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 04 A week passed in a blur. It was my last day in Chicago. My flight to London left in eight hours. Morning light streamed into the apartment as I packed my things into a single suitcase. After five years and a partner
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 03 That afternoon, after handing over the first batch of my project files, I was hit by a wave of dizziness. My forehead was burning, the pain in my stomach had sharpened, and my wolf’s natural recovery wasn’t kicking in. I straightened my desk,
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 02 The next morning, I woke to the beeping of the electronic lock. Brooke punched in the code and pushed the door open, not bothering to wipe her shoes. Muddy water tracked across the floor behind her. “Natalie, were you asleep? I sent you
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My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 01 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
My Fiancé Chose Her So I Chose Myself Chapter 01 Read Post »
