11:39 Mon, 3 Mar
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
CARINA
Two years had passed since Natalia left.
Two long, grueling years that felt like lifetimes stacked one on top of another. At that time, I had become an apprentice in my parents‘ office. It was an honor, I supposed, to work under two of the most respected doctors in the pack. But even that achievement felt empty.
Why?
Because my parents had grown distant–if that was even possible. How could distant people feel even more distant?
I knew the reason behind their hostility.
Natalia had been off the radar for two years. No letters, no updates, nothing to indicate she was alive and thriving in Europe as she had promised.
And her absence wasn’t just a void in my parents‘ hearts; it had stretched its claws into the pack, leaving behind uncertainty and tension.
Falco had changed, too. He was colder now, less approachable. The warmth I had felt in his rare smiles or the boyish laughter that used to echo in the pack house had all but disappeared.
In their place was a stern, brooding Alpha whose presence indicated awe and apprehension.
It was Carter, the Beta, who pulled me from my thoughts one dreary morning. I was sitting in the pack house kitchen, nursing a lukewarm cup of tea and still in my pajamas. When he strolled in, his grin made him look years younger.
“Rina,” he said, his voice carrying a teasing tone, “you look beautiful today. I’m charmed, really.”
I glanced down at my mismatched flannel pants and oversized sweatshirt. “Beautiful, huh?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He shrugged, his grin widening. “It’s all in the attitude.”
“Sure,” I muttered, shaking my head.
I took another sip from my tea, but still, he didn’t leave. I raised one eyebrow, knowing he had something else to say.
“Come on,” I sighed. “What is it that you need?”
He cleared his throat, his voice suddenly turning serious. “Falco needs help.”
My stomach sank. “Is it one of those days again?”
He nodded, his playful demeanor vanishing entirely.
With a sigh, I set my tea down and went to change. These ‘episodes,‘ as Carter and I had taken to calling them, were becoming more frequent.
Falco would spiral into his own head, consumed by frustrations, memories, or the ever–growing weight of his responsibilities. And somehow, over the last two years, I had become the one he turned to during these moments.
I didn’t know why. Maybe it was because I didn’t demand anything of him like the others did.
Dressed in jeans and a simple sweater, I made my way to the Alpha’s house. Luna Selene greeted me at the door, her kind smile doing little to mask the worry on her features.
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11:39 Mon, 3 Mar ti
Chapter4
“Good luck,” she said softly, stepping aside to let me in. “For some reason, you’re the only one who can calm him down.”
I nodded, offering her a faint smile in return before heading up the familiar staircase.
Of course, I knew the reason. We were mates, after all. However, it had been long since I’ve come to accept he didn’t want
that
Falco’s room was at the end of the hall, and even before I reached the door. I could hear the loud thud of fists meeting the punching bag.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked lightly before pushing the door open.
What I saw made me freeze in place.
Falco was shirtless, his muscular frame glistening with sweat as he pounded the bag without any mercy. His movements were unrestrained, like he was trying to exorcise some unseen demon.
1 flinched when he landed a particularly hard punch, the chain suspending the bag creaking under the strain.
“You’re going to break it,” I said, my voice coming out shakier than I intended.
He stopped, his chest heaving as he turned to look at me. His eyes burned into mine, making my heart race.
“What do you want, Rina?” he asked, his tone annoyed.
“You need to eat,” I replied, crossing my arms to keep my hands from fidgeting. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself.”
For a moment, he didn’t respond; he just stared at me like he was trying to decide whether to argue or dismiss me altogether. But then he let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his damp hair.
“I can’t eat,” he muttered. “Not when everything’s falling apart.”
I stepped further into the room, closing the door behind me. “What’s falling apart?”
“Everything,” he said bitterly, still pounding on the punching bag like a madman. “The council is breathing down my neck. The townspeople are whispering. They all want the same thing, but I can’t give it to them.”
“What thing?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
“They want a Luna,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. “It’s been two years, Rina. Two years and Natalia still isn’t back. How can I give them a Luna when she isn’t here?”
I bit my lip, unsure of what to say.
“The council is threatening to intervene,” he continued, his frustration bubbling over. “They’re saying that if I don’t find a Luna soon, the pack will be absorbed by another. They’ve already given me more time than the law allows because of my strength, but even that’s running out.”
“What about your parents?” I asked. “Can’t they step in?”
He shook his head. “My parents are well past their prime, Rina. They’re not fit to lead anymore. The council won’t accept it.”
I hesitated, then asked the question that had been lingering in the back of my mind. “If she doesn’t come back… are you willing?”
His gaze snapped to mine, sharp and piercing. “Willing to what?”
“To choose someone else,” I said quietly.
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11:39 Mon, 3 Mar ti
Chapter 5
He laughed, a bitter sound that sent a chill down my spine. “Who, Rina? Who would I choose?”
I swallowed hard, and my throat suddenly dried. “I..I don’t know. Someone who’s good for the pack. Someone who cares about you”
“And who would that be? You?” he asked.
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