One-Way Ticket Out of the Alpha’s Pack Chapter 01

One-Way Ticket Out of the Alpha’s Pack Chapter 01

On the day I move into my college dorm, my Alpha parents suddenly tell me they can’t drive me there.

My newly reunited sister is leaving the pack for the first time, and she’s nervous.

My two Alpha brothers and my mate, Brandon Hayes, the Alpha of the neighboring pack, all have to stay with her.

I say it’s fine.

Then I drag my two suitcases onto a long-distance train and spend ten hours traveling to college alone.

It isn’t until I’m at the school’s financial aid office trying to pay my tuition that a staff member tells me there’s not enough money in my account.

Only then does Mom send me a voice message.

“Victoria’s tuition is due today. It’s sixty-eight thousand dollars. We had to use your tuition money first.”

“Your grades are good. You can apply for emergency financial aid and take out a student loan.”

In the background, I hear Brandon helping Victoria set up her dorm room.

He takes the phone from Mom, his voice gentle but dismissive.

“Don’t make a scene, Eva. I’ll come see you over Thanksgiving break.”

I don’t make a scene.

The student loan application is six pages long. When the staff member hands me the paperwork, she pauses to make sure I’ve thought it through.

“Eva Wilson, are you sure you want to do this now? If your family is just dealing with a temporary cash-flow problem, you could call your parents first.”

I look at the amount due in the top right corner of the form.

Six thousand eight hundred dollars.

Victoria’s tuition is exactly ten times that amount.

I shake my head, “No. There’s no point. They’re not sending the money back.”

The staff member doesn’t ask any more questions. She simply circles each section I need to fill out.

By the time I finish everything, it’s already dark.

My two suitcases are still being held at the campus security office. My roommate, Nicole, walks there with me, and halfway there, she can’t help asking,

“Wait, your family didn’t come with you?”

“They had something else to do.”

“What could possibly be more important than helping you move into college?”

I give her a small smile, “They were helping their other daughter move in.”

Nicole seems to understand what I mean and doesn’t ask anything else.

She helps me carry one of the suitcases, and the dorm supervisor lends us a luggage cart.

Three people who have known each other for less than a day end up helping me get all my belongings up to the sixth floor.

That’s when my phone rings. Mom is starting a family video call.

On the screen, Victoria is sitting in her newly decorated dorm room. There are flowers, snacks, and a brand-new laptop on her desk.

My oldest brother, Dylan, is adjusting her desk lamp, while my second brother, Anthony, crouches on the floor assembling a shoe rack.

Brandon stands behind her, holding the bed curtain he has just taken out of the package.

Not one of them asks whether I’ve finished moving my luggage.

Mom smiles at the camera.

“Eva, look at Victoria’s room. Isn’t it beautiful? It’s her first time living away from the pack, and she was so nervous she barely ate lunch.”

Victoria bites her lip.

“I’m sorry, sis. If my school hadn’t been pushing me so hard to get everything settled, Mom and Dad wouldn’t have had to use your tuition money first.”

The moment she finishes, Dylan frowns.

“Why are you apologizing? We’re family. What’s the difference who gets the money first?”

Anthony also smiles, trying to smooth things over.

“Eva’s always been the top student. Her school will work with her. Victoria doesn’t have that kind of cushion. If she couldn’t pay today, she could lose her spot.”

I look at Mom, “When did you decide to use my tuition money?”

Her smile fades slightly, “Last night.”

“Did everyone know?”

The room goes silent for a moment.

Dad is the first to answer, “I did. I approved it.”

“Victoria was only just brought back into our family and our pack. We’ve already failed her in so many ways. The least we can do is make sure she gets to go to college without worrying about money.”

Dylan speaks up, “I knew.”

Anthony rubs the back of his nose, “We were going to tell you in a few days.”

That leaves only Brandon.

He avoids my eyes as he hangs the last hook of the bed curtain.

“I told Alpha and Luna it wasn’t fair. But what’s done is done. Fighting about it now isn’t going to put the money back in your account.”

So they all knew.

I am the only one who has to stand at the payment counter and swipe my card over and over before discovering that my tuition money is already gone.

When I don’t say anything for a while, Mom softens her voice.

“Once the pack’s finances are sorted out, we’ll help pay back the loan. You’re her older sister, Eva. Don’t make Victoria feel guilty over this.”

I nod, “Okay. I understand.”

They all visibly relax.

Brandon picks up his phone and steps onto the balcony.

“Hey, don’t be upset. I’ll come get you myself over Thanksgiving. You can spend some time with Victoria, okay? Just talk to her. I don’t want her thinking you don’t want her here.”

I stare at the unfamiliar lights outside my dorm window, “Brandon.”

“Yeah?”

“If Victoria were the one who didn’t have enough money for tuition today, would you tell her to take out a loan herself?”

He is silent for a few seconds, “That’s not a fair comparison. Eva, you’ve always been stronger than she is.”

I end the call.

Half an hour later, I submit my campus work-study application to my academic advisor.

The final section asks whether I need campus housing during school breaks.

The advisor looks at the options I’ve checked, clearly surprised.

“You’re requesting campus housing for both winter break and summer?”

I pick up my pen and sign my name in the confirmation box.

“Yes.”

“From now on, I won’t be going home for any breaks.”