MAXINETwo days later, I went to Tobias and Ella's house. He wasn't around so I told Ella all about the delivery and everything that happened that night. I told her how small Sya was and her cries when she was born.I didn't tell her about Liam's visit though. I don't think I've told anyone about that and I wasn't ready for the questions they would ask or the answers I would have to give.She looked at me with wide eyes. "Tell me about the mother. Was she in too much pain?" She asked. I saw her place her hand on her stomach.I told her about her screams and moans. I told her about how she screamed when she was trying to push. But then I told her how she had smiled between her birth pains and afterward. It was almost like nothing else mattered when she saw her baby girl.Ella sighed dreamily. "I can't wait to hold my baby." She said.I grabbed her spoon and shoved some rice porridge into her mouth. "Eat your food. I'm sure you can wait. We're not in a hurry." I told her playfully smili
MAXINEEven though I was still helping all these women, I was still very much lonely. I didn't have a television and not a lot of people had one in their houses.A lot of people said hi on my way to work at the pack hospital. I signed in for my shift and got to assist the doctors and nurses with their patients."Maxine, I heard you helped deliver a baby." A nurse Nadia whispered to me. I gasped and looked around before pulling her close."How did you hear that?" I asked.They had promised not to tell anyone about my involvement in the delivery. How did Nadia find out?"Relax," she laughed, "I'm best friends with Lily. She's the midwife.""Oh," I replied, not knowing what to say."She told me because she wanted me to convince you. She thinks you'll be good as a midwife." She said.I started to shake my head, packing up the things she had used to work. "No, I can't. It's not—""Just listen to me, Maxine. Listen to what I have to say before you make a decision. You can even decide to jus
LIAMMy assistant put a couple of files on my desk along with the rest of them. This week had begun rather busy. Especially with the case of the werewolf hunters that were going around killing innocent wolves.They had yet to harm anybody in my pack but I had heard the complaints from the other packs. They had sent the information to the other packs to be on the lookout.I had notified the sentries and the guards to look out for any rogue wolves or newcomers. We had to be on high alert until the killings ended or the werewolf hunters were caught.Maxine was making this a thing. And I was not going to sit down and let this happen. Still, I told them to let her into my office. This time, I didn't act like I was busy or focused on some work, I stared at her.I knew she wouldn't be able to hold out for so long.She was wearing a yellow blouse and a white flowing skirt that stopped at the ankles. I approved of her modest outfit but it was the least of my worries."What do you want?" I aske
MAXINENick told me all about his life growing up. His parents had owned a large farm and after they had been murdered on a trip, his grandparents had stepped in to take care of him.They had been both kind and strict, making him the man that he is today. It was why he couldn't turn away when he saw someone in need. It was why he felt obligated to help me."One time, just one time, I had brought in four stray cats into the barn. They were as tiny as my fist." Nick said, making a fist for me."I thought that since the farm was big enough, I could raise them and my grandparents wouldn't have to find out. I was so wrong," he continued."My grandmother brought the box into the house, scolding me about picking up stray animals." The memory brought a smile to his face."Did she throw them out?" I asked."Of course. But not immediately. We raised them for a couple of months until they were big enough and then we let them out. They kept coming back though. So, Grandfather drove them to anothe
MAXINE"You must be Maxine. Hi, I'm Ariel, Nick's sister." She said still smiling. She held out her hand but there was something about her smile that made me uneasy.Nick didn't have a sister. He looked a bit flustered when I ignored his supposed sister and looked at him instead."Nick? You never mentioned having a sister." I said. That only meant that he lied to me. I wondered what else he lied to me about.She glanced at him briefly. "Don't mind him. I'm his cousin. Grandma and grandpa sort of adopted me and took care of me after my parents died so we usually just kind of play it off that we're siblings." She explained.This didn't sound believable but it was a similar story to Nick's. They were both raised by his grandparents.I looked at Nick. "Is it true?" I asked.He nodded. "It is." He said.I hummed my distaste but I decided to be polite. "Welcome to town," I said, finally holding my hand out to her. She shook it."It's such a nice place." She told me. The smile was still the
MAXINE"You're one of them. You're a werewolf killer," I said, realization finally dawning on me.He was new to town. He did home jobs. It meant that he had access to people's lives. That was how he chose his targets. That was how he knew the people to kill.He was a werewolf hunter. That was why I thought something was off about his sister. She's most likely one of them too."Maxine," Nick called but I was already turning on my heels and running away.I needed to get away from him fast. I needed to find someone who I could report him to. I had to get to safety.I took several turns and when I didn't hear him behind me anymore, I slowed down, looking around. Where were the patrol wolves when you needed them?"You shouldn't run from me, Maxine," Nick said as he hurried out from another alleyway in front of me.I took a step back, startled. "How did you…?" I looked back from where I had run from. "How did you find me?"Nick was still covered in blood. There weren't a lot of people on th
LIAMI gave them the details about her. I needed them to get a scent of her so, I stood to my feet and walked over to one of the cabinets.I opened it and searched through it. I found what I was looking for and gave the messenger the spare keys to her house."Give them something of hers to sniff. That way, they can know her scent." I instructed."Okay, Alpha Liam." He bowed."I give you twenty-four hours to get me a lead on her. Do you understand?" I asked."Yes, sir!" They replied, bowing."You may leave," I instructed. They left my office and set out to find her. And the moon goddess helps me control my anger when I find that girl.***The call came in the next morning, right when I was having breakfast. I answered it and brought it to my ear."Yes?" I said into the phone. I didn't care who was on the other side. You didn't call me before my working hours unless it was extremely important."Alpha Liam, this is Henrick. I'm one of the wolves you sent to find Maxine." He said.The way
MAXINE"I'm your worst nightmare," he snarled, his voice dropping lower than I've ever heard it.I knew that Alpha Liam was scary but I didn't know he was scary enough to make another grown man doubt what kind of creature he was. I was still stunned and I didn't even realize when he had walked away until a wolf nudged me."Oh, sorry," I apologized, quickly hurrying after Liam."Get in," he told me as he got into the car. I timidly got into the passenger seat. He started the car and began to drive away."If this should ever happen again, I'm going to find you and then kill you myself, do you understand?" He asked me, his eyes on the path."Yes, master," I replied, folding my fingers together between my laps.He sounded like he meant it and I was more scared that I would do something wrong and he would be reminded of the dungeon. What if he chooses to lock me up until he sees fit?"Maybe a few days in the dungeon will be a good lesson to you." He said.It was almost like he read my mind