The woods outside Northwood was Caleb's homeland.

Our summer nights, the fireflies would appear like a river of stars, painting the night.

Any other time, I would have been overjoyed.

But today, all he heard was the sound of me gathering my things.

The smile on Caleb's lips faded.

He sounded annoyed.

"Hey, Luna Reed, I'm talking to you!"

"What's with all the packing? Makes it seem like you're not coming back."

I didn't look up. I just kept folding the spare lab coat I'd left here months ago, tucking it neatly into my bag.

"I'm cleaning up. It's overdue."

Caleb leaned against the glass partition, arms crossed. His wolf ears twitched — a sign of agitation he could never fully hide.

"Cleaning up," he repeated flatly. "You've left stuff here for two years and suddenly it's 'overdue'?"

I zipped the bag shut and finally met his eyes.

Those amber eyes that used to make my heart race. Now they just made it ache.

"My birthday's next week," I said. "I figured I'd start fresh."

Something flickered across his face. He opened his mouth, then closed it.

"About the fireflies—"

"I can't go."

The words came out more sharply than I intended.

Caleb's ears flattened. A wolf's instinctive response to rejection.

"You can't, or you won't?"

"Does it matter?"

He pushed off the glass and took a step closer. Through the partition, I could feel the heat of his presence — that wild, untamable warmth that once made me feel so safe.

"Luna. What's going on with you?"

I wanted to laugh. He was asking me what was wrong? After plotting to destroy my birthday with Vivian? After calling my feelings worthless?

But I'd already cried my last tears for Caleb Shaw. I had nothing left to give him.

"Nothing's going on. I'm just busy."

"Busy with what? That rabbit?"

His voice dripped with contempt. Typical Caleb — anything that wasn't a wolf was beneath him.

"Her name is... she's my new Partner Beast candidate."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Caleb's eyes widened. Then narrowed. Then something I'd never seen before crossed his features.

Fear.

"Partner Beast?" His voice dropped. "You're replacing me?"

"You were never my Partner Beast, Caleb. You were my Training Beast. There's a difference."

I shouldered my bag and walked toward the exit.

"Luna!"

His fist slammed against the glass. The sound echoed through the empty containment wing.

"Luna Reed, don't you walk away from me!"

I kept walking.

Behind me, I heard the sound of claws scraping against reinforced glass — the desperate scratching of a wolf who'd just realized the cage door wasn't locked by his captors.

It was locked by his own pride.

The night air hit my face as I stepped outside, and with it came a wave of dizziness so strong I had to grab the railing.

My forehead was burning. My vision swam.

I'd been running on adrenaline and heartbreak for days. My body had finally decided to collect the debt.

One step. Two steps. The parking lot seemed to stretch into infinity.

I made it to my car before my knees buckled.