Chapter 5
The next morning, as I left the Moonlight Pack house, the air between Dax and I was thick with unspoken tension. We had silently agreed to keep our distance, and neither of us broke that fragile understanding.
Once we reached the edge of the pack grounds, Dax paused his bike a few paces ahead of me. His broad shoulders were tense, and the faint scent of pine and dominance that always clung to him—a trademark of an Alpha heir—felt heavier than usual. "Anastasia sprained her ankle during training last night," he said, his voice cool and detached. "I need to pick her up. You can walk on your own."
I nodded, my expression blank, though my wolf stirred uneasily in the back of my mind. Dax’s tone wasn’t just dismissive; it was deliberate, as if he were testing me—or himself.
"You..." Dax hesitated, his dark eyes narrowing as he studied me. For a moment, it seemed like he wanted to say more, but whatever thought crossed his mind, he quickly brushed it aside. "From now on, we should leave the pack grounds at different times. A classmate from the Nightshade Pack has moved into the area nearby, and I don’t want them jumping to conclusions."
His lips curved into a faint smile, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Was he thinking about Anastasia? Her vibrant laughter, her confident yet vulnerable expression? The way she could make even the most stoic Alpha heir soften?
"Okay," I said simply, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. I didn’t tell him there wouldn’t be any more misunderstandings about us leaving together. Starting today, I wouldn’t be living here anymore.
As I walked away, the crisp morning air carried the faint scent of wolfsbane and damp earth. The Moonlight Pack grounds, once a place of warmth and belonging, now felt like a cage I needed to escape. I didn’t look back at Dax, though I could feel his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary.
The weight of his presence faded as I moved further away, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a flicker of something close to freedom. My wolf, usually so quiet, stirred again, a low growl of agreement echoing in my mind. This was the right choice. I didn’t owe him anything—not my loyalty, not my heart, and certainly not my future.
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