But it’s home with its warm fireplace, basic oversized furniture, and modern appliances. It’s peaceful here despite the times we live in and the turmoil all around us.
The small cabin in the heart of the woods is one of five that were built after the curse took out most of our pack and we fled after the other packs continued to seek retribution against us. We are in the most remote part of northern Alaska where only a handful of packs live in the harsh conditions. Most prefer to live closer to civilization, where they can enjoy more human comforts.
Only three of the cabins are currently occupied. I’m afraid of how few will be left if Kael and I leave. There will be no more hope. Only the eldest will remain, and I doubt they will continue to put up much of a fight against the surrounding packs trying to take our land. The pack won’t survive until winter, which is the only time we have the advantage. Our pack has grown accustomed to the harsh winters, unlike the surrounding packs that prefer their luxuries and warm heat.
I throw the wooden door open and step inside after Father, determined to change his mind now that we aren’t in front of the rest of the pack.
“I’m not leaving.”
“You are.” He hunches over the kitchen counter. I can’t tell what he’s making, but he’s pulled several items out of the fridge, and his broad shoulders block my view.
“You need me! You need me here to help stop the curse. To help rebuild the pack. To—”
Father turns with a growl. “There is no pack left!”
His growl sends shivers down my body and forces me to stop and listen. He hasn’t used a growl like that on me in a long time. I’m not even sure I ever recall him getting this worked up around me. He’s always been a calm, gentle giant. He’s a firm leader who never needs to raise his voice or show his strength to get othersto follow. He’s never even been questioned as alpha. No one has ever fought him for the title.
My mouth slams shut as if on its own accord. I don’t know if he gave an alpha command or just raised his voice so loud that my basic instinct is to snap it shut.
“There is nothing left for you here, Lumi.Nothing. And you have to accept that you will never get your wolf. Your heightened wolf eyesight isn’t enough to live in a pack, risking your life every day pretending you’ll someday be something else. By every indication, you are human…”
I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.
“You’re not a wolf shifter. You’re not one of us. You’re human. And you will learn to live as a human.”
My eyes water as my mouth gapes open.But I’m not a human. It doesn’t matter that I’m only showing a single wolf strength. I’m more than a human. I’m…
Father looks down at me with a cold expression I’ve never felt from him before. This isn’t up for discussion.
He turns back around, and I’m left trying to figure out how to convince him. I need to talk to Kael. I need to talk to the others. They will be on my side. They’d never kick a member out of the pack. There would be a revolt.
Before I can speak, I see what Father was making. Four sandwiches sit on the counter in ziplock bags. He begins loading them into a backpack—mybackpack.
I look around the living room behind me until I spot it—my packed duffel bag.
He really has put thought into this. There is nothing I can say that will change his mind.
He turns, holding my backpack out to me.
I take it.
“There’s all the cash I have on hand and enough food for you to survive the week. Take the car, take Kael, and headsouth. Leave Alaska. Go find a job. You’re smart. You could go to college or open your own business. There are credit cards in there. Use them to pay for everything. The pack and I will pay them off. Use them to start a new life, a better life.”
I shake my head, desperately trying to hold back the tears swelling in my eyes. A drop of sweat from my brow sinks down into my eyes, burning them and forcing the tears to finally fall.
Father doesn’t react. He doesn’t come and hold me like he used to when I was younger. He just stares at me with a dark shadow of indifference I’ve never seen before.
“Look,” he says, nodding toward the window behind me.
I turn and see Kael being bandaged by his aunt. As she wraps a large bandage around his upper chest, I see he has a nasty cut on his forehead as well.
“You almost got him killed tonight.”
“That wasn’t my fault—”
“Enough.” He silences me once again. “I know you care about the boy. He hasn’t gotten his wolf either and likely never will—you can both live as humans. You can both escape this tortured fate. Take him and leave.”
I wipe my tears, looking at Kael. He does deserve better than this. He deserves so much more. I don’t want to sacrifice everything—my family, my life, my pack—for him. But I can help him get out if he wants.
