Chapter 193 FACING DEPARTURE
Edeline
Despite everything, I am genuinely happy about making this choice. I feel good about leaving.
I completely understand why he is so attached to that adorable little pup. It is just hard for me to grasp why he would dismiss me so easily. He has been pleading with me to support him, and I understand that.
But I am sorry. I just cannot do that.
As I strolled along the dusty path, the soft glow of the moon guiding my steps, an unfamiliar sensation stirred deep in my chest. I just wanted to be with my partner, to feel a bit of calm. I couldn’t even enjoy the treat I had picked up earlier. Right now, there was only one person I could count on—my wolf.
As I approached the front yard of the pack house, I noticed a cluster of wolves gathered together. My curiosity piqued, I quickened my pace. Two stretchers were being loaded into separate trucks. One stretcher bore a battered and bruised Percival, completely unclothed, while the other held Tatiana. They were still unconscious, just as I had seen them earlier.
This does not look good.
My brother was on the scene, dressed and shouting at another wolf as he helped load Tatiana into the truck. He jumped in with her.
I lifted my legs and dashed toward the truck, determined to catch it before it drove off to Doc’s. Nixx, by the tailgate, turned to me with a concerned expression. Blood smeared his lip, and his skin had several scratches. A bruise was forming on his jaw.
“What is going on?” I shouted up to him, my voice barely rising above the roar of the engine.
Nixx glanced down at Tatiana, then back at me. His face was flushed from the earlier altercation.
“I took care of your friend,” he said, his voice edged with a hint of danger. “He thinks he has some kind of claim over her just because she is carrying his pup. That’s not how it works. He’s injured now. My wolf bit his foreleg, damaging the tendons, but he will survive—for now.” He gave me a stern look. I peered into the truck at Tatiana, lying on the stretcher with her back flat. She was just lying there, ready to be taken away. It seemed like she could get up and leave without anyone stopping her.
Nixx followed my gaze. “Tatiana got really upset when I took her away from the trials. She had a panic attack, said her stomach was cramping, and then she passed out in my arms just as Percival came running toward us. He tried to forcefully take her from me, so I had to kick him in the gut before carefully setting Tatiana down. That’s when we shifted, and you arrived. Thanks for coming, by the way,” he said, meeting my gaze with his mossy eyes.
I looked at him, puzzled. “Why?”
“I didn’t just step in to break up the fight. My wolf needed to put Percival in his place. Edeline, you deserve better than him. You deserve better than all of us, including me.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a small, fleeting smile before he slapped the tailgate of the truck, signaling that he was ready to leave. “Hey, Edeline, get ready! The guys are already talking about taking on Percival and Darius!”
As the truck zoomed down the dirt road toward Doc’s, I stood there, surrounded by swirling dust, absorbing everything that had just happened.
Nixx’s parting words left me feeling uneasy. The upcoming challenges would be tough.
My wolf was whining, thinking about heading over to her friend's place, trying to find a way to make him feel better.
But I really did not want to be anywhere near him—not even in the same room, let alone the same building. He had gotten what was coming to him. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep my wolf under control. She was growing stronger by the day, and it was getting harder and harder to push her out of my mind.
I needed to get out of here quickly. I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow evening I will be saying goodbye. Forever. I will definitely keep in touch with my family and Mirabelle, though.
It suddenly hit me that I would be gone by this time tomorrow. It had its ups and downs. So many memories... This place was never really safe for me—or for my wolf. The painful memories seemed to outweigh the good ones, even though the negative experiences had only lasted for six months. Six long months of heartache... Six months of feeling alone. Just being played with...
I got what I wanted, but at what cost?
I guess I won’t be seeing him anymore. The mark would always be there, but I figured this was a good time to focus on myself. I needed to heal, you know? I needed to keep growing. Hopefully, when I leave, Percival will realize what he lost, and it will hurt him. If that little dog manages to survive, it will be the only thing he’s got.
Then it hit me—I remembered my mission.
After a brief moment lost in my thoughts, I decided it was time to head home. I had a bunch of letters to write. I needed to gather my things and come up with a plan to get out of here. I had a lot on my plate tonight.
...
The following day
I watched as the curtains shifted. The panels transformed from darkness to a lovely light teal as the sun began to rise. I had been watching for hours, struggling to fall asleep. The void in my heart combined with the thrill of departure kept me awake all night and into the morning.
I let out a big sigh, rubbed my tired eyes, and tossed the covers aside, dragging myself out of bed.
The sun streamed through the gap in the curtains, temporarily blinding me as I shuffled over to my vanity table. There they were, just sitting on its surface—the letters I had written last night, explaining why I had to leave.