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“Mmm, yeah.” I don’t know what to say. I feel like a fool.
“Keep up will you?” he snaps, barely even looking at me. “Come on, don’t mess around.”
“I am, but you’re basically running.” I roll my eyes. “Maybe you don’t need to move so quickly if we don’t know where the Rift is going to open up, so where are you even running? It doesn’t make any sense to me at all.”
But my words must fall on deaf ears, because Maddox doesn’t even acknowledge me. Instead, he continues with his lecture, as if we’re still in the classroom and he can talk to me however he wants. “Make sure you follow my instructions when we do find the Rift. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I’m the one who fought the monster, remember?”
I hate it when he treats me like a child. It reminds me of the way my family talks to me, especially my father. I’m a woman with my own mind. I don’t need to be talked to like I’m shit. Like I don’t know what I’m doing. My fists curl up by my side with anger.
“I need to know that you’re going to be sensible when we get there.”
Behind his back, I can’t resist making a mocking “blah, blah, blah” sound, rolling my eyes dramatically as if I can glimpse my own brain. This is driving me insane. I’ve already proven myself. I don’t need to keep on doing it.
“Did you just say something?” He spins around to look at me.
“I didn’t say a thing!” I snap back with mock innocence.
“I heard you. I know you’re mocking me, but I can’t imagine why. This is dangerous…”
“Yeah, but you’re the one who brought me out here into this danger. I didn’t choose this.”
I can’t stand the way he’s talking to me. This isn’t right. T the tension between us escalates with each passing word. Neither of us seem willing to back down, and it feels as if our clash of wills is echoing through the dense forest.
“I just don’t understand why you have to be so controlling!” I exclaim, my voice rising in frustration as I finally get to the heart of this. “I’m not a child, and I’ve already proven myself. You don’t have to treat me like I’m helpless. I know you’re an alpha, but I’m not a wolf so you don’t have to treat me like I’m someone under your power.”
Maddox’s jaw tightens, and he takes a step closer to me, his expression a mixture of anger and concern. “This is dangerous, Mahalia. I need to know that you’re going to be safe and follow my instructions.”
“But you’re not giving me any credit!” I retort, my fists clenching at my sides. “I fought that monster, and I held my own. I don’t need a constant babysitter.”
The words hang in the air between us, and I can see the frustration in Maddox’s eyes. It’s clear that he genuinely cares about my safety, but his overprotectiveness is suffocating me. The forest around us seems to close in, amplifying the tension and making it harder to breathe.
As Maddox and I have been arguing, I notice that he’s steadily closing the distance between us. His determined steps bring him closer and closer, and with each passing moment, I feel like I’m being backed into a corner. The forest around us seems to grow darker and more oppressive, mirroring the escalating tension between us.
“Do you even understand what I’m saying, Maddox? I don’t need this,” I protest, my voice growing more desperate as I try to maintain my ground.
Maddox’s expression remains stern, but there’s a glint of concern in his eyes. He doesn’t seem to be listening anymore; instead, he’s focused on closing the space between us.
“Are you even going to answer me?” I continue, my back now pressed firmly against the rough bark of a tree. The realization that I’m cornered dawns on me, and my heartbeat quickens.
Maddox stands directly in front of me, his chest rising and falling with the intensity of our argument. The atmosphere is charged with both anger and an unspoken tension. I can feel his breath on my face, and it sends shivers down my spine.
The forest is eerily quiet around us as if it’s holding its breath, waiting to see what will happen next. And in this tense moment, it’s unclear whether our argument will escalate further or if something else entirely will transpire between us.
Maddox’s hand rests heavily on the tree trunk just beside my head, effectively trapping me between his presence and the rough bark. Our eyes lock in a fierce, unyielding gaze, both of us seething with anger and frustration. It’s hard to tell which one of us is more annoyed at this point.
I narrow my eyes at him, my own frustration bubbling to the surface. “No, you don’t get it! You treat me like a child, like I can’t handle myself out here. I’ve proven myself already, and I don’t need you hovering over me. This isn’t the classroom. I’m not your student anymore.”
Maddox’s jaw tightens, and his grip on the tree trunk tightens. It’s clear he’s struggling to maintain his composure, just as I am. The proximity between us, the anger that crackles in the air, it’s all becoming too much.
“I’m trying to keep you safe,” he finally admits, his voice softer now but still tinged with irritation. “I know this isn’t the classroom, it’s much more dangerous.”
I can’t contain my frustration any longer, and the words burst out of me like a dam breaking. Maddox may claim to be concerned about my safety, but his actions tell a different story.
“You can’t be too worried about protecting me if you’re the one who kidnapped me and brought me out here, right into the danger,” I accuse, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and confusion.
Maddox’s eyes flash with a hint of regret, but he doesn’t back away from our confrontation. Instead, he takes a deep breath, as if bracing himself for my question.
