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
“We can't leave this place, right?" Maxine asked, her voice lower than she would have wanted, standing by the small window of their shared room. Night time was endless outside, weighted with shadows and memories clung to her skin like a second layer of skin. She turned around to watch Alph pack his things.“We cannot. It is in the rules." Alph's voice was firm as his hand came up to store his luggage in the compartment above. His movements were short and quick, each one showing the discipline and control he had learned over the years.Maxine looked for a minute longer before speaking again. "I wanna see Sarah… I haven't talked to her.".Alph pauses, his hand hovering over his bag as the mention of Sarah stirs a memory. He lowers his hand, slowly, his expression softening in that way Maxine seldom sees. Reaching inside his pocket, he pulls out his wallet and draws out a folded piece of paper. He hands it over."Sorry, it's a bit creased. After graduation, she said to give this to you."
Maxine left at exactly 3 a.m. as Alph had instructed her to do. The night was heavy with silence, save the sporadic rustling of leaves; her breathing remained regular as she quickened her pace. Alph had been right-there were no guards to be seen. The gate, however, was closed.But that was no problem.In one swift move, Maxine went over the gate with ease, landing quietly on the other side. Her heart was racing, but not from the exertion; it was at what lay ahead. She couldn't get rid of this feeling that something was amiss. Sarah had been distant as of late, more than usual, and tonight, Maxine felt it in her bones-an unease gnawing at her.She pulled her phone from her pocket and sent Sarah a text.*"I'm outside. Are you up?"*She waited, pacing back and forth in the quiet street. Normally, Sarah replied within seconds, but this time, the minutes stretched out, each one more unsettling than the last. Five minutes passed, then six, and still, no response.Maxine's worry deepened. Sa
Maxine stirred into wakefulness when the doorbell echoed through the quiet morning, her mind replete with grogginess. The window let in the first light as dawn overcame, but it was the urgency in the bell's tone that pulled her from the comfort of sleep. She tossed herself out of bed and stumbled to the door, where an envelope was lying on the floor, sealed with the familiar emblem of the Annual Hunt. She stooped down, her fingers quivering a little as she opened it, the rattling of the paper breaking the stillness in the room. **"Be awake and get ready for the deep forest of Fortuna. We will hunt! And this time, we will eliminate the losing team at the end of the hunt! Be prepared at 8 AM."** Her heart was racing as she read out the words. Today, the stakes are higher than they were yesterday. The thought of elimination weighed in the air. This wasn't about finding a key and lock; this was about survival. "What's that?" a voice rumbled from behind her. Maxine practically lea
Adam and Martin hiked in the middle of the woods, hardly lit by the meager light passing through the dense tree canopies. The air was thick with pine and damp earth; the only sound to break the silence was the rustling of leaves under their feet now and again.Martin's tired gaze flickered to him, not amused in the slightest. "This would be better if I were paired with girls," he grumbled, adjusting his pace so as not to fall behind.Adam chuckled at the look of frustration on Martin's face. "You should be thankful you're paired with me," he teased, raising an eyebrow. "At least I know what I'm doing."Martin let out a heavy sigh. "Yes, all right, Mr. Know-it-all. Anyway, tell me. How do you know Maxine? Why are you so close to her?" he asked curiously with a tint of suspicion in his voice.Adam rubbed his beard thoughtfully, feigning to give the question thought when he already knew the answer. "Hmm. let's just say I'm her guardian," he answered with a mysterious grin.Martin snorte
They hop cautiously through the thick forest, eyes darting to scan every shadow and movement. It felt as though they were in motion for hours, and the evasive lock was still hidden from view."Where is it? It's supposed to be here," Maxine grumbled grudgingly, so annoyed as her eyes turned round.Alph's senses, sharp and alert, suddenly picked up something: a subtle shift in the air, a presence behind them that made his instincts bristle."Stop. Don't move." Alph's voice cut through the tension, low and commanding.Maxine froze in place, her eyes darting to him. "Why? What's wrong?”"There's something wrong with this place," Alph replied as he surveyed the ground with a suspicious eye. Before he could trace what it was, he felt something move under his feet. The earth beneath Maxine started to crack."Trap! Move!" Alph shouted. Just as the earth gave way beneath her, he plunged forward, pushing Maxine out of harm's way, only to fall into the crevice himself."Alph!" Maxine exclaimed,