Chapter 4

First came the panic. A relentless wave of unease pouring through the body where the wolf spirit wouldn't stop thrashing.

"Go see her. Please. Go see her now!"

"She's in pain. The wolf spirit is in pain!"

The wolf spirit inside him was surging, pacing, crying without sound.

The mind-link that used to be warm and fierce was now frozen solid, carrying the sharp edge of something shattered.

This was a sign that something had gone wrong with the Luna.

Ethan's heart hammered in his chest. Something felt very wrong.

He pressed down on the restless wolf spirit and, for the first time, actively used the mind-link to sense Lydia's condition.

"Ethan, is Lydia still upset about the birthday thing?"

Barbara let a few tears fall, playing hurt.

"Is she faking sick again? Don't fall for it."

Ethan, driven by the wolf spirit's reaction, instinctively pushed Barbara away.

"Something's really wrong with her. I need to get back. Now."

Barbara eyed the silver glow flickering on his marking spot. Her expression darkened.

"Ethan, she literally just drank a bond-breaking potion to scare you."

"This is just a minor potion reaction. You know how she is. If you rush back now, she's going to use this move on you for the rest of your life."

Ethan thought about all the stunts Lydia had pulled before. He actually hesitated.

"Besides, you were finally ready to teach her a lesson this time. If she throws a fit and you cave, she wins."

"She'll think it worked. And she'll only get worse. You can't keep giving in."

The memory of countless past tantrums and failed attempts at reasoning flooded back. Ethan cooled down.

Right.

She already drank the potion. Messing with the wolf spirit wouldn't be beneath her either, would it?

But something in his chest still wouldn't settle.

"And I already texted the hospital. They said she's fine."

Barbara held her phone up for Ethan to see.

With the hospital's confirmation right in front of him, he sank back into the chair and wiped his forehead.

A flash of disgust and irritation crossed his eyes.

"After all this time, she still got me."

He turned off his phone in frustration.

When they arrived at the park, there were no messages waiting. No missed calls. Nothing.

If it had been the old me, I would've been blowing up his phone nonstop.

Ethan had barely started dialing my number.

Barbara walked up with a jacket, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Ethan, it's really windy out here. Put this on. Don't make me worry."

For the first time, Ethan turned Barbara down.

"Leave me alone. I need to call Lydia."

Barbara's face froze.

She couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Why? You promised to come on this trip with me. Why are you still thinking about her? You said you'd spend time with me."

"You don't even love Lydia anymore. Why do you still care?"

"I don't love her?"

Ethan turned and looked at Barbara.

"When did I ever say I don't love her? I'm just tired of her being paranoid all the time. If she goes back to the way she used to be, I'll love her just the same."

"Then what about me?" Barbara tilted her body to show the scratch on her arm, tears falling on cue.

"You don't have any feelings for me at all?"

"If you don't love me, why did you keep leading me on? Why did you give me all those mixed signals?"

Looking at her tears, Ethan realized he didn't feel the urge to wipe them away.

All he felt was panic.

Why were there no calls? No texts?

"You said it yourself. Mixed signals."

Ethan turned away and dialed my number. The phone was off.

He tried the hospital.

After an agonizingly long series of rings, someone finally picked up.

"Why did it take you so long to answer? Where's Lydia? Is she okay?"

Ethan desperately wanted to hear the same answer as every other time. That she was fine.

That she was busy with the IV. That she was being petty and refusing to pick up.

But the hospital only said one thing.

"You'll have to ask her yourself. A man in a black suit came and took her."

The last thread holding Ethan together snapped.