Chapter 2

The next morning, one of Leah's hands had transformed into a wolf's paw. She couldn't change it back, no matter how hard she tried.

Mom hadn't even taken off her apron before she rushed over and wrapped Leah in her arms. She immediately called for Dad.

Dad ran outside to get the car, while Nolan called a healer.

He instructed in a grave tone, "We're on our way. Please have an observation room ready."

Just then, a faint stabbing pain started in my chest. I grabbed Leah's medical card and followed them into the car.

The examination results showed a temporary shifting disorder triggered by alcohol. Leah's wolf wasn't endangered in any way. The healer said she just needed a few days of rest.

Mom still wasn't reassured. She repeatedly asked whether it could happen again. Dad held Leah's hand, refusing even to let her reach for her own water. Nolan leaned over to adjust the pillow behind her.

No one laughed at her for overreacting.

I took the medication the healer had just prescribed for my heart palpitations from my bag and shook a pill into my palm.

Only then did Mom ask, "Are you feeling unwell too?"

I replied, "It's been happening since last night."

She glanced at the pill bottle with her brows twitching slightly. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I did. I told you when I was standing in the doorway asking you to turn off the moonstone last night."

Before Mom could answer, Dad cut in. "Leah just started feeling better, and you have to bring this up now?"

I swallowed the pill and said, "When she said she was in pain, you brought her here immediately. Last night, I could barely stand. Why were you still playing that video instead?"

Nolan looked at me. "It's my fault. I should have noticed you weren't feeling well."

Leah reached out from beneath the blanket and gently tugged at Mom's sleeve.

She whined, "Mom, I want to go home. I don't want to listen to this."

Mom immediately agreed and turned around, ordering me to fetch Leah's jacket.

My pill bottle slipped from my hand and hit the floor beside my feet. No one asked if I needed to sit down for a while.

That afternoon, Ella confirmed the partnership was on hold.

Leah was sitting right beside me. "So I guess you won't have to travel for work anymore, right? And Nolan won't have to spend every weekend visiting you, either."

I looked up, but she'd already turned to Nolan. "You promised to take me to the music festival. You'd better not forget this time."

Nolan handed me a plate of freshly cut fruit.

He nodded at Leah before turning back to me and saying, "You might as well take some time to rest. After the mate bond ceremony, you won't have to keep running around everywhere."

I responded, "But I like my job."

"I know that. You just don't need to push yourself so hard."

That afternoon, I started packing my bags.

Mom came into my room to retrieve the charger Leah had left behind. When she saw my luggage, she asked if I was going on another business trip.

"I'm moving to the western coast…"

From downstairs, Leah complained that her medicine tasted awful. Mom turned and answered her before looking back at me.

"Tell me about it later. I need to check on Leah first," Mom said.

The words "for three years" died in my throat.