Chapter 126: As We Prepared
Chapter 126: As We Prepared
Scarlett’s POV
I frowned slightly, unsure what he meant. “You know I’ve never fully shifted, right?” I admitted. “I’ve only partially shifted a few times. It’s never felt… necessary.” Keith had told me something similar not long ago—that he often fought in his human form because he relied on magic more than brute strength. It was the same for me, and I hadn’t seen a need to shift entirely into my wolf form yet.
Maxwell stopped and turned to me, his expression softening. “Don’t worry,” he said reassuringly. “It’ll be fun. Besides, Neo’s been dying to meet Midnight. Our wolves have linked before, sure, but they need to meet as wolves, Scarlett.”
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He was right. Midnight, my wolf, deserved to connect with Neo. She deserved her own moments, free from the constant tension that filled our lives.
“Okay,” I said finally. “Let’s do it.”
Maxwell grinned, clearly pleased, and together, we headed into the woods. The snow crunched beneath our boots, the cold air sharp and invigorating. I could feel Midnight stirring within me, her excitement mirroring my own nervous anticipation. For once, this wasn’t about war or survival—it was about connection, about allowing ourselves to simply be.
And maybe, just maybe, it was exactly what I needed.
“Don’t worry, I know the perfect spot where no one will see us,” Maxwell said, his tone light, though I could sense the underlying urgency. He was clearly trying to make the most of the fleeting moments we had left. I appreciated his effort—it was a reminder that even amidst chaos, we could carve out slivers of normalcy.
We were just about to get into his jeep when Tasha appeared. Her mere presence made my stomach churn. I had been avoiding her like the plague ever since her arrival, but this was the first time I couldn’t dodge an encounter with her.
“There’s a hearing tomorrow,” she announced, addressing Maxwell as though I didn’t exist. “The pack members have organized it so they can be heard.”
Maxwell’s expression darkened instantly.
His jaw tightened, and I could see the effort he was putting into reining in his temper. “I’m sure you noticed Luna Scarlett, Tasha,” he said coldly, his tone sharp enough to cut through steel.
“The fact that you’re on the council doesn’t give you the right to disrespect me as your alpha or Scarlett as your Luna. I won’t tolerate it.”
The air around him crackled with barely contained fury, and for a moment, Tasha looked taken aback. But she recovered quickly, her face twisting into a defiant scowl.
“The people—” she began, but before she could finish, Maxwell’s hand shot out, grabbing her by the throat.
His anger erupted like a storm, and a sudden, icy wind swept through the area. I noticed pack members stopping to stare, their expressions a mix of shock and apprehension. Even Tasha, for all her bravado, was stunned.
“I am sick and tired of your bullshit,” Maxwell growled, his voice low and menacing. “If you weren’t my mother’s cousin, I would’ve finished you off by now. Do you honestly think we care what the people think about our mate? We trusted you once, but never again. If you keep this up, I’ll eliminate you myself, and no one will dare question me.”
He released her, and Tasha staggered back, her face pale. “Your parents—” she started, her voice faltering.
“They’re dead,” Maxwell interrupted, his voice cold and final. “Clay, Lucian, and I are the ones in charge now. If you don’t like that, you can find another region to live in. But as long as you remain in the North, you will respect our decisions and, more importantly, our Luna. Vladislav or not.”
The steel in his voice sent a chill down my spine, and I couldn’t imagine what it felt like to be on the receiving end of it. Tasha looked shaken, but she didn’t back down entirely.
“You’re making a mistake, Maxwell,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “This woman will be the death of you three. Vladislavs don’t keep friends, and they have no loyalty.”
Maxwell’s expression didn’t waver. “If that’s our fate, so be it,” he said simply. “Now back off—and make sure Timothy gets the message, too.”
Tasha narrowed her eyes, her lips pressing into a thin line. “You’re still required to come and listen to your people tomorrow,” she said defiantly, but Maxwell had already turned away.
Without another word, we climbed into the jeep, and Maxwell drove off, not sparing her a single glance.
The tension in the vehicle was palpable, his grip on the steering wheel tight enough to turn his knuckles white. I reached out and gently placed my hand on his shoulder, hoping to calm him.
“Pay her no mind, Max,” I said softly, offering him a small smile. His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he glanced at me briefly, his expression softening.
“She won’t ruin our date,” he said firmly, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
We drove deep into a lush, snow-covered forest. Maxwell parked the jeep in a clearing surrounded by towering trees, their branches heavy with frost. As we stepped out, I watched him head to the back of the vehicle and pull out a cooler and a rolled-up mat. I blinked in surprise—I hadn’t even noticed them earlier, likely because of the distraction caused by Tasha.
“What’s that for?” I asked, tilting my head.
“Picnic,” Maxwell said, his tone light as he gestured toward the cooler. “There’s a clearing nearby where we’ll set it up. Afterward, our wolves can hunt a bit before we return to eat. Oh, and there’s a lake here—it’s frozen, though. It’s been that way for a while now.”
His excitement was contagious, and I found myself eager to see this place he spoke of. We walked a short distance through the frost-laden woods, the crunch of snow beneath our boots the only sound in the crisp air.