Maple
When Maple picked up Cora an odd sensation rolled under her skin. She tried to push it down as she turned into the neighborhood. Cora wiggled in her booster seat in the back row which put Maple more on edge. Melissa had agreed to close tonight so Maple could grab Cora from school.
“How was your day?” Maple glanced in her rear-view mirror and she looked too long.
“It was…” Red flashed from the car in front of her. Maple slammed on the breaks sending her water flying and Cora’s book from her hand. The truck lurched and narrowly stopped in time.
“Shit,” Maple muttered. “Are you okay?” Maple glanced at Cora who nodded. The car behind her barely stopped as well. The man shook his head and pressed on the guy in the passenger seat.
Maple rubbed Cora’s leg and gave her the book she dropped. When she turned toward the alpha’s house, her eyes were on the car behind her. They kept driving but the disgusted look in their eyes before they passed the road made her wolf pace inside. She rolled her shoulders and focused on parking. Raymand’s truck wasn’t in the driveway but she didn’t expect him to be home for a while.
She grabbed Cora and hurried into the house, locking up the place. After double checking all the locks, she walked into the living room. She tossed her bag onto the couch and sighed.
“So, how did school go? I know we were a little interrupted earlier.” Maple smiled.
“Okay, I guess. The other wolves are bein’ a little more friendly.”
“Are they still ignoring you?” Maple didn’t like how the other kids made her into an outsider only because a hunter picked her house to attack. She wondered if the hunters were specifically picking the children, but she couldn’t be sure. Tomorrow she would try and find a pattern.
“They only talk to me when they need to.” Cora grabbed an apple from the kitchen.
“Do you want me to talk to the school or their parents? I can do it.” Maple didn’t want to overstep but Cora deserved better.
“No, I think I’ll be okay after a few days. Once the hunter news is old or they’re caught.” Cora pulled out her notebook and colored with her pencils.
“Do you have homework tonight?” Maple asked as she grabbed a glass of water.
“Nope. I finished it at school.” Cora smiled then took a bite of her apple. Maple dragged out her phone and sat on the couch with to check her emails. The quiet house set her wolf on edge, but she pushed down the unease.
She deleted a few emails then looked at Cora. The pup’s tongue stuck out a tiny bit as she colored with vigor. Tonight, she needed to convince Raymand to keep the little girl with medium-brown hair. Maple tried to picture her life with Raymand but not with Cora, it felt empty even in her own mind.
With her heat coming soon, they would start having their own kids. No more children. Her wolf added. Yes, they could have plenty of their own children, but Maple considered Cora as her own. As she stared at Cora it warmed her heart. The pup put a pink pencil in her mouth while her right hand used a blue pencil to fill in the eyes on her page.
No, Maple wanted to be Cora’s other mother. She knew deep down she would never be able to replace Cora’s birth mother. But if Raymand agreed she would do everything in her power to help fill the void created by the fucking hunters. Cora deserved at least that much. The pup paused and turned toward Maple, her eyes held a curious tone to them.
“Maple, do you think Raymand will let me live here?” She set down her pencil and fully stared at Maple.
“I don’t know but tonight I’m going to do my very best to convince him you make a great addition here.” Maple smiled.
“But you’re about to go into heat. He wants his own children.” Sadness filled her small eyes which made her wolf whimper.
“Yes, but if we keep you here, then you would be my oldest if it’s okay with you.” Maple stood and kneeled next to her.
“But I’m not yours.” Cora nibbled on her lower lip. Maple pushed Cora’s medium-brown hair back behind her ear.
“Do you want to be mine?” Maple heard a crash in the garage. Her wolf lurched forward ready to fight. Maple picked her up and put her between the couch and the wall. “Hide here until I check this out.”
Cora nodded while fear filled her eyes. Maple inched toward the noise. Before she reached the door, it opened, and two hunters lurched right for her. Shit! They were the same males who had almost rear-ended her. Their eyes held the same disgust as before. The guys moved with more speed and determination than the last guy who attacked her.
Their blades glinted in the low light, one of them swung toward her. Maple barely managed to dodge the attack.
“Don’t kill her,” one guy yelled.
“I know the fucking plan.” The brunette boomed toward the older guy.
Maple wanted to tell Cora to run but wanted to keep her hidden for a little while longer. She dodged the second blade attack. A growl vibrated from her lips as she swung her fist, but she missed the man attacking her. The second guy raced to Maple’s side, she tried to stop him, but it didn’t work.
The younger one lurched forward and Maple’s arm burned. Specks of silver stayed in her flesh after the blade left. Another cut zipped across her face and she stumbled back.
Cora screamed. Maple turned to run toward the pup.
“Let me go!” Cora cried out, but the man’s grip tightened on her arm. A collar wrapped around her neck. Anger flared through Maple’s system at the sight. Pain seared down her back making her drop to her knees.
“Shift and this will kill you,” he grunted in Cora’s ear. Fear rolled off Cora in waves. Maple tried to get up but the searing pain from the silver made it impossible for her to shift. The first guy shoved Maple into the floor as they carried Cora away.
Every scream from Cora sent pain right into her heart. Maple reached out to try and push her body away from the ground but black inked into the side of her vision.
“No…” Maple whimpered. The door closed leaving Maple alone with open wounds which couldn’t heal with the silver. Her eyes fluttered closed as the squeal of tires zipped out of the driveway.
The sensation of falling into a pit of blackness consumed her. A dream of Cora being dragged away haunted her as it played on a loop. Maple tried to run or even move. She wanted to keep Cora safe, but she had failed.