Chapter 9

The wind surged in from every direction, thick with the smell of earth and rotting leaves.

On this land, a wolf without the protection of a pack wouldn't survive for more than a few days. Strays and wild beasts would follow the scent of blood, ripping any lone prey to shreds.

I kept my head down and pushed forward. My knees were shaking. Blood still clung to the corner of my mouth, and the wind made it stick to my skin, pulling at the wound and making it hurt even more.

Luckily, I'd already decided to leave. I was ready to make it on my own as a lone wolf.

When I was a kid, my dad took me to the border once, where the Frostvale and Nightshade packs' treaty met.

The road was long. He carried me on his shoulders for most of the night before we finally stopped to rest in a small wooden cabin.

He told me the Frostvale Pack was the Nightshade Pack's oldest ally. Their pact had lasted for generations. Heading that way was at least safer than waiting to die out in the wild.

Dad's resting spot was not far from here. Any normal wolf could run there in less than half a day.

But I was in no shape to do that now. I could still taste blood in my mouth. My chest felt so heavy, like it was stuffed full of rocks. Every step I took felt like dragging a body that didn't belong to me.

I didn't dare stop to rest. If I did, I knew I'd never be able to get back up.

After the bond snapped, my inner wolf fell completely silent. Nothing was left but emptiness. My heartbeat and the wind traded places in the void.

I thought she was gone for good.

But after what felt like forever, something deep inside me stirred. A faint shift, like a bubble breaking the surface of still water. Then I heard a voice. "I am still here," my wolf whispered.

My inner wolf was awake. For a second, I breathed out in relief.

But the first thing she said made me freeze. 'Go back. Go find him,' my wolf commanded.

A sharp pain shot through the bond in my chest. It was still there, not completely severed.

He had turned me away, but I never accepted it. The pain had been intense and blood had filled my throat. I almost fainted. So I never even got the chance to tell him.

The bond had only cracked. A few fragile threads still held on, pulling us apart with every passing second.

'Go back to him now. If he takes back what he said, we will not have to suffer like this anymore.' My inner wolf's voice was feverish and desperate, like a trapped animal finally catching the scent of an escape.

I didn't look back. Clenching my teeth, I kept walking, heading in the opposite direction from the pack.

But she refused to give in. She raged inside my chest, slamming against it like she was trying to break free.

My inner wolf had not been tamed yet. She had her own voice and will, but she had not fully emerged into the world. She was another self living inside me, and all she cared about was getting back to him.

'Did you forget?' she pressed. 'It was Adrian who kept you close.'

Without warning, memories flooded back.

The pack hall. The long table. Everyone gathered around. My parents had died, sacrificing themselves to protect the Alpha and Luna during a treaty mission. I was an orphaned Omega, one without an inner wolf.

I hid outside the door, peeking through the crack to watch what was happening inside and overgearing them.

"Who is going to take care of her? She's only an Omega. She doesn't even have a shot at awakening."

"Why should the pack waste food on dead weight like her?"

"Leave her alone. Let her fend for herself."

Everyone passed the buck. No one wanted to be stuck with someone they thought was hopeless.

Then Adrian spoke up, "She's staying with me." His young voice had not fully changed, but it was steady and calm, like a strong tree rooted in the earth.

The whole hall fell silent. No one challenged Adrian.

I crouched outside the door. All I could see was his back. My knees pressed against the cold wall. My fingers gripped the hem of my dress so hard my knuckles went white.

I had never forgotten what he said.

Tears streamed down my face, and the wind made them sting against my skin.

The bond in my chest started aching again, like someone scraping back and forth along that crack.

I was trembling. The shards of moonstone in my palm pressed into my wound. Blood and tears mixed together, and I couldn't tell which stung more.

But I didn't look back. I stood my ground, digging my nails into my palm and gripping those shards tight.

'Did you forget?' my wolf asked again, softer but even more stubborn. 'He once gave you dewmist salve. That is the rarest medicine in the pack. Only the Alpha and Luna are allowed to use it.'