Maksim's hard body making him groan.

He had already woken up with a boner from her scent and now her little movements weren't helping his case. Maksim laid perfectly still as he spooned Ella. He wanted to jump out of bed and hop into a cold shower but she was asleep on his arm.

Just when he thought she was done moving, her hips pushed back and rubbed right over his morning situation. Maksim groaned silently as Ella sighed in her sleep. How could she possibly drive him so insane while asleep?

Maksim knew he needed to get out of bed. He couldn't stay any longer and risk him waking Ella up and showing her how much he missed her. He was mad at her and kissing her body all over and making her moan his name wasn't how he was going to maintain his anger.

Slowly and carefully, as if he was performing brain surgery, Maksim slid his arm out from under Ella's head and replaced it with a pillow. He quietly rolled out of bed and backed up into the bathroom. The whole way he watched Ella to make sure she didn't wake up.

Ella felt the bed dip beside her as the warmth of Maksim's body moved away. She heard him close the bathroom door and then start the shower. With a loud groan, Ella rolled onto his side of the bed and buried her face in his pillow. She smiled to herself as she remembered how Maksim had kissed her neck thinking she was too deep in sleep to notice.

She knew he loved her. His little stolen kisses in the darkness of the room had proven all she needed to know. But he was also stubborn and hotheaded. He wouldn't let go of his anger so easily. It was a good thing Ella wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon.

As Maksim showered, Ella climbed out of bed and pushed back the curtains. The breathtaking view of the Eiffel tower greeted her as she remembered she was in Paris, the city of love. She walked back to the bed and sat down as the water in the bathroom shut off.

The doors opened and Maksim walked out with another towel wrapped around his hips. Ella wasn't complaining. She found him irresistibly sexy like that and she was still cranky he hadn't let her touch his hair. Maybe she will have better luck the second time around.

"You're still here," Maksim said as he walked into his closet.

"You're home, where else would I go?" Ella smiled.

"Go anywhere," Maksim said as he walked out with a fresh set of clothes. "Just away from here."

"Come here," Ella held out her arms. "Let me dry your hair."

"No, thank you."

"Max, I really don't like you leaving water everywhere."

"And I really don't like you calling me that,"

Ella frowned as she watched his pull a shirt over his head. Her eyes caught his tattoo as her heart danced happily. She wanted to kiss it and then kiss him and then kiss him some more.

"Are we going somewhere?" She asked as she watched the prince dress.

"I have plans," Maksim said. "I don't know about you. Stay and have breakfast if you like and then go back."

"I thought maybe we could go shopping today," Ella ignored his demands for her to leave.

"Why would I do that?" Maksim asked as he pulled on a pair of jeans and then tossed his towel into the laundry bin.

"Because I didn't bring any clothes," Ella laughed. "It's so uncomfortable sleeping in jeans."

"You have clothes back home,"

"The hotel probably has shops downstairs right?"

"Ella!" Maksim grew frustrated and put his feet down. "I'm leaving and when I come back I want you gone."

"I don't know Paris," Ella frowned. "What if I get lost?"

"Go. Home." Maksim said as he grabbed his phone and stormed out of the room.

His wolf growled at him and he hated the way the door slammed but he couldn't let Ella see how much she was affecting him. He needed to send her back.

Saying he had plans was a complete lie. If she wasn't in his room, Maksim would have probably stayed there sulking until he got bored and decided to hit up some clubs or a bar. But because he was so hellbent on not being around Ella, Maksim wandered the streets in the afternoon sun and tortured himself wondering if she left. After an hour or so, when Maskim had walked the same block for the tenth time, he decided to go back upstairs. A part of him was scared of what he might find upstairs.

Maksim rode the elevator in silence as another female guest made flirty eyes at him. He ignored as best as he could but she was relentless. She pretended to trip on her way out and grabbed onto his arm for support.

"Oh, I am so sorry," she said in French as she batted her lashes. "Clumsy me."

"My wife is upstairs and she doesn't take kindly to clumsy girls," Maksim said to her as his eyes darkened.

The girl jumped back in fright as she released Maksim's arm. Embarrassed, she rushed out of the elevator and didn't bother looking back. Maksim smiled to himself as he realized he had meant to say mate but couldn't remember the French word for it so he had slipped out wife.

As the elevator came to a stop on his floor, he shook the smile off his face and headed for his room. He slipped the keycard in and pushed the door open.

Like a cool breeze, the intoxicating scent of his mate greeted him, lifting up his spirit. Maksim held back the smile as he walked into the suit. So she hadn't left, stubborn as always.

"Ella, I thought I told you to g-" Maksim stopped as he walked into the empty living room. He looked around and she was nowhere.

"Ella?" Maksim called as he walked into the bedroom. "Ella?"

The bathroom and the closet were just as empty.

A hollow emptiness started to eat away at his insides as Maksim stood in the middle of the bedroom looking around.

She left.....

That's what he had wanted right? But then why was he feeling so empty?

Clare, Maksim opened his mind-link to his sister. Is Ella back home?

He needed to make sure she used the ring correctly. Once he knew she was safe back home, he would cut off all contact again.

Clare, Maksim growled impatiently.

Can you give me a second to check, Jesus! Clare shot back. We don't exactly live in a tiny apartment.

Just check and tell me.

Maksim took a seat on the sofa as he bounced his knees up and down impatiently. His eyes watched the second hand on the clock go around and around a few times before Clare finally came back.

No, she's not home.

Are you sure? Maksim asked with worry.

Are you really asking me that question? Clare paused. Wait....did you lose her, Maksim? Did you lose Ella? In Paris?

No! Maksim groaned. I didn't.

He shut off his mind-link before his sister could respond. His heart began to race as he wondered where Ella could be. The pixie ring was a fickle thing, if you didn't use it properly, you could end up on the bottom of the sea.

The thought of Ella at the bottom of the Atlantic stopped Maksim's heart. He jumped up from the sofa trying to think of some way to find her.

Suddenly, Maksim's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked down at the unknown number.

"Hello?" Maksim answered wondering where an unknown number had gotten his private number from.

"Max?" Ella's voice greeted him.
"Ella?" Maksim sighed. "Where are you?"

"I need help," 

What do you think of Ella's decision to tell max about the spell? and where is ella?