Raymond’s eyes filled instantly with worry. Before Evan could respond, he blurted, “I’ll come right now, Hailey. Don’t worry.” Evan’s face mirrored the concern, his usual composure cracking.
Neither spared Lenora another word. In seconds they shifted into their wolves, urgency driving them through the door. Their paws scattered dust and scraps of paper from her carefully packed boxes as they vanished into the night.
Lenora stood still in the quiet that followed, their absence settling heavily in the space they had left behind. Then she pulled out her phone and dialed a number etched deep in her memory.
After two rings, a warm voice answered. Anna—the healer who had raised her like her own child when her parents couldn’t.
“Lenora?” Anna’s tone carried the same gentle strength it always had.
Lenora’s own voice softened. “I called to tell you—I’ll be leaving soon. My parents arranged a mate for me, and I’ve agreed.”
Silence followed, heavy and pained. Finally Anna spoke, sadness woven into every word. “Do Evan and Raymond know?”
“No,” Lenora said firmly. “Not yet. And I’d rather it stay that way for now. Please… don’t mention it.”