MAXINEAs I reached the packed hospital, I saw a crowd gathered in front. I slowed down, grabbing the handle of my bag tightly as I approached.People were murmuring. There were lines of police tape in front of the building, blocking the entrance. There were two barricades in front, preventing people from pressing forward."What's happening?" I asked, in confusion. Most of the people outside were workers at the hospital. Where were the patients?"The mayor shut down the hospital. All the patients have been transferred to another hospital." A stranger said."What?" I asked. "Why? They can't just close the hospital."My old friends, Nancy and Katelyn spotted me and they waved me over. I pushed through the crowd going to them."Why are they closing the hospital?" I asked, hoping that one of them could give me more information on it."I heard that they want to demolish it to build a theme park on the land. The mayor approved the demolition." Nancy replied."They would destroy a hospital f
MAXINEI stood at the kitchen counter, chopping carrots for the soup I was making when Liam made the announcement, immediately drawing my attention."What did you just say?" I asked, the knife hovering above the cutting board as I paused."You need a job. I'm telling you I can give you one at the pack house." He repeated.The offer was unexpected, but not entirely surprising given our peculiar relationship. He was the alpha of the pack, and I worked as a nurse's assistant at the hospital that was now facing closure."The hospital..." I began, unsure how to start. I wanted to come up with some excuse why I couldn't. But I needed a new job."Okay. I guess I could use a change." I agreed.Liam's expression softened, and he nodded. "Good. You can start anytime. I'll finalize everything tomorrow." He saidI found myself nodding. "Okay. I'll do it," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt.***It took two more days before I got the courage to leave my house and go to the pack
MAXINEAfter the chaos yesterday, I was exhausted and I went home to rest. The next day, I knocked lightly on Lindsey's door, a tray of freshly baked cookies balanced carefully in my hands. It was my off day and I decided to spend it playing with Marie.The door opened, revealing Lindsey's bright smile as she greeted me warmly. "Hey Maxine, come on in!" Lindsey said, stepping aside to let me enter."Hi, Lindsey. I thought I'd drop by with some treats. It's my day off, and I thought I could keep you and Marie company," I explained, holding up the tray of cookies.Lindsey's expression lit up with gratitude. "That's so kind of you. Marie will be thrilled. She's been talking about you since the last time she saw you."I followed Lindsey into the cozy living room where Marie was playing with her toys. Marie's eyes widened with excitement as she spotted me."Maxine!" Marie exclaimed, running over and wrapping her arms around my legs."Hey there, Marie. How are you today?" I asked, smiling d
MAXINEElla was startled, immediately clutching her stomach. She dropped the bags of groceries in the process."Oh, my!" She exclaimed.We looked in the direction of the crash and saw a car, slammed into the side of a building. People were screaming. Without hesitation, I dropped my bags near Ella and told her to wait.I ran towards the accident and checked who was in the car. "Nadia!" I screamed, seeing her in the passenger seat.She was passed out. I tried to unlock the door but it wouldn't give way. "Help me!" I screamed."Out of the way." A man said. He turned his elbow to the car and smashed the window.He wrapped a shirt around his hand and swiped his arm on the glass to break off pointy ones at the bottom of the window. He reached into the car and unlocked it, removing Nadia's seat belt and taking her out.He carried her to the sidewalk, away from the car. I immediately began to check her vitals. She was good but she was only unconscious.I tapped her cheek lightly. "Nadia, Nad
MAXINEI woke up right as the day dawned. I got ready for work and it was when I got to the pack house that I felt the unsettling tension in every corner.The news of the recent fights between werewolves and humans had spread like wildfire. Rumours were spreading around casting a quiet shadow over the usually vibrant pack house.I walked through the occupied lobby, navigating my way to my office floor. The usual bustle was replaced by hushed conversations and glances exchanged between pack members.I felt the weight of anxiety settles in my chest. Pack members had heard of reports of human deaths as well as werewolf fatalities.I could sense the fear in the air. As I walked towards my office, I caught some of them huddled together, talking in whispers.I got to work, ordering Liam's schedule and finishing up paperwork from the day before. As I was finishing up, there was a knock on my door."Come in," I said. Liam entered, holding a few documents."Maxine, good morning. Could you che
MAXINEI swallowed. War was not an easy thing. There was always loss on both ends. Liam must have sensed my worry because he placed his hand on my shoulder."You should head back home," he suggested. "We'll take care of everything for you."I nodded. "You're right." I agreed. "Goodbye. Take care."As I left the pack house, I realized how much I needed a moment of normalcy. Nadia, my former colleague and friend, had been through so much recently, especially after the accident that had left her hospitalized for two days.She had gotten a concussion and she had decided to relax at the hospital while she healed. I had witnessed the crash, rushing to her aid and helping to pull her from the wreckage.I walked over to Nadia's small apartment, nestled somewhere in a quiet corner of town. I knocked on her door and when she unlocked it slightly to check who it was, she smiled."Maxine!" She greeted me with a warm smile. Although it didn't quite reach her eyes, I smiled back."Hey, Nadia. How a
MAXINEI paused, walking back to the cell I had just passed. I frowned when I saw the person in the cell. "Ariel," I said. It was Nick's cousin.She grabbed the bars of the cells aggressively causing me to startle and jump back. "When I get out of this place, you're the first person I'm going to come for." She threatened.I lifted my chin slightly. "Then I'll make sure you never leave this place then," I replied. "Goodbye."I walked away, heading for my office to begin another day of work. Wolves greeted me as I passed, some of them recognizing me for all the days I've been working.LIAMI stood in my office, the letter I had received from the Alpha of the Crimson River Pack. The contents of the letter had sent my mind reeling.He had told me who was responsible for the attack in the safe house when we had gone to the festival. It was who I had thought it was.After Alpha Gerald's removal and return to our safe house with Gemma, Varis, and Kris, things happened after that. Gerald coul
MAXINEWhen my father left, I smiled. I was happy that at least now, he recognized what I was doing. He recognized that even without a wolf, I still had value.I went back to my office feeling some kind of way. The rest of my work came easy to me. When I finished, I stopped by Liam's office, ready to say goodbye. I knocked on the door."Hi, good evening," I said as I walked in. Liam looked up from his screen and his eyes softened when he saw me."Evening, Maxine," he replied."I'm about to leave and I wanted to be sure if you needed my help with anything," I told him, still standing by the door.He shook his head. "I'm good. You can go home." He replied.I nodded slowly. "Okay then. Bye." I said, about to turn to leave."Maxine," he called me. I turned. "Come here."I obeyed. I walked towards his desk. He pushed his chair away from it and patted his thighs. My eyes widened slightly. He wanted me to sit on his legs!I swallowed and did as he wanted. He wound his hand around my waist an
MAXINEI got a job working at the pack hospital again. This time, I signed up to be a real medical practitioner. I was going to become a midwife. There were a few familiar faces at the hospital and lots of new ones.Still, I was grateful to Ronan for giving them this opportunity again.That evening, I walked back into my apartment. The dead herbs were still in a box on the floor in the kitchen. I wondered if I would go back. I used to pick herbs and sell them to women who wanted to get pregnant.It felt like eons ago. Times were simpler. Back then, I saved lives not help take them. That was a time when I didn’t have blood on my hands.I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. I wanted my simple life again. It was simple but everything made sense. I didn't have to try to untangle myself from this mess that was my reality.A knock on the door brought me back. Zel was back from work. She worked as a bartender a little while from our apartment. Zel had gotten the job. After the manag
MAXINEI nodded, not trusting myself to speak without crying. Ella was right. I needed to let myself grieve. The love I once had for Ronan still occupied my heart.Lindsey reached out and held my hand. "We’re here for you, Maxine."I squeezed her hand, grateful for their support. They were right. I didn’t have to go through this alone. I had them.Maybe it wasn't so bad after all.***Going back to my old life felt like stepping into a strange place. There was the feeling of losing something. My apartment felt like a place from a faraway memory. Zel was gone and I was feeling so sad.I was back from saying goodbye. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. The space was just as I’d left it. There was still dust over everything. At least, I had something to do with my time.I took a deep breath. I hadn't lost everything. I was still okay.I began to clean up slowly. Lindsey stopped by to help me out and together, we covered a lot. As I was cleaning, I heard a knock on the door.“Are you
MAXINEI wanted to believe her that everything would be okay but deep down, I felt guilt and grief. This was my fault. I pulled back from her and wiped my eyes. I gave her a shaky smile. “It doesn’t feel like it.”She cupped my cheek. “Everything isn't always as it seems, my dear. But, I can tell you one thing I know for sure.” She said.“What's that?”“It's not your fault. I'm sure you don't know where to go from here, what to do, or where you belong. You want to come with me, you want to continue your life back at the place where you and Zel liked and you want to go back to how things were in this pack.” Cinder explained.“But, I see you staying here. This is where your strength lies, where hope lives, where you have friends and support.” She lowered her eyes and winked. “It's where you have a future.”“And, we'll always be here for you to fall back on, regardless of what happens. We're your home away from home.” The Luna Queen said, putting her hand on my shoulder. “I'm very proud.
MAXINEI didn't feel anything. No pain from a stab whatsoever. I looked between us and that's when Ronan smiled. His lips were close to my ear and he whispered, “I would never hurt you on purpose, love.”I didn't know when I screamed.Ronan collapsed into my arms, taking the both of us down to the ground with him. I tried my best to hold his head up on my lap. My eyes traveled down to the blood pouring down the stab wound in his belly.“Ronan,” I called, tears filling my eyes and rolling down my cheeks. He had stabbed himself.My hand shook as it hovered over the wound. I didn't know what to do. The dagger was in his chest.Ronan had chosen death. Death over a life without me.“Maxine…” he called, his voice unnaturally calm for someone who was dying. He reached up to touch me and I guided his hand to my cheek.“I'm here, I'm here,” I cried. “I'm sorry,” I whispered the last part. My hands shook as I held him. I never wanted this. I didn’t want him to die.Ronan gasped. He looked up
MAXINEI held my breath as Ronan kept his eyes on mine. When he was close enough, he stopped. Neither of us said a word. The battle continued around us but I couldn't get myself to make the first move.He didn't either. I wondered if it was hard for him to see me. I wondered if he thought he could fight me. I also wondered if he thought that he could kill me.I spoke up first. “Ronan,” I called. My voice was sounding more longing than I wanted.I missed him, to be honest. I missed sitting down in the quiet and reading books. Strangely, I missed making his cinnamon coffee.Ronan didn't say anything. Instead, he took a step closer. “You don’t have to do this,” he said.There was no hurt, no anger in his voice, just nothing but kindness. I wished he would yell. I wished he would curse me and call me evil for everything I've done.“Come with me.” He said, softly. I heard it regardless of the noise. “We can fix this, Maxine. We'll leave everything behind together.”It sounded so good. But,
MAXINEHe caught me off guard. It meant that he still cared about me. I didn't focus on that though. “I won’t, I promise,” I replied.We stood there in silence for a while, neither of us knowing what to say. I could feel it though. I could feel it. The unspoken feelings and questions we didn't have the time to ask.Or we didn't dare to ask, I guess.After everything that had happened, I still wasn’t sure where we stood. I said I was okay with him hating me but, I didn't know anymore. The lines between us were confusing now. I didn't know how to fix that.But now wasn’t the time to focus on that. We had a mission and that was a priority. Every other thing could come after. We would cross that bridge later.For some reason, Liam stepped closer and I held my breath. “Regardless of what has happened between us, out there?” He said, “No matter what happens, we’ll get through this together. Do you understand?”I nodded. “Together,” I repeated.Before I could say anything else, Zel appeared
MAXINECinder gave me and Zel a brief of the plans that night when she showed us a bedroom. She and the Luna Queen were sharing the one right next to us. They told us to come to them if we faced any issues.Sleep didn't come easy because my mind was entirely on Ronan. I didn't know how I was going to face him again after betraying his trust. But, I knew I couldn't sit out of this fight.The sun had not even risen when I was woken up by the sound of Liam's voice. He was given instructions and I heard more footsteps around the house than the number of people I had seen the previous day.It meant that Liam was already up and gathering the troops. I could hear him giving commands like it hadn't been two months since he was last in power. He was a natural-born leader. He carried this air of authority around him.He was giving orders, explaining ranks and positions for this fight. Every single detail was important to winning.Zel was still asleep, of course. She wasn't a wolf so she wouldn'
MAXINEI chuckled bitterly. “What about now?” I asked. “Will you take me back now that I have a wolf? Isn't that what you've always wanted?”His eyes widened slightly but he kept himself composed. “That would be unfair to you. It would be wrong. If you want to come back to me, I will take you but the choice is yours now. You have a choice and I see now that I was wrong. I’m so sorry, Maxine. I hope you can forgive me.”Tears welled up in my eyes. I hadn't thought about this but I let the anger roll away from me. He was still family. He was my father. “I forgive you. You're my father, whether you abandon me or not.” I said.“Thank you, Maxine.” He said. He reached for me hesitantly. I would have settled for a handshake but he wrapped his hands around me. For the first time in what I knew was forever, my father hugged me.I didn't know what to feel about that.LIAMAfter Maxine spoke to her father, they returned to the living room. However, she moved toward the far end of the room, away
LIAMDespite everything that was unfolding in front of me, my thoughts were stuck on one thing.Maxine had a wolf.I couldn't wrap my head around it. After everything that had happened to her, it didn’t make sense. I glanced at her. The strange white-haired girl was sitting between us.Maxine was staring out of the window. The white-haired girl squeezed her hand. Maxine turned to look at her and offered her a small smile. That was when she caught me staring. She looked away, taking her eyes back to the window.It left me confused. Was she pissed at me? I was the one who had the right to be mad at her. She had chosen him over me. Well, the distance between us was necessary.I didn't know what I would say or do if I were sitting next to her. Kris took a sharp turn, causing Maxine to grab the handle of the car door. I opened my mouth to say something but I stopped myself. There would be time for questions later.“You alright back there?” Varis asked.“We’re fine,” I said. I didn't know i