Dear Enemy, You're My Mate

Chapter 84 **

Finn

After having eaten breakfast, Maya is holding on to my neck like a baby koala. Her legs are wrapped around my waist snugly, and when I take off, she closes her eyes on instinct.

"I won't ever get used to flying!"

I laugh with my lips straining to contain my happiness and fly toward the window leading out into the sunlight. "You better hold on tight!"

Maya squeezes me. "Please, whatever you do, don't drop me! Flying isn't my thing."

My heart squeezes when I pick up on the fear visible in her sweet doe eyes. I take a deep, calming breath not to tackle Maya to the ground and kiss her everywhere. Every bone in my body wants to comfort her, but now isn't the time to drench her with my love.

"I won't—I promise."

Maya's lips quiver, but eventually, she slumps her tense shoulders. "Okay, I trust you!"

I smile.

Size-shifting would probably be safer for traveling, but I enjoy having Maya this close to me. Her heartbeat is wild, and her hands are forced to hold on to me for dear life, which I love. Intimacy with her is addicting, and I hate to admit it, but I feel like a man when I'm with her, big and strong, and as it should be.

I take a left turn once we are flying over the street. The sunlight is coming in strong, and the swirly cobblestone pathway looks, and the grass growing around it is so inviting.

Without reasoning with myself, I grow in the blink of an eye. Maya shrieks in surprise and slides down from my neck. She grabs an entire bouquet of chest hair, and I tilt my head to study her in amusement.

It hurts like hell having my hair pulled, but Maya is too cute to scold. Besides, I'm a giant monster and can take a bit of a violent hair tugging, especially in bed.

"You should give me a warning before you do that!" Maya isn't shy in the slightest, not even when faced with someone a hundred times larger than her—her eyes are flaming hot, burning with anger as she yells up at me. "I could have died!"

I snort and place my palm underneath her dangling feet. "As if I would let you hurt yourself—when you fall, I'm there to catch you."

Maya rolls her eyes at my cheesiness, and I hold back laughter, bringing her to my shoulder as we stroll down the road. Her hands run over my neck, finding my pulse, and my lips twitch in response.

"That tickles," I angle my head to smile down at her. "Do it again."

Shock sweeps over her features. She seems surprised at me admitting to like her hands on me when we are not having sex, and eventually, she beams at me. An eternity later, she finally strokes me again, and I swear a million ants are running loose underneath my skin—I love her touch.

The truth is that I pretty much love everything about Maya. I haven't said it out loud, but the way she looks at me like I'm not a monster despite my past is the world to me. Her eyes are gentle, giving away the kindness in her soul.

Maya speaks while continuing to run her hand over my skin. "Do you expect the elders will know how to train me?"

I'm still lost to the sensation of her hands stroking my muscled neck, enchanted by her strokes. The only answer I manage is a hum.

"Because I want to be useful in the upcoming saving mission, but then I need to know what I'm capable of doing, and I also need to understand how to use my abilities."

"The elders are experts in the magical field and will properly train you. There is nothing to worry about."

Maya doesn't look convinced. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I give her a crooked smile. "Besides, you're smart—you will figure out how to use your light powers."

"Did you say 'light powers'?"

"Mmm?" I lift an eyebrow. "Your father is a white wolf and has dark-based powers, and you're a black wolf, and so far, everything seems based on light, don't you think?"

"I suppose that's true."

Grinning, I stretch out my finger, poking her head, which earns me a giggle. My digit is up in Maya's face, and she grabs it, smiling, with her teeth digging into her bottom lip.

"You give me butterflies."

My heart ignites, making it damn near impossible not to turn around and head back to Kyra's place. I would spread Maya out over the white bedsheets and worship her body, delivering her one orgasm after the other while working between her legs.

"I like you too, little wolf."

I take a left turn and walk away from the city with a pouting Maya. She probably wants me to tell her I love her and crave her more than oxygen, but opening my heart to its total capacity will only make the pain even more excruciating when she leaves.

Luckily for me, Maya changes the subject. "Where are you taking us?"

My eyes travel to her form before focusing on the path again. Canopies are above us, shielding us from the sun—only a thin line of sunlight streams in through the green leaves.

"To the tree of life."

Her eyes widen. I guess she thought the tree of life was a sacred place where I wouldn't bring her, but I trust Maya, and if anyone knows how to train her, it's the elders. All they have to do is pick her as worthy, and BAM—she will be a warrior within a day. Because if the tree of life opens up a door for her to enter, time will pass faster in whatever mental dimension they take her.

"Do the elders live by the tree?" Maya is staring up at me, dumbfounded and looking as if she doesn't know what to believe.

I give her a wag of my eyebrows, knowing it will torture her since she seems to be highly nosy, someone in need of knowing everything. I wonder if I can use this to my advantage?

My tone turns teasing. "Curious little thing, aren't you?"

Maya laughs. "I guess I will find out once we get there."

I wink at her. "Prepare to be amazed. The tree of life is normal to most, but it will open doors of possibility to others. If you're chosen, that is."

"Oh-my-god, can we get there already?!"

I snort and spread my wings. "With pleasure—prepare for strong winds and possible-..."

Maya gives me a pleading look, and I bite back a smirk and offer her my palm instead. I can't tease her when she looks at me like that, and with a defeated sigh, I press her tiny, shaking body to my chest.

"It will be alright," I tell her. "I won't drop you."

Without spilling a single word, Maya grabs my finger and clams down her fingers like I'm a scary roller-coaster she might fall off. Her eyes radiate fear but calm down once I smile at her.

"You promise?"

I reveal a hint of my teeth. "I promise."

Maya curls her lips most adorably, and I experience flutters—to think that simply comforting her is an achievement in my book. I have thoroughly fallen for her. She has me wrapped around her little finger, and she doesn't even know.

Why can't I tell her I love her already?

Oh, wait—right—it's because I'm sick in the head and suffer from abandonment issues. Fuck me. I don't deserve Maya.