After the Lunar Trials, Remy, the future Alpha of the Moonstone Pack, told me he’d underperformed and asked if I’d consider applying to a smaller academy in Chicago with him. I lied to my parents, claiming I’d mistakenly submitted the wrong preference for my training program. But at the pack gathering, he wrapped his arm around Alessandra, the Luna-in-training, and made an announcement that shattered everything.

“Alessandra and I both got accepted into the Lunar Academy in Virginia,” he declared, his voice carrying the weight of his Alpha tone, commanding the room’s attention.

A packmate, Cheyenne, a Delta warrior, turned to me with a curious frown. “What about Luisa?”

Remy glanced at me, his smirk playful but cutting. “Luisa, I was just joking. You didn’t take it seriously, did you?”

He laughed, the sound carefree but cruel. “You want to go to the same academy as me? Just retake the trials; you’re the star student, after all.”

Later, when he didn’t see me at the summer training sessions, he grew anxious. “Luisa, you’re not interested in going to the same academy as me anymore?” he asked, his tone laced with a teasing edge that made my stomach twist.

---

The day I received my acceptance letter to the Silverfang Pack’s academy in Chicago, Remy called me, his voice bright and expectant. “Are you coming to the pack dinner tonight? I’ve got a surprise to share with you. You’re coming, right?”

A warmth spread through my chest, unbidden and foolish. “Yeah, shall we go together?”

I couldn’t help but hope he might finally acknowledge the bond we’d shared since childhood. For three years, we’d worked hard to get into the same academy, and it seemed like the pack had been rooting for us, too.

Dinner was set for 7 p.m., but I arrived at the meeting spot by 6:40, my nerves fraying as I watched the clock tick past 7:20. Finally, Remy’s voice echoed outside the private dining hall, his Alpha presence immediately filling the room.

I stood up instinctively from my corner, only to freeze when I saw him walk in, hand in hand with Alessandra. My thigh pressed against the edge of the chair, my body stiff with tension, but no one noticed me. At the door, Remy laughed, his carefree demeanor unfazed by my presence. “Sorry for being late. I had to give someone a ride.”

Some packmates chuckled suggestively, while others glanced curiously at me. He carried on, his smile bright as he wrapped an arm around Alessandra. “Perfect, everyone’s here. I have an announcement.”

“Alessandra and I both got into the Lunar Academy in Virginia.”

My heart clenched, the pain of his words making it hard to breathe. I tried to steady myself amidst the cheers and excitement, but the room felt suffocating. The atmosphere was electric, everyone buzzing with excitement.

“Never thought you’d make it to the Lunar Academy!” one packmate exclaimed. “You always seemed so relaxed.”

“Yeah, we always thought you either slept or trained. But you did it; you chased love all the way to success.”

Remy sheepishly scratched the back of his head. “Alessandra said she likes wolves with strong achievements, so I had to step up to win her over.”

Cheyenne, ever the inquisitive Delta, turned to me. “What about Luisa? Weren’t you two planning to go to the same academy?”

Remy glanced at me, his smirk playful but cutting. “Luisa, I was just messing around. You didn’t take it seriously, did you?”

He laughed, the sound carefree but cruel. “You want to go to the same academy as me? Just retake the trials; you’re the star student, after all.”

Holding back the bitterness rising in my throat, I sipped some sparkling water and managed a tight smile. “I didn’t.”

I wanted to say I didn’t take it seriously, but my voice betrayed me. I finished the rest of the water, trying not to look as pathetic as I felt.

My ears felt like they were underwater, muffling everything around me. Someone murmured uncomfortably, “That’s a rough joke. What if she took it seriously?”

Remy brushed it off, his Alpha tone dismissive. “We’ve known each other forever. She’ll be fine.”

“Besides, I believe in Luisa. You’ll nail a retake, won’t you?” He winked at me, his confidence grating against my already frayed nerves.

My breathing became heavy and uneven as his figure blurred in my sight. For the rest of the gathering, I found an excuse to leave, needing to escape the suffocating room.

But Remy stopped me at the entrance to the pack hall.

He called my name several times, but I ignored him until he quickly blocked my path. “Luisa, what’s up tonight? You didn’t even respond to Alessandra.”

“I specifically ordered cheese puffs for you, and you didn’t eat any.”

I wanted to scream at him, to ask why he would make such a joke, if he had any idea that I’d taken it seriously. If he had any idea… how much I liked him.

But the look he gave me tonight, with Alessandra by his side, made my resolve crumble. After all, we were just neighbors, childhood friends. He never said I had to go with him; it was my mistake to take his casual words to heart.

It was always one-sided.

I looked down, avoiding his gaze. “I don’t feel well.”

Remy chuckled, his tone light but dismissive. “Are you upset about the academy? Or are you really not feeling well?”

I stayed silent.

He sighed, his Alpha tone softening slightly. “But you can’t ignore Alessandra. She kept telling me she’s worried you don’t like her, and now she’s upset because you wouldn’t talk to her.”

I looked up at him, my voice sharp with emotion. “So what? Do I not have the right to feel unwell? Must I engage with her?”

My chest heaved with the effort of holding back tears.

His brows furrowed in dissatisfaction. “Luisa, what’s going on?”

After a moment, his expression softened, and he pointed at me with a grin. “Oh, I get it. You really applied to the Silverfang Pack’s academy, didn’t you?”

I stayed silent. The bond we’d shared since we were pups made him read me like an open book.

His laugh grew, the sound carefree but cutting. “I knew you’d stick with me. Can’t believe you bought it.”

“Why not retake the trials and join us in Virginia as our junior? You definitely can do it. You scored high enough for Chicago’s top academies; a retake won’t be a problem.”

I forced back my tears. “Go comfort Alessandra. I’m heading home.”

His laughter followed me as I walked away, the weight of his words pressing down on me like a physical force. The bond we’d shared since childhood felt like a cruel joke now, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it had ever meant anything to him at all.

Remy’s grip was firm, his Alpha aura pressing down on me as he pulled me back. "Luisa, just go have a quick word with Alessandra, then you can leave." His voice carried that commanding tone that made it hard to resist, even for someone as strong-willed as me.

I tried to shake him off, but his strength—his dominance—was overwhelming. He pulled me back into the private room, where Alessandra stood, her presence as graceful as ever. She was the future Luna of the Moonstone Pack, and it showed in the way she carried herself, her inner wolf’s elegance radiating from her.

"Alessandra, I brought Luisa back. She wasn’t feeling well earlier and wants to apologize," Remy said, his voice softening slightly when he addressed her.

Alessandra smiled, her cheeks slightly flushed. "It’s alright, Luisa. If you’re not feeling well, you should rest." Her tone was kind, but there was a hint of something else—something I couldn’t quite place.

Remy nudged my shoulder gently, leaning in to whisper urgently, "Come on, say something." His breath brushed against my ear, and I felt my wolf stir uneasily in the back of my mind. She didn’t like this—this pressure, this forced apology.

My thoughts were a tangled mess, and his insistent prodding only irritated me more. I pinched him sharply, my nails digging into his skin just enough to make him release me, then turned and walked out.

"Luisa!" Remy called after me, his voice carrying that Alpha authority that made my steps falter for a moment.

With a hint of tears in her voice, Alessandra asked, "Remy, does Luisa dislike me?" Her voice was soft, vulnerable, and I could hear the hurt in it.

It seemed like Remy said something to comfort her, his tone gentle and reassuring. Then he caught up with me and grabbed my arm again, sounding a bit frustrated now. "Luisa, Alessandra finally agreed to be with me. Why are you being like this?"

He frowned, his Alpha aura flaring as he looked at me, his expression upset. "Come back and apologize to Alessandra."

"It’s just a university admission, is it worth all this fuss?" I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.

I stopped and looked at him, my gaze steady despite the weight of his dominance. He hesitated, and I asked, "If I apologize, will you let me go?"

He didn’t respond, so I went over to Alessandra, gave a slight nod, and said, "I wasn’t feeling well tonight and missed what you said. I’m sorry. Congratulations to you both. Goodbye."

Returning to Remy, I asked without expression, "Are we done here?"

His demeanor softened a bit, as if realizing something was off, and he spoke gently, "Can I take you home? I’ll have someone keep Alessandra company. You seem..."

"No need," I interrupted, my voice firm. I didn’t want his pity—or his guilt. I just wanted to be done with this.

Suddenly, the whole situation seemed less dire. Remy and Alessandra’s bond was theirs to navigate, and I had my own path to follow. At least the university agreed to waive all tuition fees and offered me a $10,000 scholarship annually. This lesson was one I wouldn’t forget. My wolf growled softly in agreement, her voice a quiet reminder that I didn’t need to stay where I wasn’t wanted.

I turned and walked away, my steps steady despite the ache in my chest. The Moonstone Pack might have been my home, but it wasn’t my future. That much was clear.