Chapter 143
Freya
Flynn's examinations were approaching fast and I received an unexpected call from him.
"The school is holding an early graduation ceremony before exams. Would you... would you like to come?" His voice was carefully neutral, as if he wasn't particularly expecting me to accept.
The call completely caught me off guard. I honestly hadn't thought Flynn would reach out to me like this. After everything that had happened with Richard's interference over the years, I'd assumed he'd never contact me again.
"Of course I'll be there," I said, unable to hide the warmth in my voice. "We're family, and you've accomplished so much. I'm incredibly proud of you."
My genuine happiness was unmistakable.
Flynn seemed uncertain how to respond to such open affection, simply humming acknowledgment before hanging up.
Lucas looked up from the documents he'd been reviewing on the hospital room couch. "That was Flynn?"
I nodded. "He invited me to his graduation ceremony."
"That's wonderful." Lucas's smile was genuinely pleased.
He could clearly see how truly happy this had made me, and when I was happy, he was happy.
---
Victory Academy was the city's premier high school. Every year at this time, the academy held graduation ceremonies and faculty and administrators would offer blessings to the graduating class. Teachers prepared cards with encouraging messages, and there would be an evening dance with celebratory cake.
On the day of the ceremony, I absolutely refused to use a wheelchair, no matter how much Lucas tried to persuade me otherwise.
"Today is such an important moment in Flynn's life," I insisted firmly. "I cannot let him see me in a wheelchair."
No matter what, I was determined to attend this ceremony standing on my own feet.
Lucas eventually gave in to my stubbornness.
When the time came, Lucas and I went to pick up Flynn from his apartment, then drove together to the academy. The moment we stepped out of the car, we encountered Smith, the headmaster, at the entrance.
Seeing Flynn helping me out of the vehicle, he looked momentarily surprised.
I offered a gentle smile and explained diplomatically, "Headmaster Smith, Ian is my long-lost brother. Thank you and your faculty for taking such good care of him all these years."
Smith's entire face lit up with genuine delight. "How wonderful! I had no idea. No wonder Ian is so exceptional—it runs in the family, clearly."
The headmaster was obviously thrilled by this revelation. Having two such accomplished siblings connected to his academy was clearly something to be proud of. With my support, Flynn would surely achieve great things in his future endeavors.
---
The ceremony began with Smith's opening address, followed by student representative Flynn's speech, then faculty blessings, and finally the traditional evening dance.
After the headmaster finished his remarks, Flynn took the stage.
His speech wasn't long, but it was incredibly inspiring. Soon he had the entire student body chanting "Excellence in all pursuits!" along with him.
Watching Flynn on that stage, radiating confidence and determination, I felt genuine joy for him. Standing there under the lights, he seemed to glow with inner strength.
My eyes began to mist over. Seeing him like this, he truly seemed to be living the life of a normal person.
"He's so happy!" I whispered.
"You don't need to feel guilty about the past," Lucas murmured beside me, still trying to comfort me.
I lowered my gaze slightly, sighing softly. "Present happiness doesn't erase past wounds. All I can do now is try to make up for lost time as best I can."
"Freya, you're too hard on yourself," Lucas said, reaching over to take my hand. His voice was heavy with poorly concealed concern. "Sometimes you need to focus on taking care of yourself too."
---
That evening, at Victory Academy's celebration dance, I watched a young female student approach Flynn, her cheeks flushed pink.
"Ian, would you honor me with a dance?"
Flynn kept his hands in his pockets, his gaze finding me across the room. "I'm sorry, but my sister is here tonight—she's the only family I have. The first dance belongs to her."
Sister? The girl's eyes widened in surprise. Following his gaze, she spotted me and smiled graciously. "Ian, I really like you. After exams, could you give me a chance to pursue you?"
Flynn's expression was gentle but measured. "Let's make a deal first—we both get into our target universities, and then we can talk about other things."
---
Once the girl hurried away, I walked over with a teasing smile. "Getting ready for romance?"
"No plans for that," Flynn replied quietly. "I just didn't want to hurt her feelings before exams."
I reached up to ruffle his hair affectionately. "You handled that perfectly." I paused with mock accusation. "Though shouldn't you ask me to dance? You just used me as a very convenient excuse."
Flynn looked concerned. "Your health lately..."
"There's absolutely no problem," I assured him, already resting my hand on his shoulder.
Flynn hesitated, then firmly took my hand and drew me into a proper embrace. As we moved through the traditional steps, he looked down into my smiling eyes.
"Couldn't you eat more?" he asked with mock-demanding concern.
Before I could answer, he said quietly, "Freya."
"These past few days, I've been thinking," he continued. "We're family. No matter that I'm human and you're a wolf—you'll always be my sister. We're connected by blood."
I had been waiting so long to hear it.
"Yes," I whispered. "We're family."
---
"Freya!" Lucas called out, holding up his phone. "Smile!"
He quickly positioned himself with one arm around Flynn's shoulders and the other around my waist. The camera flash captured our perfect moment of newfound family warmth.
Flynn's eyes flickered with deep emotion. He wasn't alone anymore—he really did have family now.
---
That night brought a torrential thunderstorm. The fierce wind and relentless rain left me chilled and unwell.
The next day would be Flynn's crucial final examinations. Due to my weakened condition, I couldn't make the trip to see him off.
"I'll drive him," Lucas volunteered immediately. "This is the most important day for him."
As I stood by, watching Lucas prepare to leave with Flynn, it never crossed my mind that this decision would unravel his life in such a devastating way.