Ember's POV
I ran until my wolf's legs burned, until the packhouse came into view, until I couldn't smell cedarwood and storms anymore.
Then I shifted back to human and collapsed on my bedroom floor, gasping for air.
My room looked the same as this morning—small bed, cracked mirror, one sad poster on the wall. But everything had changed. I had a wolf now. I had a mate.
I had Ryder freaking Kane as my MATE.
My hands shook as I pulled out my escape bag from under the bed. The bus ticket was still there. The money. The fake ID.
But it was four o'clock now. I'd missed the two o'clock bus. The next one didn't leave until tomorrow morning.
One more night. I just had to survive one more night, then I'd be gone forever.
I heard footsteps in the hallway. Heavy, familiar. My father.
The door opened without a knock. Dad stood there, his face unreadable. "We need to talk."
"I'm busy," I said, shoving clothes into my bag.
"About the mate bond."
My hands froze. "There's nothing to talk about. I'm rejecting it."
Dad's eyes widened. "You can't be serious. Do you have any idea what an honor this is? The future Alpha—"
"The future Alpha who's tormented me since I was ten?" I spun to face him. "That honor?"
"Ryder was just playing around—"
"Playing?" My voice cracked. "He made me cry myself to sleep for YEARS, Dad. He made me feel worthless. And you—" The words stuck in my throat. "You never once defended me. You never told him to stop. You just... let it happen."
Dad's face hardened. "You're being dramatic. Boys tease. It doesn't mean—"
"I'm rejecting the bond," I said firmly. "Tomorrow morning, I'm leaving. You can't stop me."
"Actually, I can." His Alpha authority pressed down on me—or tried to. But just like before, it slid off like water. My wolf was too strong, too different. "You're pack. You don't get to just leave."
"Watch me." I went back to packing.
"If you reject Ryder, you'll kill him." Dad's voice went quiet. "The rejected mate bond is fatal. Within a year, maybe two, he'll die. Can you live with that?"
My hands stilled on the shirt I was folding. "He lived just fine making me wish I was dead. Why should I care if—"
But I did care. I hated that I cared. Hated that some stupid part of me had felt SAFE when Ryder killed that rogue. Felt protected when he stood between me and the pack.
"He saved your life today," Dad pressed. "That should count for something."
"It counts for one less death on his conscience," I shot back. "It doesn't erase years of cruelty."
Dad sighed. "Just... think about it. Sleep on it. In the morning, if you still want to reject him, I won't stop you."
It was the closest thing to kindness he'd shown me in years. I didn't trust it.
"Fine. I'll think about it." Another lie. I'd already decided.
Dad left, closing the door softly behind him. I finished packing, then hid the bag again. If they knew I was definitely leaving, they'd lock me in.
I showered, washing away blood and dirt and the scent of rogue wolf. But I couldn't wash away Ryder's scent. It clung to me, cedarwood and storms, making my wolf whimper with longing.
"Stop it," I told her. "He's not ours. We don't want him."
But she didn't believe me. She'd tasted the bond, felt the pull. She wanted her mate.
Too bad. I was in control, not her.
I tried to sleep but couldn't. My mind kept replaying everything—the shift, the bond, the rogue attack, Ryder's face when I said I was leaving.
Around midnight, I heard a sound outside my window. A soft whimper.
I looked out and my heart stopped.
A massive black wolf sat in the garden below my window. Silver eyes stared up at me, reflecting moonlight.
Ryder.
He was in wolf form, just sitting there. Watching my window like some creepy stalker.
I should've closed the curtains. Should've ignored him.
Instead, I opened the window. "Go away."
He whimpered again, his tail tucking slightly. In wolf form, he looked less threatening. Almost... sad.
"I mean it, Ryder. Leave me alone."
He shifted to human, standing naked in the garden. I quickly looked away, my face heating.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he said quietly. "After the rogue attack. I know you said you didn't need me, but—"
"I don't." I kept my eyes on the ceiling. "Go home."
"This is my home. You're my—" He stopped himself. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Ember. For everything. If I could take it all back—"
"But you can't." I finally looked at him, making sure to keep my eyes on his face. "You can't undo years of pain with one apology."
"I know. But I want to try. Please, just give me a chance to—"
"No." The word came out firm. "Tomorrow morning, I'm formally rejecting the bond. And then I'm leaving. Forever."
Even from here, I could see him flinch like I'd hit him.
"If that's what you want," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I won't fight it. But Ember—" His eyes met mine, and they looked wet. Was he crying? "I wish I'd known. I wish I'd realized sooner that you were—that we were—"
"It wouldn't have changed anything," I said. "You would've still been cruel. The only difference is now you're sad about it."
That shut him up. He stood there for a long moment, then nodded slowly.
"You're right. I was a horrible person. I AM a horrible person." He looked down at his hands. "But my wolf—he's dying without you. Even now, even knowing you hate me, he's screaming to be near you."
"That's not my problem."
"I know." He looked back up at me, and the pain in his eyes was so real it hurt to see. "I just wanted you to know that I understand. I understand why you're rejecting me. And I'm sorry I ever gave you a reason to."
He shifted back to wolf form and walked away, his head low, his tail dragging.
I watched him go, and my wolf howled inside my head. MATE. GO TO MATE. HE'S HURTING.
"He deserves to hurt," I whispered.
But my chest ached anyway.
I closed the window and climbed into bed, setting my alarm for five AM. The bus left at six. I'd sneak out before anyone woke up.
No more Silverpine Pack. No more Ryder Kane. No more pain.
Just freedom.
I was almost asleep when I heard it—a howl in the distance. Long, mournful, full of agony.
Ryder's wolf, crying for his mate.
I pulled my pillow over my head, trying to block it out. Trying to ignore the way my own wolf whimpered in response.
"Tomorrow," I promised myself. "Tomorrow this all ends."
I finally drifted off around three AM, exhausted.
The alarm never went off.
When I woke up, sunlight streamed through my window. My phone said 9:47 AM.
"No, no, no!" I jumped out of bed, grabbing my bag. The bus—I'd missed the bus!
I ran to the window, planning to climb out and just start walking toward the city.
But what I saw in the garden made me freeze.
Ryder was there. Still in wolf form. Still sitting in the exact same spot.
He'd stayed there all night. Watching my window. Guarding me even though I'd rejected him.
And curled up next to him, also in wolf form, was Vivian.
My sister's golden wolf had her head on Ryder's back. Comforting him. Being there for him.
While I'd been sleeping, missing my escape, she'd been down there. With MY mate.
The jealousy that hit me was like a physical blow. Hot and sharp and absolutely irrational because I didn't WANT Ryder.
But my wolf sure as hell didn't want Vivian touching him.
I watched as Vivian shifted to human. Watched her put her hand on Ryder's fur. Watched her lean close and whisper something in his ear.
Ryder shifted too. They were both naked, standing too close, and the way Vivian looked at him—
"No," I whispered.
Then Vivian kissed him.
And Ryder didn't pull away.