TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-TWO
“Thanks, Milo,” I murmur softly, knowing without a doubt that he hears me.

That night was the first time in forever that I let myself cry.

Not even when Raven and her little gang jumped me did I shed a tear—I refused to give them that kind of victory. And I’ve never had much of a bond with my dad, so there was no emotional attachment there to mourn over.

But Milo…
Milo was different.

Losing him wasn’t something I had realized even hurt until tonight—until I got the smallest glimpse of what things used to be like between us, before he buried himself in training to become the next beta.

I fell asleep wishing that somehow, we could go back to the way things were when we were kids. When he wasn’t too busy to notice me. Still, today was just a blip—one day. They only acknowledged me because they realized I was good at something they weren’t.

And even that was only because Selene ended up as my partner.
So honestly, we’ll see how long this sudden attention lasts.

\---
The morning showed up faster than expected. I barely managed any sleep—I was too restless. By four o'clock, I gave up entirely and decided to head out for a jog. My wolf agreed with the idea.

Running through the woods before sunrise always clears my head. The peace, the cool breeze, the sound of leaves rustling—it's the only time my mind ever feels still.

I needed the clarity. My thoughts were spinning, and I didn’t know how to feel.
Was I nervous? Or just eager to see how the morning played out?

I’d planned to ask Selene to come train with me anyway, but I’d never imagined the guys would want to join. They usually had their own priorities and rarely paid attention to how the rest of us trained or struggled.

By the time I returned home, it was just after five. I’d made it halfway around the patrol border. Once inside, I went straight to the kitchen to start breakfast.

It’s the one thing I do every weekend for my dad and Milo. Neither of them ever says a word about it. No thank-you, no nod, nothing. But the food’s always gone, so I guess that means it’s good enough.

I plated everything and left it on the kitchen island before heading down the hall. I stopped at Milo’s door and knocked.

“You awake, Sleeping Beauty?” I called in a teasing tone. “We gotta move or we’ll end up late. I don’t know what Ethan does to latecomers, and I’m not in the mood to find out.”

“I officially hate you,” he groaned, voice muffled by his pillow. “Why are you this cheerful already?”

“Liar. You love me,” I said, giving him a playful smack on the back. “Now get in the shower—it helps. I made coffee and food too.”

He groaned again. “How long have you been up?”

“Not that long,” I replied with a shrug. “Went for a run, cooked breakfast. Same thing I always do. This is normal for me.”

“Wait… you run and cook before training? Since when are you the one making breakfast?”

“I always cook on weekends. It’s the only time Gretchen’s off.”

He sat up slightly, frowning. “Does Dad even know it’s you? I thought Gretchen came in early and made a few things before going home to her family.”

The longer we talked, the more overwhelmed he sounded.

“Honestly? This is kind of making me feel like trash,” he mumbled as he finally pulled himself out of bed and made his way to the bathroom.

“Whatever, future Beta. You’ve got fifteen minutes before we meet the guys, so get moving,” I called over my shoulder as I walked out, grinning to myself.

His quiet compliment—even if he didn’t mean it that way—made me feel something I hadn’t felt in a while: hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could be close again.

It felt strange, though. We hadn’t had this much back-and-forth in years.

Ever since my dad shoved him into full-on beta training, he hadn’t had much time—or energy—for me. That started when he was about ten. But no matter how unfamiliar it felt, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.

Even if it’s just temporary.

Deep down, I know the only reason they’re all showing up today is because Ethan’s pride took a hit.

Realizing I train more than him must’ve bruised his ego, especially considering all the time he and the others spend working with their dads.

He needs to prove to himself that he can keep up.

As for the rest of them? They’re tagging along either to cheer him on if he succeeds… or to laugh when he falls short.

What they don’t know is that I don’t live like they do. I’m not partying or hanging out with friends on weekends. I don’t attend study groups or shadow leaders during the week to learn how the pack runs.

Training is my only outlet. The one thing that gives me peace in a life where Raven and her friends make sure I never forget how unwanted I am.

Physical training is my only real escape from the chaos.
The only place I feel like me.