Chapter 8

Ella's POV

He'd never done that with me in public, and it shattered my heart. So much for hope. A bitter smile tugged at my lips as I noticed the moon keychain on Anna's wrist, the one I'd wanted, but he'd chosen another for me, because there had only been one left.

Anna's face lit up when they broke their embrace. "Thank you for the beautiful keychain," she cooed, her voice dripping with sweetness. "It's gorgeous."

Carson ran his fingers through her hair with affection. "I saved it for you. I knew you'd love it."

Then Anna caught sight of me, her grin widening. "Miss Hansen!"

Carson snapped his head around, his smile vanishing instantly. He didn't look guilty, nor panicked, just indifferent, as if what he'd done didn't even matter.

"I didn't know you were here. Who are you with?" Anna asked, her innocent smile plastered on her face. How could I be mad at her? She had no idea what was really going on between me and Carson.

I glanced at him, and I could see the guilt in his eyes. He'd lost track of time, forgotten about me. But before I could say anything, a sudden commotion broke out. Women and children were screaming, rushing toward us in panic. Everything happened so fast that I could barely process it.

"Rogues! Rogues! Run!" someone yelled, and chaos erupted. A body bumped into me as I stood frozen, my eyes locked on Carson, who grabbed Anna's hand and hurried her toward the festival's exit.

In that moment, I let the bracelet I'd bought for him, the one I'd planned to give him, slip from my fingers and fall to the ground. Without a second glance, I turned and walked in the opposite direction, leaving the sounds of the festival behind me as the guards from the Werewolf King rushed toward the rogues threatening to ruin everything.

Two hours later, I found myself at the train station, suitcase in hand, waiting for my departure. Carson's name flashed on my phone, the screen lighting up with his calls, but I didn't bother to answer. I set the phone to silent.

Right before I boarded the train, I typed out a message:

"We're done, Carson. I, Ella Hansen, am rejecting you as my mate."

When I hit send, I pulled out the SIM card and tossed it into the nearest trash can before stepping onto the train.

It was nearly midnight when the train pulled into my hometown. As I stepped off, I spotted my dad and my brother, Ashen, waiting for me.

My brother wrapped me in a tight hug, and my father smiled, kissing my forehead and telling me how much he'd missed me. We headed to the car, Ashen's arm draped over my shoulders like it always had, a protective gesture that made me feel safe. He didn't ask questions, didn't press me for answers. He simply opened the passenger door and gave me a gentle nod to get in.

As I slid into the seat, my gaze fell on a large bag of my favorite snacks and a chilled bottle of yogurt sitting on the console.

Before starting the car, Dad chuckled softly, reaching over to grab the yogurt bottle. His hands were rough, scarred from years of protecting our pack, the Hansen pack, but his touch was gentle as he poked a straw through the lid and handed it to me.

"Here, drink this, Princess," he murmured, his voice soothing.

As I took the bottle, I noticed the silvery strands near his temples, the lines of wisdom and stress etched into his face from years of leadership. Something inside me broke, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face, uncontrollable sobs wracking my body.

"Dad," I choked out between sobs, "I'm staying home this time. I can't keep running... I need to be here, with you, with Mom, with Ashen. I'm not leaving again."

A faint, tender smile curled the corners of his mouth. "You're home, Princess, whether you're here or not," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "You'll always be our little wolf."

Ashen, sitting in the back seat, cleared his throat. "You know," he said, his voice low and warm, "the pack's been missing you, too, Princess. Maybe... maybe you could take a role here. At least for now." His words carried a silent promise of support, and I felt the weight of his presence, a future Alpha who would do anything for his sister.

Dad didn't ask for details, didn't pry into why I had returned so suddenly. Instead, he drove us through the quiet woods, letting the night's stillness fill the silence. When we reached the packhouse, the familiar warmth and scents of home wrapped around me like a comforting embrace.

After a quick shower, I settled into bed, the room softly lit by the moon streaming through my window. I opened my phone to check messages, hoping for some distraction. A notification caught my eye, several unread messages from Ava, one of my closest friends at the company I'd just left. Her concern was evident in her words, asking if I was okay, if there was anything she could do.

Then, another message came in, a video file with a note:

"Ella, this video is blowing up in the company group chat. It's about Anna and Alpha Carson."