Chapter 3

I was knocked completely off my feet. My backpack slammed into the ground, and everything inside spilled out.

That included the herbs I had painstakingly gathered to help my weak wolf. A few of the most precious plants slid several feet away.

"Oh, sorry about that. I didn't see you."

It was a girl with a familiar face. I couldn't remember where I had seen her, but I was very familiar with that disdainful tone.

I ignored her and reached out to pick up the herb pouch. A boot came down before my hand could reach it, crushing down hard on top of it.

She leaned down, bringing her face close to mine.

"Why is a weakling who can't even feel her own wolf here taking this exam? Your very existence is a joke."

"That's none of your business." I pulled at the herb pouch. Her foot didn't budge.

"Clara is right. You only survive because everyone pities you. Stay away from Hudson, got it?"

"Stop being so desperate."

I looked up at her. The face slowly became clearer in my memory. So it was her from the other night, too.

"Move your foot. My relationship with Hudson is none of your business."

"Wow, you pathetic weakling, you really are..."

The sole of her shoe twisted again. The herb pouch completely ripped open, and the powder mixed into the dirt.

Before she could finish her mocking words, a hand forcefully shoved her, pushing her back several steps.

Hudson stood there, his face as cold as ice.

"What the hell is your problem?"

The girl was stunned for a second, then snapped back.

"What is your problem?"

"I didn't do it on purpose! You are protecting her again!"

"I'm just wondering if you forgot the word 'respect' in your upbringing."

Hudson's voice carried a heavy, Alpha command. "Do that again, and I'll personally have the instructor kick you out of my group."

The girl's face went pale. She awkwardly backed off and walked away.

Hudson crouched down, swept my ruined herbs to the side, and pulled a small paper bag out of his own backpack. "Here, take this."

"I know you need these. I packed an extra set for you, just in case."

"See? They came in handy, didn't they?"

I stared at him, unable to process it for a moment. He was smiling, as if trying to comfort me.

"Don't just space out. Put it away, we're about to enter the site." His tone was as impatient as ever, but he directly stuffed the paper bag into my hands.

"Let's go. I'll walk you to the starting zone."

I kept my head down and followed behind him, holding the items against my chest.

I heard people around us muttering. "Weaklings sure love playing the victim."

I knew many of them were followers standing up for Clara. But Hudson used his powerful Alpha aura the entire way, forcing back any surrounding threats until he dropped me off in the starting zone.

Only then did he turn to go find his own team.

For those few minutes, I almost thought everything was back to the way it used to be. I thought he still cared about me more than anyone else.

But I knew very well that the coldness wasn't my imagination, and neither was his hesitation.

I found that I was having a harder and harder time understanding him.

The grueling wilderness survival exam finally ended, and the tense atmosphere across the entire academy vanished in an instant.

That night, after treating my scrapes, I picked up my phone and scrolled through social media.

Clara had just posted an update. The photo was of a camera, and the caption read: "Received the best birthday gift ever. Thank you to the person who understands me best."

That was absolutely the camera I had given Hudson. The photo even clearly showed the initials I had specially engraved on the bottom.

The birthday gift I had so carefully prepared for him, he had just handed right over to Clara.

An overwhelming sense of betrayal gripped my chest, making my eyes sting.

I directly dialed Hudson's number.

"You gave Clara the camera I got you?"

On the other end of the line, he let out a careless scoff. "Yeah."

"Since you gave it to me, it's mine." His tone carried a cold impatience. "I have the right to do whatever I want with it. Stop being so nosy."

I gripped the phone tightly, my voice starting to shake.

"Do you have any idea? It took me two whole weeks to find that camera at the antique market."

"You didn't even tell me before you gave it away. Don't you think that's crossing a line?"

"Alright, alright," he cut me off. "Can you stop being so annoying? You are making a huge fuss over nothing."

"It isn't about the camera," my voice went hoarse. "It's about the thought and care I put into it."

"I'm sorry. Happy now?"

I opened my mouth. But my throat felt thick, like it was stuffed with cotton.

Beep...

Hudson immediately hung up the phone.

I sat in the dark holding the warm phone, a dull ache radiating from my chest. It was exactly the same feeling I had when I caught his thoughts on the night of the bonfire party.

After that, Hudson and I completely stopped talking.

Even at the academy, we would just brush past each other like two strangers.

It wasn't until midsummer arrived that the pack organized a massive outdoor barbecue party.

I hadn't wanted to go, but it was the first large gathering in a long time, and both my parents urged me to make an appearance.

Mr. Reed even specifically instructed Hudson in front of the pack elders to make sure he looked after me.

That was our first time meeting since our fight.

Hudson stayed silent the entire way there.

I tried to start a conversation a few times. He just kept a cold face and brushed me off with brief answers, acting as if saying one more word would kill him.

I stopped trying to talk, and we spent the rest of the trip in silence, like two strangers who knew everything about each other.

The campground was bustling with voices. The young wolves were releasing their wild nature, laughing and joking loudly.

I held a cup of fruit juice, sitting quietly in the corner and listening.

My mental barriers were too weak to withstand intense emotional fluctuations.

My stamina couldn't support me joining their aggressive physical games, either. Among my powerful peers, I was completely out of place.

Hunting techniques, territory disputes, claiming mates. There wasn't a single topic at the long table that I could chime in on.

Hudson and I sat at opposite ends of the long table with zero interaction the entire time. I had just sat down, and I already wanted to go home.

When the atmosphere hit its peak, someone suggested playing Truth or Dare.

The bottle spun rapidly on the wooden table and eventually pointed squarely at Hudson.

He twitched the corner of his mouth and chose Truth.

Someone raised an eyebrow and gave him a teasing smile.

"Hudson, you've protected Avery so fiercely since you were kids. Are you in love with her or something?"