Chapter 85
Ellie's POV
I glanced at Megan. She was staring out the window, watching the snow fall in lazy spirals. Her expression was... distant. Closed off. Like she'd built walls overnight and wasn't planning on letting anyone in.
Pack member is hurting, Thalia observed. She needs the group.
I caught Lily's eye, and we had one of those silent roommate conversations that happened in the space of a heartbeat. Lily gave a tiny nod, then leaned forward.
"You know," Lily said softly, her usual boisterousness dialed down, "sometimes the best way to process difficult emotions is to literally shake them off. Physical activity, fresh air. Gets the endorphins going." She paused. "My mom used to tell me that when I was upset about stuff."
Megan's grip tightened on her mug. "I'm not really feeling up to—"
"Nobody's going to force you," I interrupted gently. "But maybe... maybe it would be good to get out of your head for a bit? Just for an hour or two?"
Lily nodded. "We could just walk around. You don't have to participate in my deranged snowball schemes. Just... come with us? Please?"
The vulnerability in Lily's voice—so different from her usual boisterous confidence—seemed to crack something in Megan's armor. Her eyes welled up, but she blinked rapidly, forcing the tears back.
"You guys don't have to babysit me," she whispered. "Last night was already—I mean, what you did with the posts, tracking down whoever—" Her voice broke. "I just don't want to be a burden."
"Megan." I reached across the table, resting my hand near hers without actually touching. Giving her the choice. "You're not a burden. You're our friend. And friends show up. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard."
For a long moment, Megan didn't move. Then, slowly, she placed her hand over mine. Her fingers were cold from the mug, trembling slightly.
"Okay," she said, so quietly I almost missed it. "Okay. But I'm not making any promises about participating in Lily's tactical warfare scenarios."
Lily pumped her fist in victory, nearly knocking over her orange juice. "YES! Operation Snow Day is a GO!"
Despite everything, I felt myself smile. This. This was what mattered. My friends. My chosen family.
Good pack, Thalia agreed warmly. Keep them safe.
---
The snow near Blue Water Lake was perfect—deep enough to crunch satisfyingly under our boots but not so deep we couldn't move. The lake itself looked almost magical, partially frozen at the edges, reflecting the pale morning sky.
Lily wasted no time scooping up a handful of snow and launching it directly at my back. It exploded on impact, powder dusting my jacket.
I spun around, eyes wide with mock outrage. "Oh, it is on."
What followed was chaos in the best possible way. Lily shrieking with laughter as she dodged my retaliatory throw. My surprisingly good aim landing a snowball squarely on Lily's shoulder. Both of us trying to pack ammunition while Thalia's enhanced reflexes made everything feel almost too easy.
Careful, she warned. Don't move too fast. They'll notice.
I deliberately missed my next throw, making it look like my coordination was off from cold fingers. Lily cackled, clearly assuming I was just bad at this.
Megan stood off to the side, arms wrapped around herself, watching. Not smiling, but not leaving either. That felt like progress.
Then Lily's next throw went wide—way wide—and skimmed past Megan's shoulder.
For a second, nobody moved. Then Megan bent down, scooped up snow, and shaped it into a loose ball. She stared at it for a heartbeat, like she was deciding something important.
Then she threw it.
It was a gentle lob, barely reaching Lily, but Lily reacted like she'd been shot. She clutched her chest dramatically, staggering backward. "BETRAYAL! My own roommate! How could you?"
And then—finally—Megan laughed. It was small, tentative, but it was real.
"That's what you get for your terrible aim," Megan said, and there was the tiniest hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
Lily charged, and Megan shrieked, running in the opposite direction. I joined the chase, and for the next twenty minutes, we were just three college students being ridiculous in the snow. Throwing snowballs that mostly missed. Slipping on ice patches and laughing when we fell. Making increasingly bizarre snow angels.
This is pack behavior, Thalia observed, satisfaction radiating through me. Group play. Bonding.
In the wild, wolf packs played like this sometimes—chasing each other, play-fighting, strengthening social bonds. It was instinct, older than language. And even though we were fully human right now, even though my friends had no idea what I really was, the connection felt the same.
Real. Safe. Mine.
Eventually we collapsed in the snow, breathing hard, cheeks flushed from cold and exertion. Megan lay between Lily and me, staring up at the sky. Her expression was still sad, but lighter somehow. Less brittle.
"Thank you," she said suddenly. "For not... for not asking questions. For just being here."
"Always," I replied firmly.
"Literally always," Lily added. "Even when you inevitably turn evil and try to take over the world, we'll be there. Probably as your loyal henchpeople."
That got a real laugh out of Megan—short but genuine. "Noted. I'll keep you guys on the payroll."
I was about to suggest heading back for hot showers when Lily suddenly sat bolt upright, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Wait. I have an idea. A brilliant idea."
I groaned. "That tone never leads anywhere good."
"No, no, hear me out." Lily was already standing, brushing snow off her jeans. "What if we made the ultimate snowball? Like, massive. We're talking monument-sized. And then—" She paused for dramatic effect. "—we throw it at Ellie."
"Hey!" I protested, but I was grinning. "Why me?"
"Because you're clearly the most agile and will therefore present the greatest challenge." Lily was already rolling snow, packing it tight, adding more layers. "Come on, Megan. Help me build this masterpiece."
What started as a regular snowball quickly became something ridiculous. Megan joined in, and I watched her expression shift—from hesitant to engaged to genuinely amused as the sphere grew larger and larger. By the time they were done, it was easily the size of a beach ball, maybe bigger.
"This is insane," I said, eyeing the monstrosity. "You're not actually going to throw that at me, right? Because that could genuinely hurt someone."
"Relax! I'll aim for your general vicinity. You'll dodge it easy." Lily hefted the massive snowball with both hands, grunting slightly. "Okay. Ready?"
I dropped into a loose stance, amused despite myself. "Ready as I'll ever be."
Lily wound up like a baseball pitcher, tongue sticking out in concentration. Then she launched it.
The snowball flew through the air in a surprisingly straight trajectory. Thalia's instincts kicked in immediately—duck, left, roll—and I moved without thinking, easily sidestepping the projectile.
Which meant the giant snowball sailed past me, unobstructed.
And hit Ryan square in the face.
Oh no.