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He froze, but I guess that’s not how we’re spilling the story which is fine. I know I would struggle as well to tell the truth as well if I stayed still like that at first. But I don’t blame Lars, it was scary as hell. The worst thing that I have been through for sure. Something drew me in, that’s all, or I would have been frozen as well.
Maddox raises an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “Is that so?”
“Yeah, Maddox, she was fearless! She drove the thing back into the Rift all on her own before the Rift itself disappeared. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Maddox nods, his expression shifting from skepticism to a kind of begrudging respect. “Mahalia, which was incredibly brave of you. Not many would have the guts to do something like that. What made you act that way.”
I shift uncomfortably under their gaze, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment. “Well, it just seemed like the right thing to do, considering the circumstances. I don’t know what made me do it. I just… acted.”
Lars grins at me, his admiration evident. “See, Professor, Mahalia here is one of a kind! I don’t know what would have happened to us if she didn’t do that.”
Maddox sighs, shaking his head slightly. “All right, all right, let’s not get carried away. We still have a lot to discuss and figure out. But Mahalia, I must say, I’m impressed.”
I can’t help but smile at their unexpected praise, even if it comes in the midst of this bizarre situation. The intensity of everyone staring at me is a little much thought.
Maddox, stroking his rugged beard adding to his enigmatic charm, ponders me for a moment. Then, he leans forward and says, “Mahalia, I want you to come with me. Let’s see if you can do it again.”
I’m taken aback by his request. “Do what again?” I ask, my curiosity piqued.
He smirks, a hint of excitement dancing in his eyes. “Face another Rift creature. Prove that it wasn’t just a fluke. You might be the key to closing these Rifts once and for all. If you really did make the monsters retreat into the Rift, with it closing up behind you, then… well that’s really something. Not anything I’ve heard from the elders from the past teams. I don’t know how much the human women actually got involved with the fighting.”
I exchange a bewildered glance with Lars, who seems just as surprised by Maddox’s suggestion. Facing another monstrous Rift creature was the last thing I expected, but if it meant getting out of this surreal situation and back to my normal life, I was willing to give it a shot.
With a deep breath, I nod. “Okay, Professor. I’ll do it.”
As I agree, the other shifters begin to protest vehemently. Their voices rise in a chorus of concern, and their expressions range from worry to outright objection.
“No, Maddox—it’s too dangerous!” Lars exclaims, his eyes wide with alarm.
“You can’t seriously be considering putting her in harm’s way,” Vaughn argues, his voice laced with anger.
“I don’t know about this,” Kit interjects with a frown. “It doesn’t seem like the best idea.”
I feel a mixture of fear and gratitude. It’s clear that these shifters care about my well-being, but at the same time, I can’t help but wonder if I’m truly capable of repeating what just happened with the Rift. The first encounter was a stroke of luck, and I’m not sure if I can pull it off again. If I don’t, what will happen? I suppose Maddox will save me, but that still puts me on edge. I heard about people being sucked into the Rift, and that puts me on edge.
I wouldn’t want to be pulled into there, no matter what.
Maddox’s authoritative look manages to silence the protests of the other shifters. I watch as their objections fade into reluctant acquiescence, and I can’t help but admire how he wields his authority. It’s a look he’s often directed at me throughout the year, attempting to assert control and discipline over my unruly behavior. I keep my reaction hidden, but deep down, that look has never instilled fear in me. Instead, it ignites a spark of excitement. It’s the very reason I’ve enjoyed pushing his buttons and challenging him over the past year. I thrive at the challenge I see in his eyes, the knowledge that beneath his composed exterior, there’s a tightly held leash of control that could snap at any moment.
Wondering what that snapping might look like. Whether he might scream and shout at me some more… or do something else. Yes, I’ve dreamed about the idea of him grabbing me and kissing me; not that I would ever tell anyone else that.
But I can’t think about kissing my professor right now, not when my head is all over the place like this. I have to focus, just like I did when I pushed the monster back before. Me and Lars might have been flirting and having a bit of fun. There was even a moment when it seemed like we might kiss, but I could concentrate on the monster fully when it came after me.
As Maddox’s gaze turns back to me, his nose twitches ever so slightly, and his eyes narrow. There’s something in his expression, a subtle mix of exasperation and... something else. My heart skips a beat as I wonder… can he sense the secret thrill he unknowingly stirs within me? The way that he’s looking at me has my pulse pounding like absolute crazy.
A nervous cough from someone nearby breaks the tension, and I can’t help but wonder if they’ve noticed the unspoken tension between Maddox and me. Lars seems quite accepting of me flirting with the other guys. He even sort of talked about us taking this ‘mating round’ to a sexual level, which thrills and unnerves me in equal measures.
But Vaughn? Kit? Maddox? Yeah, I have no idea what they think.
“We won’t be long,” Maddox barks. “You lot stay here, okay?”
They nod agreeably, unable to refuse him. Seeing them all this way causes an unexpected flurry of butterflies to flap in the pit of my stomach. No, lower than that. Holy shit, it’s been so long since I even really thought of a guy. I might have had my little crushes on Maddox and Lars too, but I never really thought that anything would happen. Not since Vaughn. But now it’s starting to feel like anything is possible, which is wild.
“Come on,” Maddox declares in my direction. “Let’s go.”
I follow Maddox into the forest, and embarrassment floods my cheeks, turning them a deep shade of crimson. The heat that I’ve been feeling about all of these men starts rushing through me, making it hard for me to focus on anything. There will be no concentration here.
“I don’t know where we’re going exactly,” Maddox mutters, almost to himself. “The Rift can make an appearance anywhere, so this might be challenging for us.”
