Kaida's POV As the attention moved to Alpha Kairos, he did not waver and radiated confidence and authority around the room.

There was a sense of fright as I looked at him standing guard, feeling secure despite his muscle-bound appearance.

"What do you mean when you say you will be responsible?" the coordinator said, speaking quietly and in a curious way, with her eyes narrowed while waiting for him to respond.

Alpha Kairos was clearly in charge as he gave the instructions.

"In my opinion, people are allowed to finish their training as long as they haven’t been caught doing something illegal and Kaida never appeared to have." He stood, his gaze moving around the room.

"Yes, you’re right, her health has been an issue, but we’re here to help keep her healthy, right? Besides, there are only four days left until the training period ends, so why bother sending her home?" He spoke so thoughtfully and I found myself feeling so thankful to him at that moment.

While I watched him, I couldn’t help but think about his real intentions.

Why did he choose to handle such a big responsibility?

Was there more to his feelings than him caring for me or was it only that simple?

I tried to ignore my thoughts and pay attention to what was happening right then.

The clinic director’s voice was filled with concern when he spoke.

"What if this isn't the last time she has an attack?"

Alpha Kairos responded promptly and put us at ease.

"I’m making a promise that this won’t happen again."

At what he said, I felt butterflies in my chest and I found myself trusting him for a short while.

Everyone in the room became quiet, each person lost in what they felt inside.

Eventually, it was the coordinator who began to speak up.

"We won’t be sending her back, but make sure she’s safe by staying by the clinic."

I didn’t notice I was breathing hard until I finally exhaled and felt a big weight leave me.

"It's time for you to get some rest, sweetie," the coordinator said, giving me a broad smile.

After I stood up and felt a boost, Alpha Kairos remained beside me with his careful eyes.

He brought me to the clinic to ensure I returned safely and his company made everything less uncertain.

***

The head of clinics stood before me, a paper clutched in his hand.

"Kaida, we need you to sign this relocation paper." I felt a jolt of surprise, my heart racing with anxiety.

"What's it for?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Your mother has agreed that you should be relocated back home," he replied, his voice gentle but firm.

I felt a surge of frustration and disappointment.

Why was my mother making decisions for me without consulting me?

I thought we had discussed relocating to the Starlight Runners pack, not back to the Shadows Runners pack.

As I read through the paper, my anger grew. This wasn't what I had agreed to.

"Sir, you made a mistake," I pointed out, my voice rising. "It's supposed to be the Starlight Runners pack."

The head of clinics shook his head.

"Your mother asked that you be sent back to the pack."

I was overwhelmed with a feeling of hopelessness.

She was yet again choosing things for me without thinking about what felt right for me.

Alpha Kairos approached me, looking straight into my eyes.

"Take some time, Kaida and consider this question. If you live with your family, you’ll be supported and cared for by someone close."

Still, I recognized it wasn’t how my parents really felt. No one in my family was really interested in me; they only thought about their own needs.

Suddenly, my determination grew strong, as I shook my head.

"Relocating is okay for me, as long as I end up in the Starlight Runners pack." Alpha Kairos expression showed that he understood.

"I’ll talk to your mother about it to see if she agrees. Can you give me her number please?"

When I called out the number, I felt something positive inside me.

Maybe, just maybe, Alpha Kairos could persuade my mother to change her mind.

But thirty minutes later, my phone rang, and I knew my mother was on the other end.

Her voice was cold and accusatory. "I made a decision to have you relocated back home, and as ungrateful as you are, you're rejecting it again. Why do you always have to put pressure on me?" I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I listened to her tirade.

I couldn't take it anymore, so I handed the phone to Alpha Kairos.

After a brief conversation, Alpha Kairos handed me back the phone.

"It's done," he said softly.

I knew I was defeated.

The pent-up stress and emotions overwhelmed me, and I felt dizzy.

I slumped forward, tears streaming down my face like a relentless waterfall.

Alpha Kairos placed a hand on my shoulder, but I pushed it away.

"It's completely your fault," I said, barely raising my voice.

"It seems like you’re sending me to a spot where everything hurts and where I’ll be stuck in a cycle of struggling."

I noticed that he was concerned, but I turned my head, unable to meet his eyes.

After crying out to my heart's content, I picked up the paper and read it once again, still not ready to sign. I kept it aside, deciding to sign it later that night.

Feeling suffocated, I decided to sneak out of the room and take a stroll outside.

The cool evening air hit me like a slap in the face, but it was a welcome escape from the oppressive atmosphere inside.

***

I stood in the clinic, noticing both the familiar smell and soft noise from the machines and experienced a range of emotions.

I felt both relief, great appreciation and even a little sadness as I packed up and readied to leave.

I was standing with my friend Ayla beside me, her eyes full of excitement, when we waited for out posting.

Each day was tricky as I did all I could to stay away from Alpha Kairos and the head of the clinics.

However, my paperwork had stalled my relocation because I hadn’t signed it.

Now that everything was complete, I could begin moving forward.

While we waited, I noticed Alpha Kairos coming down the hall. His black outfit stood out against the sea of medical uniforms everyone else wore.

I ran and hid behind a pillar because I didn’t want to see him again so soon.

I saw him go farther and farther away and a bit of sadness formed in my heart that we might not meet again.

I whispered to the air, "Thank you," with hope that it would transfer my warm feelings to him.

After what seemed like a very long time, we received our posting.

The new place I worked at was actually very close to the pack house, where I remembered hearing so much but nevertheless none of it made sense to me.

When I exited the camp holding Ayla’s hand, I felt a great sense of relief.

Relief finally set in, as the whole affair was finally over.

Yet when we walked out and felt the bright sun, I couldn’t escape the idea that this was not right.

Something in the air made it feel oppressive and I couldn’t hide the chills I was feeling. It turned out that was only the beginning.