After finishing evening study, I stood by the bike rack outside the training grounds, waiting for the Alpha heir. I wasn’t planning on following him back to the pack house; I just needed the keys I’d given him this morning.

Through the dim light, I spotted Dax walking casually with one hand in his pocket, his broad shoulders and towering frame unmistakable even from a distance. Anastasia, a Beta from the Nightshade Pack, skipped alongside him, her vibrant energy a stark contrast to his calm, commanding presence. She lifted her pretty face, her eyes sparkling as she teased, “I did better in combat tactics today, Alpha Heir. You owe me an ice cream.”

Dax kept his cool demeanor, but the corner of his mouth twitched in reluctant amusement. It was the same expression he wore when he couldn’t resist indulging someone’s charm.

Last year, during our pack’s training expedition to the mountains, I collapsed halfway from exhaustion. Dax, ever the dutiful future Alpha, crouched in front of me, his piercing gaze softening as he tousled my hair. “Brooklyn, if you act cute, I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”

Yet, I only muttered back without changing my expression, the weight of grief still heavy on my shoulders since my father, a Delta warrior, had fallen in battle. Smiling or acting cute didn’t come easily. Dax chuckled softly, his deep voice carrying a warmth that momentarily eased the ache in my chest, and he lifted me onto his back. “You’re tough to handle.”

That day, fog swept over the mountains, bringing a biting cold. But Dax’s back felt warm and steady, his Alpha aura a comforting presence that calmed my inner turmoil.

“Yay! Alpha Heir, you’re my favorite!” Anastasia’s laughter, carried by the evening wind, almost sounded like a confession. By the time I snapped back to reality, Dax had already pulled out the keys, his sharp eyes locking onto mine as he waited patiently for me.

“Walk home by yourself and don’t spill anything to the Luna,” he said, his tone firm but not unkind.

Anastasia caught sight of me and shyly hid behind Dax, though her movements were more playful than bashful. As she peeked out, her smile had a trace of mischief, as if she knew something I didn’t.

“Okay,” I replied, my voice steady despite the tightness in my chest.

I took the keys from his outstretched hand, my fingers brushing against his briefly. Adjusting my backpack, I turned to head home, the weight of the Alpha heir’s expectations and the Beta’s knowing smile pressing down on me like a storm cloud. But I walked on, my steps steady, refusing to let the cracks in my heart show.

When I returned to the Moonlight Pack house, the Luna had prepared a spiced honey cake as a late-night treat. She kindly took my backpack from me, her eyes softening as they caught the faint redness at the corner of my eyes.

“Brooklyn, why are your eyes red? Why did you come back alone? Where’s the Alpha heir? Did he upset you? If he did, I’ll make sure he answers to me.”

Faith Munoz, the Luna of the Moonlight Pack, was always so gentle with me. Years ago, after my father, Gideon Patterson, a Delta warrior, lost his life saving Dax from a rogue attack, it was the Luna who decided to take me into their pack. Though I was just an Omega, she treated me with the same warmth and care as she did her own son.

“It’s nothing, Luna. I’ve just been struggling a bit with my combat training lately.” I sat at the dining table, sipping a cup of coffee slowly. The warmth of the drink helped ease the chill gnawing at my heart. Meeting her concerned gaze, I managed a small smile.

Thinking of Dax’s earlier words about not owing me anything, I hesitated before speaking. “Luna, I’d like to request permission to transfer to another pack for my warrior trials.”

“With the trials only a few months away, moving to a new pack might give me more time to focus on my training.”

Hearing my request, the Luna paused, her expression a mix of surprise and concern. She didn’t press me, though. Instead, she opened her phone’s calendar and counted down the days. Though she seemed reluctant, she nodded, understanding the importance of my training.

With a gentle smile, she rested her hand on my head. “Your scores in other areas are already strong. You and the Alpha heir will have no issue passing the trials; there’s no need to stress so much.”

When we were selecting our training preferences, Dax would often drop hints about his choices, only relaxing once he was sure I’d picked the same path as him. Remembering how I secretly changed my application form in the pack office earlier that day, I took another bite of the spiced honey cake.

“Luna, could we keep this between us for now? I’d rather the Alpha heir not know just yet.”

Under the warm light, my expression was serious, and the Luna looked a bit surprised. She likely thought we had just had a minor disagreement. After all, she had noticed how much her son had cared for me over these past three years.

“Alright, but if the Alpha heir finds out, he’ll surely be upset.” As the night wore on, she returned to the kitchen with the empty bowl, and her voice soon filled the house as she called Dax to remind him to come home.

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.