Chapter 4

I sat on the stairs outside my apartment, my fingers repeatedly rubbing a crescent moon pendant.

This was the pendant Asher had personally put on me when I left Dawn Light Pack.

“You’re still fiddling with that piece of junk?” Zoe’s voice suddenly rang out.

She came over with a plastic tray, slamming it down in front of me.

The tray contained some burnt rabbit meat, blackened at the edges and emitting a faint charred smell.

“Ethan asked me to bring this to you,” she said, crossing her arms and raising her chin slightly. “Wolves from the outer circle only deserve to eat this. Good ingredients should go to the inner circle, especially for me.”

She paused; her tone full of pride.

“After all, Ethan has always favored me more, so the good stuff should go to me first!”

I stared at the charred meat, remembering how, back then at Dawn Light Pack, Asher always saved the tenderest pieces for me when he returned from hunting.

I didn’t touch the tray, merely re-fastening the pendant around my neck.

“You don’t like it?” Zoe stepped closer, lowering her voice. “I heard you’re going to the Southern Territory to find that crippled Alpha? Fine, he’s probably the only one who’ll take someone like you…”

I gripped the pendant tightly, my knuckles turning white. “My business is none of your concern.”

“None of my concern?” Zoe suddenly reached out, her nails scraping across my neck, and yanked the pendant off.

The pendant fell to the ground, and she stepped on it with her foot.

“You’ve been here for seven years, now you want to leave and take something with you? This junk, just like you, belongs in the trash!”

With a snap, the pendant cracked in two.

I jumped to my feet, wanting to pick it up, but she shoved me hard.

“Don’t touch it! You’ll dirty my shoes!”

I crouched down carefully, picking up the pieces, my tears welled up.

This was the only thing Asher had left for me. How could she dare…

“Why are you crying?” Zoe scoffed. “It’s just a cheap piece of junk. Ethan said once you leave, he’ll buy me new jewelry, a hundred times more expensive than this piece of crap!”

I carefully placed the pieces into my pocket, looking up at her. “You’ll regret this.”

“Regret?” She laughed even louder. “Ethan protects me, the Elders favor me, what’s there to regret? And you, what do you have left besides that sick Alpha?”

“Zoe!”

Ethan’s voice came from a distance.

He walked up quickly, looking at the broken pieces on the ground, then glancing at my red-rimmed eyes, his brow furrowing slightly.

Zoe immediately changed her tone, holding onto his arm and acting sweet. “Ethan, I didn’t mean it! I was just playing with her, didn’t think the pendant would be so fragile…”

Ethan patted her hand and spoke gently. “It’s fine, it’s just a pendant, don’t worry about it.”

He turned to me; his tone calm. “Lila, Zoe didn’t mean it. I’ll buy you a new one later.”

“No need.”

I clenched the pieces in my pocket, my voice soft.

“This was from Asher. Money never buy it.”

Ethan’s face shifted slightly, but he didn’t say anything else. He pulled Zoe away.

As Zoe passed by me, she whispered in a voice only I could hear.

“Go find him, what can you do? He can’t even take care of himself; how could he protect you?”

I ignored her.

Watching them walk away, a sudden clarity washed over me.

There was no family for me in Storm Ridge. There was no place for me there.

Only endless scheming and humiliation.

I had to leave.

Come back to Asher.

When their figures disappeared around the corner, I stood up and dusted off my pants.

The apartment door was still open, and the packed luggage was leaning against the wall.

Inside, there was my mother's bracelet, and a crumpled note - on it was the address of Dawn Light Pack.

I walked into the house, picked up my luggage, and then touched the broken pendant in my pocket.

The sharp edges pricked my palm, yet strangely gave me a sense of peace.

"Asher," I said softly into the air, "I'll be here soon."

"This time, I won't leave again."