I Refused the Future He Planned for Me

Back at my apartment, I slid the contract into the deepest corner of my drawer.

The second I closed it, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I picked up, and Noah's voice came through the line—light, casual, the way it always was.

"Ella, got some good news for you—"

He paused on purpose. "I already submitted your residency application for the Healing track."

I said nothing.

He didn't notice a thing. Just kept going, like it was nothing.

"The Healing track spots are hard to come by. And after graduation, you can stay right at the healing ward under Vonick Academy."

"I've thought it through for you. This is the best choice for you."

The best choice for me.

My fingers curled tighter and tighter.

"Noah," I finally spoke, "do you even remember what my dream is?"

Two seconds of silence on the other end.

Then he laughed.

"Of course I remember. Since you were a kid, you always said you wanted to be some High Priestess."

"The High Priestess of the Moon Temple."

"Okay, okay. High Priestess of the Moon Temple."

His tone was dripping with dismissal. "But that was just a childhood fantasy. You're an adult now. Time to be realistic."

Blood rushed to my head. I hung up.

I set the phone down, and the tears came—fast, hot, unstoppable.

He remembered. He remembered all of it.

Noah and I grew up together.

Everyone around us used to tease us, saying I was Noah's shadow—the two of us were never more than a step apart.

He knew my dream was to become the High Priestess of the Moon Temple.

Because I come from a witch family. Once I came of age and my bloodline awakened, I'd have the power to read the moon phases and see prophecies.

He used to say he'd make that dream come true for me.

Back then, he held my hand, and I thought that was forever.

I even told myself that as long as I had Noah, it didn't matter if my dream never came true.

Until eleventh grade, when Mira transferred to our academy.

She had soft blonde hair, skin so pale it made you want to protect her.

Her wolf was frail from birth. Even the slightest movement left her slightly breathless.

Noah became the one who took care of her. Fast.

He picked up her medicine, walked her back to the dorm, and looked after her during training like she was made of glass.

I confronted him. "What exactly are you two?"

He frowned, like I was the one being unreasonable.

"Just friends. Mira's not well. What's wrong with me looking after her?"

"But you've never looked after me like that."

"You're not that fragile."

He said it so naturally.

And I actually started to wonder if I was just being too sensitive.

Later, Mira took my hand herself, soft-spoken, saying she wanted to be friends with both of us.

I let her in.

I even tried to convince myself that the three of us were just close friends.

But Noah seemed to pour every ounce of his care into Mira.

The buzz of my phone cut through my thoughts.

A message from Noah.

[Why'd the call drop? Bad signal on your end?]

[I ordered your favorite cake. I'll come see you tomorrow.]

I stared at the messages and let out a cold laugh.

The full moon was two days away.

I was already of age, and the bloodline power of the Vale family would fully awaken under the full moon.

This time, I would never let Noah control my life again.

Once my power awakened, I was done with him. Gone. For good.