Chapter 3

Molly's POV

Three days later. The day I was supposed to choose.

And of course—my first shift had to hit that exact night.

It felt like every bone in my body was being ripped apart at the joints and shoved back in wrong. I locked myself in my room, sweat soaking through my clothes. Logan and Derek stood guard outside the door, moonflowers in hand, not moving an inch.

"Molly, once you're done shifting, can you come to my place first?" Logan's voice came through the door, hesitant. "I... I have a surprise for you."

Derek cut in immediately: "No, come to mine! I've got one too!"

They started bickering outside—then one of their phones rang.

"Hello? Logan... Derek... I—I—" Rose's voice came through, choppy and tearful. "I got in a car crash on my way to Molly's... it hurts so bad... I'm so scared..."

Silence.

"Where are you hurt? How bad is it?" Logan's voice went razor-sharp.

"Stay put. I'm coming." Derek's footsteps were already moving.

They hung up. Then they remembered me.

Logan pressed his hand against the door, voice tight. "Molly, I left the best healers I could find right outside your door. Don't worry. We'll handle this and... come right back."

Derek added quickly: "You said you'd pick between us. Don't forget."

I didn't answer.

They stood there a moment longer, waiting. Then Derek's phone rang again—Rose sobbing on the other end. Their footsteps faded down the hall, fast.

All that was left outside my door were a handful of confused healers.

I finally let go of my wrist—I'd bitten down so hard it was bleeding—and pressed my forehead to the cold floor.

The second wave hit. I fumbled for my phone.

Called Logan. Busy.

Called Derek. Busy.

I stared at the screen, fingers shaking. Called Logan again. Still busy. Tried Derek a third time—it went through.

"Derek... it hurts..." My voice came out in splinters. "Can you come back? Just for a minute..."

Two seconds of silence. Rose's faint whimper in the background. His voice went muffled, like he'd covered the mic. Then he came back, words tumbling fast: "Molly, Rose is pretty banged up—I can't leave her. I'll have the healers give you something extra for the pain. Just hang on, okay? Logan's headed back."

Before I could answer, he hung up.

I stared at the dark screen. Then I called Logan one last time.

It went through.

"Logan." I said his name, barely a scrape of sound in my throat. "Come back. Please. I'm really... I'm hurting."

Long silence. Then a sigh—weary, patient. "Molly, Rose just got emergency treatment and she can't be alone right now. You've got healers there. Don't be like this, alright?"

Don't be like this.

I pulled the phone away from my ear. Stared at the screen for a long time. Then I hung up. Calm.

The third wave hit. Harder than the first two combined—my spine felt like someone was grabbing both ends and bending it backward. I bit into my wrist, blood running down my arm into my sleeve, blurring my vision.

The door crashed open.

A rough hand pressed down on the back of my neck—steady as a mountain. The searing pain eased, inch by inch, under that grip.

"Don't be scared." My father's voice was raw. "Dad's here."

My claws dug into his sleeve. Tears soaked into the worn leather. My bones were still cracking, but all I could hear was his heartbeat—slow and solid in his chest.

The moon was full. Moonlight washed over me. And it didn't hurt anymore.

My phone buzzed by my foot. A message from Rose, perfectly timed:

[See it now, Molly? One call from me, and they'll drop you. Even if you became their mate, nothing would change. But hey—I might consider letting you have one of them. If you ask nicely.]

I stared at the screen. Tears came—and I let them. Then I steadied my hands and typed back: "No need. You can have both. They're yours."

Sent. Blocked Rose. Blocked Logan. Blocked Derek.

Snapped the SIM card in half, tossed it, slid in a new one.

My father looked down at me, calloused hand still on my neck. "Sweetheart, you just finished your shift. Sure you don't want to rest a few days before we go?"

"No."

I pushed myself up against the wall—legs shaking, but spine straight.

"We leave now."

He didn't ask again. He had my things packed and loaded in minutes. Helped me into the car.

Goodbye, Howler.

My new life starts now—and it has no room for Logan. No room for Derek.