Damn, She's in my head
977 Words
Max's POV
I stormed out of the cafeteria with my head pounding, the taste of failure and frustration bitter on my tongue.
I couldn’t shake the image of Seraphina’s defiant gaze as she walked away like she was daring me to chase after her, to let my guard down. Instead, I felt nothing but a churning mix of anger, fear, and that stupid, unwelcome attraction.
Xander was waiting by the doorway, leaning against the wall with a smirk that could make a stone statue laugh.
“Man, you looked like you wanted to rip your head off,” he teased. “Or maybe it was just her. You’re practically glowing with that mate bond energy, Max.”
“Shut up, Xander,” I snapped, not trusting my voice not to crack. “It’s not that simple.”
He chuckled, tossing his head back. “Simple or not, you can’t deny it. You’re not running from your problems, you’re sprinting headlong into them.”
I frowned. Problems were all I ever had, especially since the incident with Seraphina. Every time I closed my eyes, her scent, her laugh, and those stormy eyes invaded my thoughts. And damn it, if the Moon Goddess wasn’t playing some cruel trick on me. I had built my life on control, on keeping rogues at arm’s length. Yet, here I was caught between repulsion and a magnetic pull I didn’t want to admit.
“Look,” I muttered, “I can’t help how I feel. But I’m not about to let some rogue turn my world upside down. Not now, not ever.” I ran a hand through my jet black hair, trying to smooth out the chaos inside me.
Xander’s grin faded for a moment as he looked at me seriously. “You know, Max, maybe you need to sort through this over a drink. Clear your head before you do something stupid.”
“Great idea,”
I replied sarcastically, though the thought wasn’t entirely unappealing. “A drink might just drown the memory of her smile.”
Xander laughed and clapped me on the shoulder before heading off in the opposite direction. I didn’t stick around to argue further. I needed to get away from the suffocating tension, to think away from Crestwood High and all its judgmental eyes.
I pulled out my keys, stomped on my bike and drove off a nearby bar, a shabby place where the neon lights flickered like dying stars and the air reeked of stale beer and desperation.
The bar was nearly empty when I arrived, a welcome relief from the constant noise of school.
I slid into a corner booth and ordered my usual, a double shot of whiskey. As I waited, I stared into the glass, watching the amber liquid swirl, each ripple a reminder of the chaos in my mind.
My thoughts wandered back to Seraphina. Every time I tried to push her away, her image grew sharper.
I remembered the first time I saw her how her eyes burned with defiance, how she laughed in the face of danger. And then there was that moment in the cafeteria, when she dared to stand up to Vanessa. That wasn’t just bravery. It was something else. Something that made my pulse race, even as I told myself it was just trouble.
I took a long swig from my glass. The burn of the whiskey did little to numb the pain of old memories. I recalled the day my mother was killed how the rogues had descended like wolves on her, leaving nothing but scars. I had vowed never to let another rogue tear apart everything I’d built. And yet, now I was fighting a battle I never wanted against the one person I should despise, but couldn’t help but be drawn to.
My phone buzzed on the table. It was a message from an unknown number. I hesitated before opening it: "You can’t run from your fate. The moon knows, and so do I. Meet me at the old mill tonight if you want answers."
My heart skipped a beat. The mill was deep in the woods a place whispered about among the pack. It was said to be a nexus of power, where the Moon Goddess’s influence was strongest. Was this a warning? A lure? I couldn’t tell.
Before I could decide, the door to the bar swung open with a creak, and I looked up. In the doorway stood a figure cloaked in shadow. For a moment, I thought it might be another patron. But as the figure stepped closer, I recognized the subtle glow of moonlight on their skin. My pulse hammered in my ears.
“Maximilian?” the stranger said softly, voice low and laced with an unfamiliar accent. “I have something you need to hear.”
I stiffened. Was this about Seraphina? About the mate bond that kept clawing at my sanity? I couldn’t tell if I was more scared or more intrigued. The stranger’s eyes, dark and intense, held secrets and maybe a hint of pity.
“Who the hell are you?” I demanded, my voice gruff.
The stranger leaned in, barely a whisper. “Your fate is intertwined with hers, and you have to understand why. The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes, Max. It’s time you start asking the right questions.”
My heart pounded, a mix of anger and dread swirling inside me. I slammed my glass down, the sound echoing in the empty bar.
“Get out,” I growled, rising to my feet. “I’m not in the mood for your cryptic bullshit.”
The stranger’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of something that wasn’t human, a glimmer of moonlit power.
“You’ll regret that,” they hissed before disappearing into the night.
- Writer
