A bitter laugh escaped me. “No need, Aunt Lyra. If Nicho cared, he wouldn’t have waited eight years while toying with my heart. It wasn’t a true bond—just a shadow of one. If I don’t let go now, I’ll waste my entire youth waiting for a wolf who’ll never mark me.”
She sighed, clearly struggling to understand how we could live together for so long without solidifying our bond. Still, she didn’t push further, promising to support me no matter what.
Before bed, I set a countdown on my phone. Three days to leave the past behind.
The next day, I asked my mom to send some parting gifts to thank Aunt Lyra for caring for me all these years.
That evening, as I waited for the delivery truck, I found Nicho lingering outside the packhouse.
His golden eyes narrowed as he saw me directing the driver. “What’s all this?”
“Just some farewell gifts for Aunt Lyra,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.
“Farewell?” His voice dropped, the faint growl in his tone betraying his unease.
I gave him a soft smile. “I’ll be leaving the pack soon.”
His wolf flickered briefly in his gaze, but he didn’t press further. Perhaps he thought I was bluffing.