It had been four months since Maxine first came to her grandmother's house, and the peaceful village was second skin now. But peace isn't exactly what she came for. It had been four months of grueling training, of testing her limits-physically and emotionally. Now, with Adam, the final stage of her training had gotten underway.The sun hung high in the sky, casting its warm glow over the open field where Maxine and Adam stood. The grass beneath their feet was worn down from the months of the once virgin meadow now littered with the scars of their battles. Maxine panted hard, her breathing heavy, but flashing in her eyes was the fierce determination.Her hair cascaded down her back to past her waist now and shimmered with a mixture of sweat and sunlight as she leaped toward Adam, aiming a sharp, calculated punch at his side. "Ahh!" Maxine let out a battle cry as she put every ounce of frustration and energy into the attack.Adam easily dodged, his lips curling into a small chuckle as
The sun fell into the horizon and spread soft shades of gold all over the sprawling grounds of Hampton Annual Hunt. This was the exclusive event in which students coming from every nook and corner of the city gathered at the grand entrance gates of Hampton Estate and chatted excitedly with each other. The Hunt was a very famous event reserved only for wolves and their friends and a few lucky humans who got in to view the spectacle. But to the wolves, it wasn't a game. It was a test of skill and strength and cunning combined.The cramped pathway buzzed with anticipation as Alph strode right down the middle. The impact of his presence was immediate: conversations died mid-sentence, eyes went wide, and heads craned, all focused on the towering figure of the Hampton Pack's alpha.“Is that… Alph?" the girl whispered into the mass of people, her voice barely more than a hum over the murmuration of excitement."Oh my god, it is! Alph from the Hampton Pack!" another girl gasped, tugging on he
Alph strode forward, each movement commanding attention. The boys crowded around Maxine parted like the Red Sea and wordlessly stepped aside. He didn't push them away from her; it was simply that they shifted, acknowledging his presence and silent authority that he carried with him. His eyes never strayed from where Maxine still sat in dumbfounded shock over her transformation."Maxine," he said, his voice low, even, but unwavering. "When did you get here?"At the mention of her name, Martin's eyes did a double take. "Maxine?" he echoed, in obvious disbelief. He blinked then, rubbing his eyes as if in expectation of some altering vision on opening them again. "That. That's Maxine? The nerdy fa—”Before Martin could get the sentence out, Trevor's fist connected with his shoulder in a rather sharp punch that made Martin wince. "Shut your mouth, Martin," Trevor grumbled, full of irritation. He gave Martin a firm look, as if to warn him to keep his thoughts to himself."Ow! Damn you, that
Maxine's heart hammered in her chest as she watched Alph move toward her, his piercing eyes cutting through the crowd of boys that had been swarming around her just moments ago. It was too early for this. She hadn’t expected to see him, not so soon after coming back. Her pulse quickened, a mix of emotions swirling inside her—anticipation, dread, and something else she didn’t quite want to name. Her heart bit just get back to normal when alph leave with his friend. "Busy, huh? Looks like you're popular here," a familiar voice teased. Maxine turned her head, eyes widening in surprise. "Adam?!" she blurted, her voice a mix of shock and confusion. Adam grinned down at her, his arm still casually slung over her. "Why? You sound surprised. Didn’t expect to see me here?" She shook her head, still processing his sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?" "What? Am I not allowed to enroll here?" Adam’s grin widened, clearly enjoying her reaction. Maxine blinked. "Yes, but how did you
The air felt charged, thick with competition and expectation. Maxine and Adam walked side by side, blending into the crowd, though it was hard to ignore the weight of what lay ahead. Maxine's eyes scanned the massive field, already crowded with nearly 500 wolves, both familiar and unfamiliar faces around them. “This is it, huh?” Adam muttered, glancing over the sea of bodies. “Hope you’re ready.” Maxine only nodded, though the truth was, she wasn’t entirely sure. She hadn’t participated in the Hunt in years, and returning now felt surreal. She had changed so much since the last time, both inside and out. A loud voice echoed across the field, breaking through her thoughts. “Welcome, welcome, everyone!” the MC announced, his voice booming from the speakers set around the perimeter. “This is Galic, your Wave 1 Master of Ceremonies. I know, try not to get too tired of seeing my face—because I’m here with you from start to finish!” He made a joke, but no one laughed. The participants
The field bubbled with energy as the crowd swarmed around the fighting circle in the middle of the forest clearing. It was an annual hunt that had taken quite a different turn from what it was usually meant for. Whereas the original plan was to retrieve the flag in the center of the forest, this year the organizers put forward a new rule: *Game Of Chance* a game that might give a team a huge advantage or a serious drawback depending upon its outcome.Maxine and Alph stood shoulder to shoulder at the edge of the circle, their hands at their sides as they sized up the competition. Droko and Drake, twin sons of a royally blooded pack, stood opposite them. Their towering physique spoke volumes of their surety, and their names spoke volumes on their own. Maxine had heard stories of their prowess in combat, but she wasn't intimidated. Still, she knew this wasn't going to be easy.Galic's voice boomed once again above the noise of the gathering crowd. "Alright, people, we got a twist in this
Silently, Leo stood at the edge of the crowd, his arms crossed, and watched the end of the battle and the declaration of the winner. His gaze followed every movement of Maxine, each calculated gesture. A bitter smile curled on his lips, though his eyes remained cold."She did come back and change. just as I expected," he muttered, mostly to himself. The tightness of his jaw denied the casualness of his tone."Be ready, Maxine. You don't know what you hold." He sighed, his eyes already averting as he slipped out into the crowd and disappeared into darkness as the game came to a close.The crowd was still energized, the competition tension slowly being released into a sated set of breaths caught. Maxine and Alph were standing side by side, their hands still tied from the final round. Beads of sweat glimmered in their foreheads, but Maxine's keen eyes cut through the crowd, her thoughts far from victory.They were on their way off the field when Trevor came up to them with an easy grin.
As Adam and Maxine wove through the jostling crowd, the energy surged around them, humming from the excitement of the games. Adam turned to her, his face still wreathed with his playful grin. "So that's your brother?" he asked casually, though a note of curiosity seeped in.Maxine flashed him a glance, correcting him in a trice. "Stepbrother," she clarified, with perhaps just a hint of sharpness in her tone-not because she was snappish but because she didn't want misconceptions.Adam shrugged, unbothered with the correction. "Stepbrother, half sibling-whatever. He is your brother now." He paused to let the sentence sink deep inside her brain before he said, with a smirk, "He's hot. You really expect me to believe you never had feelings for him? Maybe a little crush growing up?”The suggestion almost choked her; it had her steps faltering for a second before she composed herself. "That… will *never* happen," she said with absolute firmness in her voice, mixed with incredulity and annoy