Chapter 4

Ilana POV:

I walked into my first-period history class and my heart sank a little. The seat next to mine, the one that belonged to my best friend, Tessa Vance, was empty.

A knot of disappointment tightened in my stomach. I pulled out my phone to text her, then remembered. She'd told me last week she had a family thing today and would be out.

A wave of loneliness, sharp and unwelcome, washed over me. Without Tessa to vent to about my morning with Silas, without her to share my giddy, anxious feelings about Cole, the school day stretched before me like a vast, gray desert.

I slumped into my seat. The low hum of conversation from the other students buzzed around me, and with my werewolf hearing, I couldn't help but pick up snippets.

"Look, it's the Gamma's sister."

"I heard she's dating the Alpha's younger brother..."

"She's so lucky."

The words were like tiny, stinging insects. They made my skin crawl. It was always like this. I was never just Ilana. I was a label, an accessory to someone more important: Silas's sister, Cole's girlfriend. It was one of the reasons I clung to Cole so fiercely; with him, I felt seen for who I was, not for who I was connected to.

Mr. Davison started his lecture on the historic Blood Moon Wars, but his voice was just a meaningless drone in the background. My thoughts had already escaped the classroom, flying across town to the Packhouse.

What was Cole doing right now? Was he exhausted from all the ceremony preparations? Was he thinking of me, even for a second, amidst all the chaos?

I doodled a small wolf in the margin of my notebook, its head tilted up in a howl. Next to it, I wrote Cole's name, the letters looping together in a familiar, comforting pattern. In my mind, Moonlight rested her head on her paws with a soft whine, echoing the deep ache of my own longing.

Lunchtime was even worse. I sat alone at a corner table in the deafeningly loud cafeteria, picking at a sandwich I didn't want. All around me, friends laughed and shared secrets, their easy companionship a stark reminder of my own solitude.

I scrolled through my old text messages with Cole, a bittersweet journey through our shared jokes and sweet nothings. But as I got to the more recent messages, a familiar pang of hurt returned. His replies had become shorter, more perfunctory.

"Busy."

"Talk later."

"Love you."

My head knew he was swamped with pack duties. It was a huge honor, a massive responsibility. But my heart just felt neglected.

Silas's words from this morning echoed in my head. *No one has a choice when the Alpha commands.*

Was that it? Was Cole's distance not just about being busy, but about a direct order from his cold, intimidating brother? The thought sent a shiver of real fear down my spine. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to banish the image of the formidable Alpha Ryker dictating my boyfriend's life-our life. No. I had to trust Cole.

The afternoon classes were a blur of clock-watching. I kept glancing out the window, nursing a foolish hope that I'd see Cole's familiar face in the crowd of parents and siblings waiting for the final bell. But I knew it was a fantasy. The only person coming for me today was Silas.

When the bell finally shrieked, I was the first one out of my seat, practically sprinting from the classroom. I couldn't face my brother yet. I wasn't ready for another lecture, for another dose of his grim, overprotective warnings.

I needed to hear Cole's voice.

Ducking into the quiet sanctuary of the school library, I found an empty carrel tucked away in the back shelves. My heart hammered against my ribs as I pulled out my phone. I took a deep, shaky breath and hit his name on my contact list.

The phone rang, each electronic burr stretching into an eternity. *Please pick up, please pick up, please pick up.*

Just as I was about to lose hope and hang up, the ringing stopped.

"Hey, Ila," Cole's voice came through, a little strained, a little tired. The sound of it was still the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard. "Sorry, I'm kind of in the middle of-"

He was cut off. Not by static, but by a sharp, commanding female voice in the background.

"Cole! We need you over here, now!"

My blood ran cold. I didn't recognize the voice, but the authority in it was unmistakable. It was the voice of someone used to being obeyed.