Chapter 006

Ember's POV

I woke up early the next morning, my body heavy with everything that lay ahead. The soft rays of dawn peeked through the window as I got dressed, trying to focus on what needed to be done.

I didn’t want to think about the past or the future—just the next step. Before I could leave, I found Caleb waiting outside, right by the doorstep. He stood there, arms crossed, but his face was warm.

“Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?” His left brow arched as he questioned.

I felt tense for a second, unsure of what to say. I didn't want to wake him because I was pretty sure he’d try to stop me from leaving the Claw Bane pack.

“I'm sorry, Caleb, but…” my grip around the strap of my bag tightened. “But you can't stop me from leaving. This is a choice I have made… I won’t be able to pay for Loak's treatment if I stay behind.” I tried explaining, worry lacing my tone.

I was expecting Caleb to send me back inside, but he shook his head, taking a step closer to me. “The last thing I'd do is stop you from chasing whatever dream you decide to follow, Ember,” he said softly. “I'll always support you in whatever you do, okay?”

His words made me pause briefly. “Are you being serious?”

“Yes, just promise me you'll be safe and do what's right.”

I nodded in response, unsure of what exactly to say to him.

“I’ll take care of Loak while you’re gone. Don’t worry,” Caleb promised, his eyes softening as he pulled me into a tight hug.

The seriousness of his words settled over me like a comforting blanket, but I couldn’t shake the nervousness in my chest.

I held onto him a little longer than usual, knowing how much I was leaving behind.

"Thank you so much, Caleb," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. We stepped apart, and without looking back, I left the pack. I left everything I thought was perfect for me in the Claw Bane pack.

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The journey back to the Scar Moon pack felt longer than it should have, and as I neared the familiar boundary, memories I had buried for years began to surface.

Every step closer brought flashes of the past: fragments of fear, pain, and survival. This was the place where I was known as the weak Omega, barely scraping by.

But I couldn’t let the fear control me. I swallowed hard, pushing the memories aside, and focused on the present.

I walked straight to the house I once called home—my foster parents' place. It stood at the edge of the pack, a little farther from the heart of all the chaos.

The place had been my shelter, the only protection I had from the bullies who never let me forget my status as an Omega. I wasn’t safe anywhere but here.

A sigh left my lips as I reached the old wooden door, weathered and creaking with age. I knocked twice.

The sound echoed through the still morning air, but no one answered. Silence. I hesitated, feeling a knot form in my stomach, wondering what I’d do next since I barely knew where they had gone. But then I remembered the spare key I had taken from the cabinet in Alpha Thane's house.

Digging through my bag, I found it and slid it into the lock. The door opened with a faint creak, and I stepped inside.

The air inside was still, almost like the house had been holding its breath since I left. As I stepped further in, the memories came rushing back again: memories of him—Rowan.

Seven years ago, I met him. Gosh, he was everything. Handsome, charming, and the kind of man any Omega would dream of.

We fell in love quickly, as if it were destined. But Rowan had his secrets. And he was good at hiding them—especially the one that nearly killed him.

Feral Fever. The words still haunted me and my son. It was a deadly but rare illness that could destroy even the strongest of wolves within seconds if proper treatment wasn’t given. It was almost like a curse.

I didn’t know he had it. He never told me. I found out the hard way.

It was after a night at the bar. Rowan started to act strange—more aggressive, more erratic. I had never seen him like that before.

No one else was around, so it fell to me to get him to the hospital, despite his protests. I’ll never forget how terrified I was, dragging his unconscious body there, praying he wouldn’t slip away from me. I loved him. I didn’t want to lose him.

I waited at the hospital for hours, pacing the cold floors, until the pack’s doctor finally came to me.

When he told me about Rowan’s condition, it felt like my world had shattered. Rowan had been living with this illness for years, hiding it from everyone—including me.

He needed treatment to survive, and I was desperate. But I had no money. I was just a student back then, barely making ends meet. I didn’t know what to do.

Instinct took over, and I grabbed his phone, hoping for some kind of lifeline. That’s when I found his uncle’s number. Without thinking, I called him, begging for help.

His uncle agreed to meet me, and I thought it would be the answer to all my prayers. He was wealthy—he could save Rowan. But when we met, he wasn’t what I expected. His kindness had a price.

“I can help Rowan,” he told me, his voice as cold as his eyes. “But you must leave. Leave Rowan, leave the pack, and never return. You are the reason he has refused to come back home.”

It was a cruel deal, but I was desperate. I agreed. I didn’t want him to die, and I didn’t want him to stay away from his family.

For Rowan’s sake, I promised to leave him behind without telling him the truth. I broke up with him while he was still unconscious, walking away from everything we had, believing it was the only way to save him.

Little did I know, I was carrying his child—Loak. Even to this day, Rowan has no idea.

I was pulled from my thoughts by a soft tap on my shoulder. I gasped, spinning around, and there she was—Mrs. Evelyn, my foster mother.

“Mom!” Her kind eyes crinkled with joy as she reached out to hug me.

“Ember!” she cried, pulling me into her arms. “You left us without a word, dear. Why?”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, hugging her back. “I didn’t mean to… but I'm back now, I promise.”

“And…” Before I could say more, a loud ringing echoed through the pack, the bells startling me out of the moment.

“What’s happening?” I asked, glancing toward the sound.

Mrs. Evelyn’s expression changed, something solemn replacing her smile. “It’s the Mating Ritual, Ember. For the new Alpha of the Scar Moon pack… And everyone has to be there.”

My heart sank. I hadn’t planned on going anywhere near the tormenting crowd in the pack, but now I was caught in the middle of something I didn’t want to face.

A new Alpha. It was just another reminder of everything I had left behind.