The air was thick with laughter, music, and the intoxicating buzz of the wolfsbane-infused wine that everyone seemed to be enjoying. The celebration had taken over the grand square of the Nest, spreading throughout the pathways which led through the forest where people from all the seven kingdoms mingled.

Maia watched from her throne-like seat at the entrance of a tent, her eyes scanning the crowd, the rhythm of the music beating in her chest. She wasn't sure why she was here, or why she even wanted to be. Her mind still went over the details of Annia's tale of Rex's father's history which as it turns out, was the catalyst of her unfortunate demise. Her hands wrapped tightly around her drink as her gaze flickered between the figures around her.

On one side, Kore, his youthful face taut with anger, was picking at a piece of meat in silence, his brows furrowed in thought. On the other, Rex was surrounded by a few women, all eager to offer him drinks and engage him in conversation. She couldn't help the knot that formed in her stomach as she watched them. Her heart hammered.

What is this?

It wasn't jealousy, not entirely. At least, that's what she told herself. It was just-well, what was it?

They weren't even looking at each other. Not really. Rex had already politely turned away every offer they made, his attention still fixed on her, though from afar. And yet, the mere sight of the women flirting with him stung in a way that made her uncomfortable. She couldn't shake the irrational possessiveness that twisted inside her.

Maia's fingers clenched around her cup, tightening with each laugh and flirtation. The feeling of being a stranger-so alien in that world-struck her again. And she couldn't pretend it didn't bother her. She was a digressive. She wasn't one of them, not really. Even after everything.

"It's you, isn't it?" a voice pierced through the music, and Maia jolted looking at the six eyed man that towered above her. "You are the Earthly Goddess they talk about, aren't you?"

"I'm not in a mood for arguing with anyone," she cut him short, and took a sip of her drink. The warmth of the drink crawled through her veins, but it did nothing to numb the ache inside her.

Maia couldn't bring herself to feel anything but distaste for the attention. She had no place here. Not with the memories of what she had done, and mocking certainly wouldn't have helped.

"Oh, I have no ill thought." The vermillion leaned on the side of the tent, curiously gazing at her. "Our little prince seems to have grown a fascination in your regard."

"Little prince?" Maia asked without much actual curiosity to the matter. Her mind was elsewhere. Guilt gnawed at her, as she fixed her gaze on Rex, searching for something-some small indication that he too, despite their recent disagreements, kept her in mind. But his gaze was diverted, chatting with yet another woman, who smiled too brightly and laughed too loudly.

Maia gritted her teeth and swallowed down the bitter taste of jealousy.

"Yes," the vermillion smirked noticing her fixed gaze, "the youngest Nix saved his life earlier, and it seemed it was all under the pretext of helping a special someone."

Maia's head turned towards him; her curiosity somewhat heightened.

"Though, of course, between then and word of mouth, plus your weird fanatic worshipers, I might have been poorly informed."

"My worshipers?" Maia's brows tightened together. "I have no idea whatever you are referring to."

"They call themselves Children of Terra." The guy raised a skeptical eyebrow unsure if she was playing dumb or if she in fact wasn't aware. "They are heathen digressives who deny the gods and believe in the return of the one true mother goddess, from whom they all are born and through which they all die...or so they say." He paused and he and Maia exchanged confused glances. "They say you are the mother goddess."

"I've heard plenty crazy, but that..." she chuckled, "you really must've thought hard to come up with that."

"Hey," he laughed with her, "Don'tshoot the messenger. I think it was worth coming to ask."

They both sipped from their drinks, throwing the crowd some glances.

"Is she the one who heals people...or...?" a small group of pixies made their way to them, giggling in a jolly manner.

The music shifted, the mood lightening, and soon people were on their feet, forming circles and laughing as the games began. A shift had occurred-almost imperceptible at first-and slowly, people had begun warming to her. The pack, despite the chaos that had surrounded her, seemed to soften. She had helped them. She had saved them in some way, they believed, and now they seemed open to approach her with at least some respect and, maybe, even a little wonder.

At this point Rex stood with a forced smile fixed on his face as he engaged with a pair of women who had approached him earlier. Their intentions were clear, their words laden with subtle flirtations as they offered him drinks and asked pointed questions about the upcoming festivities. One of them even reached out, brushing a hand along his forearm in a gesture meant to be coy.

He didn't pull away, but his attention was elsewhere. His eyes, despite his best efforts, kept drifting toward the side of the Nest's square where Maia sat among a lively group. She appeared relaxed, laughing as one Krayevee-a tall man with a confident grin-shared an exaggerated tale. Another woman leaned in to Maia, whispering something that made her laugh again, her face bright with amusement.

Rex clenched his jaw, the muscles ticking as he fought to ignore the scene. She's just talking, he reminded himself, the thought meant to reassure him. But his traitorous mind painted vivid scenarios of the man leaning too close, of Maia smiling at him with the same warmth she'd reserved for Rex.

"...Don't you think so?" one of the women beside him asked, pulling his attention back.

He blinked, realizing he'd completely missed whatever they had been saying. "Of course," he muttered vaguely, forcing himself to meet her gaze and offering a tight smile. She seemed pleased with his response, her laughter ringing out as she nudged her companion.

Still, his focus wavered. He caught Maia tilting her head, her hair cascading over her shoulder as she listened intently to another man's words. A small knot of jealousy twisted in his gut, sharp and biting. He hated the way her smile came so easily in their company; how carefree she seemed without him nearby.

Rex gripped his cup tighter. It wasn't right-this overwhelming possessiveness that roared to life in him, battling against his denial. She wasn't his, couldn't be his. He shouldn't feel this way. But no matter how much he reminded himself of that truth, the sight of her sharing her laughter, her light, with anyone else made him feel like something was being stolen away.

He turned back to the women before him, forcing a laugh at whatever they said next. If he could distract himself long enough, maybe the tightening in his chest would loosen. Maybe.

Maia tried to lose herself in the frivolity of it all, just as they had. The women around her encouraged her to join them, and despite her lingering discomfort, Maia rose on the beat of the drums. For a moment, just a fleeting one, she allowed herself to be swept away in the rhythm of the dance. The music carried her, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she didn't feel entirely out of place.

"Let the games begin!" a deep voice echoed through the air, and one Aterian threw a knife in Annia's direction.

Blue flames soared from Annia's hands, and the knife spun in the air rapidly as people gathered in a circle.

"Truth..." Annia begun with a smirk on her lips, eyeing everyone that joined, and with flick of her fingers, the sharp weapon pierced the ground in front of a dryad. "Or Dare?"

Loud cheers and laughter filled mixed with the air and the game proceeded in a louder, freer and more twisted manner than Maia ever played it before.

It wasn't until she caught a glance of Rex that the weight of everything crashed back in.

She could feel his eyes on her-felt the sharp intensity of his gaze, even from across the circle. But as quickly as their eyes met, he looked away, and her stomach twisted.

Why is he doing this?

Sure, marking seemed out of the question. But she was tired of pretending she wasn't drawn to him, that she didn't care for him. He was the one thing that anchored her here, the only person who had helped pull her back from the edge after she lost herself-after everything had spiralled out of control. He was her anchor, her tether to this world, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

And yet, in spite of things being better between them, after they had grown closer following her unfortunate attempt, she felt him pulling away... again. She could see it. She could feel it. Now more than ever before.

A few women continued to chat with him, but in spite of appearances, and Maia's stolen glances, Rex was not interested. He was just... there. Detached. She felt that his coolness was a constant reminder-he didn't want her, didn't want whatever this was.

She lost herself in the game for a time, letting the laughter and the movement distract her from the ache in her chest. But it was getting harder to ignore.

Finally, the knife spun and landed on Annia. She stood tall, her confident, cool demeanour unshaken by the game's frivolity. She had a way of keeping the atmosphere light, just enough to keep everyone in good spirits, but her sharp eyes never missed a detail. She had been observing the two for a while, way before turning her attention to the group.

"I'll take a dare," Annia announced with a teasing smile.

"Do the one with the cat!" Kore's voice pierced through the cheers, making everyone clapping in excitement.

She whispered something under her breath and flipped into the air. And upon landing, there was no woman in sight, but a black short haired cat with those piercing yellow eyes glancing back at everyone. There was a moment of silence, then a burst of laughter and cheering, following Annia's shifting back.

Next came one of the women next to Rex, a Lykan from a foreign pack. She smiled coyly, choosing dare as well. "Alright, then," Annia said, "I dare you to chug Crassus' entire drink. And no tricks this time, like last round!"

The woman hesitated, eyes widening as the enormity of the task hit her. But with a shrug, she took the cup in hand and, much to the crowd's delight, downed it in one go. The cheers were loud, almost deafening, and Maia couldn't help but laugh along with the others, the light-heartedness of the moment infecting her.

As the next round of spinning began, Maia's thoughts drifted back to Rex. There he was, in the middle of the two women, trying to engage him in conversation. They were all strikingly beautiful-unusual looking for Maia of course, she might have been somewhat familiar with Lykans at that point, but she never had met any actual red skinned women before. They seemed to possess the easy confidence of those who had grown up perhaps always getting what they wanted.

But Rex wasn't paying attention to them-not really. Maia could see it in his eyes, how he politely refused their offers, how he excused himself from the advances. Still, something about his distance unsettled her.

What did it mean? Was he indifferent, or was he... trying not to care? The jealousy burned quietly in her chest, surprising her with its intensity. What did it matter if he was talking to them? Why did she feel this pang every time one of them brushed against him, every time he turned his back to them?

She didn't know the answer, and she hated herself for it. Each moment was a collision of unspoken thoughts, of desires neither of them could fully acknowledge yet.

And then the sharp weapon landed in front of Rex.

He looked down at the spinning object, his lips pressing into a thin line. The crowd fell silent, eyes on him, waiting for his decision.

There it was-the way he looked at Maia when it was his turn, the hesitation that lingered in his expression, it wasn't lost on her. The game had taken on a different tone for them both.

"Truth," Rex declared, his voice steady, though there was a flicker of something unspoken in his gaze.

A woman, one of the Krayevee escorts who had worked with them in previous seasons, and the second woman seated next to Rex, raised an eyebrow at his choice. She leaned forward, her voice low and daring. "Tell us, Rex. What qualities do you look for in a potential life partner, in a mate, as you Lykans call them?"

The room waited in rapt attention as he shifted uncomfortably, the question clearly one he hadn't expected. Rex's eyes met Maia's briefly, and something passed between them-something fleeting, but undeniable. His gaze softened, but only for a second.

He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort. Then he answered the question with an almost mechanical precision, as if rehearsing the words he had said to himself a thousand times before. "Someone to build a family with. To have shared interests. And of course... a connection to our roots."

"Booring~" shouted Kore, climbing on Rex's back in a playful manner. "He obviously can't wait to find his mate. This one right here is a helpless romantic who still believes in fated pairs and what not."

Rex pulled him downward, jokingly rubbing his palm on the youngster's face, much to his annoyance, which prompted Kore to make a run for it.

As his words replayed in her mind, Maia's heart skipped a beat. They felt like a sharp contrast to everything she thought she could be to him. She felt that he was speaking to her, telling her they were not meant to be. Or was this some kind of deflection? His eyes never lingered on her, though Maia felt the strange pull between them like an invisible thread, pulling at her chest.

She could see it clearly now-this was more than just a game. It was something they had both been avoiding for too long.

His gaze lingered just a moment too long before he spun the knife again.

As it twirled, Maia found herself wishing, irrationally, that he had said something more, something that hinted at the feelings she hadn't fully acknowledged in herself. But she wasn't ready to face that. Not yet.

Another spin, and this time the knife landed back on Rex. He chose truth again, much to the disappointment of some of the ladies present. But this didn't stop the curious minds to rapidly come up with another question.

"Do you believe in fated mates?"

Rex paused, his eyes hardening. His face betrayed nothing, but Maia saw the tension in his shoulders, the slight clenching of his jaw. He looked at her for just a fraction of a second, his gaze flicking over her features: the curve of her lips, the rose in her cheeks, the wave of her lashes. He cleared his throat when he realized they were looking at each other.

He quickly lowered his gaze, clasping his palms tightly together, as if the question burned him.

"I..." Rex started but was cut off by Crassus, who suddenly stood up, his voice dripping with thinly veiled annoyance.

"Don't mind me, little brother," Crassus said. "Wouldn't want to spoil the mood, now would we?" His tone was light, but the underlying discomfort was clear.

Maia frowned, unsettled. The mention of fated mates had rattled her. She didn't know what that meant, only that it seemed to make Crassus uneasy, and it had struck a nerve with Rex. She leaned closer to Annia, asking in a low voice, "What does fated mates mean?"

Annia smiled softly, but there was a quiet sadness in her eyes as she started explaining.

"It's the belief that every Lykan has a twin flame, another Lykan they were made for, and who is made perfectly for them. It is believed that the Mother of the Sky herself created them as a whole, but split them into two so they may roam the mortal realms until they reunite." She paused, taking a long drink from her cup. "When fated mates find each other, it's said that they will know instantly-they're linked by their very essence, down to their DNA. When they meet, they 't help but feel the strongest of attractions. Perhaps it's something deeper than attraction. A beastly instinct in their blood."

Maia's heart pounded in her chest. She knew that whatever was happening between her and Rex, it wasn't normal. But if fated mates existed, it meant that somewhere out there, there was someone meant perfectly for him and he for her.

She wasn't the one for Rex.

"Fated mates, huh?" Crassus' voice buzzes in her ears as she snapped back from her trail of thoughts. "Seems like a convenient excuse to blame fate for your choices." He took a swig of his drink, his expression unreadable but the edge in his tone unmistakable.

Yet Rex was never far from Maia's thoughts. His occasional glances, those sharp, brief moments when his eyes locked with hers, pulled her attention like gravity. It unsettled her, and she hated how much it did. She tried to focus on the others, the laughter, the silliness of it all, but he was always there, a constant shadow, both comforting and maddening.

Rex's hand grazed the Krayevee's briefly as he reached forward to throw it once more. The knife spun again, and it landed on the very same woman next to him, which smiled coyly, picking truth.

Maia bit her lip, looking away, but not before Rex caught the fleeting expression of jealousy on her face as the other woman chose her pick. This time, he didn't refuse her flirtations. He allowed her to talk to him, smile at him. The sting of it cut deep.

But he wasn't looking at her-not truly. Instead, he was holding himself back. She could feel it, see it in the way he closed off from her, just as she tried to do the same when she was approached. The chemistry was undeniable, but both of them refused to give into it.

"What's the hardest part of working in Krayevus?" he asked the woman as he stole quick glances at Maia who tried to keep busy by ripping a small plant that kept sprouting next to her.

Her gaze flicked to him again before the woman answered. "It's seeing people go through things... knowing you can't change it, no matter how much you want to. Things haven't looked good, not since the uprising."

The Krayevee's words were heavy, tinged with a sorrow that seemed to pull at the edges of the ones present, the uprising and the civil war hadn't left the best marks on none of the seven kingdoms, especially on Krayevus.

In spite of everyone else, for Rex and Maia, the woman's answer made them think of other things, and suddenly it felt like the whole world disappeared, leaving just the two of them in the space between the words.

Crassus, who had looked over the entire game, then took a seat next to Annia.

"Let's make things interesting," his deep voice whispered to her, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. His eyes flicked between Rex and Maia, something unreadable in his gaze.

The knife spun again. The tension in the air was palpable. Maia's heart thudded as it came to stop in front of... her.