Chapter 1

“I still prefer Blackthorn,” Lily said as she made her final selection.

Without hesitation, Noah closed the Northstar Academy admissions brochure.

“Then I’ll go to Blackthorn with you.”

My parents smiled in approval, as if it were perfectly normal for my boyfriend to change his college plans for my sister.

Only after they had finished discussing Lily’s major, dorm, and plans after graduation did my mother finally remember that I had also taken the Seven Territories College Entrance Exam.

“Evelyn, your grades are nothing special. Just choose a college near Lily’s.”

Damian answered without even looking up.

“That way, you can still visit on weekends and keep Lily company.”

Noah glanced at the time and urged me impatiently, “There are only thirty minutes left. Don’t leave it until the last second again and make everyone clean up your mess.”

My fingers tightened around the admissions guide.

When we were children, we often played games about wars between packs. Lily was always the Luna everyone fought to protect. Damian was the loyal Beta at her side, and Noah was the Alpha who crossed the forest to rescue her.

I was always the rogue driven out of the territory.

They said I was the sensible one, so naturally, I was expected to play the role no one else wanted.

Apparently, growing up had changed nothing.

In the future they had planned, Lily deserved to have everyone revolve around her. I only needed to stay close enough to accommodate whatever they decided.

“Evelyn?”

Noah walked over to my laptop and frowned at the still-empty application form.

“Lily and I are both going to Blackthorn. Hurry up and apply to a school nearby.”

I didn’t answer. I simply looked at the result displayed on my screen.

[Northern Territory Overall Ranking: 1st]

With that score, I qualified for direct admission to both Blackthorn Academy and Northstar Academy.

But after the exam, no one had asked how I thought I had done. When the results were released, no one remembered to ask what score I had received.

Because the moment Lily walked out of the exam hall, her eyes had filled with tears.

“I didn’t finish the last question. What if I can’t get into Blackthorn?”

Mom immediately pulled her into her arms and assured her that even if she failed, they would send her to the best private werewolf academy overseas.

Damian ruffled her hair.

“What are you afraid of? I’m the pack Beta now. I can support you for the rest of your life.”

Noah had stayed with her for the entire afternoon, reassuring her over and over.

“No matter how badly you did, your score couldn’t possibly be lower than Evelyn’s. If you don’t get in, I’ll postpone college for a year and stay behind while you retake the exam. Evelyn can sit in on your tutoring sessions too. She needs the extra help more than you do.”

It had never occurred to any of them that I might be the one who had earned the highest score.

Lily had always been beautiful and outgoing. The moment she so much as frowned, everyone rushed to comfort her.

The words I heard most often were always the same.

“Evelyn is so mature. You’re the older sister. You should let Lily have it.”

That was why the new dresses for the Moonlight Festival, the honey cakes Damian brought home, and the sweetest pieces of fruit always belonged to Lily.

As a child, I had mistaken being called “mature” for praise.

Only when I grew older did I understand that it was simply their way of demanding my silence.

The Seven Territories College Entrance Exam wasn’t based solely on our regular school grades. Wolf-core medicine, logic, combat assessment, and comprehensive analysis made up most of the score—and those happened to be my strongest subjects.

In the end, I ranked first in the entire Northern Territory.

And not one of them had even asked for my score.

I looked up at Noah.

“Didn’t you always want to attend Northstar Academy?”

He paused, then shrugged dismissively.

“Blackthorn and Northstar are both elite academies. What difference does it make? If Lily wants to go to Blackthorn, of course I’m going with her.”

My wolf had once loved Noah’s scent.

Now, she didn’t react to it at all.

At last, I understood.

My independence had never been one of the reasons he loved me. It was simply the excuse that allowed him to ignore me without guilt.

I didn’t show them my score or question Noah any further. Instead, I opened my email.

An invitation was waiting in my inbox.

[Coastal Werewolf University invites you to join its confidential werewolf medicine research program. You will receive a full scholarship, a housing allowance, and early admission to the Moonhealing Lab.]

The invitation had arrived three days earlier.

At the time, I hadn’t wanted to leave Noah or the home where I had spent all eighteen years of my life, so I hadn’t responded.

But now, as I watched him abandon his plans for Lily without a moment’s hesitation, I finally clicked Accept.

The university was on the West Coast, twelve hundred miles from the Blood Moon Pack.

The moment I accepted, a new message appeared.

[Congratulations. You have successfully enrolled in the program and will relocate to the Coastal Territory at the beginning of the new semester. This is a fully closed four-year program. During that time, you may not return home or contact your family. Please say your goodbyes before your departure.]

They could stay here and continue protecting their little princess.

And I could finally leave the pack that had never made room for me.