Chapter 6: Departure

I sat at the kitchen table, a cup of lukewarm tea in front of me. The steam no longer rose from the cup, but I didn’t have the energy to drink it. My mind was whirlwind. The summer trip to Alaska was becoming real, and the closer the departure date came, the more I felt the weight of it all.

Mom’s voice broke through my thoughts as she walked into the kitchen, her eyes warm but tired. “I just got off the phone with Alpha Jerry,” she said, standing in front of me with her arms crossed. “It’s all set. You’ll leave in two days. I’ve arranged for you to spend the summer with my old pack.”

I nodded silently, unsure of how to respond. She was right. I had known this was coming. After everything that happened with Jeremy, after all the pain, it felt like the only option. But even though I was preparing for it, even though part of me wanted the space, part of me still wasn’t ready. The goodbye would be harder than I thought.

“Okay,” I said softly. The word felt like it was stuck in my throat. “What now?”

“You’ll need to start getting ready,” Mom said, the urgency in her tone not matching her calm expression. “Pack your things, say goodbye to your friends. It’s a fresh start, Aurelia. You need it.”

The mention of saying goodbye made my stomach twist. Friends. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever feel normal again, but leaving Arizona—leaving everything behind—wasn’t as simple as it seemed. I glanced out the window, watching the dry desert landscape that had become so familiar, and a pang of sadness hit me. There were people here—people I’d miss. My pack. My old life. But mostly... Jeremy.

A heavy sigh left my lips. “And what about... Jeremy?”

Mom’s face tightened, her jaw setting. “I spoke to him, too,” she said, her voice a little firmer than before. “He agrees this distance will help you both heal. It’s not going to be easy, but I need you to understand—you can’t contact him while you’re in Alaska. No messages, no calls. He’s with his true mate now, and this space will be good for both of you. It’s time to let go.”

Her words stung more than I expected. Let go. It felt impossible to even consider that. But I knew she was right. I couldn’t keep holding onto something that wasn’t mine anymore.

I understand,” I whispered, though the words felt like they were wrapped in chains. I wasn’t sure if I believed it, but I knew it was the right thing to do.

Mom nodded, her eyes softening, but there was a firmness in her gaze that told me she wouldn’t budge on this. “You don’t have to forget him,” she said quietly, “but you do need time. And I think this will give you the space you need. The only way forward is by letting go of what’s behind.”

I was silent for a long moment, her words echoing in my mind. The idea of cutting ties with Jeremy, even temporarily, felt like it would break me. But maybe it was what I needed.

The next day, I started packing. I wasn’t sure what to bring—how do you pack for a summer you know will change everything? For a place that might feel like home but might also feel like a world away? I found myself staring at my clothes for longer than necessary, picking through my wardrobe with no real sense of what I needed. I stuffed a few shirts, jeans, and jackets into my bag, not sure why I was even doing it. Nothing seemed to matter.

Mom came in to check on me later. She sat on the bed, watching me, but said nothing for a while. Finally, she spoke, her voice softer now. “Are you okay?”

“I guess,” I said with a shrug, though I wasn’t sure if I was lying or just trying to convince myself. “Just... trying to get everything ready.”

“You’re going to need a jacket,” she said gently. “And some warm clothes. It’s cold up there. Not like here.”

I nodded absently. The cold. Alaska was nothing like Arizona. Everything about it was so... different. And I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

What was I really leaving behind? I thought about Ares and Melissa—my brother and my closest friend.

They’d be here, continuing their lives, and I’d be... somewhere else. Alaska felt like a world away. And I didn’t know if I was ready for the isolation, but I also knew that maybe it was just what I needed.

But what about Jeremy?

That was the question that wouldn’t leave my mind. It was impossible to ignore the ache in my chest whenever I thought about him, and knowing that I couldn’t contact him while I was gone—it felt like a punishment I didn’t deserve. But deep down, I knew I had to do this for myself. For him too, maybe.

I finished packing my bag in silence, the finality of it weighing on me. The thought of leaving Arizona behind was almost too much. But maybe this was what I needed to move on.

The next morning, I finished the last of my packing. Mom had already arranged for our flight, and everything was set. I couldn’t help but feel a knot in my stomach as I thought about the plane ride ahead. The cold. The isolation. The unknown. I wasn’t sure what I was walking into, but I knew it was going to be different from anything I’d ever known.

“I’m ready,” I said to Mom as I zipped up my bag.

“Good,” she replied. “It’s going to be hard, but we’ll get through this. I know it won’t be easy, but I believe it’s what you need. A fresh start.”

I nodded, though the anxiety in my chest didn’t go away.

As we drove to the airport, the silence between us wasn’t awkward, but it was heavy. The sun was still low in the sky, casting long shadows over the road. My thoughts drifted back to everything I was leaving behind—Ares, Melissa, this life I had known. Was I ready for what lay ahead? Was it possible to move on from something that had meant so much?

We arrived at the airport, and I could feel the weight of everything pressing in on me. Mom squeezed my hand, offering one last smile before she hugged me tightly.

“I love you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

“I love you too,” I said, my throat tight.

I watched her walk away, the ache in my chest growing. I didn’t know what Alaska would bring, but I knew this was the only way forward.

I took a deep breath and walked toward the gate. The next chapter of my life was waiting, and there was no turning back now.