Chapter Two

Andalia could still hear his words, even now. The memory was fractured, blurry at the edges, but the pain remained sharp. She couldn’t even remember his face or where exactly it had happened.

A bitter laugh escaped her as she wiped a single tear from her cheek.

Two years had passed since then. Two years of running, from him, from her past, from the man her mother claimed had shaped her into who she was today.

She had been diagnosed with amnesia and ADHD after an accident that had nearly taken her life. Some memories had been lost entirely, others barely vivid, impossible to piece together.

But this memory, the rejection that had started it all, had never faded.

If she could turn back time, she would have never even tried to meet her so-called mate. That night, another man, a handsome stranger had wanted her, but she had been too fixated on a ridiculous myth.

Yes, she believed in the Moon Goddess, but the idea of soulmates bound by destiny? Nonsense.

She would never allow herself to feel that kind of pain again. And if she ever did, she would kill the feeling before it could take root, hardening her heart until nothing could break it.

The sudden ring of her phone startled her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She turned away from the mirror, rinsed her face, and hurried toward the hotel room where she had planned to spend the night until her mother returned.

When she picked up the phone, her mother’s name flashed across the screen in bold letters. Her brows furrowed. Her mother shouldn’t be calling at this hour, she should have been asleep.

Swiping up, she pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello?"

"Andalia, dear! Pack up and meet me at the border, I found an apartment!" her mother squealed excitedly.

Andalia groaned, running a hand down her face. “For the third time this month?"

‘No, this is the fourth time,’ she corrected herself mentally.

"Oh my God!"

Andalia’s mother sighed over the phone the moment Andalia exclaimed.

She knew it was hard, but it was for the best. She always had this nagging feeling telling her to move immediately, and she always followed it.

"I know this is the third or maybe fourth time, but you have to bear with it until we find a suitable place," her mother answered, the ruffling of sheets in the background indicating she was arranging things.

Andalia sighed, pushing her fingers through her hair as the weight of another move settled over her.

She would have to pack her bags again, cancel her hotel reservations, and endure another night without eating, all because of her mother.

"Can't I come there tomorrow? I'm really exhausted," she asked, her voice laced with fatigue.

"No problem, my dear. Just be careful. Keep your doors locked, don't let any man into your room, and please don’t get carried away with the food. I know how you behave around food."

A soft chuckle escaped Andalia’s lips at her mother’s last remark. "Alright, Mom. I’ll be safe and follow all your rules. Now can I sleep?"

"Yes, my dear. Be safe. Kisses," her mother said before ending the call, satisfied with Andalia’s reassurances.

Andalia stared at the screen of her phone, where a photograph of two paws on a tree was displayed, one smaller and feminine, the other larger, possibly a man's, maybe her father’s.

But that wasn’t what intrigued her at the moment. Instead, she found herself wondering why her mother insisted on treating her like a child.

At twenty-one, she was far from a child. She was old enough to live on her own, maybe even have a family. Yet her mother remained overprotective, shielding her as if she were fragile.

Each time Andalia asked why, her mother would deflect, shifting the conversation to childhood memories she had likely forgotten. Perhaps she had forgotten some things, but that didn’t mean she shouldn’t be told the truth.

Sighing, she changed into a simple dress and skimmed through the few job applications she had submitted the previous night while her mother slept on the bus.

No responses had come in yet, but she remained hopeful. A job would be her ticket to independence, her escape from her mother’s constant protection.

Determined to rise early, she decided to sleep early as well. A good breakfast, a cab ride, and she would be off to yet another temporary home.

"Do you think we’ll ever be free like our mates?" she asked aloud, pulling the duvet over her chest as she stared at the dim ceiling.

"Yes, we will. You just have to be patient, Andalia," came Luna’s response, her wolf’s voice unusually gentle.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Luna didn’t mock her. There was no sarcasm, no snide remarks, just quiet reassurance.

"What’s with the change?" Andalia questioned, knowing she was taking a risk by asking. She could already imagine Luna scowling in response.

"Shut up! What’s wrong with being nice?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. It’s just not like you," she admitted, a small smile tugging at her lips. "But I appreciate it."

Stretching out a hand, she switched off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness.

---

The next morning, a knock on the door startled Andalia awake. Jolted from sleep, she sprang out of bed too quickly, nearly stumbling over her own feet in her rush to answer.

Expecting hotel staff, she pulled the door open, only to find Clark, her mother’s driver, standing there. He was awfully young for his position, and she forced a polite smile before opening her mouth to ask why he was there.

It was then she realized she was practically naked.

Andalia bowed with a nervous smile before quickly slamming the door shut, her hands flying to her face as embarrassment washed over her.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the feeling aside and hurried to change into denim shorts and an oversized white shirt. With her few bags packed, she walked back to the door, where Clark still stood, waiting patiently.

After checking out of the hotel, she ordered a food tray, which was promptly brought to the van waiting outside. Settling into the passenger seat, she crossed her legs and began eating while Clark finished speaking with the security guards.

By the time he returned, she was halfway through her meal. Without a word, he started the engine and pulled the vehicle out of the hotel’s lot, merging onto the busy road leading out of the city her mother had left her in.