Chapter 3

Harper Medley now worked at The Shack, which meant that the Drones frequented the café, making it impossible for Maya to enjoy her coffee in peace. Determined not to let them ruin her favorite pastime, she stubbornly continued to visit. On this particular day, she sat in her usual corner, sipping her coffee and reviewing the footage she had recorded in the woods. Earphones in, she strained to make out the whispered conversation of the robed figures, but the cacophony of night birds, crickets, and rustling leaves obscured much of what was said. She replayed the recording repeatedly, managing to catch the word "firstborn" amid the noise. The fear in the voices of the cloaked individuals was palpable, and it unsettled her. When such ominous figures were afraid, Maya felt a gnawing sense of wariness too.

"Hey!" A peppy voice startled her.

Maya closed her eyes, trying to focus on the recording once more.

"Uh, Maya?"

Sighing, she turned the screen of her camera away and removed one earphone, looking up to see Harper Medley beaming at her. "Hey."

Harper's cheerfulness didn't falter despite Maya's lackluster greeting. "My shift's ending in a couple of minutes, and we were wondering if you'd like to come and sit at our table. You look really lonely here by yourself."

Oh great, now they were pointing out her loneliness? Had it really come to this?

Plastering a fake smile on her face, Maya shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm busy working, so I'm not really lonely."

"Oh." Harper's smile faltered briefly before returning full force. "What are you working on? The next front-page news for the Chronicle?"

What did she have to do to be left alone?

"Something like that," Maya nodded, her fake smile still in place. "So, thanks for the offer, but I'm not interested." She reinserted her earphones, catching the murmured comment about her being a bitch to Harper. Ignoring it, she put the camera aside and pulled out her laptop from her bag.

Bringing up Google, she typed in "Harvest Grove" "hooded cloak" "woods" and "secret meetings." The first few sites were promotional pieces for Harvest Grove, followed by costume shops for role players. Then she stumbled upon an old article from the Harvest Grove Ledger. Dated decades ago and written by an Elliot Jones, the article spoke of strange happenings in the town. It described groups of strangers who gathered in the woods, unsettling the early settlers but never revealing their identities or purposes. No one dared to confront them.

Maya's heart raced as she read the article. It seemed history was repeating itself. She needed to dig deeper. She needed to find out what these modern-day cloaked figures were up to and why their fear mirrored the apprehension of those from the past. Determined, she jotted down notes and bookmarked the article for further investigation. This story was far from over, and she was going to uncover the truth.

Rumors of witchcraft had long swirled around Harvest Grove, whispering of dark rituals and strange occurrences. Some claimed to have seen inexplicable phenomena, attributing them to the devil's handiwork. Fear and suspicion simmered, with many believing that the town was on the brink of becoming a modern-day Salem. Though there had been no reports of witch burnings or hangings, the tension was palpable. Maya found it all fascinating, a possible lead for future investigation, but for now, it was just another piece to add to her Wall of Weird.

Clearing her search history, Maya typed in "Harvest Grove," "lineage," and "bloodline," words that had echoed in her mind since eavesdropping on the hooded figures' conversation. She hit "enter."

Her computer screen flickered, and then it crashed. Eyes wide with disbelief, she stared as a message popped up, warning that a mega-virus had just destroyed her entire system.

"What the hell?" she whispered, closing her laptop in stunned silence.

Her mind raced. How was it possible? She'd never heard of a virus that could cripple a computer so instantaneously. What kind of secrets were hidden in Harvest Grove that even her laptop couldn't handle?

"You know, Harper was being nice. You didn't have to be such a bitch to her," a voice interrupted her thoughts.

Maya looked up to see Angelo Stiles sliding into the seat across from her, eyebrow raised. The last thing she needed right now was a confrontation with the King of Harvest Grove High.

"Walk away, Stiles," she muttered, trying to figure out how to ask her dad for a new laptop when this one had been a birthday present.

"What's wrong with you?" Angelo pressed, eyeing her with an irritating mix of curiosity and disdain. "There's a reason why Woods and Michaels stopped being your friends, you know. Ever wondered if it was because of your rotten attitude?"

Maya's temper flared. Closing her camera's screen, she threw down enough money to cover her bill, grabbed her bag, and slid out of the seat. The last thing she wanted was to let Angelo see how close she was to tears. She stormed out of The Shack, heading to the dark back parking lot.

"Hey! I wasn't finished with you!" Angelo called, his footsteps echoing as he caught up with her under the flickering light of a dim overhead lamp. He grabbed her arm, swinging her around to face him. "I think you owe Harper an apology."

"I think you need another blow to the nuts," she snapped, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. She tried to pull away, but Angelo held her firm.

"No," he replied, giving her a shake. "I'm sick and tired of this."

"So am I!" she shouted, trying to kick him. Angelo anticipated her move, twisting her around and pinning her against his chest, his arms trapping hers against her own body.

"Getting angry yet?" he whispered in her ear, his breath hot against her skin.

She snarled, struggling against his grip. "Let me go!"

His grip tightened. "Not until you calm down."

Her heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of fury and frustration boiling over. "I swear, Stiles, if you don't let me go—"

"What?" he challenged, his voice low and taunting. "What are you gonna do, Burns?"

Maya felt her control slipping. "You don't know what you're messing with, Angelo. Just let me go, and no one gets hurt."

For a moment, Angelo hesitated, sensing the intensity in her voice. Slowly, he loosened his grip, and Maya jerked away, spinning around to face him with fire in her eyes.

"Stay out of my way, Stiles," she warned, her voice deadly calm. "Or you'll regret it."

He smirked, though the uncertainty in his eyes betrayed him. "We'll see about that."

As he turned and walked away, Maya took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. This town had more secrets than she could have ever imagined, and she was determined to uncover them all—no matter the cost.

"That's enough, Angelo!" Dawson's voice echoed as he rounded the corner of the Shack, his eyes locked onto Angelo's menacing grip on Maya. "This is just bullying now! Leave her alone!"

"I'm doing what no one else has the guts to do, Woods," Angelo spat, yanking Maya closer and making her wince. "Unless you forgot, this was supposed to be your job, but you chickened out."

"Look, man, we'll figure out another way." Dawson's tone was steady, his arm outstretched toward Angelo as he approached cautiously. "Just let her go. This isn't how things are supposed to go."

"Fine." Angelo grumbled. "One last try, and then I'll give up."

Maya had no idea what they were talking about, but she wasn't prepared for what happened next. Angelo spun her around and pressed his lips to hers in a forceful kiss. Her eyes widened, shock and adrenaline coursing through her body as his lips moved against hers.

Harper, Jason, and Sam arrived just in time to witness the scene, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Maya squeaked into the kiss, her fists pounding against Angelo's chest as she tried to pull away. He tightened his grip, pressing her harder against him, his lips moving more aggressively against hers. The parking lot lights flickered violently before exploding in a shower of sparks.

One of Angelo's hands slid down to her lower back, his fingers flexing as he pulled her closer, while the other hand tangled in her hair. Something strange filled her, and Maya clung to Angelo's shirt, trying to keep from collapsing as a powerful surge of energy built within her. Her eyes fluttered shut, and even behind closed lids, she could see something sparking before it finally burst.

A wave of energy erupted from her, plunging the buildings around them into darkness. Heat surged through her, making her feel like she was on fire. With a ragged cry, she pushed away from Angelo, nearly falling as her legs wobbled beneath her.

Angelo stared at her, his eyes wide and a hand touching his lips. "Maya?"

Dawson's voice was a squeak, his face flushed with shock.

Maya glanced around, confused by the stunned expressions on Jason, Harper, and Sam's faces—though Sam seemed more amused than surprised. She looked back at Angelo, who was still brushing his thumb against his lips. Acting on impulse, she punched him hard in the jaw.

"The fuck?" Angelo yelped, cradling his bruised face. "Why did you do that?"

Maya cried out, bending over and shaking her throbbing fist. "Your face is made of steel!"

"Am I the only one who saw that coming?" Sam asked, leaning against the wall with a smirk.

"The kiss or the punch?" Jason whispered, his eyes still wide.

Harper groaned, rubbing her forehead. "You went too far, Angelo."

"Getting her angry wasn't working," Angelo defended, wincing as he pressed his hand to his jaw.

"Are you okay?" Dawson asked, approaching Maya, who was still shaking her aching hand. "We might need to get you some ice for that."

"Is anyone worried about me?" Angelo demanded.

"Not really," Sam replied with a smirk.

"Bite me, Turner," Angelo snapped.

"You are all kinds of frisky tonight, aren't you, Stiles?" Sam snickered.

Angelo flipped him off.

"Don't touch me," Maya snapped at Dawson, jerking away from him, her anger and pain lashing out.

Hurt and sadness clouded Dawson's face, but he respected her need for distance.

"Please, don't be mad at Dawson and Jason," Harper said gently, stepping up to Dawson and placing a hand on his shoulder. "The only reason things have been the way they are is because you had to find out when your abilities awakened. We all knew that with your instincts as a reporter, you'd figure it out before time and probably freak out, burying your powers so deep they might never awaken."

Maya stared at the cheerleader, utterly confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You mean you don't realize it, Maya?" Jason asked, stepping closer, his shock evident.

"Realize what?" She cradled her fist to her chest, glancing between them warily.

"This—all this—was your doing." Jason gestured around them, his hands indicating the darkened surroundings.

"I have to admit, I'm jealous," Sam said as he joined the group, folding his arms over his chest. "This was probably the strongest awakening so far. The disgust you felt for Stiles' kiss must have been intense."

"Go jump off a bridge," Angelo grumbled.

"Been there. Done that." Sam grinned, clearly enjoying the situation too much.

Normally, watching people make fun of Angelo Stiles would make for a good night, but Maya's computer was dead, her hand was probably broken, and her patience was running thin. And Angelo Stiles had kissed her. She was on the verge of freaking out.

"What is all my doing?" Maya demanded, grateful for the moonlight that let her see their shocked faces.

"The blackout?" Harper prompted, trying harder. "When each of us awakened, we had a surge ripple out that affected our surroundings. Yours knocked out the electricity for probably the whole block."

They all stared at her expectantly.

"Oh god," Maya suddenly realized. "You're all on drugs."

"You've got to be kidding me," Angelo rolled his eyes, palming his face with a sigh.

"Maya, we've all gone through denial about this, but you've awakened now, and we're here for you," Harper said kindly. "We're family now."

Family? Were they serious?

"Look, I just want to go home and soak my hand in a bucket of ice water, okay?" Maya started backing away toward her car.

"You realize she really thinks we're all high right now, right?" Sam asked no one in particular, clearly amused.

"Maya..." Jason took a step toward her. "Let us explain things to you."

"Fine." She leaned against her car, keeping them all in sight. "According to you, what exactly happened when Angelo slobbered all over me—"

"Hey!" Angelo glared at her.

"—and why exactly have all of you had it happen to you? Why would you be my family?"

Harper took a deep breath, preparing herself. "It's because we're all connected."

"By what?" Maya prompted.

"Well, you see, it goes really far back..." Harper began.

Sam groaned, palming his face. "We're witches."

Harper frowned at him. "We agreed we'd ease her into this!"

"She's about to bolt any second now," Sam pointed out. "It's best she gets the quick and dirty version before she leaves in the middle of your history lesson."

"He's got a point," Jason admitted. "When you told me, I zoned out for most of it. The 'you're a witch' part? That caught my attention."

Okay, so this was a cult thing. She wanted nothing to do with it.

"Look, I won't tell anyone about your little... coven..." Maya reached for her keys and unlocked her car door. "But I really need to go home before my father arrives and finds out I'm out. So... thanks for the offer... I think... but I'm not interested in any initiations or anything. Thanks anyway."

Sliding into her car, Maya locked the door immediately and started the engine, getting the hell out of there.