Chapter 4
I looked at the man I'd spent three years loving, then at Clara, who stood beside him with tears in her eyes.
"No, Alpha. You've made your decision."
Adrian frowned. He'd probably expected me to argue, just as I had every time he rejected my promotion.
Instead, I calmly closed my notebook.
Clara approached me as soon as the meeting ended, holding a cup of tea.
"Leah, I'm so sorry. I never wanted your position. Please don't be angry with me."
"I know."
She looked relieved until I walked past her without taking the tea.
"Leah, wait!"
Her voice trembled, drawing everyone's attention.
"Are you upset because I got promoted? I can ask Alpha Adrian to give you the position back."
One of the healers immediately stepped forward.
"Clara, you don't have to apologize. Alpha Adrian made the decision, not you."
Another wolf folded her arms.
"Leah's been acting supervisor for ages. Maybe she's just jealous someone younger finally got recognized."
I stopped.
Clara stood between them, looking helpless, but she didn't tell them to stop.
"I don't want anyone fighting because of me," she whispered.
"Then don't make this about you," I replied.
Her eyes filled with tears.
The room went quiet for a moment before someone muttered, "No wonder Alpha Adrian never promotes her."
I turned around.
"For three years, I've worked double shifts, treated injured warriors, and trained junior healers. Clara made a mistake in the supply report, and I corrected it before anyone was harmed. Yet I'm the one being punished."
I looked directly at Clara.
"Congratulations on your promotion. I hope you'll take the responsibility seriously."
Her face reddened.
"Leah, why are you talking to me like I'm your enemy?"
"Because I'm tired of being blamed for everything."
A healer scoffed.
"You sound like you think you're the luna."
Something inside me finally snapped.
I pulled the moonstone pendant from beneath my collar.
"Adrian promised to make me his Luna three years ago. We've been together ever since."
For a heartbeat, nobody spoke.
Then laughter broke out.
"You're claiming the Alpha is your boyfriend?"
"Is that why you bought those matching pendants? You really thought he'd wear yours?"
My fingers tightened around the stone.
"Ask him."
The door opened behind us.
Adrian stood there, his expression dark.
"What is going on?"
I turned toward him.
"Adrian, tell them. What am I to you?"
His gaze dropped to the pendant in my hand.
"Leah, this isn't the place."
"Then where is? You've had three years to find somewhere."
The surrounding wolves fell silent, watching their Alpha.
Clara moved closer to him.
"Alpha, please don't be angry. Leah's only upset about the promotion."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
He knew what admitting our relationship would mean. The Elders' Council might question every decision he'd made concerning my career.
But all I wanted was the truth.
"Adrian," I asked quietly, "are we together or not?"
He looked at the watching healers.
Then his face hardened.
"Leah is a member of my medical division. Our relationship is strictly professional."
My heart seemed to stop.
Someone laughed under their breath.
"See? She's been imagining things."
Adrian continued, "Making personal accusations against your Alpha and disrupting the division is unacceptable. You're suspended for seven days."
I stared at him.
Three years of promises, reduced to a disciplinary hearing.
Willow whimpered inside me, but I felt strangely calm.
"Understood, Alpha."
I unclasped the pendant and placed it on the conference table.
"Then I have nothing more to say."
For the first time, uncertainty crossed his face.
"Leah—"
I walked away before he could finish.
By the time I reached my desk, Mrs. Harper was waiting beside it.
She glanced at my empty expression, then at the box I'd taken from the storage cabinet.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes."
She lowered her voice.
"The Council has already approved the receiving pack's request. Your transfer can be finalized during your suspension."
I nodded.
"Please proceed."
Mrs. Harper squeezed my hand.
"You deserved better than what happened here."
I didn't trust myself to answer.
I packed my certificates, personal notes, and the little photograph of my parents I'd kept beside my computer.
Before leaving, I looked around the medical division one last time.
I'd arrived at Silvercrest believing I was building a home.
Now I was leaving without a single person trying to stop me.
Seven days passed, but Leah never returned to work.
Adrian had assumed she was simply upset about the suspension. He figured she'd come back once she'd calmed down.
When she still hadn't appeared on the seventh day, he finally lost his patience and called Mrs. Harper.
"Leah's suspension is over. Why hasn't she returned? Hasn't anyone contacted her?"
Mrs. Harper sounded confused.
"But Alpha, Leah has already transferred back to her parents' pack. The Elders' Council sent the official notice to your phone. Didn't you see it?"
