14

Ryder nodded. "I will take you back."

Feyre agreed and quietly walked out with him.

"Feyre!"

Grant's voice rang out, sharp with anger. She had never gone against him before.

He went after her, completely forgetting that everyone around them was watching.

Anna quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm.

"Grant, my father and a few people are here. Let's go say hi to them."

That seemed to snap Grant out of his daze.

He looked at Feyre for a moment before looking at Anna and giving a small nod.

Everyone around them was stunned. No one could figure out what kind of connection existed between Grant, Ryder, and the beautiful woman who had just walked away with Ryder.

"Grant seems to be really all in on Anna, huh? It's rare to see a werewolf actually in love even after she left him."

"Anna knows what she's doing. Her family needed connections, so she mated with an Alpha from the neighboring pack. Then he died, and she came back for Grant. Either way, she wins."

A few of the elites whispered among themselves.

Anna definitely knew how to play the game. She understood when to make her moves, and she had mated strategically.

She had always been certain Grant would take her back if she returned.

Even though she had been widowed, returning to the pack meant she could still have Grant and still have every other female in the pack looking at her with envy.

Hooking her arm through Grant's, Anna shot a pointed look at Feyre as she walked away.

She had underestimated Feyre.

Feyre had actually gotten involved with Ryder.

Even though Anna had spent the past few years away from the pack, she had kept an eye on everything Grant did.

When Feyre first appeared, Anna hadn't paid much attention to her. Someone like Feyre, a mere servant wasn't a real threat.

Anna had always believed that once she returned, everything would fall back into place. She had always planned to leave her late mate eventually, and she was certain Grant would still be waiting for her.

So she had never bothered interfering with Feyre.

Now that she was back, she needed to make sure Feyre walked away on her own.

What she hadn't expected was for Feyre to get close to the Winchesters.

The Winchester family had deep roots in the pack. They were wealthy and had powerful connections. Ryder was going to inherit the beta from his grandfather.

Anna had always counted on Grant being unbeatable within their social circle.

But Ryder was one person Grant couldn't afford to cross.

"I'm not feeling great. Let's head out early," Grant said, sounding distracted.

His thoughts were still on Feyre.

He wanted to find her and ask what she was thinking.

Coming to the dinner with Ryder? How had they even met in the first place?

Anna glanced at him, a flash of worry crossing her eyes, but she quickly composed herself and smiled.

"Okay. Let's go after we greet my father."

Grant squeezed her hand.

He would deal with Feyre later.

He had to put her in her place.

...

Ryder took Feyre back to the Philips estate on horse.

"Thank you for everything today, Master Winchester," Feyre said as she came down from the horse with his help.

She was grateful to him, not only for helping her at the prison, but also for the way he had defended her at the dinner.

"My offer still stands," Ryder said. "If you ever decide to be my mate, just say the word."

Feyre didn't turn him down.

That offer was her backup plan.

If every other door closed, Ryder's would still be open.

After Ryder rode away, Feyre stepped into her room.

She looked around and suddenly felt like a stranger.

Four years ago, Grant had picked her up from the healing center and brought her here, telling her this would be her home.

She had been so happy that day.

Feyre had never had a space to herself before. Growing up in a small foster home and later living in a shared room at school meant she was always surrounded by other people.

So this room had once meant everything to her.

Back then, she would scrub every inch of the place, making sure everything always sparkled.

When she was still naive, she had even imagined how she would take care of her home when she moved in with Grant.

Her eyes began to sting.

She held back her tears and quietly started gathering her things.

She was walking away from the place she had called home for four years.

It was the place Grant had given her, but she knew she couldn't stay here anymore.

After nearly an hour of packing, she had managed to squeeze everything she owned into a bag.

She didn't have much things or clothes.

She carried her bag to the door, then stopped and glanced back one last time.

"Goodbye, Grant."

...

Feyre headed to a inn near the training center.

She asked the owner how much it would cost to stay for a month.

"Ten coins a day, but I will give you a discount since you are staying for a month. You can pay two hundred coins"

"Thank you" Feyre said, she counted two hundred coins and handed it over.

"Thanks dear, you can call me Bridget" the owner gave her a warm amile.

"Thanks Bridget, I am Feyre"

Feyre looked around the inn, It wasn't fancy, but it was cheaper than renting her own place.

"You're in your senior year, right?" Bridget asked, making casual conversation. "Why stay so close to the center?"

Feyre smiled.

"I'm applying to study at the Imperial Academy, so I'm processing my papers."

The owner nodded approvingly.

"You've got your head on straight. I wish more young women in the pack were like you."

Feyre smiled politely, took the key, and headed to her room.

Once inside, she sat on the bed and stared into space.

Tomorrow, she would see the training center head.

She was determined to earn that spot at the Imperial Academy.

This time, no one was going to decide her future for her.

...

After dropping Anna off at the Remington estate, Grant rode on his horse fast and hard to Feyre's room.

He knocked repeatedly.

There was no response, he frowned.

He brought out his spare key and let himself in.

"Feyre! Get out here!"

He had come ready to argue, to ask her what she was thinking going out with Ryder. How long they had been talking to each other?

Instead of an answer, he was met by silence.

The room was spotless and empty.

The emptiness made his chest feel strangely heavy.

"She thinks she can just take off now," he muttered.

He slumped onto the bed and took a long swallow from the small flask in his hand.

Was she just acting out?

Or had he really pushed her too far?

Especially in front of Anna.

He went to her table, he picked up parchment paper and a pen.

'Feyre, where are you?' he burnt it and waited for a response. There was none.

He scribbled off another message.

'Feyre, come back this instant' he burnt it and waited again, there was no response.

'Feyre, we can talk about this, please come back'

'Feyre, stop ignoring me'

Grant kept sending messages but received no response. Where was she?

Feyre had always listened to him before.

A few soft words were usually enough to make her fall back into line.

As for Ryder, Grant didn't believe for a second that there was anything between him and Feyre.

They ran in the same social circle.

Whether they were friends or enemies didn't matter. What mattered was what could be gained from each other.

The idea of Ryder going against him over Feyre was laughable.

He kept sending on more messages, finally he got one response.

'Leave me alone Grant. I don't want to talk to you'

Grant's felt unease.

For four years, Feyre had done whatever he asked.

She had waited whenever he told her to wait.

She had stayed whenever he told her to stay.

She had forgiven him every time he hurt her.

But now...

She had really left him.

Grant picked up the pen again.

'Fred,

I need you to find out where Feyre went.'

Fred was his close friend and the only one who knew Feyre was his mate. He burnt the letter and some minutes later, he got a response.

'So your mate finally ran off. Didn't I tell you? She was bound to leave eventually.'

Grant rolled his eyes, he wrote back immediately.

'Stop playing around, just find her.'

Grant didn't even understand why he felt so shaken.

It was just Feyre, he wasn't in love with her. She was just his mate. Anna was the one he loved.

Right?