CHAPTER THREE

Maya was remarkably composed when she first learned about the Quileute legends. The information she received was supposed to be a closely guarded secret, one that was never meant for her ears, but once she witnessed her cousin Embry phase into a wolf right before her eyes, there was no turning back. No matter how hard anyone tried to explain it away, the sight of him transforming—of his body changing, swelling with power—was seared into her memory, and there was no ignoring the reality of it.

What followed was an unexpected whirlwind of revelations that Maya could barely process, let alone understand fully. She learned about the pack, the group of Quileute shapeshifters who could transform into wolves, with Embry being one of them. There were three key figures in the pack she had to get to know: Paul, Jared, and Sam—who was the alpha of the group. The pack wasn't just a group of shapeshifters; it was a tightly-knit family that followed Sam's leadership, bound by ancient traditions and bloodlines.

As Maya dug deeper into the tangled history of her cousin and his pack, she found herself wrapped up in mysteries about her own family. Apparently, there were three possible fathers for Embry—Joshua Uley, Billy Black, or Quil Ateara IV.

Maya, however, couldn't ignore the striking resemblance between Sam and Embry. She couldn't help but connect the dots, and in her gut, she felt it was more than a coincidence. It seemed most likely that Embry's father was Joshua Uley.

As the days and weeks went by, the pack continued to grow. New members joined, and the group became even closer. It was during this time that something unexpected happened—something that would change Maya's life in ways she never anticipated.

Seth Clearwater, the youngest member of the pack, imprinted on her. The concept of imprinting was something she didn't fully understand at first, and frankly, she wasn't thrilled by the idea. The idea that someone was fated to love her felt strange, even uncomfortable. But Seth was different. He was lovable in a way that she couldn't resist. His charm, his goofy sense of humor, and his undeniable kindness quickly wore down her walls, and before she knew it, Maya found herself falling for him, much to Embry's chagrin.

Seth's imprinting was not something Embry took lightly. The two had always been close, and it didn't sit well with him that Seth, his younger pack brother, had become so attached to Maya in such an intense, unexplainable way. He was protective of her, and watching her fall for someone else was a challenge he struggled with. But despite the tensions, Maya and Seth's relationship blossomed, and soon they were inseparable.

Their bond, however, was tested in their senior year of high school. The rest of the pack had already graduated, leaving just Maya and Seth behind to finish their final year. The school halls felt emptier, the future uncertain. It was supposed to be a time of excitement, the last chapter before adulthood, but Maya couldn't help feeling like something was missing.

On top of the changes within the pack, there was also the unexpected shift with the Cullens—the vampire family that had once been a part of their lives. Bella Swan, who had been involved with Edward Cullen, had made a shocking decision to leave him behind, following Leah Clearwater's advice to part ways with Edward and return home.

The entire situation was a blow to everyone who had followed Bella and Edward's tumultuous romance, but it was especially surprising to Edward himself, who, despite his heartbreak, seemed surprisingly calm and accepting of it. There were even rumors among the pack, joking about the "pixie" Cullen—Alice—seeing Edward with someone else in the future. Maya couldn't help but entertain the thought.

Was it possible? Would Edward find someone else, or was it just wishful thinking? Either way, she knew that they would probably never know the full story.

It was during lunch one day that Maya voiced her frustrations about the approaching end of their high school experience. She sat across from Seth at their usual spot, poking at her food as she whined dramatically.

"You know," she said, letting out an exaggerated sigh, "being our last year, I expected it to be as fun as everyone said it would be. You know, full of memories and excitement. But now it just feels... dull."

Seth, always the easy-going one, merely shrugged his shoulders and stuffed his mouth with food, not bothering to pause between bites as he spoke. "What'd you expect, May? The moment they all graduated, we kind of saw it coming, right?" His voice was muffled by the food he was chewing, and Maya gave him a disgusted look.

"Ugh, Seth," she groaned, rolling her eyes at him. "Stop talking with your mouth full, you pig!" She wasn't shy about calling him out on his bad habits, especially when it came to his table manners. As much as she loved him, she wasn't about to let him get away with it.

Seth snorted, clearly amused, but continued eating as though he hadn't heard her. Maya couldn't help but smile, despite herself. She loved how carefree he was, even if it meant tolerating his little quirks.

"I can't help it," he mumbled between bites. "You know how much I need to eat until it satisfies me."

Maya shot him a sarcastic look. "Oh, the joy of high metabolism you guys have," she mocked, shaking her head. "It's an insult to the rest of us."

Seth chuckled, seemingly unfazed by her teasing. "Yeah, but the stamina burns away quicker than it should, making it annoyingly irritating to have to eat all the time."

Maya scoffed. "Oh, the horror," she deadpanned, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Seth raised an eyebrow, a smirk creeping onto his face. "Geeze, May, you on your period or something?" he joked, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

But Maya's glare could have cut glass. She fixed him with a look so sharp it made him immediately recoil, his playful expression faltering under her intense stare. He quickly shut up, realizing that he had crossed a line.

"Alright, alright," Seth said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "No need to get all feisty on me."

Maya couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head. Despite the drama in their lives, the complexities of their relationships, and the bizarre world they lived in, moments like this with Seth were what kept her grounded. They were a reminder of the simple joys, even amidst all the chaos.