MAXINEThe heat of the afternoon sun pressed down on my neck as Ronan and I made our way back to where the car was parked. I couldn't get my mind off of the fact that this was the first time I’d been out in public since Ronan had taken control of the pack.And he was being surprisingly civil during this outing. Aside from the stares here and there, no one was glaring daggers at him. This wasn't what I was expecting.As we neared the car and the door was opened, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone calling my name. At first, I thought it was just my imagination. But then I heard it again. It was clearer and louder this time.“Maxine!”I turned, scanning the crowd that was passing on the sidewalk. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her. It was Ella. She was running toward me, her hand on her swollen belly.“Ella!” I shouted back. I tried to go towards her but the two guards blocked my path. "Ella!" I shouted again, pushing against the guards who were blocking me.Panic r
RONAN The next day seemed to start early. The sunlight crept through the blinds. I got out of bed and went out to take a bath. For some reason, Maxine's move yesterday plagued my mind.I hadn't expected her friend to show up, and I hadn’t expected to see Maxine’s face light up the way it had when she’d seen her. That kind of happiness was genuine. And it felt foreign to me. But as quickly as it appeared, it had vanished the moment we left.I told myself I didn't care. I shouldn't care. But here I was dressing earlier than usual, preparing to visit her. It had become a routine for me to check on her before I got swept away with my problems.I’d made it seem like it was just to make sure she didn't try to escape. Like I was trying to keep her under my watch. But, deep down, I knew better. I wanted her to smile, like she had with her friend, to me. I wanted to be the cause of it.By the time I made my way to her room, I had already decided on today’s plan. I knocked once. And then let
MAXINE A bit of the morning sun got into my room through the small window as I dressed. I hadn’t slept well. I’d tossed and turned, and I'd dreamt that something terrible had happened to Ella and I couldn't help her.I repeated yesterday’s short reunion with Ella in my mind. She seemed fine, she was okay. Nothing was going to happen to her. Then, I replayed my conversation with Ronan.I kept replaying everything in my head. What I had said and how he’d reacted. He had felt so desperate. But I didn't know for what reason. I’d never seen that side of him before. It left me feeling off balance.I ran a comb through my hair as I sat by the desk. There was a knock on the door as it unlocked. "Who is it?" I called out.“It’s me,” It was Ronan. There was a strange sound of excitement in his voice that I hadn’t heard before. I only heard it when he talked about his plans to destroy everything his brother built. What was he up to now?"Well, come in," I said. He didn't. I stood to my feet an
MAXINE"I'm sorry to interrupt," he began walking. "I hope you ladies had a nice time together."I nodded, stifling. "We did. Thank you." I said quietly."I'm sorry but it's time for Ella to leave," Ronan said."Why?" Ella asked, the word slipping out of her mouth before she could stop herself."Because I said so, darling. And, I don't want people knowing Maxine's location," he replied, sounding too kind that it got on my nerves."But, I won't tell a soul!" Ella countered."Except your husband. And maybe a few other friends?" Ronan asked. Ella shut her mouth. "I thought so.""Don't talk to her like that," I said, standing to my feet.Ronan faltered, clearly not expecting me to react like that. He cleared his throat and adjusted the collar of his shirt. "My apologies, then. But, she must leave, now." He replied.Ella grabbed my hand. "It's okay. I'll go. We’ll see each other again soon?”I nodded. “I’ll be waiting,” I whispered to her.As she walked to the door, I felt that feeling of
MAXINE"Just for a little while.” He added when I didn't say anything.I raised an eyebrow. “A normal conversation between two people on a date?” I repeated.He nodded. “Yes. We'll not talk about what’s happened. Just talk.” He said.I hesitated. “Okay. But it's not a fdate. What do you want to talk about?” I agreed.Ronan relaxed just a bit. “I don’t know. What do people usually talk about at breakfast?” he stressed breakfast because this wasn't a date.I found myself smiling. “The weather?” I offered.Ronan grinned. “Alright. Then we talk about the weather it is. How are you finding it?” I asked.“It’s really warm,” I replied. We chuckled.We continued like that for a while, talking about mundane things. It was small talk and it was meaningless. It was also the most relaxed I had felt in a long time.Ronan even managed to make a joke. It was something about how the birds seemed to be better off than us. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was a brief moment but it was good.For the first
RONANI smirked, daring him on. “I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied. I watched as he made his way to the door. “Return safely to your pack, Harold.”He paused for a moment as if he was about to say something else. But then, he shook his head and continued walking. I let out a breath as he left, closing the door behind me.I turned away. I had just lied to Maxine's father and for what? Why would I be scared enough to lie? For Maxine? For a woman who, until recently, had been nothing more than a pawn in my game?I knew the answer, of course. I could feel it in the way my chest hurt at the thought of Harold taking her away. I couldn’t lose her. Not when I was finally beginning to understand what it meant to care for someone.Without thinking, I found myself walking back. I needed to see her. I ignored the looks of the guards as I made my way toward her room.When I reached the door, I hesitated for a moment. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say. I didn't know what excuse I could give fo
RONANJust as my lips were about to meet hers, she turned her head just so slightly. I closed my eyes, feeling the sting of disappointment and annoyance. I pulled back with a small sigh and looked ahead.She should just let me kiss her for moon's sake!The look on her face changed into something much more serious. "Why?” she asked, again. “Why do you care?”I hesitated. Why did I care? Why was I standing here, asking her about her past and her father when I could have kept my distance? I could have maintained the coldness I’d perfected over the years.“I don’t know,” I admitted finally, choosing the truth. “Maybe it's because I’ve seen a lot of things in my life. A lot of people. But I’ve never met anyone quite like you, Maxine. You’re different.”Her eyes softened, “Different how?” she asked.I shrugged. “Good different. You're different in a way that makes me want to know more. In a way that makes me want to protect you.” I replied.The moment I said it, I knew there was truth in wh
MAXINEThe next day after having breakfast, I found myself bored and unable to read a book. I ended up staring at the ceiling. I was trying to sort through the thoughts in my head when I heard a knock on the door. I sat up. I hadn't heard the footsteps.Was it Ronan?As the door unlocked, it was a guard. I felt a pinch of disappointment but I tried not to let it show. A guard stood on the other side. He was holding something white in his hands."Alpha Ronan wanted you to have this," he said. He stepped forward and held out his hands. It was a folded dress. It was as white as snow. "He asks that you wear it for this afternoon."I took the dress from the guard, letting the full length drop. A sundress? I blinked. "Thank you," I mumbled. I still didn't understand why I had to wear this. The guard gave a polite nod before stepping back and locking the door behind him.I accessed the dress. It was simple yet elegant. It was the kind of dress I'd see other women wear on a sunny day. I didn’