MAXINEThat strange feeling settled in again. It was stronger this time. So strong that I couldn’t ignore it. Something wasn’t right.“Wait,” I said, pulling back slightly. My breath was coming out in gasps, and my heart still racing from what was about to happen.Conrad froze, his hands still on my waist. His blue eyes searched mine. “What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?"How was I going to explain this? I was going to hurt his feelings and I was going to be the bad person. What did this make me? I still loved Liam and I wanted to be with Conrad. Did that make me a cheater like Liam?I didn't realize I was crying until I saw the worry in Conrad's eyes. "Hey, hey, hey," he said, coming up to cup my cheeks. "It's okay. It's okay. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."I nodded sniffling. "I want to," I let out, "I just…""Tell me, Anna." He whispered."I don’t know," I admitted, my voice shaky. "I just… I have a weird feeling."He frowned, concern furrowing his eyebrows s
LIAMThe darkness was suffocating. But I think it was the silence that did it. It was so quiet down here. I could hear the sound of my blood rushing through my veins.I couldn't tell how long I had been down here. The hours seemed to have blended that I had lost count. I was healing but the cuffs around my wrist kept a steady pump of wolfsbane.It wouldn't be long before I died in this place. I could pick out faint sounds of footsteps but they were never for long. My heartbeat was the constant sound in the room.Not only were the metal cuffs poisoning me but it was cutting off circulation. My hands were always having a dull, constant pain. My muscles ached from the cold. I couldn't even kneel. I was left standing or hanging by my chains. My mouth was dry and even my saliva couldn't fix that.I’d been in bad situations before, but this was different. Those were when I was younger. Before I made a name for myself.And this one wasn’t just about me. This was about my pack, my family, eve
MAXINEThat weird feeling had only grown stronger since that day at Conrad’s house. I couldn’t shake it off, no matter how hard I tried to distract myself. It ate at me, whispering that something was wrong, terribly wrong.It wasn't until the eye of the ancients appeared to me in a dream. "You need to go back," the masked spirit said."Why? Go where?" I knew the answer but I needed to be sure."Liam's pack. He needs you," that was all he said before the dream ended.I spent the next few days trying to act normal. I pretended that everything was fine as I tried to return to our routine at Gray Lodge. But the more I tried to ignore it, the more it caused me to worry.Conrad noticed it, of course. He always notices. He would find me staring off into the distance, lost in thought. He would ask if I was okay. Of course, I would lie. I would tell him I was just tired. Everything was fine.But I could see that he didn't believe me. I couldn't tell him the truth. It meant that I had to tell h
LIAMMy mind was racing. I didn't know if it was because of the wolfsbane or because Ronan had threatened me with Maxine but, my mind felt like it was on fire.I couldn't think straight. The only thing running through my mind was Maxine. Maxine, Maxine, Maxine. Was she safe? Did Ronan know where to find her? Was she well hidden? Did her new identity keep him safe from her?All these questions were eating me up and it didn't help that I was slowly being poisoned. I didn't know how long Ronan had been gone. Briefly, a guard had come to give me water and I had bitten clean into his hand.Ronan had showed up and the giant had held my chin, forcing water down my throat. "It's not time for you to die just yet, Liam. There's so much more I want to show you. So much more you have to see burn to ashes."I spat at him and he had given me the hardest backhanded slap I had ever received. His ring had bitten into my cheek as well."Foolish boy," he had snapped before he left angrily.The metallic
LIAM"In flesh and blood!" Ronan laughed but then he caught himself. "Well, not really. But I'm sure you get what I mean, brother.""Let her go," I said, sounding too calm to myself. My ears were starting to ring.Ronan watched me closely. “You know, she was on her way to find you. How sweet. She must care about you to walk into my trap so willingly. It was almost too easy. She doesn't even have a wolf."My wolf howled in my chest. I lunged at Ronan but the chains held me back. It pulled me back but the sounds of the metal straining echoed in the room. I couldn't do anything but growl."Don’t worry, brother. You’ll be seeing her very soon. I’ve arranged a little… reunion. If we can call it that. It will be like old times. You and me, with the woman we love."I looked at him in disbelief. He was talking about Sandra. We both loved Sandra. That was years ago. She had chosen me and not him. In the end, she died. And he blamed me for it."Don't you dare hurt her!" I yelled.He ignored me
MAXINEI tried to cut it quickly but as the cold air hit my face, I heard pounding footsteps. I was pulled away from Zel and we were yanked to our feet.“Well, well, well, look what we have here?” A cold voice filled the room. It sent a chill down my spine.I looked up at the person. He had dark curly hair and equally dark eyes but there was something familiar about him. Maybe it was the way he carried himself or how chiseled his jaw was.He kept his gaze on me. "You're quite a sight for the eyes, Maxine.""How do you know my name?" I asked."Should I call you, Anna or Maxine? I don't know which you prefer. I'm trying to be very kind here and I have your best interest at heart." He replied, walking slowly to me.I froze. How much did this stranger know about me? "Who are you and what do you want with us?" I asked when we were a few feet apart. The guards held me so firmly that I couldn't even budge an inch."My name is Ronan." He said with a smile. "Liam's older brother."My blood tur
MAXINEThe silence felt heavier after Ronan left. He didn't blindfold us and Zel didn't have her wrists tied. The black object around her wrist was enough. The only thing they did was chain her ankle to a spot on the ground.“Zel,” I said. “Are you okay?”We were separated, staring at each other from across the room. There was a long pause, and for a moment, I thought she wouldn’t answer. But then I heard her. "I'm okay."“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice cracking. “I’m so sorry, Zel. I never should have dragged you into this.”“Stop it,” she bit out."I'm sorry," I continued, apologizing."Don't do that," she snapped angrily, looking away."Don't do what?" I asked. She looked back at me."Apologize. Like it's your fault. Do you think I would have felt any better if you had been on your own when this happened? Do you think I would have been able to sleep, knowing that you were in danger?" She asked.I looked down at the cold hard floor. "You wouldn't have known. You would have been safe,
MAXINEThe silence after the door shut was suffocating. I realized with a sickening feeling where we were. We were locked in a metal cage. One so small that we couldn't even stand to our feet. We were like animals.If either of us tried to escape, we would end up hurting the other because of how close we were. My heart pounded in my chest. I was helpless.I sat on the ground, my back pressed against the metal. Zel was beside me, her body slumped in exhaustion. I couldn’t imagine what they had done to her before we were thrown into this hellhole. Whatever it was, it had drained her of any strength she had left.“Zel,” I said, reaching out to touch her arm. “Are you okay?”She blinked slowly. “I’ll... be fine,” she mumbled. “I'm just tired.”I bit my lip, fighting back the tears. "What did they do to you?" I asked."I think it's these," she replied showing me her wrists. "It's making me feel sick."Zel needed rest and this wasn’t the place for it. I needed to get those things off her wr