Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 161

Lisa's POV

I woke up with a nervous jolt before dawn, the kind that made my chest tight and my heart beat far too fast for my own good. My room was still draped in darkness, the faintest threads of early light barely slipping in through the curtains. I lay there for a long time, staring at the ceiling, trying to quiet my racing thoughts.

This was the day.

The day everything could go wrong.

The bag I had carefully packed last night sat hidden under my bed, so close I could almost feel its presence burning through the wooden floor. Just the essentials, nothing that would give me away too easily. A spare change of clothes, a few trinkets I couldn’t part with, and a small notebook I’d scribbled half my life into. Fiona’s voice echoed in my head from yesterday’s call: Don’t overpack, Lisa. Just the essentials. We can figure the rest later.

Later.

That word felt like hope.

When I finally heard movement outside, I sat up, brushing my hair back from my face. My fingers trembled as I quickly braided it, anything to keep myself busy. The whole time, I whispered silently to myself, “You can do this. You can do this. Just act normal.”

A knock startled me so hard I nearly dropped the brush.

“Lisa?” Calla’s soft voice came through the door. “Are you awake?”

I swallowed hard and forced my voice to sound steady. “Yes, come in.”

The door opened and Calla stepped in, her usual warm smile on her lips. But it wasn’t just her—Fiona was right behind her. My heart lurched at the sight of her. Fiona’s belly was more pronounced now, her movements slower, her face glowing in that way pregnant women sometimes had. For a moment, guilt crashed over me—guilt for dragging her into this, guilt for using her visit as a way out.

“Look who I brought to you,” Calla announced lightly. “She said she couldn’t wait another moment to see you, so I thought, why not?”

I forced a smile. “Fiona!”

She opened her arms and I rushed to hug her, holding on just a bit tighter than I should have. She laughed softly, patting my back. “I missed you, Lisa. You have no idea how much.”

My throat tightened, and I pulled away before tears could betray me. “I missed you too. Sit, please.” I gestured to the edge of my bed.

Calla looked at us with a fond expression before adding, “I’ll give you both some time. But Lisa—” she fixed me with a playful glare, “don’t disappear for too long. The kitchen is preparing your favorite today. You wouldn’t want to miss that, would you?”

I forced a light chuckle. “Of course not.”

She seemed satisfied and headed out, the door clicking shut behind her. The moment she was gone, I exhaled shakily and glanced at Fiona.

Her eyes flickered knowingly, and she leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Did you pack?”

I nodded quickly, pulling the small bag from beneath my bed and setting it beside me. My fingers lingered on the handle as if it might disappear if I let go. “It’s all here. Just what you said. Nothing more.”

Fiona’s hand brushed mine briefly. “Good. That’s good. We’ll be fine, Lisa. I promise.”

I swallowed, my throat dry. “I’m scared, Fiona. What if someone notices? What if Calla suspects something? She’s so attentive… she’ll know something’s wrong.”

“She won’t,” Fiona said firmly, her tone gentler but unyielding. “You’re just going to walk out with me like everything is normal. Keep smiling, keep talking, keep acting like you always do. The more casual you are, the less suspicious it’ll look.”

I nodded slowly, breathing in her reassurance like air.

For a few moments, we sat together, chatting about everything and nothing—the way she’d been craving sweetbread lately, the little kicks she’d felt from the baby, how the weather seemed to refuse to settle between warm and cold. I clung to the normalcy, to the sound of her voice, to the way it made me feel like maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t as impossible as it seemed.

Finally, I picked up the bag, slinging it over my shoulder as casually as I could. “Shall we?”

Fiona smiled encouragingly. “Let’s.”

We walked out together, and as soon as we reached the hall, Calla reappeared, arms crossed, her expression amused.

“Leaving already?” she asked, tilting her head.

I froze, my smile faltering for a split second. Then I quickly recovered, laughing nervously. “Well, you know how Fiona is—she doesn’t like to sit still for long. I thought I’d walk her out.”

Calla chuckled, shaking her head. “You girls… Always scheming. Fine, but don’t stay out too long, Lisa. You’ll regret it when you miss your favorite dish.”

I forced another smile, clutching the strap of my bag tighter. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

Calla’s eyes softened, and she gave me a small wave. “Be careful.”

I turned away quickly, not trusting myself to hold her gaze. My heart hammered as Fiona and I walked side by side, the pack house looming behind us. With each step, the reality of what I was doing sank deeper into my bones. My chest felt heavy, my throat tight, but my legs carried me forward anyway.

We passed familiar faces—guards, servants, pack members going about their day. I smiled, greeted them like always, trying to ignore the pounding in my ears. Did they notice the bag? Did they wonder why I looked so tense? Every second felt like it stretched too long, like time was mocking me.

But no one stopped us. No one asked questions.

When the gates came into view, my breath hitched. My eyes lingered on them, wide and unblinking, as if seeing them for the very first time. Those gates had always meant safety and enclosure. Today, they meant freedom.

“Lisa,” Fiona murmured softly, “keep walking.”

I nodded quickly, my lips pressed together.

Calla’s voice echoed faintly behind me in memory, her words like a tug at my heart: *Don’t disappear for too long. The kitchen is preparing your favorite today.*

Favorite. My favorite. Home.

For just a second, I hesitated. Was I truly ready to say goodbye to all of this?

But then I remembered the cage it had become, the way my heart never felt free, the way my life felt dictated by someone else’s choices.

I straightened my shoulders, fixed my eyes forward, and took another step.

And then another.

And another.

My heart whispered goodbye with each one.