When a winter storm grounded every flight, the five of us from the Lakecrest pack were stranded overnight in the Denver airport.
The blizzard had severed our long-distance mind-links. Pack law dictated that companions care for the sick and weak, but it also stated that no member could be left alone in danger.
My fiancé, Travis Vale, stood in line at the service counter for forty minutes and came back with four blankets.
Five years ago, he had signed a courtship declaration at the Lakecrest pack registry, vowing to complete the formal marking after our wedding. We had no fated bond. We had only his choice and my trust.
Travis shook out two blankets and draped them over Jenna Collins, then handed the other two to Evan Bennett and his sister, Brooke.
Jenna had a weak wolf and recovered poorly after shifting. The registry had classified her as a vulnerable member, entitled to priority care.
Travis met my eyes and just shrugged.
“They only had four left when I got to the front. Natalie, your wolf’s always been strong. You’ll be fine for one night.”
At three in the morning, Jenna said she was hungry.
Evan went to the vending area and came back with four sandwiches.
Travis took his, bit into it, then called Evan back.
“Get Jenna another one. Her blood sugar drops easily. When she’s weak, she can’t even shift right.”
Evan nodded and swiped his card again.
I sat in the drafty gate area, the cold wind seeping through my coat, and watched that sandwich land in Jenna’s hands. My stomach had been cramping with hunger, but in that moment, it just felt numb.
I thought about the train to New York, when they’d booked four tickets and I had to scramble to buy my own at the last minute.
I thought about every pack dinner where they ordered for everyone else, only to realize no one had asked what I wanted.
There had always been five of us in this little circle, but their concern only ever stretched far enough for four.
Just before dawn, an announcement crackled over the speakers: the flight to Chicago was boarding.
The four of them headed for the gate, laughing and talking among themselves. No one looked back. No one used the newly restored short-range mind-link to make sure I was following.
I didn’t call out to them.
I took out my phone and opened the transfer offer from our London headquarters. The position came with work sponsorship from the Thames Riverside pack, which meant I could finally sever my residency ties to Lakecrest.
I hit Accept.
If there was no place for me in their lives, then I could leave.
My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 24 A week later, the music box was returned to my office in London. My lawyer asked me to confirm its condition. Inside the box was a witness-certified copy of Brooke’s signed statement. She retold the story of that morning three years ago.
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 23 Travis’s comment, the posting date, and the people who were there were all still on record. That picture had once made me see just how absurd my place in their lives truly was. Now, it was simply evidence, proving where the item came
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 22 Before the special meeting could even begin, Jenna posted a video online. She had just been allowed home pending her case, and both the police bail conditions and the temporary Lakecrest injunction barred her from approaching me or any Northstar office. In the
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 21 He said, “Before Mr. Vale released his public statement, did he ever make any supplemental disclosure to Northstar regarding Jenna Collins’s unsupervised company access and the related conflicts of interest?” “No.” “During negotiations, was he aware that Northstar and the Lakecrest council were
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 20 Before the plane took off, I replied to the email. *Have the independent review team handle it. I am recusing myself from all disciplinary votes involving Travis Vale, but please retain all documentation under the acquisition agreement and territory licensing rules.* Marissa replied
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 19 Travis took a velvet box out of his pocket. When he opened it, the engagement ring I had left on the coffee table three years ago was nestled inside. The band had been resized, and an even more expensive halo of diamonds now
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 18 Travis’s hand shook the entire time he signed the papers. TerraGrid kept enough operating capital to survive, but control of the company shifted to a new board appointed by Northstar. The Lakecrest council also removed Travis from his representative seat. He went from
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 17 They thought that by condemning Jenna together, they could prove the past had nothing to do with them. “Travis. Evan.” I stopped them both. “The fact that you’re in such a hurry to distance yourselves from her only makes me think less
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 16 The next afternoon, as I walked out of the office building, Jenna lunged out from behind the landscaping by the curb. Her hair was a mess, her eyes wild, and her nails were sharpened into claws. She was clutching something in her hand.
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 15 “That’s not—” “It is,” I cut her off. “Three years ago, you took my birthday gift to curry favor with Jenna. You didn’t think she was using people back then. You were just used to stepping over my boundaries to gain acceptance in your
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