CHAPTER 2

A friend indeed (Vesper's pov )

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“I’m coming with you,” Kathy said firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument.

“You don’t have to,” Vesper replied, tightening the strap of her worn bag over her shoulder. “This is my choice, Kathy. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Kathy crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Oh, I’m sure you will, but I’m not letting you walk out of here alone. That’s not happening.”

Vesper sighed, her chest heavy with emotions she fought to keep buried. Leaving the pack was the hardest decision she had ever made. But after Jack’s public rejection, there was no place for her here. The pack’s eyes had been filled with judgment and whispers about the omega who foolishly thought she could be more.

She was done with it—done fighting for respect that would never come.

“Kathy, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t want you getting dragged into my mess,” Vesper said softly.

“I don’t care about their stupid rules or what anyone thinks,” Kathy insisted. “You’re my best friend, Vesper. I’m not letting you wander into rogue territory by yourself.”

Vesper looked at Kathy, her throat tightening. Kathy had always been there for her, through every harsh word and scornful glance from the pack. Loyalty like that was rare.

“Thank you,” Vesper whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Don’t thank me yet. We’ll probably freeze our butts off or get eaten by rogues,” Kathy said with a teasing grin, trying to lighten the mood.

Vesper let out a shaky laugh. “Sounds like a great adventure.”

With that, they turned toward the thick woods that bordered the pack lands. The towering trees loomed like silent sentinels, their bare branches swaying in the cold wind. The ground was damp beneath their feet, the scent of earth and fallen leaves filling the air.

They moved quietly, their footsteps muffled by the forest floor. The pale moonlight filtered through the branches, casting eerie shadows that danced around them.

Kathy broke the silence. “So... where exactly are we going?”

Vesper hesitated. “I don’t know yet. Just... away.”

Kathy snorted. “Great plan, Vesper. Real solid.”

“I’ll figure it out,” Vesper promised.

“You better. Otherwise, we’ll end up living in a cave with a family of bears.”

Vesper shook her head, smiling despite herself. Kathy always had a way of making things seem less grim.

The wind picked up, biting through their thin jackets. Vesper clenched her fists, trying to keep the cold at bay.

“You should go back,” Vesper said suddenly. “You have a life there, Kathy. Don’t throw it away because of me.”

Kathy stopped walking and stared at her. “A life? What life? Being the pack’s punching bag because I’m an omega? No thanks. I’d rather take my chances out here with you.”

Vesper’s heart swelled with gratitude. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Darn right you don’t,” Kathy teased, nudging her shoulder.

They continued walking, the forest growing darker around them. The howls of distant wolves echoed through the night, but neither woman flinched. They were used to the wild, used to surviving.

Vesper’s thoughts drifted back to Jack. The way his eyes had hardened when he spoke those words of rejection still haunted her. He had been her everything—her hope, her dream.

“I trusted him,” Vesper said bitterly, her voice breaking the silence.

“I know,” Kathy said gently. “But he doesn’t deserve your tears.”

Vesper swallowed the lump in her throat. “He’s the alpha. He had to listen to the pack elders, right?”

Kathy snorted. “That’s no excuse. Jack had a choice, and he chose wrong. End of story.”

Vesper knew Kathy was right, but it didn’t make the pain any less sharp. She had loved Jack with every fiber of her being, and he had thrown her away like she was nothing.

Silence settled between them as they pressed forward. The night grew colder, the wind slicing through their clothes. Vesper’s legs ached, but she pushed on, determined to put as much distance as possible between herself and the pack.

Finally, they reached a small clearing. Vesper dropped her bag and sat on a fallen log, exhaustion pulling at her limbs.

Kathy plopped down beside her, breathing heavily. “We need a plan,” she said between breaths.

“I know,” Vesper admitted, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.

“Maybe we can find a pack that’s not stuck in the dark ages,” Kathy suggested. “One where they don’t judge people by rank.”

Vesper’s heart ached at the thought. Was such a place even possible? A pack that valued kindness and loyalty over power and status?

“We’ll figure it out,” she said, forcing herself to believe it.

Kathy grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

The wind rustled the trees around them, and Vesper felt a flicker of hope. She had left behind heartbreak and rejection, but she wasn’t alone.

Kathy was right—they would find a new place, a new beginning. Together, they would survive.

“We should keep moving,” Vesper said after a moment.

“Seriously? I just sat down,” Kathy groaned.

Vesper smiled faintly. “We need to find shelter before it gets colder.”

Kathy sighed dramatically but stood up anyway. “Fine. But if we run into a bear, I’m making you do the talking.”

Vesper chuckled. “Deal.”

They grabbed their bags and continued through the forest, their breath visible in the chilly air. The path ahead was uncertain, but Vesper felt a spark of determination ignite in her chest.

She had been cast aside, rejected by the alpha she loved, but she wouldn’t let that define her.

This was the start of something new.

And with Kathy by her side, she knew they could face whatever came next.

The long walk through the forest was intoxicating and exhausting but finally we stood on a hill sighting a pack from afar.

We stared back at each other then at the pack.

“Should we?” I asked intently.

“We have no choice now.”

“What if we're thrown into the dungeon or made slaves, or worse…” I could think of the craziest things right now.

“Calm your nerves, vesper, if we stay here we might die of thirst and hunger,let's try asking for help first.”

She stared at me, I nodded after exhaling.

“Let's go.”