My Four Childhood Friends Abandoned Me for My Best Friend Chapter 05

My Four Childhood Friends Abandoned Me for My Best Friend Chapter 05

The air at Hawthorne was dry. A car from the institute was already waiting outside the airport.

While I was still in the air, my parents and the others‘ parents had been calling nonstop.

Our families had planned a trip together, so the parents had only just heard what happened, from the elders, from Kael, from the rest of them.

Of course, Kael and the others told their version. And of course, it made Elena look like the victim,

“Lillian changed her decision after the First Moon Rite at the last minute. She wouldn’t stay with the pack. She wanted to go to the human world.”

“Lillian sold us her room in the Silverpine City penthouse, and we gave it to her best friend.”

“Lillian got hurt. She got into it with some girls in the pack and ended up locked in a restroom…‘

Every word was technically true. And every word was carefully vague, just enough to keep Elena out

of the crosshairs.

“Lillian, your dad and I, and the other parents too, all know those boys are full of it.”

“Tell us what’s been going on.”

Everything I’d been holding in finally came pouring out to the only people who actually gave a

damn.

My mom kept letting out sharp, furious laughs as I talked.

“My poor girl, you’ve been far too soft. We bought that apartment for you. Kael and the others were just along for the ride. Elena doesn’t even factor in!”

“And Kael and those boys had the nerve to bully you like this? To take the room I set up for my daughter? That’s it. None of them are living there anymore.”

Right before we hung up, my mom’s voice got quiet.

“Do you want to come home? Your dad and I will make it happen. Whatever it takes.”

“Mom, stop. This is my choice. I’m eighteen, and I’m doing something that matters. This is the best decision I’ve ever made.”

I hung up. The admissions officer was watching me, and my cheeks were burning.

The institute sat deep in the desert out west. It wasn’t on any map.

The perfect place for weapons research.

The second we crossed the security perimeter, our signals went dead.

The other early–admission student and I followed our instructor toward the dorms.

“You’ve both signed NDAS, but I’ll say this anyway. Nothing you see, hear, or smell leaves this. facility. Break that agreement, and federal security handles you, not us.”

We both nodded.

Out of the whole incoming class, we were the only two who’d passed the early–admission test and shown up ahead of schedule. If things went the way they usually did here, we’d end up as partners.

The dorms were better than I expected. The institute was small, with few students and deep funding, so most rooms only held three people.

I dropped my bags and walked out onto the balcony.

The last of the sun was bleeding across the desert, huge and ruthless and endless. Big enough to make everything I’d been through feel small.

For the first time, I was grateful. Without them pushing me out, I never would have found this. My dream finally had space to breathe.

The institute ran on military rules. We got two hours of phone time a week.

The second I turned my phone on, it lit up with missed calls, messages, all of it.

All from Kael and the others.

Another call came through.

I sighed and picked up.

“Lillian? We finally got through. What the hell is going on? You left the group chat and deleted all of

us.”

Kael sounded frantic.

“And you told our parents everything? About the Rite, about Elena? She was your best friend, Lillian. Why would you do that?”

Something heavy settled in my chest.

We hadn’t spoken in a week, and the first thing he cared about was whether our parents would go

after Elena.

“She stopped being my best friend the second she started talking about me behind my back.”

“And you stopped being my friends the second you lied to me for her and let them beat me.”

“Kael, you only said yes to me because you felt guilty for pushing me out. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, you wasted your time. I love it here. This pathetic little charade? It’s over. Consider the mate

bond broken.”

I said every word, and I meant it. Then I hung up and blocked him.

On the other end, Kael went white. He called again. The line was dead.

Back at the pack, the others were busy comforting Elena after my mom tore into her, but their own parents kept calling, demanding they come home.

One by one, they had to leave. Their parents weren’t done with them.

“Kael, are you leaving too?”

Elena grabbed at his sleeve, eyes wide.

Two days ago, right after her birthday, she’d moved out of the orphanage and into the penthouse Kael and the others had let her take over.

Kael shook her off. Something was eating at him, and he couldn’t stand still.

“I need to deal with something. Don’t call me unless it’s important”