Chapter 4

Exiled.

Exile.

The Celestial Moon pack, in all its enormity, seemed to have no place for me.

My foot slipped, and I stumbled.

“Christy! Christy!”

I tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace.

"I’m fine. Thank you."

Collins supported me by the shoulder as we moved through the packhouse, past the prying eyes of wolves who pretended not to stare.

“I’m okay,” I whispered, trying to convince myself as much as him.

Just as quietly, he disagreed.

“No, you’re not, Christy. But that’s okay. You will be.” He didn’t let go until we got home.

The moment I sat on the sofa, the strength drained out of me. I barely made it to the bathroom before retching, the expensive dinner disappearing down the drain.

My mother came in, rubbing my back gently.

I wiped my eyes, clearing away the tears I hadn’t been able to stop.

She said nothing. She didn’t need to.

When she left, I went to my room and crawled into bed, broken in a way that felt permanent. I would never be whole again. I knew it.

What would happen if I did what they wanted?

A public apology.

If the looks were already this bad, what would come after that? I would be ostracized, openly this time. And the atonement… what would that even look like?

Tears slipped down my temples, silent and endless. I didn’t have the energy to scream. I didn’t have the energy for anything.

I cried for hours before sleep finally claimed me.

The sun was already high when I woke, but my life felt darker than ever.

I forced myself out of bed and looked in the mirror. Dark circles. Puffy eyes. Tear-streaked cheeks. I was the picture of failure.

My phone rang, and it struck me then—no neighbors had come by. No quiet check-ins. No concern. Not for me.

“Aunt Layla,” I answered the phone call. “Good morning.”

My voice was hoarse.

“Good afternoon, dear,” she corrected gently. “It’s afternoon.”

I glanced at the time. She was right. The thick curtains had hidden the day from me.

“It’s alright, honey,” she continued.

“Sheila told me what happened.”

My throat tightened.

“You should come stay with me for a while,” she said. “You were planning for college, weren’t you? Oslow has plenty of good schools. A change of environment might help you think.”

I swallowed.

“Thank you, Aunt.”

“You can visit even if you don’t stay long,” she added warmly. “Your cousins miss you. Don’t tell Collins, but I think they like you more.”

A small smile tugged at my lips and it felt like my lips had performed a foreign action.

“Thank you.”

“I love you, Christy,” she said softly. “Your whole family does.”

“I love you too. Goodbye, Aunt.”

When the call ended, the silence rushed back in.

I yanked the curtains open, sunlight flooding the room, and I allowed myself to consider it.

Why not?

Oslow City would be better than this. At this point, anywhere would.

Speaking to my parents about moving wasn’t hard. One look at me and they knew I had to leave.

“What would Alpha Bradley say if Christy leaves?” my dad asked as we sat. “Wouldn’t it look like she ran away?”

My mom sighed before speaking. “I’ll talk to Luna Evelyn. Maybe Christy can submit a written apology.”

She turned to me. “I know you don’t like it, Christy, but Alpha Bradley has already spoken. His words need to carry weight.”

“We’ll try to waive the atonement,” she continued, “on the grounds that we still don’t understand what’s happening. But the apology… that will have to be done.”

“Just try to write it before you leave.”

I thought about it carefully before answering.

“I’ll never accept Alec if I write this apology, Mom.”

Her face softened.

“Oh, Christy. The Moon will make things right eventually. It may feel unbearable now, but… try to trust her.”

I penned down the apology the morning of my departure and signed it. This was goodbye to Alec and me, even if he didn’t know it yet.

“Here, Dad.”

As he collected it, he read it, nodding a few times.

“Very good. That’s it. Your aunt will be here soon.”

“Christy!”

“Aunt Layla!”

Warm-hearted as always, she hugged me tightly. “Where’s your luggage?”

“It’s here.”

She looked it over. “This is a lot. Your stay in Oslow will be wonderful.”

“Sheila, Cedric, I’ll be taking your daughter for a while, but don’t worry, she’s in good hands.”

My mom smiled at her antics. “Of course, Layla. You’re my sister. I couldn’t think of better hands.”

“Thank you, Layla,” my dad said.

“Bye, Christy!” Collins shouted as I got in. I waved happily until I couldn’t see him anymore.

We headed to the airport as she told me about Oslow.

“Oslow is great, actually. It’s a human town, so there isn’t a large werewolf population. No need to worry about pack laws, hierarchies, or things like that.”

A bit unsure, I asked, "Isn't it weird for werewolves?"

“No, it’s the perfect getaway for all species. And the few werewolves here are close-knit. You’ll love it.”

"Okay," I said reluctantly.

She took a look at me and smiled “Moving was one of the best decisions my husband and I made. In the beginning, mating with a half-wolf seemed crazy—no pack bonds and all.”

“But after years of structure, that kind of freedom was a breath of fresh air. Here, our pack is our family and friends.”

“Oslow will be great for you. Your cousins can’t wait to see you. It’s been a while.”

I was expectant already.

We arrived, and she was right. They were all there at the airport, the twins and her son, waving cheerfully.

“Christy!” Alexis yelled.

“Alexis!” I yelled back. I had always been able to tell them apart.

“Take that, Andrea. She got it right. Twenty bucks,” Alexis said smugly.

Andrea handed it over before turning to me. “How do you always get it right, Christy?”

“I’m sorry, Andy. Tell you what, I’ll give you ten bucks right now because I love you so much.”

She gasped. “Thanks, Christy. You’re the best.”

Their brother turned to me. “Why not just give her the twenty?”

I smiled. “Well, Nolan, if I did that, she’d never learn to stop gambling, would she?”

Their dad laughed. “Good to have you back, Christy.”

And he was right. I hadn’t seen them in nearly four years.

“Let’s go, then,” he added.

We headed for their house, tucked close to a busy road where human traffic never seemed to rest. Tall buildings crowded the street, shops packed shoulder to shoulder, food scents blending in the air.

It wasn’t like the pack, calm and ordered, but it had a rhythm of its own.

Oslow was promising already.

Moving was hard, but not as difficult as I’d expected. They all helped, and the guest room had already been arranged for me.

“Okay,” Aunt Layla said. “That’s the last of the major things. You can add any little touches you like.”

“Thank you, Aunt. Thank you so much.”

“Nonsense. Family doesn’t need so much thanks.”

I went back out to grab my books, stacking them up before walking carefully.

One step, and I knew I’d stacked them too high.

They fell like dominoes on the second step, and I nearly lost my balance.

“Here,” a gentleman said, putting the books in order before setting them by the door.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Do you live here?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, a little flustered.

“Oh, are you new? One of my students lives here, the twins. I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“Yes, I’m new,” I said. So he’s their teacher, I realized. “I’m their cousin, Christy.”

“Oh, welcome to Oslow,” he said, revealing a beautiful smile.

“I’m Rowan.”