Chapter 4

When I woke up, I was in a guest room in the Ridge Pack territory.

My injuries had already been treated by the pack healers.

Werewolves heal fast, but broken ribs still take time to mend.

A female warrior walked in carrying a glass of water. Seeing me awake, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Your brother brought you here. I have to say, your kids are something else. Their biological mother was dying, yet they demanded the doctor treat that young witch first. And all she had was a tiny scratch."

"Honestly, if those were my kids, I would have disowned them a long time ago."

I gave her a weak smile.

"It's fine. You're right."

She blinked, clearly surprised by my reaction.

Sometimes, outsiders see things much more clearly.

A week later, I was able to get out of bed and walk around.

Werewolf recovery speed really was a blessing.

As I was figuring out my next steps, my phone rang. It was William.

His voice was dripping with annoyance. "Mom, Lily said you haven't come to pick me up all week."

"Lily's house is in chaos right now, and you're just out here enjoying yourself. Aren't you embarrassed?"

"I'm giving you two hours. If you're not back by then, you'll regret it!"

With that, he hung up on me.

Then, a text from Sophia popped up:

[Mom, how long are you going to slack off? My room is a total pigsty! Come back and clean it up right now. Also, I want mushroom soup!]

Standing by the window and looking out at the vast territory of the Ridge Pack, I hesitated for a moment before dialing a number.

The call connected instantly, and a deep, slightly emotional voice answered:

"Claire, I've been waiting for this call for so long."

My eyes welled with tears. "David, I’ve made up my mind. Come pick me up."

"Okay. Send me your location."

A few minutes later, a pickup truck pulled up outside my guest room.

The driver got out and opened the door for me.

Sitting in the passenger seat was a face both familiar and dear. Looking at him, my voice cracked.

"David..."

"It's okay now."

He patted my hand, his voice low and firm. "Since you’ve made your decision, you can't go soft on them ever again."

I nodded. "I won't."

Never again.