Lost In The Howls

Jolie sat in her pristine office, her hands trembling as she stared at the DNA test results in front of her. Her carefully curated world felt like it was on the verge of collapse. The results were clear: the remains found at the warehouse didn't belong to Maxwell.

It didn't make any sense. Maxwell was supposed to be dead. He was handicapped—how could he have possibly escaped?

But there was no time to dwell on the mystery. Jolie's actions had already set a dangerous chain of events into motion. She'd provided the altered results to Elizabeth and Ryland, confident that the truth would never surface. If it did, she'd be ruined.

Swallowing her rising panic, Jolie called her assistant. "Get me the contact information for Zoelle. Now."

Moments later, Jolie was on the phone with Zoelle. Her voice was calm and measured, carefully masking the storm inside her. She apologized for the "misunderstanding" that had led to Zoelle's dismissal and praised her for her dedication and hard work. Jolie also mentioned the wolf Zoelle had rescued, claiming it was her father's and needed to be returned.

To Zoelle's astonishment, Jolie even offered to meet in person to discuss her reinstatement.

---

After hanging up, Zoelle sat in stunned silence for a moment before a wide smile spread across her face. She had her job back! She jumped up and down in excitement before throwing herself into Maxwell's arms.

"I got my job back!" she cried, hugging him tightly.

Maxwell stiffened but quickly masked his unease. "That's great news," he said, his voice warm despite the conflict brewing inside him.

Zoelle pulled back, her smile fading as realization hit her. "Wait... Oh no. Snow. I don't have him anymore!"

Maxwell froze. Snow was him. She didn't know that, and he wasn't ready to tell her.

"I... I think I know where he might be," Zoelle said, her voice trembling with worry. "My neighbor saw him heading toward the forest near my old house. We need to go there and find him!"

Maxwell hesitated for a split second before nodding. "Let's go."

---

The forest was vast and shadowed, the thick canopy of trees casting dappled light over the ground. The air was cool, and the quiet was unnerving.

"Snow! Come here, boy!" Zoelle called, her voice echoing through the trees.

Maxwell followed closely, his senses heightened. The wolf inside him stirred, restless and uneasy. He could feel something wasn't right, but he kept his focus on Zoelle.

After an hour of searching, Maxwell spoke up. "Maybe we should split up. We'll cover more ground that way."

Zoelle hesitated, her brow furrowed with concern. "Are you sure? I don't want anything to happen to you."

Maxwell smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine. I'll call out if I find him."

Reluctantly, Zoelle agreed, and they parted ways. Maxwell moved deeper into the forest, his muscles tense as he searched for a secluded spot.

Once he was certain Zoelle couldn't see him, Maxwell took a deep breath and focused on shifting. He closed his eyes, trying to summon the wolf within, but nothing happened.

Frustration boiled inside him. His wolf felt trapped, clawing at the edges of his mind, but he couldn't let it out. Why couldn't he control it?

---

Meanwhile, Zoelle ventured deeper into the forest, the tall trees and tangled underbrush making it harder to navigate. She called for Snow again, her voice tinged with desperation.

The snap of a twig made her spin around. Her breath hitched as two glowing eyes stared back at her from the shadows.

"Snow?" she whispered, though she already knew it wasn't him.

A massive wolf stepped into the clearing, its fur bristling and its teeth bared in a menacing snarl. Another wolf emerged behind it, equally threatening.

Zoelle's heart raced as she backed away slowly.

"Easy, now," she murmured, her hands trembling.

One of the wolves lunged at her without warning. Zoelle screamed, throwing herself to the ground to avoid its snapping jaws.

Before she could react, Maxwell burst into the clearing, tackling the wolf mid-air. They hit the ground hard, a blur of snarling and snapping.

"Run, Zoelle!" Maxwell shouted as he struggled with the second wolf.

But Zoelle didn't run. She grabbed a heavy branch from the ground and swung it with all her strength, striking the wolf that was about to attack Maxwell. The wolf yelped and retreated, but the second wolf was relentless.

Maxwell fought with everything he had, but the wolf pinned him to the ground, its teeth inches from his neck. Zoelle screamed, adrenaline surging through her as she threw herself at the wolf, hitting it repeatedly with the branch.

Finally, the wolf backed off, growling as it slunk away into the shadows.

---

Zoelle knelt beside Maxwell, her hands trembling as she pressed against the wound on his side to stop the bleeding. Blood seeped through her fingers, and she felt a surge of guilt so intense it made her stomach churn.

"This is my fault," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I shouldn't have brought you here."

Maxwell winced but managed a weak smile. "You saved me," he said softly. "That's all that matters."

Zoelle didn't leave his side for the rest of the night. Back at the house, she treated his wounds with care, her guilt weighing heavier with every bandage she applied.

By the time she finished, exhaustion had taken its toll. Zoelle fell asleep on the floor beside him, her head resting against his arm.

---

Maxwell lay awake, his thoughts racing. His body ached from the fight, but it was his inability to shift that truly haunted him. He'd failed to protect Zoelle because he couldn't control his wolf.

The wolf inside him growled in frustration, a constant reminder of the power he couldn't harness. Maxwell knew he needed help, but he didn't know where to start.

As the first light of dawn crept through the curtains, Maxwell made a silent vow. He would find a way to master his powers. For Zoelle, for himself, and for whatever battles lay ahead.