Chapter 68: Maxine
**Thelma Zane’s POV**
I opened my eyes after what felt like an eternity.
The night outside was pitch black, with the only light in my room coming from the flickering flames of countless candles. Their soft glow painted the walls in a dance of shadows. A peculiar aroma lingered in the air–sweet, yet bitter, a scent that suggested some kind of herb had been added to the candle wax.
My throat burned as I attempted to speak. “Is there anyone-” I stopped mid–sentence, startled by how raspy my voice sounded. It was hoarse, like the creak of a rusty hinge.
I reached for the glass of water on the bedside table and took a small sip, letting the cool liquid soothe my throat. Even that slight movement drained what little energy I had, forcing me to
lie back down.
“You awake?”
The cold, detached voice of a woman startled me. I froze, scanning the room for the source.
But there was no one.
“Don’t bother looking around, little fool,” the voice continued, its tone laced with impatience. “I’m inside you.”
Inside me? The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. My pulse quickened as her words
sank in.
“My wolf?” I whispered, barely able to believe it,
“Finally, you catch on,” the voice replied, sounding both amused and exasperated. “Are you always this slow? Did you sleep through all your biology classes, or are you just pretending to be clueless?”
“I’m not clueless!” I retorted instinctively. “I’m just… tired.”
But then it hit me. If she was speaking to me now, it could only mean one thing. My awakening had succeeded. My wolf had arrived.
“You’re correct,” she said with a hint of mockery. “Congratulations, little princess. Your awakening didn’t kill you. I’m Maxine, by the way.”
“Maxine,” I repeated, trying the name out. “I’m Thelma–or Madeline, depending on who you ask ”
“Or?” Maxine scoffed. “A person with two names? Really? How do you even keep track of who you are?”
“They’re both mine!” I snapped, defending myself. “Thelma is the name my adoptive parents
gave me, and Madeline is my birth name. There’s nothing strange about having both.”
“Is that what you tell yourself?” she sneered. “You’re so full of contradictions, it’s laughable. No wonder you’re always so unsure of yourself.
Her words stung, but I wasn’t about to let her have the last word. “And you think you’re so wise? You’ve been around for all of a few hours!”
Despite my irritation, I found myself smiling faintly. Maxine was sharp–tongued and relentless, but there was something about her that I liked. She was bold, unapologetic, and brutally honest–qualities I lacked but admired. Still, the thought of spending the rest of my life with such a biting companion made me shudder.
Maxine didn’t miss a thing. “You’re shivering at the thought of me?” she teased. “Don’t
I’m here to help you, not to coddle you. Someone has to push you out of this rut you’ve been living in.
worry.
I frowned, feeling defensive. “What rut?”
“You’ve built a little fortress around yourself,” she said bluntly. “Every time you hear something you don’t like, you shut down. You run away. And forgive me for saying this, but that’s no way for a future queen to behave.”
I wanted to argue with her, but her words struck a nerve. She was right. I had a habit of avoiding hard truths, of retreating into myself when things got too difficult. It wasn’t something I was proud of, but I didn’t know how to change.
Maxine sensed my inner turmoil. “See? You’re already running away in your mind,” she said. It’s always the same with you. You mess up, feel guilty, regret it, and then start all over again. Aren’t you tired of this cycle?”
Her words brought Aldrich to the forefront of my thoughts. I couldn’t help but wonder how he was doing.
“I didn’t say we were breaking up,” I murmured, more to myself than to her. “But… asking for space wasn’t much better, was it?”
a way of pushing him a
That
Maxine snorted. “Space? That’s just a
If you care about Aldrich, why not go to him and sort things out? It’s obvious how much he loves you. blind date nonsense was just politics. He would never betray you.
“That’s not the point!” I said, clutching my head in frustration. “I know Aldrich didn’t betray me, but ”
“But you’re afraid,” Maxine interjected smoothly. “You’re scared to tell him the truth about who you are.
”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Exactly. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? It’s just a name, an identity, yet the thought of coming clean terrifies me.”
”
Maxine didn’t mince words. “You don’t trust him, and you don’t trust yourself. That’s the real. issue. You’ve built this house of cards with all your lies, and now you’re too scared to touch
it.”
Her bluntness was like a mirror reflecting all my flaws. “Maybe if I’d been honest from the beginning,” I said quietly, “things wouldn’t have spiraled like this. If I’d had the courage to make our relationship public, none of this would’ve happened. Aldrich wouldn’t have felt the need to hide his love for me. The Duke and Carolyn wouldn’t have interfered. And now… now everything’s a mess.”
“Lies are slippery things,” Maxine said. “Once you start, it’s hard to stop. They grow and multiply, pulling you down with them. But it’s not too late, Thelma. You can still fix this if you stop running and face the truth head–on.”
Her words resonated with me, but I wasn’t sure I had the strength to follow through. Could I really undo the damage I’d done? Could I truly face Aldrich, my family, and even myself?
For the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maxine’s presence was a reminder that I wasn’t alone. Together, maybe we could find a way forward.
“Thank you, Maxine,” I said softly.
“Don’t thank me yet,” she replied. “You’ve got a lot of work to do, little princess. But don’t worry I’ll be with you every step of the way.
Clapjér 65Learning to Tribuce the Truth
Chapter 69: Learning to Embrace the Truth
