Chapter 3

Saturday morning, I started packing.

Ten years of life. So much junk.

I pulled out two large trash bags and started sorting.

The photo album from our mating ceremony. Pictures of us exchanging vows. Trash.

The ticket stubs from our honeymoon. We were supposed to go back last year. Trash.

The necklace Julian gave me for my birthday.

Trash.

Julian walked out of the bedroom and saw what I was doing.

"Vesper, what are you doing?" His voice was tense.

"Packing," I said without looking up. "There's too much stuff. Have to throw some of it out."

He relaxed. "Right, right. Better to travel light."

I pointed to a cardboard box in the corner. "That too?"

Julian's face changed instantly. He lunged for the box, clutching it to his chest.

"No! Not this one!" His reaction was surprisingly intense.

I stared at him, my face blank. "What's in it?"

"It's... just some of Elodie's things," he stammered, avoiding my eyes. "She left them here. I need to get them back to her."

Elodie's things. In our home.

I didn't even want to know how long they'd been there.

"Fine." I went back to my own packing. My wolf was perfectly calm.

Julian carefully moved the box to the side, then cleared his throat.

"So, did you submit the transfer papers?"

"I did."

A look of pure relief washed over his face. "Good."

I gave him no reaction.

I just threw more things into the trash.

In the afternoon, we started dealing with the apartment and our shares in the medical company.

We bought the apartment together. We founded the med-tech company together.

Dividing it all up was complicated.

Julian was scrolling on his phone, then deliberately turned the screen towards me.

"Vesper, look at this house in Crimson Peak. It's on the bay. You can see the whole harbor from the balcony."

He was testing me.

I didn't respond. I just looked up at the map on the wall.

It was a map of the Silver Crest territory, covered in dozens of red pins.

Each pin was a medical outpost.

Our old dream. To build a medical network that covered every corner of Silver Crest.

"The mountains of Silver Crest are beautiful this time of year, too," I said lightly.

Julian stared at me. "What? You don't like the new territory?"

I didn't repeat myself. I just went back to the paperwork.

He was about to ask again when his phone rang.

A video call.

Elodie's tear-streaked face filled the screen.

"Julian!" she cried, gasping for breath. "I fell down the stairs, my foot hurts so much!"

Julian shot up from his chair, instantly on high alert.

"What? Where did you fall? Is it serious?"

"I don't know, I think I twisted it," Elodie sobbed. "I'm so scared. I'm all alone, there's no one to take care of me. My wolf is damaged, I can't even heal myself quickly..."

Julian paced the room anxiously. "Don't cry, don't cry. I'm coming right now."

He stopped, turning to look at me, his expression a mix of urgency and nervousness.

He was waiting for my reaction.

But I just looked at him calmly.

"Go," I said, with a slight nod.

Julian blinked, as if he'd misheard.

"You... you don't mind?"

"Why would I mind?" I continued sorting through the files. "She's a werewolf," I said, my voice flat. "If she can't heal a twisted ankle on her own, she'll need crutches."

Elodie was still crying on the screen. "Julian, please hurry, it really hurts."

"Right away! I'm on my way!" Julian said to the phone, then looked back at me. "Vesper, I..."

"Just go," I cut him off. "Don't keep her waiting."

He seemed surprised I agreed so easily. A flicker of something crossed his face.

He hesitated. "So... you'll handle the rest of the paperwork for the transfer?"