Four Alphas Chose Her Over Me, Until I Disappeared and They Searched the World for Me Chapter 01

Four Alphas Chose Her Over Me, Until I Disappeared and They Searched the World for Me Chapter 01

After the United Pack Trials ended, my four childhood friends pulled me into a game of Truth or Dare.

When my turn came, Maren—the heiress the Ashford family had only just taken back—dared everyone to reveal their first-choice school.

One by one, they pulled up screenshots of their Northreach Institute applications.

I nearly cried. Northreach was my dream school.

But my wolf couldn’t bear to leave them, so I’d chosen Crown City instead.

Soren Blackwood grinned at me.

“UPT’s top-ten academic star. Do you dare to give up Crownspire University and come to Northreach with the rest of us?”

“Whoever chickens out is a coward.”

That night, in front of all of them, I accepted Northreach Institute’s early admission offer.

Then it was my turn to dare someone. I looked at Soren. “Do you dare to date me?”

Amid the whooping and cheering, Soren said yes.

My acceptance letter from NI arrived, and I went to find them—only to walk straight into a secret party. The projector in the living room was still on.

On the screen was a different group chat: [Princess Maren and Her Loyal Knights].

[Did she sign?]

[Signed. Four photoshopped application forms, and she’ll leave for Northreach thinking it was her own idea. Total win.]

[Maren’s a genius. One game of Truth or Dare and the tagalong is gone.]

[Soren sacrificed the most. He still has to pretend to date her until school starts.]

I stood frozen in front of the screen.

Behind me, the door swung open.

Soren, Kellan, Lucian, and Ronan—and Maren. All five of them locked up in the doorway.

They were carrying champagne. To celebrate all of them getting to stay in Crown City.

And to celebrate that I would finally stop clinging to them.

…

Soren recovered first.

“Since you’ve already seen it, we won’t insult you with lies.”

“Maren only just got her real family back. She grew up with no one at her side, and she’s never left Crown City once. She’d never survive Northreach.”

“You’ve been independent since you were a kid. You’ll do just fine on your own.”

I stared at the chat name. Princess Maren and Her Loyal Knights.

There was a time when they were my loyal knights.

“Who faked the four application confirmations?”

Soren didn’t even blink. “I printed them.”

“And whose idea was Truth or Dare?”

Maren shrank into herself, half stepping forward anyway.

Kellan immediately moved in front of her.

“It was a group decision. Don’t pin all of this on Maren.”

I looked at Soren.

“And saying yes when I asked you out—that was part of the plan too?”

Soren’s throat bobbed.

“Consider it your compensation.”

He said it like it was the most reasonable thing in the world, without a flicker of guilt.

Maren suddenly lunged for the phone in Lucian’s hand.

“It’s all my fault.”

“I’ll change my application right now.”

“I’ll go to Northreach with Rhea. You four can stay in Crown City.”

All four of them held her back at once.

Ronan pried the phone away.

“The application deadline has passed. What exactly are you going to change?”

“But what about Rhea?”

Maren was sobbing, her shoulders trembling.

“She’ll be all alone, so far from home. Her wolf will be miserable without us.”

Soren pulled out a tissue and wiped her tears away.

“She’s been independent her whole life. She can take care of herself anywhere.”

“Your health is fragile, and you’ve never once left Crown City. Don’t gamble your future on a tantrum.”

I stood a few steps away, watching them close ranks around her.

My wolf lay quiet at the back of my mind. She was a little sad—she did like Soren—but watching him wipe away Maren’s tears, she didn’t hurt at all.

Lucian pushed his glasses up, his voice as cool as ever.

“Rhea, the method wasn’t honorable, I’ll give you that. But look at the outcome—everyone got the best possible result.”

“You’re off to NI, with the research program that fits you better than anything else in the country.”

“We stay in Crown City with Maren.”

“No one’s future got ruined.”