3

I turned around.

Only to find Axel standing right behind me, his arrival completely silent.

His expression was ice-cold, his gaze fixed on my fully packed suitcase.

Ryker leaned against the bedroom doorframe, looking at me with an equally frigid stare.

Willow had followed them in and was quietly staring at my luggage.

The barely concealed anticipation in her eyes was impossible to miss.

For a moment, I considered telling them the truth.

But then I remembered Axel's impatient words: "Those things aren't our concern. You don't need to tell us."

Suddenly, I didn't dare speak openly anymore.

This way, when I finally left, I could at least lie to myself.

I could pretend they simply didn't know I was leaving, rather than admit they didn't care.

My hand slipped into my coat pocket, knuckles aching from how tightly I clenched my fist.

I spoke with feigned casualness: "I'm just moving my things to change rooms. Like I said, the master bedroom is for Willow."

Axel's expression softened slightly.

But he quickly hardened again and said grimly: "Willow won't be staying here.

"You pushed her down the stairs just days ago. Do you think we'd feel comfortable letting her live under the same roof as you?"

I automatically responded: "Then I'll move to campus housing."

Axel's briefly softened expression turned completely dark.

I truly hadn't meant to provoke him.

With my departure imminent, I just didn't want to make things difficult for them anymore.

Willow put on an innocent face: "This is your room, sister. I can't take it."

I replied flatly: "Don't worry. Once I move out, I won't come back."

Willow immediately couldn't help but lift the corners of her mouth.

Realizing her slip, she quickly lowered her head.

Axel shouted angrily: "Who are you threatening?"

Ryker laughed coldly: "If you want to leave, then leave. Did you think anyone would beg you to stay?"

I said nothing more and continued packing my belongings.

Having lived in this home for over twenty years, I had accumulated too many possessions.

I couldn't take everything, so I selected only the essentials and the items my parents had left me before they died.

I filled two large suitcases and wheeled them toward the door.

Behind me, Axel's furious voice rang out: "If you've got the nerve, don't ever come back!"

I struggled with the heavy luggage down the stairs and out through the entrance hall.

From behind, Axel's angry, sarcastic voice followed:

"After all these years of drama, we'll finally have some peace and quiet.

"Don't come crawling back when you can't last three days on your own!"

I had intended to grab an umbrella.

But his words choked me up, and I stepped directly into the pouring rain instead.

The downpour was heavy, soaking me completely within moments.

As I crossed the front yard, the rain blurred my vision.

Axel's raised voice continued behind me:

"From now on, whoever dares to open the door for her can leave with her!"

My eyes stung so badly I could barely open them.

I couldn't tell whether it was rain or tears blurring my vision.

Red began to seep through the sleeve of my soaked coat.

The wound on my arm, barely scabbed over from moving the luggage downstairs, had reopened and started bleeding again.

Long ago, in the fire that claimed our parents, I was severely burned protecting Axel. My wolf was so damaged she lost most of her self-healing abilities.

I felt no pain now, just numbness throughout my body as I dragged my suitcases away from the mansion.

I wondered if the dormitories at school would still be open at this hour.

Truth was, I had no idea where I was going.

Willow ran out after me, her voice dramatic and tearful: "Sister, I'm sorry, please don't go. If you don't like me, I can be the one to leave."

Then came Axel's urgent voice restraining her:

"Willow, you're not the one who should leave. You can't get soaked in the rain!"

I tried to smile but couldn't quite manage it.

My wolf was already weakened from the old burns, and I'd been exhausting myself these past days. Now drenched in the downpour, my vision began to darken.

Just as my body started to collapse, a strong hand suddenly caught me.

At the same moment, the rain pounding on my head stopped.

With effort, I looked up. After a moment, I recognized Derek, the Alpha of the Shadow Pack.

He'd been working tirelessly to solve the problem of silver poisoning among werewolves.

He admired my herbal research abilities and had invited me multiple times to join his pack as Head Healer.

But the silver poisoning project was too important—the research materials couldn't be leaked. It required isolation from the outside world for at least 15 years, which is why I'd refused many times before.

This time was different. I had accepted because there was nothing—no one—left outside worth staying for.

His car waited in the pouring rain.

Without asking, he took my luggage and placed it in the trunk.

Axel's cold laugh came from behind me: "Leaving so quickly? I see you've found yourself powerful protection."

He must have followed me out specifically to witness my misery.

Derek looked at my wretched state and angrily defended me:

"Why do you still acknowledge them as your brothers?

"In a few days, you'll be leaving anyway—"

I frantically interrupted him: "Alpha!"

Derek fell silent immediately.

He opened the car door and firmly pushed me inside.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Axel's face darken instantly:

"Derek, what are you implying?"

Derek sneered with disgust: "What am I implying? In a few days, you'll find out."

My heart leaped into my throat.

Axel stood frozen in place, as if he couldn't process what was happening.

After a long moment, as the car was about to leave, he rushed forward to open my door.

Derek had already gotten in and quickly locked the vehicle.

Through the window and sheets of rain, I could barely make out Axel's lips forming the words:

"Ember, get out of the car!"

His expression was angry, but also mixed with something else—something unusual that I couldn't identify.

I couldn't understand it, only knowing that by now, my departure was likely meaningless to him.

Meaningless to both him and Ryker.

I closed my eyes, refusing to look at him anymore.

As the car drove away, the rearview mirror showed Axel still standing there, unmoving in the rain.

Derek continued to rant angrily: "You're injured and they throw you out in this downpour. I truly don't understand why you came back just to be treated this way."

I turned to look out the window at the torrential rain.

After a long silence, I spoke softly: "They used to be very good to me."

Derek didn't believe me.

I'd only met him in college; he'd never seen how Axel and Ryker had once cared for me.

My eyes misted over, and I earnestly repeated:

"Really. They used to be very, very good to me."