LIAMThe night air was crisp and cool as we emerged from the warehouse. The faint glow of dawn on the horizon showed that the morning had come.The pack moved with purpose, preparing to head back and transport Gerald so we could make our way back towards our territory.Maxine walked beside me, her whole mannerisms showing that she was exhausted. She probably mirrored how I was feeling."Gerald won't be causing any more trouble," Maxine said quietly, her voice carrying a note of finality. I wondered if she was convincing me or herself.I nodded in agreement, keeping a watchful eye on our new prisoner in the back seat of a truck. "Not for now, at least," I replied, my thoughts already turning to our next step: getting rid of the artifact."You did a great job. You saved our lives." I said in gratitude. "Thank you."I had not expected such fighting from her. Being the Beta's daughter, she must have had personal training to prepare her for days like these.We filed into our trucks, drivin
MAXINE"Very well. Come with me." Dennis said. He turned leading the way down twisting and turning shelves. There were other people here, dusting off objects in front of them, using magnifying glasses, and taking down notes.He worked as a team.Dennis took us to a private room. He glanced out the wide windows before pulling the blinds down and turning on the lights in the room."Okay, where's the artifact?" He asked.I glanced at Liam and he nodded. Gently, I pulled the artifact out of my bag, scared that if I turned it the wrong way, it might sort of turn on again, bringing the guardians back to life."Skies unmake me," Dennis muttered, taking the artifact gingerly from me and holding it to the light."Do you know it?" I asked. He walked over to his desk with it, placing it on the surface with the white linen cloth on it. There was a magnifying glass stand and he pulled it to stare at the artifact."It belonged to the goddess Sarinoa." He said. The tone he spoke sounded like he expe
MAXINEDennis was beyond appalled by Liam's suggestion. "Surely you must be kidding," he stuttered, letting out a nervous chuckle."Do I look like I tell jokes?" Liam replied with all seriousness.The smile left Dennis’ face and he frowned, looking at Liam. I could feel the tension in the air from these two men. I had to step in."Not destroy it, per se," I began, stepping between them. "Just hide it, so no one can ever find it for the rest of eternity."Dennis looked at me. "That's impossible. History can prove that. Whether it be a hundred or thousand years from now, it will still be found." He said."So what do you suggest? You're aware that this can cause chaos if it falls into the wrong hands.""Of course, I do. I would never suggest giving this to the government in the first place. They're always the first to lose something they claimed to have kept under the greatest lock and key," Dennis rolled his eyes and I took that as a good sign that the tension had faded."What do you su
LIAMI watched as the artifact exploded in a burst of bright light and hit Maxine, striking her in the chest. It was too quick and she didn't even have the time to react or scream. It hit her, sending her flying a few meters away and us to the ground.I looked at the center where the artifact once was. Instead of the strange wooden object, there was an ash burn on the grass. I glanced in Maxine's direction to see that she was still lying, sprawled on the ground."Maxine!" I yelled, getting to my feet and hurrying after her. Kris reached her before me and he gave me space as I took her head in my hands. "Maxine," I called shaking her.She trembled in my hands, her eyes closed, her teeth chattering from the impact."Get a healer!" I yelled, shaking her lightly. Varis came to my side, looking down at her. "What's wrong?" He asked."She got hit by that light," Kris supplied. I turned to Alaric, the spell caster."What happened?" I asked, unable to suppress the anger in my voice. He got do
MAXINEBefore I could question what Liam meant, he turned off the lights, leaving only the lamp on the bedside table. I heard the door opening."Get some rest, Maxine. I'll be in another room." He said. He closed the door, leaving me alone in his room with my thoughts.I wondered what he meant. Did the artifact do something to me that I didn't know? I had to admit, I was feeling energetic and better but that couldn't possibly be it.Soon, I dozed off, falling into a dreamless night. The days following the incident with the artifact were a blur of recovery. I was made to stay at home but I could only last a day.Even though I came back to work the next day because I was feeling okay, Liam and the others seemed to be monitoring me. They made sure I didn't overwork myself and nothing "strange" was happening to me. They told me that the spell caster said I had the artifact's energy in me and it would take a few days for it to wear off.It was a bit awkward getting monitored. They ensured
MAXINELiam's jaw tightened slightly, his mind probably racing with the implications of what this meant. "We need to understand what's happening," he stated firmly."I know," I replied, feeling dejected. "I just… I feel like something is happening to me."Liam thought about my words carefully. He met my eyes. "If that's the case," he began slowly, "we'll find out together. Whatever you're experiencing, whatever changes may come... you're not alone, Maxine. I want you to know that."His words brought comfort to me. I nodded. "Thank you," I murmured gratefully.Surprisingly, he opened his arms. "Come here," he said to me.I walked into his arms, hugging him for the first time. It felt weird, but it also felt good. I rested my head on his chest and wrapped my hand around his back."We'll figure this out," he assured me, patting my back. "Everything is going to be fine."That wasn't certain. Only one thing was certain—my life would never be the same again.Liam stayed all afternoon. Surpr
MAXINEHe tried the handle again, trying to open the door. "Maxine!" He called, the alarm audible in his voice.I jumped at the sound of Liam’s voice, my heart jumping into my throat. "I'm fine!" I cried, unable to hide the trembling of my voice.My hands were trembling and the claws still didn't go back. I couldn't take it anymore. I began to sob, crumpling to my knees on the floor."Maxine!" Liam called, hearing my cries. I heard the door knob turning and then the sound of wood breaking. Liam pulled it out completely, ripping the door open. He growled.I turned to see him standing in the doorway, the look on his face showing anger and concern. I hid my hands between my legs, biting my lips when a claw scratched my thigh.He walked in, seeing me on the floor. Liam crouched next to me, scanning my face for any injuries. “Maxine, what's happening? Is everything alright?” he asked.I forced a smile, nodding. “Just tired, I guess. A lot on my mind.” I lied.He didn’t look convinced. I fe
MAXINESeeing the spell caster meant that Liam considered this a serious issue. I snatched my hands back gently."There's no need," I said, remembering how Alaric had sounded when he was casting a spell. How the whites of his eyes had covered his irises and made him look like a creature of pure evil with all that makeup on his eyes.I didn't want that same man to tinker with me to find out what was wrong with me when surely, he hadn't dealt with anything like that."If I wait a few more days, I'm sure I'll be back to normal," I said giving Liam what I assumed was a reassuring smile. I wasn't scared of Alaric per se, but I was uncomfortable."Maxine…" Liam started."I'll be fine, I promise. I could take herbs and see if they'll help me. There would be no need for him to look at me and try to cast a spell on me or something." I whined."Is that why you're scared? You think he'll do something to you?" He asked. "Maxine, I'll be right next to you. I wouldn't let him do anything to harm th
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