When I was motivated, time flew by, and I soon forgot what it was like to be under Ezra’s control.
Even his face began to fade from my memory, the sharp edges of hurt and betrayal softening into vague impressions, until a phone call one year later jolted me back to that life.
The voice on the other end was Lyra, a pack member who had previously expressed outrage on my behalf when the truth about Ezra’s deception was revealed.
“Zara? Is that actually you?Her voice sounded hopeful but strained.
While I was confident in my position, I couldn’t help but wonder how Ezra’s pack had fared without me.
“It’s me,” I confirmed. “Are you calling for business or personal reasons?”
Her voice became hesitant: “Business?” Alpha Jackson’s pack has completely disbanded. What kind of business might there be?”
The news did not surprise me, but hearing it confirmed sent a strange feeling through my chest.
“Many pack members are wandering now, hoping to find a new pack to accept us,” she continued. “But you must be unique, Zara. Is your career going well right now?”
Actually, these developments were predicted a year ago, and Ezra’s flaws were already apparent.
He had never been a rational leader, and with me by his side, he could act recklessly because I was always there to clean up his messes. My departure was like chopping off his arm.
How could such a person survive in the highly competitive world of pack politics?
His professional downfall was largely self-inflicted.
“Is he…” I paused, unsure whether I wanted to know. “Is Ezra all right?”
Lyra’s pause revealed everything before she spoke.
“He’s alive,” she said carefully. “After you left, things went downhill quickly. Alexa stayed for a while, but as the pack’s resources dwindled, she found reasons to go elsewhere.”
I nodded, though she couldn’t see me; it sounded like Alexa.
“Ezra’s absence from three consecutive summit meetings brought the alliance with the Northern Packs to an end. The subsequent territorial disputes…” She trailed off. “We never realised how much you were handling until you weren’t there anymore.”
I wondered how Ezra felt knowing that his former subordinates were looking for me; the irony was not lost on me.
Those who stay on the right path gain support, while those who stray lose it. Ezra undoubtedly understood this principle better than anyone else.
There is nothing new under the sun.
Ezra’s current situation was the same old story told by countless others before him.
According to one of my former pack members, the Bitterwind Pack fell apart less than two months after my departure.
