Chapter 3

Our pack’s territory is tucked away in a remote spot, so scarce are the outsiders who dare set foot here, and if anyone did intrude, the rest of the pack would catch it at once.

When I heard this, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Over the past few days, even in my sleep, I’d had to be wary of the shadows of Patrick and Cynthia.

I had no idea how they might harm me, so I’d barely slept a wink, worn out.

I was drifting between wakefulness and sleep when my phone suddenly rang, shrill and insistent.

I fumbled for it, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the number on the screen, but soon, that the knot in my chest loosened.

After all, I was back with my pack now; I no longer had to fear him.

“Ayla, where are you?”

I’d barely said a word before Patrick’s voice came through the line.

His tone was unusually frantic, even edged with anger, “Where the hell did you go? Didn’t I tell you to stay home and wait for me?”

At the sound of his voice, an icy smile played on my lips. “Patrick,” I said, “I already told you, I want a divorce.”

“What are you talking about?” He sounded desperate now, a hint of menace in his tone. “I already said we’re not getting divorced! And you agreed!”

“I’m not being irrational,” I replied coldly. “This is my choice. I’ll have my lawyer handle everything.”

“Besides, I didn’t take a thing when I left. I won’t fight you over property.”

With that, I reached for the end call button, but Patrick snapped, his voice rising to a roar, “Ayla, tell me where you are! Come back right now!”

I ignored him, ending the call without hesitation before blocking his number entirely.

Then, I contacted my lawyer, telling him he could send over the divorce papers I’d already signed and that he had full authority to handle the rest.

He replied quickly, “I’ll follow our original agreement.”

Once that was done, a real sense of ease washed over me.

Afterward, I headed for the pack’s Soul Sanctuary, the place my mother had once spent so much time in. I hadn’t set foot here since she passed away.

In the main hall, I caught sight of the old things she’d left behind, a frayed rune chain, and a few stone shards that had once held souls.

I tucked them carefully away, and only then did my heart truly settle.

I knew that if Patrick ever dared to bring Cynthia’s soul to the pack’s territory, the Sanctuary would protect me.

When I got back to the house, I finally fell into a sound sleep.

Without the intrusion of that annoying phone, my rest was surprisingly peaceful.

The next morning, I woke up to find my brother Kellan already there, carrying some food.

He told me Patrick had called him, asking if I’d returned to the pack.

“What did you tell him?” I asked.

He just smiled, not elaborating further.

I nodded, letting the question drop. After all, as long as I was with the pack, there was nothing to worry about.

It had been ages since I’d come back here, since I’d passed the pack’s Trial of the Moon.

Now that I was home, a familiar sense of comfort settled over me.