FAZER LOGINThe voice came again. “Nora, open the window, now!” My heart dropped. There was no doubt about it, it was Rhett. I turned toward Rowan so quickly that he almost stepped back. “It’s Rhett,” I whispered. His eyes widened. “Rhett?” I nodded and grabbed his arm. “Hide. Quickly.” “Where?” “I don’t care. Just don’t let him see you.” Rowan looked toward the window, then at the door. “This is going to look very bad.” “I know.” He moved behind the curtain near the corner of the room, just as another knock hit the window. “Nora!” I took a deep breath and walked toward the window. My hands were shaking when I opened it slightly. Rhett stood outside. The moonlight fell across his face, showing the worry in his eyes. He looked tired, as if he had been searching for me. “Why didn’t you open the window earlier?” he asked. “I was sleeping.” He gave me a look. “You were not sleeping.” I said nothing. Rhett stared at me for a moment. “I came because I needed to see you.” My chest ti
“You’re going somewhere by this time of the night?”I froze.My hand was still on the strap of my bag when I looked at Rowan. He stood just inside my room, his eyes moving from the bag to my face.“I… I just need to leave for a while,” I said.“By this time of the night?”I swallowed. “It’s nothing.”Rowan gave me a look. “Nora, you packed a bag and you’re standing near the door. That doesn’t look like nothing to me.”I looked away. He stepped closer. “Where are you going?”“I don’t know.”“That’s not an answer.”For a moment, neither of us spoke. The room felt too small, and I suddenly wished he had never come.Rowan looked at the bag again. “You’re leaving the pack, aren’t you?”My heart sank. I slowly nodded.He did not look surprised. “Why?”I tightened my fingers around the strap. “Because I don’t feel wanted here anymore.”His expression changed. “I’ve watched what they’ve done to you,” he said quietly. “The way they look at you. The way they speak about you. Even today, during
I turned and saw Rhett standing behind us.My heart skipped.His eyes moved from me to Rowan, then down to the cloth in Rowan’s hand. His face tightened.“I was only helping her,” Rowan said.Rhett’s voice was cold. “You can leave.”Rowan did not move. “She can decide that herself.”I looked between them. Nobody usually spoke to Rhett that way.“Enough,” I said.Rhett looked at me. “Nora, you’re hurt.”“I can take care of myself.”“I know, but—”“Then why do you care?”He went quiet.I waited for an answer, but he seemed unable to find one.“Rhett,” I said, “you don’t have to worry about me anymore.”His eyes darkened. “Why would you say that?”“Because you chose Cassia.”He stared at me.“You stood before everyone and accepted her as your mate. You held her hand while the pack celebrated. What else am I supposed to think?”“I know what I did.”“Then let me go.”His expression changed. “Choosing Cassia doesn’t mean I stopped caring about you.”I shook my head. “It does.”“Nora—”“No.”
I had just placed my bag beside the door when someone knocked.I froze.For a moment, I thought it was Rhett.I quickly wiped my face and opened the door.A warrior stood outside. “Nora?”“Yes?”“You are expected at the training grounds.”I frowned. “Why?”“The pack contest is being held today.”I stared at him. “I’m not participating.”He looked uncomfortable. “Everyone is expected to participate.”“Not me.”“Alpha Gideon gave the order.”Of course he did. I looked back at my bag. Tomorrow I was leaving. I did not want another reason to stay here.“I have nothing to prove to this pack.”The warrior lowered his voice. “I know. But if you refuse, there will be punishments to it.”After a moment, I sighed. “Fine. I’ll come.”I changed into simple training clothes and followed him.The training grounds were already crowded. Warriors stood around the field while families watched from the side. The drums from the ceremony had stopped, but the excitement had not.This was one of the pack’s
The Elder raised his hand. “The mating ceremony of Rhett and Cassia will now begin.” My heart dropped. For a second, I forgot how to breathe. I watched Rhett as he stepped forward. He did not argue. He did not turn away. He simply walked toward the ceremonial platform and took his place beside Cassia. I stared at him, waiting. After everything he had said to his father, I thought he would refuse. I thought he would stand there and tell everyone that he could never accept Cassia. He knows Cassia's behavior more than anybody. But he said nothing. Cassia moved closer to him, her smile growing wider. The Elder looked at both of them. “Rhett, son of Alpha Gideon, do you stand before this pack willingly?” Rhett was silent for a moment. Then he nodded. “Yes.” A murmur passed through the crowd. My chest tightened. The Elder was shocked but he continued. “Do you accept Cassia as your chosen mate and promise to honor the bond placed before you?” I looked at Rhett.
Gideon did not waste another day. By sunrise, his orders had spread through the pack. The mating ceremony between Rhett and Cassia would take place soon, and every member of the pack was expected to help prepare. The ceremonial grounds became busy again and more serious this time. Warriors carried wooden poles and hung white cloth between the trees. Women prepared food, while others worked on the clothes Cassia would wear. The elders checked the ceremony items and discussed every detail. Cassia watched everything with a smile. She had waited for this moment for years. Soon, she would stand beside Rhett before the entire pack. She would be recognized as his mate and, one day, Luna. Most importantly, Nora would be nowhere near them. Cassia believed she had finally won. The pack was also preparing for the contests that would follow the ceremony. The annual strength competition, hunting contest, and warrior trials were being discussed again. Young wolves were already challenging o







