Chapter 6

My fingers tightened around the bone whistle, and I paused for a moment. Still, I walked out without hesitation.

I heard the sound of hurried footsteps behind me.

I walked faster and faster, refusing to wait for Liam.

When I reached the entrance, Norris was standing in the sunlight while looking at the flowers.

The sunlight shone across his body, and for a moment, I felt as if I had returned to the day we first met.

When Norris saw me come out, he raised an eyebrow and walked toward me.

The moment he saw the slap mark on my face, the smile disappeared from his face. "Who did this?"

Liam came running after me as well.

He grabbed the hem of my clothes. He was breathing heavily, and his voice was unusually soft. "Mom, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things."

For a moment, I was dazed.

He hadn't made such an affectionate gesture toward me in a very long time.

"If you're angry, hit me. Just please don't hurt Evelyn."

His words pulled me back to reality.

My own son, who had refused to say even one more word to me, was now begging me to spare another shewolf. He was even lowering his pride to do so.

My lips trembled as I tried to speak, but not a single word came out.

Right then, Evelyn suddenly appeared at the doorway. "Why did you run so fast? Aren't you afraid you'll fall?"

She pulled Liam into her arms and naturally stood beside Norris. "To celebrate your birthday, the three of us prepared a surprise for you.

"Christiana, I'm borrowing Norris for a little while. Don't get jealous."

Liam held her hand without the slightest resistance.

The tiny bit of reluctance I had felt moments ago vanished completely.

I looked at the three of them and smiled. "I won't."

Norris stared at me for two seconds, but in the end, he didn't reach out his hand.

"I'll take you to the healer when I get back later," he said.

Evelyn laughed happily and turned to link her arm with Norris, but Norris moved faster and picked Liam up instead, preventing her from doing so.

Evelyn's hand remained suspended in midair. In the end, she simply pulled back and smiled.

The butler's car was waiting by the road. Norris got inside with Liam.

Before leaving, Evelyn smiled at me with a look that implied something else. "Goodbye."

The butler's car drove away, and no one noticed the unfamiliar car parked not far from the entrance.

I took one last look at the place where I had lived for more than a decade.

I then walked over to the car and opened the door. I got inside.

"Take me to Kara Pack in the south."