Chapter 3

On the phone, Jim's voice was frantic. "Where are you? Don't you know our marking ceremony is coming up? How can you be running around like this right now?

"Send me your location. I'll come pick you up."

I didn't send my location, but Jim still tracked me down using my phone's GPS.

Seeing me emerge from the wasteland covered in dirt and grime, he frowned first.

"Why'd you let yourself get like this?"

I didn't answer. Having just endured the most devastating blow of my life, I was like a soulless shell.

Jim sighed. "I know you're upset, and I was wrong about this. I'll investigate and clear your father's name. Come home with me first."

I numbly lifted my head and stared at the wolf who'd caused my father's death. "If we proceed with the marking ceremony, my father would be your father-in-law.

"He didn't leak the pack's secrets."

For a split second, my tear-filled eyes seemed to stir something in him, but the next moment, Kelly grabbed his arm in a panic.

"Jim, I was just too anxious. The stuff in the secret file is too important to me. If it gets leaked, I–"

She covered her mouth and couldn't continue. Her eyes brimmed with tears.

Jim pulled her into his arms to comfort her. He then turned to face me. "Do you know what was in that secret file? Kelly's private photos. If they get leaked, her reputation is ruined. As a she-wolf yourself, you should relate to how she feels."

It hit me like a thunderbolt. My mind was spinning.

Jim had exiled Frank to the wasteland over Kelly's private photos. He let Frank be tortured to death. My family was destroyed all because of what Kelly said.

Kelly handed me the things in her hand.

"We know the conditions here are rough, so we bought the most expensive food for him. After all, he's your father. We can't let him suffer, can we?"

Kelly's smile hurt my eyes.

I slapped the offerings out of her hand. "I don't need your fake sympathy," I uttered furiously.

Kelly froze for a moment. Her tears soon fell.

"Rachel, I genuinely came to apologize. I was too hasty before and didn't investigate properly. It was all a misunderstanding."

It was a misunderstanding that cost my father his life.

I clenched my father's wolf fang tightly in my hand and took a step back.

"Fine, since you want to apologize, get on your knees and do it properly."

Jim stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. His tone was cold.

"Rachel, haven't you caused enough trouble? Kelly wouldn't even come to this godforsaken place if not for you, and now you're deliberately making things hard for her."

Kelly placed her hand on Jim's arm. Her eyes welled up with tears. "Jim, don't be mad at Rachel. It's all my fault. I deserved getting those private photos taken. I shouldn't even show my face around you two."

With that, she ran off without looking back.

The overwhelming shock and exhaustion hit me hard. A wave of dizziness washed over me, my legs buckled, and I fainted.

I seemed to fall into a warm embrace. I vaguely heard someone shouting nearby, but I couldn't make out the words.

When I woke up again, I was in a bed in a healer's den.

Jim was slumped by my bed. He was holding my hand and fast asleep.

Sensing movement on the bed, he jerked awake. Seeing that I was conscious, he let out a relieved sigh.

"You suddenly fainted. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Not wanting to look at him, I turned away.

"Even if you're mad, you need to take care of your health. Once you recover, I'll take you home."

I stayed silent but noticed the wolf fang was gone.

I searched anxiously but couldn't find it.

"Where's my stuff?" I asked.

It was the last memento my father left me.

"That wolf fang? I already had someone take it home and store it safely. Once you're better, we'll go home."

I couldn't win the argument, so I went home with him.