No Longer Your Joke: A Luna’s Exit Chapter 02

No Longer Your Joke: A Luna’s Exit Chapter 02

Declan was slapping his thigh, laughing so hard he could barely breathe.

“You don’t like it?” he said. “But you used to laugh the loudest when we did this when you were little.”

I clenched my fists.

All the resentment from years of being treated like this came flooding out.

When I was young, I got lost during a Pack migration.

I spent six whole months wandering alone through the forest.

After I finally made it back to Blackthorn Pack, I was terrified of becoming that stray wolf with no place to call home again.

So even when they kept pulling that crap on me, I kept telling myself—they were just being playful.

They were still my family.

When I was eight, they tricked me into going to the old forest near the border to find rare herbs for Mom.

But while I was gone, they snuck off and used the cash from my bag to buy candy and toys.

By the time my father’s Beta found me, I’d been out in the woods all night.

Cold, starving, barely alive.

But when I opened my eyes and saw them standing by my hospital bed, I just felt relieved.

“I’m just glad you guys are okay,” I said. “Just… next time, don’t leave me behind, okay?”

The memories washed over me, and my eyes started to burn.

My wolf paced restlessly in my chest, like she was trying to comfort me.

But Declan and Nessa only laughed harder.

Lucian frowned impatiently. “What are you crying about?” he said.

“You’ve never been able to take a joke. Everyone’s having fun, and you’re the only one with that face, like someone’s bullying you.”

“Isolde, you’re way too sensitive.”

My wolf let out a low growl in my chest.

Honk, honk—

A black SUV pulled up at the Academy gates.

My father, who was supposed to be handling business at the Northern Alliance, suddenly appeared.

“Get in,” he said. “It’s your first time in Ravencrest City—I’ll show you around.”

I pointed at my heavy suitcase. “But I haven’t dropped my stuff off yet.”

He frowned, looking confused.

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

“The Bentley backseat isn’t that big—can’t fit three people.”

I froze.

“Just kidding!” He adjusted his sunglasses and smiled. “You’re my daughter—of course you’re coming.”

“Drop your luggage off at the gatehouse first. We’ll wait for you.”

I dragged my suitcase into the gatehouse, banging my knee against the table corner, but I barely felt it.

Last chance, I told myself.

If this time it wasn’t a prank—if they were actually taking me out—

I’d sit down with them and talk it out for real.

But when I came back out, the car was gone.

Nessa texted me: “Haha, got you again.”

“This one wasn’t my idea—it was Declan’s.”

“He said you’re like a little wolf in training—give you a command, and you’ll follow it no matter what. Guess he was right.”

She sent me a video.

In it, she was arm-in-arm with my parents, Declan was holding her, and Lucian was playing the perfect Alpha big brother—carrying everyone’s bags, buying ice cream.

That ice cream shop—the one that was at the top of my must-try list.

I’d mentioned it so many times—how I had to go there once I got to Ravencrest.

But they forgot about me.

In the end, they didn’t take me.

“Fine.”

I texted back—same as always—and walked straight to the Admissions Office.

“Hi, I’d like to withdraw.”

Even before I stepped into that office, I’d already opened my email and replied to the admission offer from Silverlake Elite Academy that had arrived two weeks earlier.

Silverlake had given me an S-rank rating and offered me a spot in the elite student solo training grounds. But it was far from Blackthorn Pack, and I’d have no family there.

When I was filling out my college applications, my parents had tried everything to talk me out of it—said they didn’t want to go that long without seeing me.

And Declan and Nessa had been so insistent, begging me to go to Ravencrest with them.

So I’d never once wavered on my first choice.

But now?

There was no room for me in that four-person family.

And there was no place for me in their three-person friendship either.

So why should I keep waiting around?

I clicked confirm.

Tomorrow, I’d leave Ravencrest.

And this time, no one would know where my flight was headed.