The next morning was a pretty basic one, at least compared to what transpired the night before. Maia got up early enough, when the golden sun just began to peek over the horizon. It was about 7 am when she freshened up for the day and started on a 10-minute hike out of the forest and into the main town.
Unlike the nighttime, the woods during the day was unnaturally calm. The wolves usually kept to themselves to ensure their secrecy, as humans usually do a lot of things during the day like hiking, lumbering, and camping.
Therefore, Maia never really had to bother herself about any supernatural encounters. It was the only time she could calm down and reflect over the crazy experiences she'd had. And that was exactly what she did.
One thought that seemed to bring itself back time and again was the thought of the Alpha, how his cold piercing gaze seemed to transfix her every time. His confidence and dominant aura never seemed to fade, even as he was hurt, and how was it that his words seemed to inspire strength in his clan to protect their cub. It all seemed too bizarre to process for one night, and Maia was finally repealed from her thoughts as she emerged from the woods and into the town square.
Maia worked a part-time job as a bartender at a local bar located at the western side of Silvermoore. She worked there from 8 am to 12 pm, and she usually spent the remaining days with her friends, Fiona and Damien, who usually took her shopping, to fancy restaurants, or gaming.
One thing people wouldn't have realised about Maia from first glance is that she was the daughter of The Reynold Winters, which meant that she was filthy rich, based on her father being a billionaire and global icon. Half the assets in Silvermoore was owned by him, even the local bar where Maia worked.
Her father used his fame and fortune as a means to an end. Which was wiping out the wolves once and for all. He usually kept his clan up to date with the most advanced weapons of a rare and expensive metal known to be deadly to wolves - silver.
But just like Maia never acted like the Hunter King's daughter, she also never acted like The Reynold Winters' daughter. She lived a basic life, usually walking to anywhere walkable, and taking cabs to her place of work.
She also dressed basic, in mostly blue jeans, a cream crop top, and a denim jacket. She would usually don this look with a cap, while letting her blonde hair drape over her shoulders.
On rare occasions, people did recognise her for who she really was, much to her annoyance. Unfortunately, she is an exact replica of her father when it came to looks, with innocent blue eyes, blonde hair, and that weird smile that seemed to lean to one side too much. Maia always made it a mental note to never smile in public because of that.
The truth is, she wanted to live a normal life, away from the demands of society on "overprivileged" people like herself. Back when she was in university in the UK, everyone knew who she was, and she often got reprimanded for trying to fit in.
Funny enough, everyone expected her to be snobby and superficial, but she was the exact opposite. Other times, people who got close to her often tried to use her to get whatever they wanted, and she often fell for their manipulation.
Due to these terrible experiences attributed to being "rich", Maia hated the idea of being like her father. Hence, she kept to herself oftentimes at school. Only two people who majored in Environmental Science like she did, acted like they didn't care about her "privilege". They never treated her like she was a higher species or someone to exploit, just as a person.
She grew close to both of them, and they all became good friends. Coincidentally, they lived in Silvermoore like she did, the forgotten town of Alabama in the US. In fact, these were the two friends that just pulled up with a car at the side of the road where she was, relieving her of the stress of waiting for an idle cab to pass her by.
"If it isn't Maia Winters. Would you smile more? You look horrible." Damien said as he jumped out of the driver's seat. He was standing tall at about 6'3", had quite a skinny build, with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair and grey eyes. He spoke with a strong British accent from all his years of living in the UK as a child. Facially, he was quite the uniquely handsome young lad.
"Maia!!!", an enthusiastic and overly cheery voice erupted from a much shorter black girl who jumped out from the backseat and squeezed Maia into a tight hug.
Fiona was quite the character. Unlike Maia, she always wore a smile, and was a little too excited for everything. She was much shorter than her two friends, but had an irresistible charm and charisma that basically made her their leader. Her black Afro hair was twisted in long box braids, and her chubby face was the cutest thing anyone had ever looked at, with deep dimples and puffy cheeks. Bodily, she was chubby with a nice shape that was the envy of many ladies her age.
Speaking of age, Damien and Flora were both 21, boasting a solid year over Maia. They made it their mission to never let her forget that.
"It's so good to see you!" She exclaimed, not letting loose her grip on a suffocating Maia.
"Umm…Too tight Fiona." Maia complained.
"Sorry, just got a little excited." Fiona apologised. "Where have you been? It's been ages. You didn't tell us you were back from your travels already."
Maia sighed. This was where she would have to come up with an excuse to sway her friends from the real truth about her and her family. It pained her that she couldn't tell her closest friends her burning secret. Sadly, Father forbade it, claiming that it kept the family and clan safe.
"Umm, I kinda just came back last night and was too tired for anything so I basically passed out." She stammered.
"Okay but your home is in the middle of town. What brought you all the way out here to the edge of the woods then?" Damien enquired.
Maia hesitated for a short moment, thinking of what to say. Damien was always a tad bit too nosy.
"Lay off the girl for a minute Damien!". Flora came to her rescue.
"At least let's drive her to work before you start playing detective, jeez".
Damien raised up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Hey, I just wanna know why she's out here by herself. Is that much of a big deal?"
Maia was already getting tired of the good cop, bad cop routine her friends always played when she was around.
"Ugggh, you guys, just stop it already".She turned to Damien: "If you must know, I came out here for a hike, that's all". With that, she turned and strutted into the car, leaving the two to stand back awkwardly.
The Stockyard was one of the most exquisite bars in not just Silvermoore, but the whole of Alabama. It was stocked to the brim with the rarest and most exquisite drinks, luxurious lounges and a fine dining area.
Reynold usually came there with his friends to have a good drink or two, so it had to be up to standard.
The Stockyard was also ostentatiously decorated, adorned with crystal chandeliers that cast a warm glow over plush velvet seats and polished mahogany tables
Damien and Flora dropped Maia off and went to their various working spots. They all planned to meet again after working hours like they usually did, but unbeknownst to Maia, fate had a change of plans.
Maia worked behind the counter, and unlike your regular bartender, no worker or customer dared openly cross Maia due to her social status. Most of them just acted cool with her, even though not everyone liked her.
Maia knew this, which was why she would have known better than to leave unusual behaviours to chance.
Soon enough, closing hours came by as Maia meticulously wiped down the counter, her thoughts still consumed by the turmoil from the previous night.
The door opened, and a tall woman with striking blue eyes stepped in, surveying the elegant surroundings with a hint of disdain. She settled into a seat at the far end of the bar, her gaze fixated on Maia.
"Good evening," Maia greeted, approaching the woman with a poised smile. "What can I get for you?"
"A glass of red wine, please," the woman replied, her voice smooth and controlled.
As Maia poured the wine, she sensed an underlying tension in the air. Her instincts screamed that something was amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
The woman took a sip of her wine, her eyes never leaving Maia's. "You're Reynold's daughter, aren't you?" she asked, her voice laced with a subtle menace.
Maia's grip tightened on the wine bottle. "What's it to you?"
The woman smirked, her demeanour shifting slightly. "Let's just say your father and I have some unfinished business."
Before Maia could react, the woman lunged across the bar, seizing her by the wrist. Maia struggled, but the woman's grip was unyielding. With a swift motion, she pulled Maia towards her, whispering, "You're coming with me."
The room seemed to warp and shift as the woman's true form began to emerge, her features morphing into that of a wolf. Not just the regular kind, but the humanoid primal form that Maia had watched the Alpha shift into.
With unbelievable speed, she gripped Maia's neck, blocking her airway. Maia's vision blurred, and before she knew it, darkness enveloped her.