Zachary, Corey, and Wesley walked out of the bar.Snow had been falling heavily all night, and they couldn't imagine how I had survived kneeling in the snow for an entire day and night in that kind of cold.Corey lifted a hand to cover his eyes, his chest aching like something had been ripped out of him. After a long pause, he took out his phone, his fingers trembling as he dialed Ethan's number.The phone rang for a while before it was finally answered."Hello? Alpha Corey? What is it?" Ethan sounded tired. Corey's throat was dry as he replied, "Faye has gone missing. Is she with you?"There was a beat of silence before Ethan finally said, "What? She already left last week for the closed research mission. It's a ten-year term! Didn't anyone in your family know?"Corey's whole body stiffened, his voice shaky as he asked, "A closed research mission?"Ethan was stunned. "Yes, it's that high-risk research project that Wesley originally turned down. A spot opened up, and she appli
Nora pressed her lips together, her face turning pale as a look of grievance flooded her eyes. She bit her lip and choked out, "Is it because I'm here that you're all still thinking about her? She doesn't even want this family anymore, and you're still going back for her?"The snowy ground fell silent as the three men's expressions grew complex. They suddenly remembered how, in previous years, I had always handled every detail of my own birthday by myself. From the cake to the gifts, from the flowers to the decorations, she never complained about being tired. I had also been the most understanding one. But later, they had ignored me time and again, favoring Nora instead, until I completely refused to look back.Zachary looked down, his voice low. "Let's go. We're going back tonight." Nora's face changed dramatically. "No! I don't want to go back! All you ever think about is her..."Yet, no one paid attention to her anymore. That night, the three men booked the earliest return
Three days later, the airport was bustling with people coming and going, flight announcements echoing one after another. Ashton and I stood at the departure gate. We were both medical students under the same mentor, Ethan Shields.Ethan rushed over and handed Ashton a folder of the latest classified materials. Then, he looked at me and said, "Faye, before you leave, you should really call home and say goodbye." My fingers curled and hung at my sides. "There's no need for that."Ethan stared at me, frowning slightly, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back. After a moment of silence, Ashton quietly asked, "You still can't let go, can you?"I looked up at him. His gaze was honest, gentle, and steady. He continued, "Even if it's just to give yourself complete closure, it's worth making one more call."My throat tightened, and my fingertips trembled uncontrollably. I thought that Ashton might be right, and that I should at least give my past self some closure.I took
Two days later, I was packing in my room. In just three more days, I'd be on a flight, leaving everything behind.As I folded an old sweater, my phone suddenly buzzed. Zachary's name lit up the screen, but I simply stared at it without answering. However, the ringing wouldn't stop, and eventually, I gave in and picked up.His voice was cold and flat as he stated, "It's Corey's birthday today. Come home."I kept my gaze down, matching his tone. "No thanks."Before he could respond, I hung up.But a second later, Wesley called."Faye, how long are you planning to keep this up?" he snapped, frustration simmering in his voice. "You're skipping Corey's birthday now? You used to be the most excited about it, preparing gifts in advance and decorating the house yourself. And now you can't even be bothered to show up?"I almost laughed. Back then, I'd run around doing all the decorations, putting my heart into every detail. Yet, Corey never once looked at them. All he cared about was wha
I slowly pulled myself out of the memories, refocusing my gaze on the view outside the car window. After a moment of silence, Ashton reached over and gently patted my shoulder. "Why don't you stay at my place tonight? My mom's there too, and she's been wanting to meet you."I shook my head. My voice was a little hoarse as I said, "I can't… There's still part of the experiment I haven't finished. I need to head back to campus." He glanced at me but didn't push. Instead, he said warmly, "Alright. No matter where you go, I'll always be right there with you."My chest ached as I lowered my eyes, but I still managed a soft reply. "Thank you."...The next day, I went to the lab as usual. However, I heard several familiar voices drifting through the half-open door before I even entered.I froze slightly. It was Nora, Corey, Wesley, and Zachary.As the pack's Alpha, Corey had access to any part of campus. Wesley had always been a professor at the medical school, and so was Zachary
My parents devoted their entire lives to the pack, serving as the most devoted guardians of Evergreen Pack. When I was eight years old, rogues broke through our borders and killed everything in their path. My parents led the pack's wolves in a desperate retreat, fighting to protect the last barrier that kept our people safe.They saved the pack, but they never made it home. The survivors told me that when they found my parents, their bodies were so torn apart by wounds that they were barely recognizable. I didn't understand what death meant back then. All I knew was that no one would ever hold me in their arms again. In my darkest moment, Corey wrapped me in his embrace and promised to always love me, just like our parents had. Wesley also gently promised to always protect me.They had kept their word.They were so good to me that I never had to worry about anything. I just needed to grow up safe and happy.Once during combat training, I accidentally injured my leg. Since I had