Chapter 71

Chapter 71
Violet's POV:

Evan stayed another hour after we finished talking about Aurora. He checked my injuries again, re-applied ice packs, and made sure I had enough water within reach. When he finally stood to leave, I caught his wrist.

"Evan, there's something I need to say."

He looked down at me, his pale green eyes cautious.

I took a breath. "Some things aren't worth holding onto. Don't chase someone who doesn't love you back. Don't sacrifice your whole life for a person who'll never choose you."

His entire body went still. For a long moment, he just stared at me. Then he turned away, his jaw working like he was trying to swallow something painful.

When he finally looked back, his expression was complicated. Guarded. Maybe a little broken.

"Okay," he said quietly.

He left without saying anything else.

I lay in bed staring at the ceiling light.

Something had shifted. The emotional storm that usually churned in my chest—all those waves of hurt and anger and desperate hope about Daemon, about Aurora, about everything—had just stopped. The water drained away, leaving behind quiet, empty sand. Flat and still and peaceful in a way I'd forgotten existed.

I didn't think about what Daemon had said when he got Celeste's call that night. Didn't try to guess what emergency had pulled him away. Didn't wonder if Evan would actually take my advice.

I just lay there in the silence and felt nothing.

---

The next morning, my parents showed up at my door with enough food to feed ten people and a look on my father's face that said he wasn't taking no for an answer.

"We're bringing you home," Marcus announced, already picking up my overnight bag before I could protest. "You're not staying here alone with two injured feet."

"Dad, I'm fine—"

"You can barely walk to the bathroom," my mother interrupted, her Luna voice brooking no argument. She looked at my swollen ankle and her expression softened. "Please, sweetheart. Let us take care of you for a few days."

So I went home.

My mother made soup every day. Rich bone broth with vegetables that she'd simmer for hours, filling the house with smells that reminded me of being a kid. My father pushed back his schedule and spent afternoons sitting with me, talking about pack business or sometimes just sitting in comfortable silence while we both read.

On the third day, my aunt Sophia called.

"How's the ankle?" she asked.

"Better. I can walk without wanting to cry now."

"Good. Because I booked our flights to Silver Ridge."

My chest tightened. "When?"

"Three days from now. That gives you time to pack and say your goodbyes." She paused. "Unless you've changed your mind about coming."

"I'll be ready."

The night before I was supposed to leave, Sienna, Lily, and Jade showed up with wine and enough junk food to give us all heart attacks.

"Surprise going-away party," Sienna announced, dumping bags of chips and cookies on the coffee table. "We're sending you off right."

We sat in my parents' living room and drank wine straight from the bottle, passing it around like we were back in college. The conversation was loud and messy and exactly what I needed.

After her third glass, Sienna threw her arm around my shoulders and leaned in close, her words slightly slurred. "Nobody knows you're leaving the pack. Not Daemon, not that bitch Celeste, not any of those Frost Pack assholes. We kept your secret."

Jade grinned and topped off her own glass. "When you get to Silver Ridge, find yourself a hot blonde with blue eyes and bring him back here. Show everyone what they're missing."

"Men are useless," Lily said flatly, examining her wine like it held answers. "You don't need another one. Just go be successful and happy on your own."

I laughed, but it came out shaky.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much," I said, my eyes burning.

"We'll visit," Sienna promised. "Beck's company has an office in Silver Ridge. He can use that as an excuse to fly out, and we'll tag along."

"Please don't let Beck follow me there," I groaned. "I need a clean break from everything Frost Pack related."

They all laughed, but Lily and Jade exchanged a look.

"Beck's actually really nice," Jade said carefully. "And he's clearly into you."

"And rich," Sienna added helpfully. "And hot."

"I'm not interested in Beck."

"You're not interested in anyone right now," Sienna corrected. "Which is probably healthy. But eventually, you might be. And if Beck happens to be there when that happens..." She shrugged.

After they left, my parents helped me finish packing. My mother folded clothes with careful precision while my father organized my shoes in the suitcase, both of them working in that synchronized way that only came from decades together.

"You'll call us every day," my mother said. It wasn't a question.

"Every day," I promised.

My father looked up from the suitcase. "If you need anything, anything at all, you tell us. Money, support, plane tickets home. Anything."

"I know, Dad."

He stood and pulled me into a hug. "I'm proud of you. For choosing yourself. For being brave enough to start over."

I buried my face in his shoulder and tried not to cry.

---

The next morning, my father drove us to the airport. My mother sat in the back with Aunt Sophia and Uncle James, everyone making small talk to cover up the fact that this was harder than any of us wanted to admit.

In the terminal, Sophia studied my face. "Are you going to miss it? The pack?"

I looked back at my parents standing by the security line. My mother was already crying. My father had his arm around her, his own eyes suspiciously bright.

"I'll miss them," I said quietly. "That's all I'll miss."

I didn't mention Daemon. Didn't mention the pack house or Frost territory or any of the people I'd spent five years trying to impress. None of that mattered anymore.

About an hour into the flight, my stomach started churning. Nausea rolled through me in waves, getting stronger until I had to grab the airsickness bag from the seat pocket. I dry heaved into it, my body convulsing even though nothing came up. Cold sweat broke out on my forehead.

Sophia rubbed my back. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know." I wiped my mouth with a napkin, my hands shaking. "Maybe I ate something bad. Or maybe it's from the wine last night with the girls."

When we landed in Silver Ridge, my cousin Aiden was waiting at arrivals. He was tall and broad-shouldered with an easy smile that made him look like he'd never had a bad day in his life. He spotted us and waved, weaving through the crowd to reach us.

"There's my favorite cousin," he said, immediately reaching out to ruffle my hair like I was still twelve.

I batted his hand away. "I'm your only cousin on this side."

"Details." He grabbed my suitcase. "You look good. The gym routine's working."

"Yeah, well, unemployment gave me plenty of free time to work out." I gestured at my luggage. "This is basically everything I own. I'm officially a charity case living off family kindness."

Aiden laughed and threw an arm around my shoulders. "We're happy to have you."

The drive to their house took forty minutes through streets I barely remembered from childhood visits.

Sophia's daughter Stella was waiting on the porch when we arrived. She squealed and ran down the steps to hug me, nearly knocking me over.

"Finally! Mom said you were coming but I didn't believe her until I saw you."

"It's really me," I said, hugging her back. "In the flesh."

Inside, the house smelled like home cooking and wood smoke from the fireplace. There was roast beef and vegetables, mashed potatoes with gravy, fresh bread, and a blueberry pie that made my mouth water just looking at it.

We sat down to eat. Aiden told stories about his son Mike's latest toddler adventures. Stella complained about her university professors.

I tried to eat but my stomach was still unsettled. I managed a few bites of mashed potatoes and some bread, but mostly I just pushed food around my plate.

Sophia noticed. "Still feeling sick?"

"A little. I think the flight messed with me."

"You should rest after dinner. Jet lag can be brutal."

---

The next morning, Aiden drove me to Sophia's company. The building was modern glass and steel, completely different from Blackwood Dynamics' intimidating fortress aesthetic. Inside, everything was bright and open, with plants in every corner and artwork on the walls.

Sophia walked me to the expansion department and introduced me to the manager, a sharp-eyed woman named Patricia who looked me over with the kind of assessment that said she didn't care whose niece I was, I'd have to prove myself.

"You'll be working on market development and brand outreach," Patricia explained, handing me a thick folder of materials. "Read through these by end of day tomorrow. We'll discuss your first project on Wednesday."

I took the folder and sat down at my new desk. It was clean and anonymous, no photos or personal items, just a computer and a phone and a view of the parking lot. It was perfect.

Three days later, Aiden helped me move into my new apartment. It was small but bright, a one-bedroom with big windows that let in plenty of light. He and Stella spent the afternoon helping me unpack while his wife Emma chased their toddler Mike around the empty living room.

"Mom's going to call you eight times a day," Aiden warned, assembling my bookshelf with practiced efficiency. "She's already texted me five times asking if you're eating enough."

"I'll call her first," I promised. "Head her off at the pass."

"Smart." He tightened the last screw and stood back to admire his work. "There. Now you can display all those books you definitely didn't pack."

Mike toddled over and wrapped his arms around my leg. "Auntie Vivi!"

My heart melted. I picked him up and he immediately grabbed my hair with his sticky fingers.

"He likes you," Emma said, rescuing my hair from Mike's grip. "That's a good sign. Mike has excellent judgment."

After Emma and Stella left with Mike, Aiden stayed to help me put together the coffee table. We worked in comfortable silence for a while, then sat on the floor drinking beer from cans.

"Can I ask you something?" Aiden said, peeling at his beer label.

"Sure."

"Was it worth it? Chasing Daemon for all those years?"

I took a long drink, considering. "No. It wasn't."

"I didn't think so." He looked at me seriously. "You're only six months younger than me, Violet. I have a wife and a kid. I have a life. And you spent your best years chasing someone who never wanted you. That's not fair."

"Life's not fair."

"No, but you deserve better than what you got." He bumped my shoulder with his. "I know some people here. Good people. When you're ready, I'll introduce you around."

"I'm not ready."

"I know. But someday you will be. And when that day comes, I've got your back."

I leaned my head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Aiden."

"That's what family's for."

---

That night, after Aiden left, I sat alone in my new apartment and felt the full weight of what I'd done. I'd left everything behind. My pack, my parents, my friends, my entire life.

I was in a strange city where I barely knew anyone. Starting over from nothing.

I should have felt scared. Or sad. Or something.

Instead, I just felt free.

I heated up some instant pasta in the microwave and sat on my empty living room floor to eat it. The apartment was quiet except for the hum of the refrigerator and distant traffic outside.

At nine o'clock, I opened my laptop and started a video call with the girls. They all answered immediately, their faces filling my screen.

"How's Silver Ridge?" Lily asked around a mouthful of chips.

"Different. Good different." I adjusted my camera. "The job seems interesting. And Aiden's family has been amazing."

"Have you met any hot guys yet?" Jade asked hopefully.

"I've been here three days."

"That's plenty of time."

We talked for another hour about nothing important. Jade complained about her job. Sienna shared gossip about pack members I barely remembered. Lily showed us her new workout routine.

Then Sienna's expression shifted. She glanced off camera, then back at me with a careful look I didn't like.

"Can I ask you something? Hypothetically?"

"Hypothetically?"

"If Daemon found out you left the pack... would that be a problem?"

My stomach dropped. "Why? What did you do?"

She bit her lip. "I might have mentioned to someone that you were in Silver Ridge. I didn't give them your address or anything! Just the city."

"Sienna!"

"I know, I know! I'm sorry!" She looked genuinely upset. "It slipped out. I wasn't thinking."

Jade frowned. "Who did you tell?"

"Just... someone from our social circle. But word travels fast. It might get back to Daemon eventually."

I forced myself to stay calm. "It's fine. He'll find out eventually anyway. As long as you didn't tell anyone exactly where I'm living or working, it doesn't matter."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure." I wasn't sure at all. "I have to go. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow."

After I hung up, Sienna immediately called back on a private video chat. Her expression was completely different. Gleeful, even.

"That bitch got in a car accident."

I blinked. "What?"

"Celeste. She's in the hospital." Sienna's grin was vicious. "Karma's a beautiful thing."

My mind flashed back to that night. Daemon's phone ringing. His face changing. The way he'd left without a second thought.

Celeste had been in an accident. That's why he'd rushed out.

"Is she okay?" I asked, and was surprised to find I actually wanted to know.

"She'll live," Sienna said with obvious disappointment. "But her hand got messed up pretty bad. They're saying it might never fully recover. Could be permanent damage."