Chapter 7 Marked for Defiance

Maya's POV

Lauren was awake, sitting a row behind us, her eyes constantly scanning for threats. She leaned back against the side of the train, legs stretched across the seat, alert and watchful. She gave me a nod when I sat up and glanced around. Sleep had become an enemy, every time I closed my eyes, the nightmares returned, and I could see that Lauren was worn thin. Exhaustion lined her face, but she was calmer now. The SUV had made her anxious; she was convinced it could be tracked. I believed her. With Damien, nothing was off the table. He had already shown he was willing to imprison Kayla and me to get his way. We couldn't risk that vehicle leading him to us.

Meliza stirred not long after, rubbing her eyes. We were all running on fumes. Escaping Damien and his goons was proving to be far more grueling than we had expected. Once we were out, the weight of reality hit. We knew what they were capable of and what they would do if they had to chase us down. There would be hell to pay. This was our one shot. None of us said it aloud, but we all knew. If they caught us, there wouldn't be another chance. The risk was worth it, because staying was no longer an option.

We understood exactly what punishment would follow if we were dragged back. The ranked wolves thought they could treat us however they pleased, like we were theirs to use. They were wrong. We refused to be their toys. We deserved to find love, to be cherished. That wasn't too much to ask from a mate. If we got caught, the only future waiting was one of cruelty, humiliation, and control. The pack would look down on us for trying to escape, and I couldn't bear the thought of that for my sisters. I wouldn't allow it.

"Lauren, get some rest," I urged gently. "Meliza and I will watch over you. There's only one other person in the car and that sweet old lady doesn't look like she's plotting anything. You'll burn out if you don't sleep."

She hesitated, but finally nodded and stretched out across the bench. Meliza took the seat across from her to stay close, and I moved to the next row, facing the opposite direction to keep an eye out. With a moment of quiet, my mind drifted back to the last few days; days that pushed us over the edge. The guys weren't hiding their intentions anymore, and the injury on my leg was a painful reminder of how far things had gone. The blood was still seeping through the makeshift bandage, and the dull throb was sharpening. I needed to clean it and take the pain meds they had picked up for me.

I blinked up at the ceiling, holding back tears. I silently begged the Moon Goddess to make me stronger; wished I was a wolf, that I could fight back. I wanted to wipe that smug smirk off Damien's face. He and his friends didn't even pretend to hide their lust anymore. Their eyes raked over us, licking their lips like we were prey. But I wasn't prey, I would die before I let them touch my sisters. They thought we were powerless. They were getting cockier as the week wore on, their intentions less veiled with each passing day. They truly believed we wanted them too.

Two nights ago, Damien used his master key to enter my room. Both times, it happened while I was in the shower. There was no way it was accidental. The first time, I barely managed to wrap my towel around myself before stepping out, only to find him sitting smugly on my bed, leaning against the headboard like he owned the place. My startled cry only amused him. His eyes drank me in as he stood, and I could feel the threat in his stare. He wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Thank the Goddess for Kayla, a phrase I never thought I would say. Her name lit up his phone just as he reached for me. He ignored it at first, but she kept calling. Persistent. Eventually, he growled and left, snapping, "What the hell do you want, Kayla?" as he walked out. Trouble in paradise, I thought bitterly.

But the next night, there would be no rescue. I had locked the door and wedged a chair beneath the handle before taking my shower, thinking I was safe. I wasn't. When I returned to the bedroom, the chair was in splinters on the floor. He had forced his way in.

"Trying to keep me out?" he sneered. "This is my pack, Maya. I go where I please. You think you can hide from me? You belong to me. You'll never escape."

He advanced, and I backed into the bathroom, trying to slam the door. He caught it with his foot.

"Oh no, my little sorceress," he hissed. "Not tonight. My phone's in my room. Kayla can't save you now."

He kissed me, silencing my scream, his mouth rough and unwelcome. I kept my lips sealed, refusing him, even as he pressed his body against mine. One hand gripped my back while the other tugged at my towel. I clung to it with both hands, terrified and furious. I had thought he would wait until Kayla left, but I was wrong. He wanted me now.

"I can't wait to take you," he whispered. "You have my heart. Not Kayla. I'll protect you from her."

He buried his face in my neck, breathing in deeply, his arousal pressing into me. He had locked the door behind him. He wasn't going to stop.

Then, I heard it. Pounding at the door. Meliza and Lauren's voices cut through the fear.

"Maya! Are you okay? Open up!"

"I'm getting help!" Lauren shouted.

Damien froze mid-kiss. He couldn't afford to be seen. Not yet. Maybe later, after he had claimed me and there was no turning back. I knew exactly what he planned: trap me in his room, get me pregnant, and present me to the pack as his fated mate. The thought made me sick.

He stepped back, annoyed. "Looks like you got a reprieve. For now. Warn your sisters. Next time, I'll make sure they're too distracted to interfere."

He left, brushing past Meliza in the hallway.

"If you need something to do," he told her coldly, "I'll help you find Mr. Right. You two clearly don't know how to stay out of my business. Maya is mine. Don't interfere again, or there'll be consequences."

That night, we agreed: we would leave the next morning. We couldn't wait any longer. If he came back a third time, I wouldn't be able to stop him. His control was slipping, and I didn't want to be there when it snapped.