Funny how I look back and look at myself in the mirror now. I did not want to go here. I even considered leaving my mom in the car that day. I am just glad that I did not do that. Because if I did, I have never known how much my parents loved me that they had to do selfless acts of love to keep me.Now, my standard with love is high. If you can’t be loyal to me like my mother or if you cannot lay down your life for the people you hold close to your heart--that is not love. Nit even fucking close.My father was now back in our life. He was no longer disheveled and he had gained weight because my grandmother never stopped cooking for him. Every day, Betty Shepard never fails to get up in the morning to bake or hunt for game so Clayton will get better. I honestly think that we all gained weight too. No one can resist my grandmother’s cooking. It will take sheer will power and on hell of determination to do so. He looks way,way better now. He looks like the man in the portrait in the vill
Max’s POV “ I do not know why we had to move now, Teresa.” Max complained. They were driving on the free way en route to a little town in Alabama.They were followed by the two massive truck containers carrying all their stuff from their previous home in Manhattan.Truth be told, Max misses the bustling city life she grew up on. “You know what, I would really appreciate it if you call me Mom, I am still your mother.” They lived in Manhattan for all her life. She had friends there,a budding romance with her long time crush Zayn, and she and her girl friends were almost sure that he would ask her out pretty soon. That won’t happen now because her brilliant mother decided to pack up their things, shove it into two huge, green containers and have the audacity to tell her that they have to move in a little town called Haven ASAP. When Teresa meant ASAP, she meant the day after tomorrow. “Yeah, not happening, Teresa. After my birthday maybe, when
Max’s POV I cannot believe my ears and the woman whom I hated to call mom and the woman on the door who was supposed to be my grandmother. That was way too much information to process and my brain is about to go haywire. Any moment now. I agreed to leave our car and get inside the house. My steps were calculated as if I was ready to sprint back into the car and demand to be taken back to Manhattan as soon as possible. It was pretty cozy and bright and smelled nice and had pictures of my mom and of course, of me. A lot of them actually. It was all over the walls and the consoles. ” Teresa, I have a lot of questions on my mind right now.” “ I know, but lets get settled first and then I will answer all of those questions, kay?” I sat on the couch in the living room. Still amused by the fact that apparently, I had a grandmother but she was never a part of my life and why Teresa would never be caught dead mentioning her ever in my presence. The
Max’s POV: Like any normal teenager, I disregarded what I saw or heard. Like my mother, I was just tired and maybe I just missed the Manhattan life that my mind was playing tricks on me. Yeah, that could probably be it. I placed my clothes in the closet and Ben was nice enough to carry all my bedroom stuff upstairs. I had a feeling that the burly man just wanted to give me a parting hug. I was their neighbor and their ward for a long time. “I will miss you, Max.” “Aw, I will miss all the food that Maria makes me eat and the two kids. Tell them I'd visit." “And?” “That’s just about it. Did I miss something?” “You hurt me, kid.” Ben sounded wounded. I chuckled. I was messing with Ben. “Aww. Of course, I will miss you too, but hey, there's this new app called Facetime. You need to connect wi-fi at home since we are already here. The kids would miss all the good stuff on the internet. Plus, it helps with homework.” They do not have internet so as an exchange for all the wonderful f
“Now...Thatistotallyinsane.”Bettysaid.Icouldtellthatshewasnervous.AndTeresawastoo.Shestoppedwashingthedishes.“IknowwhatIsawandheard.Ithappenedtwice.”“Max,Ithinkyouaretired.”Max’sPOVIwasnothavinganyofthebullthattheyarefeedingme.IknewthattheyarekeepingsecretsandthatIamnotstupidtoputtwoandtwotogetherlikethesetwowouldthink.Therewasaloudanimalhowlingthatstoppedme 
“Tellme,didmomslippedyouanymoney?”Teresawasaskingmewhiletheywaitedoutsidetheprincipal’soffice.Theyweretoldtowaitatthebenchinfrontofthedoorthatread‘Mr.FrankHoff,Schoolprincipal.’“Shedid.”“Oh,mom.”Teresagrowled.“Don’tworry.Iamgonnaspenditwisely.Incaseyoumissedit.Therearenostarbucksinthisplace.”Thedooropenedandamanalmostmymom’sagesteppedoutsidetomeetus.Hew
“The girl has arrived in Haven. I think it is high time that we strike.” A hooded man spoke. The room was dark and only a single light in the middle of the shabby warehouse where they like to meet for times like this was lit.The warehouse was a long abandoned one and only stubborn kids would hang around during the day for no one would attempt to be here after dark. “Hmm.” “Is that all you could say, Vlad?” Another hooded man retorted. "What do you want him to say? He is probaby scared that his postion in the pack might be compromised of a girl." Another man said. There were a total of six people in that place. All hooded and all were draped in black. It suited them well, because they were after all, members of the Black Pack. They had to meet in secrecy for, if the elders find out and the current pack Alpha hears about this, they would all be in deep trouble. “Borris, what do you think?’’ The one who was called Vlad asked his colleague. Borris was a big m
MAXINE’SPOV Iwokeupwithagrumblingstomach.Yeah,IknowIwashungry.IwakeupalwayshungryevenwhenIwaslittle.ThatwaswhyIhaveformedthishabitofeatingtoastanddrinkingwarmmilkrightafterIwakeup.Iblameditonmyactivelifestyle.Irunforthetrackandfieldteamandrunningisnotaminorfeat.Iwasexcellentinitactually.MytrackcoachwasthefirsttofeelbadwhentheylearnedthehorriblenewsthatIammovingtonowhere.Wewereontr