Valerie’s POV
I didn’t stop walking no matter how much Mike called my na.
Now wasn’t the ti to get soft-hearted, otherwise I would regret it for life.
Even when the pack boundary disappeared behind , I didn’t waver or falter.
I watched as the trees thinned and the scent of the forest faded and was replaced by sothing unfamiliar.
I had only seen this scene once a week ago when I attended the business dinner with Mike.
This ti, I was experiencing it alone. From now on, I was going to be the only person holding my fate in my hands.
I would build sothing different from what the pack represents.
Sothing more human that would tolerate people without a wolf like .
Well, everyone believed that I don’t have a wolf.
My suitcase rolled softly behind , its wheels bumping slightly against uneven ground as I followed the narrow path that led toward the main road.
The walk was long since werewolves tried hard to live away from modern civilization.
The packs were built deep in the forests and getting there needed transport.
However, I didn’t own a car and couldn’t call a cab. So, my only option was to walk.
The sky had begun to lighten, streaks of orange and gold stretching across the horizon.
It was a new day, and a new beginning.
Or at least, that’s what I told myself.
But deep inside, there was still sothing unsettling.
An ache that refused to go away and a hole where my heart was supposed to be.
I knew it was because I was away from my mate, but I wasn’t going to let the mate bond dictate my life.
I clenched my jaw slightly and kept walking.
"Don’t think about him," Lizzie murmured.
"I’m not." I kept telling myself the sa lie.
Maybe if I told it often enough, even I would believe it so day.
It took hours before I finally reached the main road. And during this ti, I didn’t encounter a single living thing. Not even a rabbit.
Luckily, I had so chocolates and cookies I had packed and ate when I got hungry.
I couldn’t believe that as soone with over ten million dollars in savings, I couldn’t even get a decent al because I was sneaking around to run away.
And still got caught.
By the ti I reached the road, the sun was fully up, and the world had co alive.
Cars passed by occasionally. This was a place far out in the country and away from the city.
In a good car, it would only take two hours from the pack to the road and around forty-five minutes from the road to the city.
Now, I could get a lift to the city if I was lucky.
The cars belonged to humans who were unbothered and blissfully ignorant of the existence of werewolves and other supernatural beings.
They were living their lives without fear of packs, bonds, or hierarchies.
For a mont, I just stood by the road, watching the cars passing by and the scenery I never dread of.
This was the world I had never been a part of and the world I was about to step into.
"Are you nervous?" Lizzie asked.
"A little." I replied softly.
That was an understatent.
I had faced rogues before, survived abuse, and stood before a council that wanted to strip of everything.
And yet, standing here, facing the unknown....felt more terrifying than all of that combined
Because I didn’t have a safety net I could fall back on.
I couldn’t rely on anyone and I didn’t have a backup.
So, I could only move forward.
Getting to the city wasn’t as hard as I expected.
Money.
That was the one thing I didn’t lack and never expected it could make life so convenient.
I swore to myself that once I settled down, I would take a few big orders on the dark web and earn a few tens of millions.
That way, I would have enough money for anything I want in the future.
A taxi took the rest of the way.
And as the scenery changed from open roads to crowded streets and towering buildings, I felt the difference.
And a realization hit . I had crossed over and there was no turning back.
The city was loud and overwhelming.
Everyone moved in different directions and appeared to be busy with sothing.
Cars honked loudly, voices overlapped, and everything appeared fast and chaotic.
Yet this chaotic scene made feel alive.
I stepped out of the taxi slowly, my suitcase beside as I looked around.
For a mont, I felt small and insignificant in this huge place.
Like I could disappear in this crowd and no one would notice.
But strangely, that didn’t scare .
Instead, it made feel free. As if I had the right to choose whether I could be found or not.
"No one knows you here," Lizzie suddenly said.
"Yes." This was a good thing.
There were no people with unrealistic expectations or unfair judgent.
A faint smile touched my lips.
"I like it." I finally admitted it out loud.
And I also noticed that Lizzie had been more active lately.
She didn’t disappear for weeks like before.
I was happy to have a familiar companion in this new environnt.
I didn’t wander aimlessly once the taxi dropped .
I had a destination. Or to be more precise, a person.
The only person in the world who didn’t know as a wolfless Luna or a slave.
My ntor.
The one who had guided through the digital world.
The one who had helped build my skills.
The one who had never asked questions I wasn’t ready to answer.
I had sent him a ssage when I decided to leave and he said when would wait for in the city.
It was ti to finally et face-to-face.
I pulled out my phone and checked the address again.
It was indeed a quiet cafe in a hidden alley that looked unassuming.
Perfect for a clandestine eting.
Hackers never exposed themselves so casually. So, we had to be careful when eting.
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