Chapter 7

Ellie's POV

The final bell rang, signaling the end of another school day at Mapleton High. I gathered my pom-poms and water bottle, stuffing them into my gym bag as the rest of the squad filed out of the practice room. My mind was still distracted by thoughts of the family pendant Lucas had refused to return earlier today.

I was zipping up my bag when it happened—that familiar tingling sensation at the base of my skull, followed by Lucas's voice echoing directly in my mind.

Meet me at the clearing in Pine Trail tonight if you want your pendant back.

I froze, immediately glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. Using our wolf-bond mind link at school was reckless. We'd agreed years ago to avoid it in public places—humans couldn't hear our mental conversations, but they could certainly notice the strange, distant look that came over us when we communicated this way.

Are you crazy? I shot back, keeping my face carefully neutral. Not here. There are people everywhere.

I felt his mental shrug. No one notices. Besides, this is important.

Pine Trail? At night? You couldn't pick a more isolated spot if you tried.

That's the point. Privacy. No one to interrupt us. Unless you don't want your precious family heirloom back...

The taunt in his mental voice made my jaw clench. Fine. What time?

After sunset. Don't be late.

The connection broke as Emma burst through the dance studio door, slightly out of breath. "Sorry I took so long changing. You would not believe the line for the showers."

"It's fine," I said, still unsettled by Lucas's mental intrusion.

Emma studied my face. "You okay? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"Lucas just called me," I said, holding up my phone as I finished rolling up my practice routine notes. "He wants to meet tonight at the clearing in Pine Trail to return my pendant."

"Seriously? He wants to meet in the woods? At night?" Emma's eyebrows shot up. "Absolutely not. That's literally how every horror movie starts."

I zipped up my gym bag with a decisive tug. "It'll only be just after sunset—the sky won't even be fully dark yet. And I need that pendant back, Em."

"Then he can give it to you at school tomorrow. In broad daylight. With witnesses."

"It's not that simple," I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "I'm going."

Emma grabbed my arm. "Then I'm coming with you. And I'm bringing pepper spray and keeping 911 on speed dial."

"He just wants to talk without people around," I sighed.

"Right," Emma said, clearly unconvinced. "Because isolated forest clearings are great places for civilized conversation."

The walk to Pine Trail was tense. The setting sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows across the path. As we approached the clearing, I spotted two figures waiting—Lucas and Samantha, standing hand-in-hand at the edge of the small open space.

Emma muttered under her breath. "Of course he brought her. Because this wasn't awkward enough already."

Lucas turned as we approached, his expression unreadable in the fading light. Samantha stood beside him, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips.

"You actually came," Lucas said, sounding almost surprised.

"You specifically brought her just to rub it in Ellie's face?" Emma snapped, gesturing toward Samantha. "Real classy, Lucas."

Lucas ignored her, his eyes fixed on me. "You wanted your pendant back."

"Yes," I said simply, keeping my voice steady despite the anger and hurt churning inside me. "It's a family heirloom, Lucas. It's important."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the wooden pendant—the one I'd given him last year, believing our friendship would last forever. The fading daylight caught the intricate carvings, making the wolf design seem almost alive.

"Important, huh?" Lucas held it up, letting it dangle from its leather cord. "If it's so important, why did you give it to me in the first place?"

Before I could answer, he continued, his voice hardening. "You know what I think? I think you only want it back because you can't stand seeing me happy with someone else."

"That's not true," I protested. "Lucas, that pendant has been in my family for generations. It's not about us—it's about my heritage."

"Right," Samantha interjected, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Suddenly it's a precious family heirloom now that Lucas is with me."

Lucas looked at the pendant, then back at me. Something flickered in his eyes—doubt, perhaps, or a moment of clarity. But then Samantha squeezed his hand, and his expression hardened again.

"You want it back so badly?" he asked, his voice cold.

He dropped the pendant onto the ground between us. The wooden charm landed with a soft thud on the dirt path, the intricate wolf carvings catching the daylight one last time.

Before I could move, Lucas deliberately raised his foot and brought it down hard on the pendant. The sickening crack echoed in the silent night air as the wood splintered under his heel. He twisted his foot, grinding the fragments into the dirt.

I gasped, frozen in disbelief. The pendant lay shattered at my feet. A white-hot rage surged through me, burning from my core to my fingertips. I could feel Thalia clawing to break free—demanding retribution, demanding blood.

Hurt him like he hurt us. Show him what happens when you destroy what's ours.

My vision sharpened painfully, the night suddenly too bright, too clear. I could smell Lucas's sweat, hear his quickened heartbeat. My hands curled into fists, nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep them from lengthening into claws.

"Lucas!" Emma shouted, her voice echoing across the woods. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Her voice jolted me back to reality. Emma and Samantha were here. I couldn't lose control—not here, not now. With every ounce of willpower, I forced the wolf back down, though it raged and howled inside me.

I stood motionless, staring at the broken pieces of my heritage. My chest felt tight, my vision blurring with unshed tears that I refused to let fall. Fifteen years of friendship, and this was what it had come to—betrayal so complete it had nearly triggered my transformation in front of everyone.

Lucas stared at the shattered remains, a strange expression crossing his face. For a moment, he looked stunned by his own action, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just done. Something in his posture changed—his shoulders slumped slightly, his confident stance faltering.

"Let's go," Samantha tugged at his arm, breaking the spell. "You've done what needed to be done. She's not worth your time anymore."

Lucas hesitated, his eyes finding mine. In that brief moment, I saw conflict, maybe even regret. But then he turned away, allowing Samantha to lead him back toward campus. His steps were heavy, and he glanced back twice before they disappeared into the darkness.

Night had fallen completely, with no moon yet risen.

I knelt down, carefully gathering each splinter and fragment, cradling them in my trembling hands as if they were precious gems rather than broken wood.

"Ellie, I'm so sorry," Emma whispered, crouching beside me. "Maybe we can fix it? My uncle's a woodworker—he might be able to restore it."