I sat by the window in our quarters, staring out at the darkening sky. A storm was coming, I could feel it in the air. But the storm inside me had already begun.

On the table before me was a letter that was still unopened. However, I knew the writer very well. After all, the writer was my father. I had recognized my father’s handwriting the moment I saw it.

For the past few weeks, I had written to him, pouring my heart out onto paper.

I hadn’t given him the full truth about what happened, especially the thing regarding Charles being unfaithful to me with Hailey and my miscarriage. But I had told him enough to make him know what I had been feeling. So, I hoped my father would be happy to receive me back.

‘What if my father refuses to accept me, Lydia?’ I asked my wolf as I looked at the unopened letter sent by my father.

Lydia responded to me calmly, ‘No, he’s your father. He knows what you’ve been going through. Open the letter now, Alexandra. Let’s face it together.’

My wolf’s response had given me the courage that I needed. After a pretty long time, I finally braced myself to open the letter. I couldn’t help but hold the letter with trembling hands. To be frank, a part of me was terrified to read it.

My father had always been a man of few words. However, his words carried weight when he spoke,. What would he say? Would he tell me to stay? Would he advise me to hold on, to fix what was broken? Or would he confirm what I had been too afraid to admit for years?

Eventually, I broke the seal and unfolded the letter. Then, my eyes scanned the whole letter. I quietly read them.

[My dearest Alexandra,

I have received your letters. My dear, I can feel your heartache with each word you’ve written. You are my daughter, so I know you better than anyone. I know your strength, your spirit, and I know when something is wrong.

If the betrothal is no longer what it was meant to be, if Charles no longer values the woman I raised, then I will not stand by and watch you suffer. The doors of the Silver Arrow Pack are always open to you, Alexandra.

You are my daughter, and your place is with those who love and respect you.

Come home, if your heart tells you it is time. I will be waiting.

With love,

Your father]

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Although the words were simple, they hit me harder than I had expected. My father, who was always the pillar of strength, told me that I didn’t have to stay. The Alpha of the Silver Arrow Pack told me that I didn’t have to keep pretending.

The relief was overwhelming to me. For the first time in weeks, I felt the weight on my chest begin to lift.

‘Thank you, Moon Goddess,’ I quietly prayed in my mind.

I folded the letter carefully before placing it back on the table. My father would be waiting for me. The Silver Arrow Pack had always been my home and it would welcome me back with open arms.

Still, doubts appeared in my mind.

Could I really do it? Could I really leave the Black Rose Pack, leave Charles, after all these years? I had given him ten years of my life. But what had he given me in return? Betrayal. Neglect.

Yet, what convinced me to finally leave was the final straw.

The rogue attack came at dusk. It happened so fast that I barely had time to react. One moment, I was walking across the courtyard, trying to clear my head after reading my father’s letter, and the next, the warning bell rang through the air.

For a second, I froze before I snapped back into reality. I could see that the pack members were already rushing toward the gates for protection while warriors shifted into their wolf forms. We had to prepare for the worst case.

My attention was on Charles who was focusing on protecting the pack. For a moment, I felt that old familiar pang of pride. The Alpha looked like the Alpha he was meant to be, commanding, strong. But that feeling quickly dissipated when I saw her.

Hailey.

The Beta was standing beside him, so close that their arms brushed as they moved. I clenched my fists as my anger bubbled to the surface. There was no reason for her to be there. She wasn’t a warrior as she was the Beta. Her place was with the others, strategizing, and organizing.

Instead, there she was with Charles.

But I knew that this wasn’t the time for jealousy.

The first wave of rogues crashed through the gates. Chaos erupted. Charles charged into the fray with the warriors as he shifted into his wolf form, Gerion.

Meanwhile, I was focusing on directing children, pregnant she-wolves, and the elderly to our shelter. Unfortunately, the fight had gone very badly. Everyone panicked.

Just when I was about to help a young she-wolf, I saw one of the rogues’ wolves charging straight toward me.

Immediately, I sent the young she-wolf to safety by directing the wolf to chase after me instead of her.

Without further ado, I shifted into Lydia as I ran as fast as I could. However, this rogue was even faster than me. Not long after that, he already cornered me.

I couldn’t help but howl, hoping that Charles would see me. That he would come to my aid. He had to.

We were mates, weren’t we? Even after everything that happened and even after all the distance between us, surely he wouldn’t let me be killed by some rogue while he stood by.

As I howled at him, his wolf finally came. When I thought that he had come for me, I quickly realized that I was wrong. The Alpha didn’t turn to me. Instead, he turned to Hailey.

After that, I watched in stunned silence as he rushed to Hailey’s wolf form, Dyana, and pushed her out of another rogue who attacked her. His body shielded hers. They tumbled to the ground together. Then, I saw the way he held her as his eyes went wide with concern.

Unfortunately, it made my protection loose. The rogue that had targeted me attacked me when I loosened my protection. His claws pierced my arm.

It was painful, but it wasn’t nearly as deep as the pain I felt watching Charles who chose to protect Hailey instead of me. Seeing him choose her over me right in front of my very own eyes was the final confirmation I needed. I had no place here. Not anymore.

The rogue lunged again, but one of the warriors came to my rescue this time. The warrior, Lucas Dunwell, was someone I knew. He often came to me to seek medication when I helped Greta. Surely, it was him trying to repay the favor I had done to me.

Yet, I barely registered the fight around me. My focus was on Charles and Hailey. Without a second thought, I turned and fled back to the castle.

As soon as I reached the castle, I shifted back into my human form. Even though my arm throbbing with pain, I didn’t care. I would never give Charles the satisfaction of seeing my tears.

I didn’t hesitate once I was back in my quarters. Without further ado, I grabbed a bag and began throwing my things into it. There were clothes, a few keepsakes, and the letters I had written to my father. Frankly, there was no time to pack carefully.

After all, I needed to leave before anyone realized what I was doing.

As I packed my belongings, my eyes landed on the engagement ring Charles had given me all those years ago. I pulled it off my finger quickly before placing it on the table beside a piece of parchment. Then, I sat down and began to write. I wanted to pour out the last of my heart to him.

[Charles,

This is the last time I will write to you. I am breaking off our engagement.

I cannot continue living a life where I am second to someone else, where I am nothing but an afterthought behind you and Beta Hailey. You may not notice or pretend not to notice that the whole pack knows about you and Hailey. But I know well. I deserved someone better. I deserved your love, your loyalty, and your protection. But you gave all of that to someone else.

By the time you read this, I will be gone. I am returning to my father’s pack where I know I will be valued.

Do not come after me. I wish you all the best. Goodbye.

Alexandra]

After I finished writing the letter, I folded it and left it beside the ring. As I stood and grabbed my bag, a strange sense of peace washed over me. This was it. This was the end.

Without looking back, I left the room quietly. The fight was still going on. After I made sure the weak ones had been left safely with Greta, I left the Black Rose Pack behind.

“Goodbye, Charles. I hope I’ll never see you again,” I muttered sadly.

I had shifted into Sylvia for days to go back to my pack. For the first time in 10 years, I felt very free. After all, it had been a long time since I ever felt like this.

Not only that, I also felt much better after my body suffered from the rogue attack and the miscarriage after I became one with Sylvia. Her healing capabilities really helped my body recover faster. In fact, I thought I became even stronger.

While I initially felt scared, I didn’t feel that scared anymore. Sylvia had been helping me in reconnecting me with my old self. Or, rather the new me that I had never discovered.

As Sylvia ran, she told me, ‘To hell with being afraid, Alexandra. We’re one. You must be true to me as I’ve always been to you, okay? See, we’re free now!’

Sylvia was right. We were free after being treated like nothing for 10 years. I deserved more than Charles. That was the truth from my little heart that I had been hiding from myself.

This time, I listened to it. If only I listened to it way earlier, I would be much happier. Still, what happened had happened. There was no use in recalling the pain from the past. So, the only thing I could do was to move forward.

A few meters away, the gates of the Silver Arrow Pack came into view. My heart felt emotions I hadn’t felt in years. Finally, I had made it home.

‘We’re home, Alexandra,’ Sylvia said as she let me take over my body, shifting into my human form.

Everything looked very different yet it still felt familiar. It felt wonderful to be back home again. The little trees I grew had grown tall and sturdy. As for the castle where I had lived, it got bigger. Still, this was my home. My very own home. This was where I belonged.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Lydia definitely could sense my anxiety.

‘Your father will never abandon you,’ my wolf said, giving me the assurance I needed.

So, I braced myself to open the gate.

I was very surprised to see what I had found. After all, I hadn’t expected the welcome I received when I stepped through the gates. The Silver Arrow Pack members were already gathering. All of them were smiling.

However, my attention was quickly diverted to someone who stood in the middle of them all. That someone was my father. The Alpha of the Silver Arrow Pack, Alpha Addison Hale.

“Alexandra!“ my father called me with a gentle yet firm voice.

As soon as I heard his voice, I couldn’t help but run towards him.

“Father!“ I exclaimed.

The moment I reached the Alpha, he pulled me into a tight embrace. My tears quickly fell even though I had tried to hide it. All the feelings that I had been hiding for 10 years had come out of the surface.

‘My daughter, Alexandra, I’m so sorry that it turns out this way,’ my father said to me through the mind-link.

I quickly responded through the mind-link, ‘Thank you for receiving me home, Father. I-I’m scared that I’ll let you down, but-’

‘Nonsense, you’re my daughter and this is your pack. I should’ve said more so you won’t suffer so much,’ my father quickly cut me off through the mind-link as he wiped my tears.

That was when I realized that the Alpha had aged since I last saw him. His once thick, dark hair had lots of silver streaks. Then, there were deep lines etched across his face. Yet, his eyes still held that familiar warmth I had always known.

“You’re home,“ he said softly, pulling back just enough to look at me as he cried softly.

“I am. And I’m not leaving again,“ I whispered, my throat tightening with emotion.

“I’m glad to hear that. I miss you so much,“ my father said as he kissed my forehead.

He then continued in a reassuring tone, “We’ve missed you. The pack has missed you. So, don’t you ever feel afraid to be here, Alexandra.”

When I heard that, my heart felt very warm. I had no idea how long it had been for my heart to feel this warm. Truly, I felt very touched.

Then, I glanced around at the familiar faces of the pack members who had gathered to greet me. They were all smiling so sincerely, unlike the Black Rose Pack members. It made me realize that this was indeed my true home. These people were my family.

“And I’ve missed all of you,“ I replied to all the pack members as I felt a sense of belonging I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Just as I was about to say more, I heard a familiar voice behind me.

“Well, if it isn’t my long-lost sister!“

I turned around to see Matthew Hale, the rogue my father had taken in years ago. The rogue had grown up in our pack when my mother, the late Luna Wylla, had begged our father to take him in and raise him as the heir since werewolf packs couldn’t be inherited to a woman.

Even though we weren’t related by blood, I had always seen Matthew as a little brother. My foster little brother had grown to the point that I barely recognized him. Not only that, the young man had become confident yet still very cheeky.

“Matthew!“ I called his name as he pulled me into a playful hug.

I couldn’t help but hug him back tightly as I exclaimed, “You’ve gotten taller since I last saw you.“

“And stronger,“ he added as he winked and flexed his muscles.

The young man then continued, “I’ve been working hard, you know. Keeping the pack in shape while you were off having fun with the Black Rose Pack.“

I rolled my eyes at his teasing as I told him, “I wouldn’t call it having fun.”

Matthew laughed, but there was something in his eye. In fact, it made me even pause for a while. The young man looked at me with more than just the affection of a brother. There was a softness behind those eyes that I had never noticed before.

It made me think to myself, ‘Could it be that he …’

However, I quickly brushed it off. I told myself that I was imagining things.

To my surprise, Sylvia then told me, ‘You have no idea that there is always another chance, Alexandra.’

Before I could speak, my wolf continued, ‘The Moon Goddess rarely gives us such blessings to have another chance for a mate.’

What Sylvia said stunned me. But I still had no idea on what to do. So, I just kept quiet as I looked back at Matthew who kept looking at me … longingly.

“You’ve done a good job, Matthew. The pack is in good hands with you around,“ my father sincerely complimented my foster brother, clapping him on the shoulder.

When Matthew heard it, his eyes got brighter. That made me also happy. Yet, my attention was quickly diverted by the way his eyes kept looking at me. I noticed that those eyes were lingering a little too long before he turned back to my father.

“I’m just doing my part, Alpha. Anything to help the pack,“ he said with a shrug.

Somehow, I couldn’t help but smile. My heart felt very warm. It was clear to me that Matthew, who had worked hard, had shown results from his strict training. Not only that, he even became a vital part of our pack as he was able to help my father even more than me.

As we walked toward the castle, I told Matthew, “You’ve really grown into a good future Alpha.”

My foster brother just glanced back at me as his rough face softened when he responded, “Well, I’ve had Father. He’s a very good teacher.”

The Alpha, my father, smiled when he heard Matthew praising him.

“But … it’s really good to have you back, Alex. The pack hasn’t been the same without you,“ he continued.

When I heard it, I couldn’t help but feel very touched by what he said. After all the things I had experienced, I knew that I needed someone to support me. Not even Charles could do that. Yet, Matthew became my new support.

“It’s good to be back,“ I said quietly as I looked at the familiar castle where I used to live.

I continued as I tried to smile, but my voice betrayed me when I spoke, “I’ve missed this place. I’ve missed … everything.“

For a moment, I could feel that Matthew was looking at me as if he was searching for something in my eyes.

“You’ve changed since the last time I saw you,“ he said, sounding worried.

I nodded my head as my smile faded away before I told him, “A lot of things … happened, Matthew.”

Matthew’s gaze lingered on me as if he wished to know more, but he didn’t press further because I kept quiet.

But he shocked me when he said, “I hope I can be a source of comfort for you.”

After that, Matthew quickly changed the subject of our conversation. My foster brother told me all about the pack’s latest achievements, the challenges they had faced, and how he had helped my father maintain their influence. It was clear that the young man had stepped up into a good leader.

In the future, he surely would be a good Alpha. My father had raised my foster brother right because this young man had grown into a strong, capable leader. I was also proud.

Yet, there was also something else too.

I could feel it in the way Matthew kept looking at me, the way his voice softened when he spoke to me, and the way he often held my hand as we strolled around the castle. While there was a sense of familiarity between us, there was also something new that I never knew that it would happen.

Again, what my wolf had said kept coming back into the back of my mind.

‘Could it be that Matthew … is my second chance?’ I thought to myself.

The things that happened between Matthew had bothered me.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t ask Sylvia as she was resting inside me after running for days, which was expected. Since I wasn’t sure what to make of it when it came to Matthew, I kept my responses polite and focused more on the pack. Besides, there was also another thing that I had in mind.

I found myself sitting by the fireplace inside my room after I settled back into my old room. My father also helped me settling here, so he sat next to me. When I looked at him, the Alpha looked tired, more so than I had ever seen him before. That worried me.

“Father,“ I began, glancing over at him.

My father quickly looked back at me as if he told me to go on.

So, I started to talk again, “I’ve been thinking … I want to help the pack more. By leaving the Black Rose Pack, I’m aware that I’ve disappointed our pack. But I promise to make you proud.”

The Alpha smiled gently as he told me, “You’re never a disappointment, Alexandra. You always make me and your mother proud. But you said that you want to help me? May I know how?”

“I’ve always wanted to become the pack doctor,“ I told my father from the bottom of my heart with my voice steady.

After that, I looked back at my father as he said, “Since I’m back now, I think it’s time I started learning.”

My father looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. It made me nervous. Since I knew my father very well, I knew that when he had a blank expression would mean that he was thinking hard about it.

‘What if he refuses?’ I thought to myself as I kept waiting for a response from my father.

To my relief, the Alpha then slowly nodded his head.

“I always knew you had a healer’s heart, Alexandra. If that’s what you want, I’ll support you,“ he said quietly.

When I heard his answer, I felt much better as I told him, “Thank you, Father. I want to help take care of you and the pack. It’s time I do more.“

He reached over and squeezed my hand as he said, “You’ve always done more than enough, my daughter. But I’m proud of you. I always have been.“

The moment Father said that to me, my tears fell again from my cheeks. I tried to stop it, but my father held my hands tightly. After that, I heard something that made me even cry.

Father asked me, “I’m sorry, Alexandra. Life must’ve been so unkind to you, no?”

I nodded quietly as I let my father hug me while he was crying. When I heard the Alpha crying, it also made me cry even more. For a while, we were crying before my father looked at me with eyes of determination.

“I’m sorry, Alexandra. I’ve failed you as my father. But don’t worry. You’ll stay here with us as you like,” he told me firmly.

Even though I hadn’t told him of my miscarriage and Charles’ affair with Hailey, I felt much more relieved. I had never felt this kind of relief, frankly speaking. Nevertheless, the burden that I had carried for years had slowly been lifted. That night, I slept like a baby.

A few days later, I got myself used to life back in the Silver Arrow Pack.

I quickly began my training with the pack doctor, Lord Alistair Pritchett. The doctor was old, but he was extremely knowledgeable. He was actually really happy to learn that I would be his apprentice as he knew me well. The training was hard, but it made me happy.

Then, a letter arrived. Immediately, I recognized the handwriting. Greta, the Black Rose Pack doctor, was the one who sent it. For a while, I hesitated. But my curiosity got the better of me before I opened it. After all, I felt unsure if I wished to read whatever news she had to share.

Eventually, I decided to brace myself because I knew that I had to know what Greta was writing. What if it was something important? What if the Black Rose Pack declared war to our pack because of me running off? Countless scenarios appeared in my mind as I opened the letter.

What Greta wrote really shocked me.

[Alexandra,

I hope this letter finds you well. Word has spread quickly that you’ve returned to your father’s pack. We all know why.

When Alpha Charles reads your letter, he seems to be shocked. I’ve never seen him like this. That man became uncontrollable. He lashed out at everyone, including Hailey. He even hurt her physically. Not only that, he blames her for your leaving.

But what scares me even now is that he hasn’t been the same since. The Alpha becomes different.

As for the pack, they miss you. They’ve started to realize that you were the heart of the Black Rose Pack. Many have spoken about how things aren’t the same without you.

They want you to come back, Alexandra. Even Charles, though he would never admit it openly, wants you back.

But whatever you decide, I understand. I only wanted to let you know what’s been happening.

Take care,

Greta]

I stared at the letter for a long time, my mind reeling with everything Greta had written. Charles had hurt Hailey? And the pack missed me?

There was a part of me that felt a flicker of satisfaction, knowing that they had finally realized what they had lost. But, frankly speaking, the rest of me … was unimpressed. It was too late.

‘Serves you right, Charles!’ I thought to myself.

Charles could be as uncontrollable as he wanted and the pack could miss me all they liked, but I wasn’t going back. I would never go back to the place that treated me as if I was a prisoner for 10 years. Never!

Without a second thought, I crumpled the letter and threw it into the fire. I watched as the flames consumed it, the words disappearing into ash.

I was free. Free from Charles, free from the Black Rose Pack, and free to live my life the way I wanted.

Over the next few days, I found myself enjoying my life in the Silver Arrow Pack. I spent time with my father, helping him with small tasks around the castle, and continued my lessons from the pack doctor. Finally, I became my old cheerful self after a long time ago.

But what I didn’t know was that my freedom wasn’t as secure as I thought.

Unbeknownst to me, Charles had sent Lucas to follow me. I only found out when our warriors had found Lucas when they were doing their routine inspection. Then, I realized one thing.

I was far from free.