A single tear slipped down my cheek. Deep down, I knew they all cared, and this silent rebellion was hurting everyone, but I couldn’t back down now. I had to prove myself—to them, to myself—whatever it took. I had to get out, to show that I was strong, skilled, and worthy. No words of reassurance would make me believe I was good enough until I saw it for myself.

I grabbed the food Leo had left at my door only after I was sure he and everyone else had left. Slowly, I ate each bite, mostly to avoid any lectures about not taking care of myself. It was a hollow act, a small nod to the reality that I needed fuel, no matter how small I felt right now. I placed the empty dishes back outside my door, a wordless thanks, then tried to sleep.

After a night of tossing and turning, I woke up groggy, dressing half-asleep in my patrol gear. I was so out of it that I forgot to slip out my usual back window and instead walked right out the front door. That was my first mistake.

Lost in thought, I bumped into a solid chest as I walked down the path.

“Whoa there, Smalls—uh, I mean, Selene.” Aaron’s hands steadied me, and he quickly released me as if I’d burned him. He gave me a smile, but his eyes remained sad. “You headed for patrol?”

I nodded, unable to meet his gaze. His expression held too much, and I wasn’t sure I could handle what was behind those green eyes.

“Do you want me to walk with—” He paused, clearing his throat. “Never mind. I’ll, uh, see you at school later.”

I managed a small nod and a smile but still couldn’t meet his eyes. “See you,” I mumbled, moving around him and hurrying toward the woods, needing the trees and the scent of earth and pine to wash away the ache in my chest.

I ran faster, letting the forest calm my nerves. When I arrived at the patrol cabin, I’d beaten Gamma Brett by ten minutes. Just enough time to get my emotions under control.

“I should’ve known you’d get here before us,” Gamma Brett greeted me with a smile.

I grinned back, but then his words sank in. “Wait—‘us’?”

Behind him, Marnie shuffled forward, looking as out of place as a flamingo in the tundra. Her makeup was smeared, her hair in a messy knot, and her clothes—bright pink and yellow—were clashing wildly with the muted browns and greens of the forest. She looked like she’d dressed in the dark.

My wolf growled lowly in my mind. What the hell?

I was going to ask you the same thing, I thought back, my irritation rising. She’s here to spy, or worse, cause problems.

Gamma Brett coughed, snapping me out of my mental rant. “The teams got rearranged, and Marnie will be joining us. Since she can’t shift yet, we’ll stay in human form, but you know the drill, Selene. This is just basic perimeter patrol.”

“Sure thing.” I nodded, glancing away from Marnie’s wide-eyed stare.

Before we could get started with the patrol, Marnie looked at me cautiously, before deciding to initiate conversation. “You got to talk to the Alpha King?” she squealed, practically bouncing with excitement.

I kept my answer brief. “Yeah. We had a few conversations while he was staying at the pack house.” Gamma Brett raised a brow at my minimal response, probably remembering that I usually loved to talk strategy. But with Marnie here, I wasn’t about to get into a tactical discussion.

Marnie didn’t train seriously. She showed up to flirt with the guys, bending in dramatic stretches that were more about showing off than warming up. And now, she was on my patrol shift. If anything happened, Brett and I would have to defend both her and ourselves.

Gamma Brett explained our route as we jogged, focusing on the basics of patrolling and scent marking. He went over boundary markers and showed us how to read broken branches and subtle disturbances in the foliage—important signs if intruders had crossed the perimeter.

Forty-five minutes in, Marnie started complaining.

“Are we almost done?” she whined, clutching her side. “My legs hurt, and I’m hungry.”

I clenched my jaw, counting to ten to keep from snapping. Four hours to go, I reminded myself, silently begging her to keep quiet.

Gamma Brett stifled a chuckle, barely containing his amusement. “You’ll have to suck it up, Marnie. This is a five-hour shift, and we’re only just getting started.”

She pouted. “Well, I thought I’d be sitting at some monitor with Ethan or Leo, watching security cameras or something. Mr. Cunningham said he’d make sure we were paired up with strong warriors who’d do all the real work so we could observe.”

I couldn’t stop myself from snorting. “What exactly did you think patrol was?”

Marnie huffed. “Definitely not this.”

Gamma Brett, finally reaching the end of his patience, added, “If you’re on patrol, you’re here to work, not observe. And just so you know, Selene’s one of our strongest. Cunningham wasn’t lying about that.”

Marnie fell silent, but her eyes occasionally narrowed in irritation. As the hours wore on, her pace slowed even more. She dragged her feet so much that Brett had to call another team to relieve us early. By the time we returned to the cabin, I was embarrassed that our team had been such a mess, all because of her.

Afterward, I headed to my father’s house to shower before school, enjoying the rare quiet. I turned the corner to find Devin waiting on my front porch, looking much more relaxed than usual.

The scowl he’d worn all week was gone as he walked over and wrapped me in a tight hug, pinning my arms to my sides. “I’m sorry, Selene. I didn’t realize how bad it was for you here. I needed to vent to someone, and so did Kylie. I won’t stop you from leaving or try to hold you back. You’re not wrong. We all get to come and go as we please, and we made you feel trapped here.”

I blinked, stunned at the words spilling from his mouth.

His face softened as he looked at me. “We’re just afraid you won’t ever come home once you leave.”

I managed a nod, unsure how to respond. He stepped back, rubbing the back of his neck. “So… how was your patrol?”

A sarcastic laugh slipped out before I could stop it. “Awful. Marnie was deadweight, and we had to call in backup. How did they even get on patrol rotations? And who got stuck with Stacey?”

“Kylie has Jeanie, and I got Stacey,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “They weren’t happy about it, either. My dad’s furious, but my uncle’s probably behind the whole thing. He thinks he can play matchmaker by forcing everyone to be together.”

I grimaced, momentarily forgetting that Devin and Stacey were related. “I’m just glad to be back. Let me shower, and I assume you’re my escort to school?”

“Yep. And here.” He handed me a bag I hadn’t noticed before. “Luna Ava asked me to give this to you. She says to come home whenever you’re ready.”

I nodded, taking the bag. Inside were fresh clothes and toiletries, the little things I hadn’t thought to pack when I’d left in a hurry. It was more than just a change of clothes; it felt like an invitation.

As I stepped inside, I took a deep breath. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all.