I watched Raydir walk away then dropped my head to my knees. I couldn’t believe it. Just like that, we were done. I let the tears stream freely down my face, gasping for breath as my body shook with sobs.

“Arwyn. Oh, um, is this a bad time?” Fletcher walked into my blurred line of sight.

I swiped the back of my hand across my face. “Sorry. I sort of forgot we had a training session. I’m fine. We can do this.”

Fletcher shook his head. “You don’t seem fine. Did something happen?”

My throat constricted as I held back another round of sobs. Fletcher frowned, then hesitantly wrapped his arms around me. I clung to him, whimpering and trying to form words.

“It’ll be ok,” Fletcher reassured me. “I know I’ve only known you a short time, but you have more spunk and determination than a lot of people I know. If you didn’t, I don’t think you would’ve shown up in the valley. And I’m really glad you did.”

I sniffled. “Thanks, Fletcher. You’re a great friend.”

“Do you want any company?” he asked.

“I think I just need to be alone right now,” I said. “But thanks.”

Fletcher nodded and left me be. Time seemed to pass by too slowly but soon night fell over the valley. The evening air was cool and crisp. Stars still shimmered in the sky, and the silence was only broken by the occasional hoot of an owl. After wandering around on my own, I found myself in front of another cabin and raised my fist to knock.

A few beats later, the door opened. A very confused Darius stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

“Arwyn?” he asked. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be resting? Does Ray—”

I closed the gap between us, pressing my lips lightly to his. I needed to know how it felt, how it truly felt to kiss him.

This seemed to wake him up. He wrapped an arm around me, pressing my body ever so carefully to his to avoid my bruised ribs. Kissing him ignited a spark between us, one that had been ready to erupt for days. Together, we stumbled into his cabin, nearly falling over the furniture.

“Ar, wait.” He broke the kiss, gently setting me down but keeping a hand firmly around my waist. “We should talk about this.”

Slowly, I nodded and he removed his hand so we could sit next to each other on the couch.

“What’s going on, Arwyn?” He reached forward to brush my hair behind my ears.

“I ended my relationship with Raydir,” I said, stumbling over my words as I tried to explain to him what happened. “And this time it’s for real. Not a break, but an actual end to everything the engagement. We went to the lake today and it was magical and wonderful but then reality sunk in and we came to the agreement that we were holding off on the inevitable because he found out that I have feelings for you which is honestly your fault because you told him in not so many words that you have feelings for me too. Then I went back to the cabin with him even though I’ve been staying with Cae and I did some thinking after we, um, fell asleep together and then I couldn’t sleep so I gave back the ring and wrote him a note but when I left the cabin, I had no idea where to go and that’s how I showed up here.”

“Do you want some tea?”

I blinked. “Did you hear anything I just said?”

Darius smirked. “Yeah, I did. And my question remains: tea?”

“Fine.”

He left the couch and came back a few minutes later with two mugs of tea, handing one to me. Then he handed me a bag of ice which I reluctantly placed on my ankle.

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“So, you and Raydir ended things?” he asked.

I nodded, biting my lip. “He broke up with me today at the lake, but it’s been imminent since we went back to Gwyniar.”

“Because you have feelings for me?”

“Yeah.”

“But you don’t know if you really want to be with me.”

I swallowed. “I like you, Darius.”

“Arwyn.” He gently laid a hand on my thigh. “We can’t do this. You’re vulnerable right now. And your inner wolf is pushing to the forefront of your mind.” He stood up abruptly.

“What?” My heart sank.

“Your inner wolf is fighting for attention,” Darius explained. “Drink the tea. It’ll help, I promise.”

“I don’t see what the tea has to do with anything,” I muttered but reluctantly kept sipping at my mug.

“It’s the same ibisco tea that you give Raydir before the Alignment. It’s meant to calm the wolf urges. Although, for the softer wolf, it also works during situations like this.”

“Like what?”

“Breakups. When you’re vulnerable.”

I raised my eyebrows. “So are you saying that—what I just did—that was my wolf wanting attention and not me, Arwyn, trying to show you how I truly feel about you?”

“Yeah.”

“What about the choice I have to make on the Alignment?” I asked.

“I don’t want to be your last resort, Arwyn,” he said. “I want you to choose me because you want to. Not because you think you have to.”

“But that’s just it, Dar,” I protested. “I’m choosing you!” I backed away from him, heat rushing to my cheeks. “This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come here.” Without another word, I fled the cabin, going back to the one I shared with Caesaria and hoping I could just sleep for ten years.

Cae frowned when I walked in, looking up from where she was sewing on the lace ties to a new corset top. I guessed my expression said everything she needed to know.

“What happened?” she asked. “Ray and I broke up. He said he had to let me go so that I can be with Darius. And then I went to see Darius and he…I tried to tell him how I felt but he said it wasn’t me. He said it was just my wolf spirit talking and he thought I didn’t actually mean the things I was telling him.”

“Oh, Arwyn.” Cae got up from the couch and enveloped me into a hug,

For the third time that day, I broke down into tears as I sobbed in her arms. “It’s all my fault, Cae. I lost him.”

“Do you want to be with Darius?”

“I…” I paused, thinking about what all had happened in such a short span of time. There was certainly something about Darius that intrigued me, but maybe he was right. Did I actually like him in the same way that I loved Raydir? “I think I need time. But that’s not something I have. I have to make a decision on the Alignment.”

“Not necessarily,” Cae said. “You don’t technically have to choose either guy.”

This piqued my interest. “What do you mean?”

“You know how Bennett said that if you don’t choose, you’ll turn rogue?”

Good feeling gone. I shifted uncomfortably on the couch. “Yeah.”

“There’s actually a third choice,” she told me. “An alternative to the rogue punishment.”

My eyes widened. A third choice. That changed everything, but would it be worth it?

“Not many, if any, people in the valley besides me know this,” she continued, “but it’s laid out in Jasper’s research. Because the Blood Moon connects us to our wolf spirit, you have the chance on that Alignment to become your full wolf but not to a rogue extreme.”

I considered this. I’d only had one Alignment where I shifted. Maybe it would be a good idea to spend more time as my wolf.

“When would I turn back?” I asked.

Caesaria shook her head. “That’s where it’s unclear. But maybe that could be a good thing. You haven’t had any time to clear your mind.”

I nodded. “You’re right. But before I go through this Alignment, there’s something I need to do first. I want a haircut.”

Cae rested a hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “I’ve had long hair ever since I can remember. But I think it’s time for a change. Something that’ll suit me better.”

“Something that won’t remind you of Ray, perhaps?”

“Yeah. So will you do it?”

She raised her eyebrows. “Me?”

“Yes. The Blood Moon is in two days. I want to start things fresh.” I looked up at her with pleading eyes. “You’re the only one I can talk to about this.”

She squeezed my arm. “Then let’s give you a fresh look.”

Ten minutes later, I sat in a high-top chair from the kitchen with Caesaria behind me. A pair of scissors sat perched between two fingers.

“Are you sure about this?” she asked again.

“Absolutely. Chop it.” I took a deep breath.

This was the start of a new beginning.