Chapter 4
Alanna’s soft, pained voice broke the silence like nails on a chalkboard. “Alpha Waldo, it hurts so
much…”
I folded my arms and watched as Waldo’s face contorted into an expression that screamed guilty but confused. He looked at her, then at
- me.
Before he could embarrass himself further, I decided to let him off the hook. “If it’s that bad, you should take her to the hospital,” I said
Added to the library to something evenly. “Woul
serious, right?”
“His eyes flickered with surprise. Apparently, my
calm demeanor had thrown him off.
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“I’ll take her to the clinic,” he finally said, his voice hesitant. He reached for my hand as if trying to gauge my reaction. “Wait for me here, Valerie. I’ll come back for you, I promise.”
“Sure,” I said with a nonchalant shrug.
He lingered for a second, probably trying to detect some hidden anger or jealousy. But I gave him nothing. With a defeated sigh, he picked Alanna up bridal–style and carried her
off.
After they disappeared down the street, I didn’t
wait.
This time, I wasn’t going to play the fool.
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As I left, my phone buzzed with a call from a junior trainer at the Training Ground.
“Miss Valerie, there’s something wrong with the wolves,” he said, panic lacing his voice. “They’re restless, agitated… we can’t figure out why. Can you come?”
Trouble with the wolves? Now that was something worth my time.
By the time I arrived, the Training Ground was chaos. The wolves were pacing their enclosures, ears flattened and teeth bared. Even the omegas, usually calm and docile, were snarling
“Miss Valerie,” one of the younger trainers approached, his voice trembling. “We think it’s the moon phase. It’s almost full, and the
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younger wolves are struggling with their control.”
“That’s no excuse,” I said, stepping closer to one of the enclosures. Inside, a massive gray wolf— let out a low growl. I met his eyes, my own wolf stirring beneath my skin. “Knock it off, Harper,” I said firmly.
The wolf froze mid–snarl, his ears twitching. Slowly, he lowered his head and backed away.
“See?” I turned to the trainers, grinning. “You just have to speak their language. Literally.”
The younger trainers were awestruck.
“You’re amazing, Miss Valerie!” one of them said.
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“Are you sure you want to leave for that classified Special Forces project?” another asked, his voice tinged with worry.
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s time.”
“But what about your wedding?” the first trainer asked hesitantly.
I hesitated, then gave a small smile.“The Shadowcrown Pack’s work is more important.”
What I didn’t say, what I couldn’t say, was that for Alpha Waldo, whether I stayed or left didn’t seem to matter anymore.
This world keeps spinning, with or without me.
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By the time I got home, dawn was breaking, and I was exhausted.
I pushed the door open, only to be greeted by the sight of Alanna wearing one of Waldo’s
shirts.
Her legs, bare and long, peeked out as she stepped out of the master bedroom.
When she saw me, she didn’t even flinch.
. “Seriously?” I muttered under my breath.
She saw me and smiled, completely
unbothered. “Don’t misunderstand, Valerie,”
she said, her tone sweet but fake. “After the
clinic, it was late. Alpha Waldo didn’t want me
to go home alone while I’m injured. He was just
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being considerate.”
“Right,” I said dryly. “Very considerate of him.”
Before she could say more, Waldo appeared, his hair still damp from a shower. When he saw me, his brows furrowed, and he let out a resigned
sigh.
“Valerie,” he started, “I don’t want to argue first thing in the morning.”
“Great,” I said, brushing past him. “Neither do I.”
“She’s coming to work with me today,” he continued, following me into the living room. “She didn’t have anything to wear, so I lent her a shirt-”
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“It’s fine,” I interrupted, my tone calm but cold.
Both Alpha Waldo and Alanna froze, caught off guard by the calmness in my voice.
Alpha Waldo’s eyes widened in disbelief, as though he couldn’t quite process my composed
response.
Quickly, he began to explain, “She slept in the guest room last night,” his words tumbling out, as if trying to shield himself from any
accusations. “Don’t read too much into it.”
I cut him off, my voice steady but firm.
“I’m not overthinking anything. You two grew up together. She’s always been like a sister to you. You even said yourself that the guest room
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is basically hers–that she doesn’t need my permission to visit. I remember that.”
Alpha Waldo faltered, his posture slackening as the fight drained from him. When he spoke again, his voice softened, tinged with a rare vulnerability.
“I’m glad you can see it that way. I really want you and Alanna to get along.”
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang. It was the courier I had scheduled.
Alpha Waldo’s gaze fell on the piles of boxes I had neatly packed and stacked in the living room. His face darkened as he walked toward them, his steps deliberate and heavy.
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“Valerie, what is this?” he asked, his voice tight with disbelief. “You don’t want any of the things I gave you?”
I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could speak, he reached into one of the boxes and pulled out a small music box. Inside, a delicate figurine of a bride spun slowly beneath a glass
dome.
His hand trembled as he held it up, his eyes brimming with something unsaid.
“You’re throwing this away too?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
I stared at the music box, the memories rushing back–of a time when we had nothing. He couldn’t afford a diamond ring or a grand
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gesture, but he had given me that little box, with a promise: “One day, I’ll make you my
bride.”
I had believed him. But reality had delivered a
cold, harsh slap.
Love can’t survive when there’s too much clutter–when there are too many people in the
equation.
I couldn’t stay in this pack anymore–not when the bond between us felt more like a leash than a connection.
And I couldn’t stay in this anymore.
