Maxine had barely slept since the events of the previous night. Every time she shut her eyes, the image of that big wolf, its claws outstretched and fangs bared, flashed in her mind. The voice that had whispered to her in the woods now echoed in her thoughts, soft yet insistent: *"Release me. It's time."* But who was that voice? And why was the wolf so bent on killing her?More than anything, she couldn't shake the unease she felt about Alph. He was always there at the right place and right time, saving her from dangers she didn’t even know existed. It was comforting and terrifying all at once. Why did he care so much? And how did he always seem to know when she was in trouble?She sat on the edge of her bed, staring out at the balcony of her room. The moon—full and unchanging yellow—hung in the sky unblinking, like an eye. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since the attack in the forest, and Maxine was wide awake, her mind too restless to allow her any peace. She wanted to shake t
“Maxine… it’s time…” “Release me…” A loud cry kept echoing in Maxine’s head. The world was hazy to Maxine, a blur of color and sound. Her vision swam, her body was wracked with chills, and the pain from the previous night’s ordeal still lingered. “We need to wake the darkness within you” seemed to ring in her ears, but the hazy words got jumbled up in her brain. Her eyes struggled to focus, and she could only make out some general shapes moving around her; everything else was a muddled blur. She heard her mother’s and stepfather’s voices through the fog, but their words were just a murmur. Maxine opened her eyes to blurred vision and a body covered in sweat. Her head pounded within her skull, and she could swear her fever-ridden skin was aflame. She remembered one thing: the man with the burned face and what he had said. Now, she lay in bed surrounded by the comforting yet disorienting sound of her mother’s and stepfather’s voices. “Maxine, are you okay?” her mother asked, her con
After a month, the summer ended. Maxine stepped into the university courtyard and lit up at the sight of her best friend, Sarah, who waved frantically from across the plaza. Maxine quickened her pace towards her, while a big smile spread across her face. "Hey! How are you?" Maxine exclaimed with ringing warmth in her tone. Sarah grinned back. "Good! I'm not missing the university, but sure do miss you, Maxine. Let's get something to eat later?" Maxine nodded enthusiastically. "Oui! How about trying the best croissant at that new bakery I had heard of?" Sarah's eyes widened with astonishment. "Gee! I hadn't heard of that yet. That sounds delicious! "Great," said Maxine, as they started walking towards the university discussing all their plans. As they came closer to the university campus, Maxine could see a lot of tarpaulins hanging from the buildings and the lampposts. Her eyes were immediately arrested by the biggest one, because in gaudy colors was a picture of Coreen's fac
There were no emotions within Maxine's eyes, only an eerie, vast void. Her heart thundered within her chest with a savagery that threatened to rip her limb from limb, while her brain was a maelstrom of raw, uncontrollable rage. It was the need for vengeance that drove her onward, some bestial urge that had to be appeased. She spotted Coreen in the ladies' room, her gaze nailed to her target. Coreen was changing her top, totally oblivious to the storm brewing just outside the door. As each second ticked by, Maxine's anger coursed higher. One of Coreen's friends, Nikki, was the first to notice the intense stare coming from Maxine and chimed in with a snide remark, "Look, it's Maxine. What's with you, creep? Why are you staring like that?” Seeing Maxine, Coreen hastened to change into the clothes. "What's up, fatty? You look so angry?" she sneered, grinning. Maxine's eyes were vacant, but it would seem that the anger inside her was palpable. Coreen's words served only to whet her ange
Maxine's eyes fluttered open to a world of confusion. She lay on the forest floor, rough ground pressed against her bare skin. The dirt felt clinging to her body, and when she raised her quivering hands to her face, she saw they were stained with blood. Her breath caught in her throat as memories of the night before returned. No. no, this isn't me, she had whispered quivering, while her eyes had welled up with tears. I'm not like that. I didn't mean to. But the images were too vivid to deny. She remembered the way her body had contorted, the way her wolf was surging forth from deep inside her-a monstrous force she could neither understand nor control. And she remembered faces-Drake's face, twisted in pain as she tore into him. Guilt and horror twisted her stomach as she struggled to her feet, attempting to wipe off the blood and dirt clinging to her. The forest around her was still, silent, as if it held its breath while it waited to see what she would do next. Maxine shuddered
It was morning, and the sun had just started to rise high over the busy garden, casting a warm, golden glow. Miranda, her mother, was tending to her flowers, trimming the bushes that were overgrown and clearing the dead leaves. She had always found solace in her garden, away from the complications of the world by simply being amidst nature. She worked in a haze, her hands on autopilot as she pruned the rose bush very carefully. The events of the past few days weighed heavy on her mind, although she tried to be strong for Maxine. Her daughter had always been special-different in a way that Miranda couldn't fully comprehend-but the changes in Maxine of late shook her to her core. Suddenly, Miranda's thoughts were invaded by the faint rustling of someone, or something, that seemed to emanate from the flower beds. She frowned, her brow furrowing in concern as she turned toward the source of the noise. It sounded like something-or someone-was moving through the flowers. "Hello?" Miran
Alph tore through the thick woods behind the school, his quickened senses tracking the scent of Maxine. He knew the earthy smell of pine needles and dampened dirt, but beneath it all was something unmistakable-the trace of Maxine. Yet hers was different, stronger, more intense, tinged with a wildness as if the woods themselves were carrying her through the air, drawing him to where she had gone. "Maxine." Alph whispered to himself, his mind racing. He just could not shake off the picture of her earlier-the raw energy coursing through her veins, morphing. The emergence of her wolf was fierce and uncontrollable, like nothing he had ever encountered. He did know that Maxine was strong, but this. This was far beyond his expectations. He fought his way through a thicket of bushes, still reeling from the events that had just unfolded. "Coreen shouldn't have done that," he muttered under his breath, anger bubbling beneath the surface. Coreen had deliberately provoked Maxine into taking th
Maxine stared out the window as the city slowly disappeared into the distance. The hustle and bustle of city living grew quiet, replaced by serene countryside. Tall buildings gave way to vast fields and forests, vibrant shades of green and brown that were somehow soothing, though she hadn't known she needed it. It had been a long journey, but she was relishing every new change of surroundings, however far from ideal the circumstances were.Her mother had insisted she needed to be away from everything-from the chaos, from the overwhelming energy that had surged through her after the incident. Maxine got it, even as it did nothing to make it easier to leave. Finally, the car pulled up in front of a small, old-fashioned house that sat in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by tall trees: her grandmother's house. It was a place she hadn't been since she was little.The car door opened, and Maxine got out, taking a deep breath of the scents around her. The house stood just as she had reme