"One of the happiest moments in life is when you find the courage to let go of what you can't change."

I think this is the part where I'm supposed to cry. Perhaps I'm expected to mope around and swear off all men. Personally, that's not my style. I have better ways to let out my feelings.

"Come on Alessandra! You can hit it harder than that!" Jaden shouts. I hit the punching bag harder, planting my feet to have a more solid punch. I guess I should be more upset about being sent away but I'm actually the opposite.

It's no secret that I wanted to leave the pack for a while to travel and study werewolf medicine. Obviously I wasn't planning on going rogue, I just wanted to explore a little. There's such a big world out there and it wouldn't be fair to not see it all.

Zane might not know it, but he's offering me an opportunity to do what I've always wanted to do. On top of that, I get the chance to see my brother and train with him. It all sounds like a win to me.

"So you're just going to leave? This seems a little sudden," Jaden tells me. I already broke the news to Callie and she was supportive of my decisions. Jaden, however, is suspicious.

"It's a great opportunity to train and see my brother," I tell him.

"But why? You don't even need training Ally, you're easily one of the strongest females in the pack."

"Exactly, one of, not the strongest." The strongest female in our pack is nearly 200 years old and she's a beast. Katerina is her name. She's my role model and I want to be as good as her. The woman radiates strength and power almost like an alpha.

He gives me a look that says he isn't convinced. A sigh leaves him and he wraps me in his arms.

"Be careful ok? Make sure Riccardo knows where you are at all times and always be aware," he says into my hair. My arms wrap around his back and I squeeze him tightly. I breathe in his earthy scent that once reminded me of home. Now it reminds me of old times and friendship.

"I will, I promise." He pulls away and gives me a smile.

"Don't get a new training buddy either, I don't want to be replaced," he says in a stern tone but I know he's joking. I let out a laugh.

"Even if I did, F and F right?"

"F and F." Who would have thought our silly forgive and forget tradition would still exist 10 years later?

"Now wish me luck, I have to break the news to Lilia." It wasn't that hard telling Callie and Jaden because I didn't tell them the whole truth. Lilia was another story because I planned on telling her everything.

I leave the gym and head towards Lilia's room in the pack-house. Once I reach her wooden door, I consider my options. Should I tell her the truth? I feel like she would understand and I have to tell someone or I'll go crazy.

Decision made.

My fist knocks against her door. I hear her move around before she opens the door. She opens the door with a smile on her face and her blonde hair up in a messy bun.

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

"I have something to tell you."

"What?!" Lilia shouts after I finish explaining my reasons for leaving.

"I know it's-"

"Zane De Luca? Zane fucking De Luca is your mate? Out of all the people on this planet, your mate is your sister's boyfriend?"

"Actually they broke up,"

"It doesn't matter! Holy shit, I can't believe this," she says as she paces around the room. Clearly, she isn't taking this as well as I had hoped, but how is someone supposed to react to news like this?

"You know it won't work right?" she asks me.

"What won't work?"

"Moving away. I know it makes sense but it will only last for so long. Eventually, you will have to give in to the bond."

"Well, I won't know unless I try right?"She looks at me like she doesn't believe me.

"I'll miss you, Alessandra," she says with a sigh.

"I'll miss you too." I wrap her in my arms and breathe in her scent. Wolves can remember scents vividly and I know I'll look back at this moment when I get homesick.

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

She's startled by the news. It's rather fast, but I decided that the quicker I leave the less time I have to rethink my decision.

As if I had a choice in the first place.

"Well, we better get going and start your packing!" Lilia says in her usual cheery tone. I smile. I take in her wide smile and bright blue eyes filled with so much happiness. I want to remember her, just in case this is the last time I see her in a long time. I did the same with Callie, Jaden, and my parents.

"Yes, I definitely need to get started on that. I just need to do something first then I'll meet you at my house." She nods in response as I exit her room.

Once I'm outside the packhouse I shift into my wolf.

Let's run, Leya.

Too quickly, I end up at the lake. I'll miss my friends and family, but this? Damn, I'm really going to miss this. There's nothing as soothing as watching the moon reflect in the clear water of Lake Tahoe. It's majestic really, nothing brings me more peace.

Leya's ears perk as she hears someone approaching. A black wolf that's easily twice the size of us approaches.

Zane.

He doesn't mind-link me anything. Instead, he lays on top of Leya and rests his head on hers. Leya seems pleased and rests her head on the rock we are laying on.

We lie there, just watching the water for what seems like hours. After some time, I feel him get off Leya and nudge her with his snout, a silent way of asking us to shift.

He shifts into his human form and I do the same. I stand in front of him, nude. His eyes don't stray from mine, his light brown ones meeting my deep brown ones. He grabs my face with his hands that are twice the size of mine. Our foreheads touch and for a moment we stand still, taking each other in.

His right-hand moves to grasp the back of my head. He tilts my head and our lips meet. My hands grab the sides of his face (which is not an easy task because of how tall he is). Our lips move together in soft strokes, tenderly touching and slowly moving. The kiss doesn't deepen, it stays soft and gentle. The words we cannot convey our exchanged with our lips.

He pulls away and looks into my eyes before focusing his stare on the ground.

"Take care of yourself, little wolf," he says softly. With those parting words, he shifts into his dark wolf and fades into the night.

I didn't know that was the last time I would see him for a long time. The next time we'd meet, we would be very different people.