There had been a string of good news for Max lately, business booming, his influence rising, but beneath the surface, a problem still loomed. One he hadn't shaken off.
Dipter and Chad had left him with a lasting issue, something far more dangerous than any school rivalry or gym dispute: a lingering connection to the Rejected Crops.
And that connection… wasn't something Max could just cut loose.
After school, Max stood outside at their usual pick-up spot, a quiet corner just beyond the school gates. The sun was beginning to dip behind the buildings, casting long shadows across the pavement. That was when Wolf arrived, leaning casually against a nearby lamppost, hands tucked into his jacket pockets.
It was the first time they were meeting face-to-face with the Rejected Crops again since the fallout, since Max had rejected them.
"Half of me wants to double the fee again," Wolf said coolly, glancing toward Max with a half-smirk.
