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Author: Rachy
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-22 22:30:20

MAXINE

As the days passed, Ronan kept making his presence in my life known. At first, I thought it was part of his twisted game, a way to keep me under control. I thought it was a way to manipulate me into doing his bidding.

But as the days turned into weeks, something unexpected happened, and I found myself talking to him. Talking. It started innocently.

He’d stop by my room in the evening. It was always unannounced. He would sit in the chair, making sure that he was facing me where I sat in my bed. He never came with any agenda or demands anymore. He just simply wanted to talk.

It was strange, seeing this side of him. He laughed freely now and even made jokes. But he seemed genuinely interested in whatever I had to say. The first time I caught myself laughing, I felt guilty.

Everyone else was trapped and I was laughing. At first, I was careful with my words. I was always expecting a trap that I was sure he was laying for me. But the more we talked, the more I found myself lowering m
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    MAXINEI was getting painfully used to Ronan.I almost started to look forward to his footsteps outside my door. It was different than the others. He wasn't loud but his steps were confident. He wore boots, almost all the time.I anticipated the door unlocking and the soft shuffle of boots against the stone floor as he slipped inside my room. This time was no different, so I thought. I heard the familiar sounds. But when he stepped inside, I knew something was off.Ronan didn’t greet me with his usual smirk or even a sarcastic comment. His eyes were dull. It didn't have the sharp glint of malice that was usually dancing in his eyes. Instead of the easy swagger, his movements were slower, almost hesitant.I couldn't recognize the man standing before me. This looked like a shadow of him. “Ronan?” I called carefully. I didn’t dare take a step closer. Not until I knew what mood he was in.He didn’t answer right away. His eyes wandered around the room. It was as if he’d never seen it befor

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    MAXINEThe door creaked softly as I pushed it open. I held my breath in anticipation as I stepped inside. My eyes swept across the room.I stood there frozen in place. This wasn't what I expected. I expected to see a bed, and some bedroom furniture but, this wasn’t a bedroom. It was something else entirely.It was a really large and dimly lit space. In the center, taking most of the space was a bath. It was sunken, in the ground. Steam rose and filled the room in soft and curling waves. They were coming from the water. It was like stepping into another world, one that was thick with warmth and heat.And there, in the center of it all, was Ronan.He was half in the water. His head was resting against the edge of the bath. He closed his eyes as though he was lost in thought. The water lapped gently at his broad shoulders. The steam surrounded his muscular frame. He almost seemed, otherworldlyHis face was relaxed but there was a tension in his body that I hadn’t noticed from him before.

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    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.

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    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

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    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,

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    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

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    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'

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    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

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    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

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