Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 252

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY TWO

Talia’s POV

Maggie wiped her face with the back of her hand. She took a breath before she spoke. “He saw what happened with the bear, what the mad rogue blood did to the bear. Mason has not been able to stop thinking about it since. He wanted to see the map because he wanted to know where the tunnels were. He said if something like that happened inside the pack, he needed to know how to get me out. Mason, my mate, is not a traitor, Luna.”

I swore under my breath. Clearly, we had not been careful enough with hiding what we were doing. Maggie thought Mason meant well, but I did not think that was his real reason for wanting her to get the map.

“I want you to hear me clearly, Maggie. If something happens in this pack, I will personally see to it that every pack member has access to those tunnels. I will not leave anyone behind. But I cannot disclose the location of those passages right now,” I finally responded.

“Why not?” she asked.

‘Who is she to question us?’ my wolf snarled and I pushed her down.

“If the wrong person finds out where those tunnels are, they become useless overnight,” I explained. “I will not risk that.”

“I understand what you are saying,” Maggie said. “But he is not a spy. He is a warrior who has served this pack for years. He just wanted reassurance.”

“Then he should have come to me himself,” I answered. “Or to Nolan.”

“He did not think he would be taken seriously,” Maggie argued.

“That is not a reason to send you into a restricted room to take something that belongs to neither of you,” I countered.

“Please Luna. I just need it for the night and I’ll return it,” Maggie begged.

“Did you not hear what I just said?” I asked.

“I know, I know, but he’s not a traitor. He’s not a spy. This would ease his mind,” Maggie continued to beg.

‘She is still begging for it to appease her mate. This feels wrong,’ my wolf huffed.

“Maggie, I need to meet him immediately,” I said firmly.

“What? Why? I planned on introducing you to him after he marks me,” Maggie said.

“That is my condition. You want me to consider giving you access to the map. Bring him to me first. If he is as trustworthy as you say, then this should not be an issue and I will happily show him the map,” I said.

Maggie hesitated for a long moment before she looked at me with desperation. “Luna, please,” she said. “I am not asking you to give it to us permanently. I am asking for one night. He looks at it, we will return it tomorrow morning, and no one has to know it moved. I swear to you we mean no harm to this pack.”

“I understand that you believe that,” I said. “But my answer is still the same. Bring him to me or no map.”

Maggie hesitated. I watched her and I could see that she understood what the hesitation meant.

“He will not like that,” she murmured.

“And why would he not like it?” I asked. “It is a reasonable request unlike what he asked of you.”

“What do you mean?”

“He asked you to walk into a restricted study and take a classified document. He knew what you were risking and he asked you to risk it anyway,” I explained. “If Nolan had found you here instead of me, you would not be standing here right now. You would

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be facing banishment. At best.”

For a split second, I saw shame in her eyes before she dropped her head. Maggie knew this was wrong, but what I couldn’t figure out was why she was still going through with it. Was Mason blackmailing her?

“A man who loves you does not put you in danger like that,” I continued. “He finds another way. To me, what he asked of you is not the action of someone who loves you enough.”

“That is not fair,” Maggie shot back. “He did it because he loves me. He wanted to protect us. You cannot hold that against him.”

“I am not holding it against him. I am telling you what I see. You nearly lost everything this morning because of a request he made. Would you have done that to him if you were in his position?”

“You are wrong. He loves me,” Maggie retorted but her voice came out weak and shaky. “I know he does. I will not stand here and let you tell me otherwise. You do not know him, and you do not know us.”

“Then let me know about him,” I pressed. “Bring him to me. Prove me wrong about him.”

“Fine. I’ll…” Maggie stopped midsentence. She put one hand against the wall behind her.

“Maggie,” I said, noticing how pale she had become. “Are you okay?”

She did not answer. Her eyes went unfocused and her knees gave way. I caught her arm as she went limp. I laid her back on the couch as Maggie was completely unconscious.

“I need someone now!” I called.

Two guards entered the study within seconds. “Luna, what’s wrong?”

“Maggie collapsed. Take her to the infirmary now.”

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