Chapter 50 Prank
Selene froze.
Her breath caught.
For a wild second, she thought something was wrong. That someone had come to drag her out. That the Alpha had changed his mind. That the pack finally decided she didn’t belong here.
The poke came again—light, careful.
Selene slowly turned her head, only a little at first, her heart pounding.
Then she turned more.
And there—Cariel was crouched beside the bed, grinning so wide it looked like her cheeks might split.
Jenna stood beside her, her arms crossed, but her lips were curved into a small smile.
Cariel whispered dramatically, “Was our acting that good?”
Selene blinked twice.
Her brain didn’t catch up fast enough.
“…What?” she whispered.
Cariel’s grin widened. “You really turned around like you were about to run away from us.”
Jenna nodded slightly. “You didn’t even say good morning.”
Selene stared at them.
They were smiling.
Not angry.
Not cold.
They were right there.
Still here.
And something inside Selene cracked so suddenly she couldn’t stop it.
Her eyes burned, and before she could even speak, tears rushed out.
Selene let out a small, broken sound and quickly covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook as she cried hard, like she had been holding it back for too long and it finally burst.
Cariel’s smile fell instantly.
“Wait—Selene!” Cariel panicked. “Oh no, oh no, don’t cry! I didn’t mean—”
Jenna moved fast, stepping closer and sitting on the edge of the bed, her voice gentle. “Hey,” she said softly. “It’s okay. We’re here.”
But Selene couldn’t stop.
She didn’t even understand why she was crying so much.
She wasn’t being yelled at.
She wasn’t being punished.
They were smiling at her.
So why did it hurt so badly?
The tears kept coming, heavy and hot, sliding down her cheeks faster than she could wipe them away. Her chest trembled with each breath. Her ribs hurt with every sob, but even pain couldn’t stop it.
Maybe it was because of everything.
Everything she had been carrying.
The betrayal. The push. The river. The cold. The fear. Waking up in an enemy pack. Not knowing if she would live. Not knowing if she would be hunted. Not knowing if she would be alone.
And then the biggest fear of all—Losing the only two people who made her feel human again.
It was like her body had been strong for too long, and this prank—this moment—was the last trigger.
It was the moment her heart realized she was safe and once it realized that, it let go.
Selene cried harder, pressing her palms against her face as if she could hide her weakness.
Cariel quickly climbed onto the bed carefully, wrapping her arms around Selene without squeezing her ribs. “I’m sorry,” she whispered urgently. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I really thought it would be funny. I thought you’d scold me and smack me and we’d laugh.”
Selene shook her head, still crying. “I—I thought you hated me,” she managed to say between sobs, her voice broken. “I thought… I lost you.”
Jenna’s expression softened.
She reached out and gently rubbed Selene’s back, slow and steady. “We could never hate you,” she said quietly.
Cariel nodded quickly. “Never! Not even for a second.”
Selene cried, eyes squeezed shut. “But I’m from West Pack…”
Jenna leaned closer. “Selene,” she said, firm but calm, “you being from West Pack doesn’t change who you are.”
Cariel sniffed. “Yeah. You’re still you.”
Selene’s hands dropped slowly, her face wet and red. She looked so tired.
“I don’t know why I’m crying like this,” Selene whispered, embarrassed.
Jenna shook her head. “You don’t need a reason.”
Cariel wiped Selene’s cheek with her sleeve. “Actually, you do have a reason,” she said, softer now. “You’ve been through too much. And you’ve been strong the whole time.”
Selene’s lips trembled again.
Jenna sighed. “Cariel’s idea was the prank,” she admitted.
Cariel raised her hand proudly. “It was! I thought it was genius!”
Jenna gave her a look. “It was cruel.”
Cariel’s pride faded. “Okay… maybe a little cruel.”
Selene let out a weak laugh through her tears. “It was terrible.”
Cariel smiled cautiously. “So… our acting really was that good?”
Selene smacked Cariel’s arm lightly.
Cariel yelped. “Ow!”
“It didn’t even hurt,” Selene said, still teary.
“It hurt my feelings,” Cariel replied dramatically.
Jenna rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.
Selene wiped her face again, breathing slowly now. Her crying began to fade into small sniffles. Cariel kept hugging her gently, like she was afraid Selene would disappear if she let go.
Selene finally whispered, “So… you’re not mad?”
Cariel pulled back just enough to look at her. “Mad?” she repeated. “Selene, listen. Our pack doesn’t discriminate.”
Selene blinked.
Jenna nodded. “We protect wolves. Not names.”
Cariel leaned forward, eyes serious for once. “We love all wolves,” she said, her voice softer. “We protect everyone. If someone is hurt and needs help, we help. That’s how we were raised.”
Selene’s chest tightened, not with fear this time—but warmth.
Jenna added quietly, “The pack wars… they’re not the whole truth. They’re not the only truth.”
Selene stared at them, swallowing hard. “But… I’m still your enemy.”
Cariel scoffed. “No. Your pack is our enemy. That doesn’t mean you are.”
Jenna nodded. “You didn’t come here to hurt anyone.”
Selene’s eyes watered again, but she forced herself to breathe through it.
Cariel’s face softened. “And also,” she added, “you almost died. We’re not going to abandon you after that.”
Selene let out a shaky laugh. “Your prank almost killed me too.”
Cariel grinned. “See? You’re fine.”
Selene smacked her again—lightly.
Cariel gasped. “Okay, okay! I deserved that.”
Jenna stood and fixed the blanket gently around Selene. “Now,” she said, “you need to eat.”
Selene sniffled. “I’m not hungry.”
Cariel pointed at her. “That’s exactly what a person who needs to eat says.”
Selene gave her a tired look. “Is that your logic?”
“Yes,” Cariel replied proudly. “I am always right.”
Jenna walked to the table and picked up the tray. “We prepared breakfast,” she said, bringing it closer. “Warm soup. Soft bread. And tea.”
Selene’s stomach made a small sound.
Cariel’s eyes widened. “Aha! Your stomach agrees with me.”
Selene groaned. “Traitor.”
Jenna smiled. “Come on. Sit up.”
Selene slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, careful with her ribs. Cariel helped adjust the pillows behind her, gentler now, like she was making up for the prank with extra care.
Cariel picked up the spoon and held it up. “Open.”
Selene stared at her. “Seriously?”
Cariel nodded eagerly. “Seriously.”
Selene leaned forward and took a bite.
It was warm.
It tasted like herbs and comfort.
For a moment, she didn’t feel like an enemy.
She didn’t feel like someone running from death.
She felt like a person being cared for.
Selene swallowed and let out a quiet breath.
Cariel smiled, satisfied. Jenna watched with calm eyes, like she was making sure Selene stayed real and steady.
Selene looked at both of them and whispered, “Thank you.”
Cariel scoffed like she was offended. “Don’t thank us. Just get better.”
Jenna nodded. “And eat.”
Selene chuckled softly.
And for the first time since she said the words West Pack out loud—She didn’t feel alone.
Not anymore.