Chapter 9
Ryder’s mind was made up. When he finally found Amber, he would apologize–truly apologize. If she wanted to join a stronger pack, he would stand by her side. If she wanted a child, he would sacrifice everything to ensure she healed and was well. He would do whatever it took, as long as she forgave him.
Sage, however, was desperate. The position in the pack was her last chance. She trailed Ryder, but in her haste, she tripped and fell to the ground, crying out in pain, begging Ryder to take her to the healer. But the Ryder who had once treated her like fragile glass, terrified of her getting hurt–this Ryder didn’t even look back. Without a second glance, he jumped on his motorcycle and sped off, leaving her where she was while he searched
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for Amber.
For two weeks, Ryder scoured every corner, but Amber was nowhere to be found. It was as if she had vanished completely. Someone at the train station vaguely recalled seeing her two weeks ago, so Ryder took a chance, bought a ticket to the capital city, and spent days lingering outside the elite werewolf academy, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. But she never appeared.
Then came a call from the Calloway family, saying Sage was suffering severe complications and demanding he come home immediately. Ryder refused.
The moment Amber turned and walked away, Ryder’s mind was made up.
Maybe three years ago, he had loved Sage, but over the course of the last three years,
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Amber was the one he had truly loved. Now and forever, it would only be her.
The Calloway elders, however, weren’t ready to let him go that easily.
“Ungrateful bastard!” they screamed over the phone. “You steal your brother’s woman, but won’t take a stand? Sage says she’s carrying your child! If you don’t come back, she’ll curse us all!”
Ryder went home.
From the moment he stepped back through the door, Sage clung to him. Somehow, she had discovered that Amber never attended school and quickly began scheming to reclaim Amber’s position. But Ryder didn’t hesitate this time. Anger boiling within him, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the clinic, demanding she seek treatment.
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Sage resisted, refusing to go down without a fight. During the struggle, Ryder pushed her away, and she collapsed to the floor, blood pooling beneath her. The Calloways panicked, cursing Ryder as they rushed her to the healer.
But when the healer examined her, the truth came out–Sage was never pregnant. Years of lies and manipulation had made her infertile.
Even when caught in the lie, Sage tried to shift the blame, sobbing and accusing Ryder’s brother, Finn. But Finn, who had only returned to finalize their divorce, was done lying for her.
“She threatened me for years,” Finn admitted, his voice rough. “I wanted out, but she blackmailed me with what happened all
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those years ago. I never imagined she’d do this to you too.” He glared at Ryder, disgust clear in his eyes.
“I won’t be tied to someone so despicable,” he added. “If she wants to destroy
everything, fine. I’ll tell the whole town what she’s been doing.”
And with that, Finn divorced her.
With no one left to manipulate, Sage lashed out, threatening to blackmail Ryder in the same way–promising to expose everything if he didn’t marry her. But Ryder was finished with her. He would never give in, no matter the cost–whether it meant losing his pack, his freedom, or even facing prison.
Eventually, it was the Calloway elders who intervened, fearing that both their sons would be ruined by Sage’s schemes.
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They took her in, keeping her well–fed and protected from the consequences of her actions.
As for Ryder, he never gave up on finding Amber. Each summer and winter break, he traveled across the country, holding up the only photo of the two of them together, asking strangers if they had seen her.
What he didn’t know was that Amber had moved south, building a new life for herself. She had used her werewolf powers to thrive in a new, untamed world. Through relentless hard work, she had earned her first fortune, proving to herself that she didn’t need anyone’s help. She could build her own life, on her own terms.
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