Chapter 19

Cain's POV

I didn’t expect to see her.

Not here. Not now. Not like this.

I had assumed she was still hiding somewhere in the forest, nursing the wounds of my rejection, still broken, still unsure of herself. But there she was, walking along Frostbite’s border with a girl I didn’t recognize at her side, laughing softly, moving with a confidence I didn’t recognize.

She had changed.

It wasn’t just her posture or the way she carried herself. Her hair framed her face perfectly, her eyes sparkled with life and purpose, and every step she took whispered strength. She was… formidable now. She had been forged from fire and rejection, and she had survived.

And the girl with her, red hair, green eyes, small, poised, and laughing as if she owned the space, was clearly part of her world now. I didn’t know her. I didn’t know her name. I didn’t like her. But my gut screamed that she wasn’t going anywhere, and more importantly, she belonged with Cora.

Then it hit me.

The resemblance. The green eyes. The red hair. The sharpness in her stance, the commanding yet careful way she moved. She wasn’t just a friend—she was related to him. Eric. That was Eric’s sister. That was Hannah.

A knot tightened in my chest. I had imagined countless scenarios, ways I could take Cora back, ways she might still cling to me, but none of them accounted for this version of Cora. This girl wasn’t broken. She wasn’t weak. She wasn’t desperate. And yet every nerve in me wanted to cross that distance, speak her name, and reclaim even a fragment of what I’d lost.

I stepped forward, heart hammering, but she turned her head, blue eyes meeting mine for the briefest instant. Recognition flashed, yes, she remembered me. But there was no softness. No hesitation. Just ice, cold and deliberate, rolling over the warmth I had once taken for granted.

The girl with her noticed me too, briefly glancing in my direction. There was nothing in her expression to betray fear or submission, only quiet awareness: she had her own support now, and I wasn’t it.

Cora’s lips pressed together. She didn’t glance at me again. She didn’t pause. She didn’t give me a single reason to think I still mattered.

I wanted to follow. I wanted to call after her. But before I could take a step, a firm hand landed on my shoulder.

“Cain,” my father said, his voice low and sharp, almost dangerous. “Not now. You have responsibilities here. Do not embarrass yourself, or this pack.”

I stiffened, twisting slightly to face him. “She’s… she’s right there. I need....”

“You need nothing,” he interrupted, cold and cutting. “Your duty is to this pack. You are the Alpha’s son. You do not chase ghosts.”

The words stung. Harsh and precise. But he was right, if I wanted to maintain even the semblance of control, I had to obey. My pride, my loyalty, my reputation, they were all under scrutiny.

I looked back at Cora, at Hannah beside her, and my stomach tightened. How dare she move on so easily? How dare she survive without me?

Before I could dwell too long, Anton arrived, moving with calm authority. “Alpha Lincoln,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “It’s time. The council hall is ready. Eric is waiting.”

Eric. That name made my gut twist. The alpha of Frostbite. The one who had her here, safe, thriving. He was the reason she had survived. And soon, I’d have to face him too.

I swallowed, jaw tightening. “Lead the way.”

Anton motioned, and I followed, my father’s hand lifting in a dismissive wave. “Do your duty,” he said simply. “And remember your place.”

I forced myself to nod, though every nerve inside me was screaming. The walk to the council hall felt longer than it was. Each step measured, careful, my mind torn between duty and the desire to run after her, to demand explanations, to take back something I had no right to claim anymore.

Cora’s face haunted me. Strong. Unyielding. Entirely untouched by the rejection I thought had broken her. She didn’t need me, and that was a truth I wasn’t ready to accept.

Hannah kept her at a measured distance. Protective, careful, unflinching. I didn’t know her personally, but the resemblance had already told me everything: she was Eric’s sister. My mind raced. This was bigger than just Cora. Now she had family, power, and authority backing her. And I didn’t like it.

We arrived at the council hall. Frostbite’s meeting space was imposing, high ceilings, polished floors, and banners displaying the alpha’s sigil. Eric stood at the head, his posture as commanding as I remembered from our earlier encounters. His green eyes flicked up as we entered, settling on me with a mixture of evaluation and curiosity. I did my best to maintain my usual composure, though inside my stomach was a knot of tension and unease.

Hannah was at Cora’s side, still cheerful, still protective. The way she held Cora’s arm was subtle but unmistakable. I realized in that moment: this girl wasn’t just a friend. She was a shield, a sentinel. She had Cora’s back, and I honestly didn’t like it.

Cora noticed me, too. Her head lifted, and our eyes met. My breath caught. But unlike before, she didn’t flinch. She didn’t shy away. She didn’t even look surprised.

She had moved on.

I wanted to speak, and I tried. I took a careful step forward. “Cora…”

She didn’t turn to face me. Not fully. Only a flicker of her blue eyes glanced my way, and that was enough.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” she said, her voice calm, cold, and steady. “Not now. Not ever again.”

The words slammed into me. My throat tightened. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. I wanted to argue, to demand she answer me, to explain myself, to apologize—but she had already drawn the line. She had survived without me. She had grown stronger than I could have imagined, and she had no reason to let me back into her life.

I opened my mouth again. “Cora.....”

She raised a hand slightly, just enough to stop me. “I’m not your responsibility. I don’t belong to you.”

Her words cut sharper than any blade. My wolf stirred inside, restless, frustrated, yearning to leap forward and reclaim what it thought was mine. But my mind, and my father, held me in place.

I swallowed hard. “I… I understand,” I said, though I didn’t.

She turned fully to Hannah, walking away with her, leaving me frozen in place. The girl with the red hair, Hannah—l, walked confidently beside her, her presence a reminder that Cora wasn’t alone. And I couldn’t reach her.

I wanted to follow, to speak, to do something. But before I could take another step, my father’s hand landed on my shoulder again. “Cain. Now. Control yourself.”

I exhaled, bitter and frustrated. “Yes, Father.”

I turned to see Anton observing, eyes narrowed at me, calculating. Then he nodded and motioned for us to follow.

I followed them silently toward the council hall. Every step felt like a punishment. I couldn’t get her out of my mind, the way she had grown, the way she had survived, the way she had moved on without me.

I clenched my fists beneath the table, forcing myself to focus as Eric began to speak. Reports of rogue sightings and small attacks filled the room. The Lincoln and Frostbite packs needed to cooperate, he said. That was all I could focus on.

But my eyes kept drifting toward her. My chest tightened every time she shifted slightly, laughed quietly at something Hannah said, or simply sat there, untouchable, untethered, independent.

And I realized something terrible.

She had accepted the rejection.

Finally.