Chapter 5. Leave Her

Loveth's mind wandered as she stared blankly at the chalkboard, her thoughts consumed by Maximus and their mysterious connection. She didn't even notice when Mr. Johnson, her math teacher, called her name.

"Loveth, can you please come to the board and solve this problem?" Mr. Johnson asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Loveth's face flushed as she made her way to the board, her heart racing with anxiety. She had no idea what the problem was, but she hoped it wasn't something too difficult.

Mr. Johnson wrote the problem on the board:

"Solve for x: 3x^2 + 5x - 2 = 0"

Loveth's eyes widened as she stared at the equation. It looked like something from a higher-level math class, not something they had covered in their curriculum. But as she stood there, a strange feeling of calm washed over her, and she began to write on the board.

"First, we can factor the left-hand side of the equation: 3x^2 + 5x - 2 = (3x + 1)(x - 2) = 0"

The class gasped in unison as Loveth continued, her handwriting neat and confident.

"This tells us that either (3x + 1) = 0 or (x - 2) = 0. Solving for the first factor, we get x = -1/3. And solving for the second factor, we get x = 2."

The classroom fell silent, with Mr. Johnson and the students staring at Loveth in disbelief. The teacher's eyes were wide with shock, his mouth agape.

"Loveth, how...how did you do that?" Mr. Johnson stuttered.

Loveth shrugged, feeling a strange sense of detachment from her body.

"I just knew it, I guess."

The classroom erupted into applause, with students whistling and cheering. Loveth's face flushed with embarrassment, but a small smile played on her lips. She had no idea where that solution came from, but she was glad it impressed her classmates. Little did she know, this was only the beginning of her journey into the unknown.

*

Maximus stood by the glass window of Loveth's class, watching the whole event. He felt anger when the teacher singled out Loveth and attempted to embarrass her, but he also felt pride in him when she solved the mathematical problem flawlessly. He was smiling ear to ear when Golden suddenly came up behind him. He cautioned Maximus against associating with Loveth. He tells Maximus that if he truly likes Loveth, then he should not bring her into the struggles of the pack, he advises Maximus to leave Loveth for her own safety.

Maximus's smile faltered as Golden's words struck a chord within him. He felt a surge of defensiveness, his heart racing with emotion.

"What do you mean, leave her alone?" Maximus demanded, his voice low and intense.

"Loveth is different, Golden. I feel something with her that I've never felt before."

Golden's expression turned stern, his eyes narrowing.

"Maximus, you're the future Alpha of the Blood Moon pack. You have a responsibility to your pack, to your family. Loveth is a human, she doesn't belong in our world. If you care about her, you'll leave her alone."

Maximus's eyes flashed with anger, his fists clenched at his sides.

"You don't understand, Golden. Loveth is special. She's smart, and brave, and...and I can't just leave her behind."

Golden's voice was firm but gentle.

"Maximus, think about what you're doing. If you pursue a relationship with Loveth, you'll be putting her in danger. The pack won't accept her, and Marcus will stop at nothing to use her against you. Is that what you want for her?"

Maximus's face twisted in anguish, his heart heavy with concern. He knew Golden was right, but the thought of leaving Loveth behind was too painful to bear.

"No, no, no!" Maximus exclaimed, his voice cracking with emotion.

"I can't leave her, Golden. I can't just walk away from her."

Golden's expression softened, his eyes filled with compassion.

"Maximus, I know this is hard. But you have to think about the bigger picture. You have to think about the pack, and your future as Alpha. Loveth is a distraction, a liability. You can't afford to have her in your life right now."

Maximus's eyes blazed with defiance, his jaw set in determination.

"I won't leave her, Golden. I won't abandon her like everyone else in her life. She needs me, and I need her."

Golden's eyes widened in concern as Maximus's face darkened with anger.

"Maximus, listen to me—"

But Maximus cut him off, his voice low and menacing.

"No, Golden, I won't listen. You don't understand anything. You don't understand how I feel about Loveth."

Golden's voice was calm and soothing.

"Maximus, I'm trying to help you. I'm trying to protect you and the pack. Please, just listen—"

But Maximus was beyond reason. With a snarl, he turned and stormed off, leaving the school premises and heading towards the dojo he had registered with.

Inside the dojo, Maximus's eyes blazed with anger as he confronted the four teachers.

"I want to duel each of you, one after the other," he growled.

"I need to quell the anger in me."

The teachers exchanged concerned glances, but they nodded in unison, they had already been briefed of Maximus' identity, and thus were subservient towards him.

"Very well, Maximus," the first teacher said.

"But be warned, we won't go easy on you."

Maximus sneered, his fists clenched at his sides.

"I don't want you to go easy on me. I want you to push me to my limits. I want to feel the pain and the anger coursing through my veins."

The first teacher nodded and stepped forward, his eyes serious. "Then let's begin."

The duel was intense and brutal, with Maximus using all his skill and strength to take down the first teacher. But as he moved on to the second, third, and fourth teachers, his anger began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of calm and focus.

As he finished the last duel, Maximus stood panting, his chest heaving with exhaustion. But his eyes were clear and calm, his mind at peace.

"Thank you," he said to the teachers, his voice soft and sincere.

"Thank you for helping me quell my anger."

The teachers nodded in unison, their faces filled with understanding.

"Anytime, Maximus," the first teacher said.

"We're here to help you, not just in martial arts, but in life."