We got on the ride and buckled up. The moment my feet left the ground, I started to regret it. “Don’t be scared. If you’re nervous, just hold my hand. That way you won’t be scared anymore.” Adam smiled and placed his hand over mine. I really was scared, so I didn’t pull away. As the coaster slowly began to move, my heartbeat sped up. Every turn made me lose control of my expression, and my stomach churned so much I thought I might throw up. Then, all of a sudden, the high-speed ride came to a halt. At first, everyone thought it was just part of the experience. They looked excited, some even giddy with anticipation. But after five minutes of no movement, people started to panic. “Help! Did something break?” “No way… are we gonna be stuck up here?” “Stop talking. Be careful! If someone falls, we’re really screwed.” “I’m too young to die!” “Mommy…” The whole cart was in chaos, and fear crept onto everyone’s face. My heart was pounding wildly, and I was sure my face didn’t look much better. Adam looked over, concerned. “Raelyn, are you okay?” “I’m fine. Just feeling a little sick from all the shaking.” I forced a smile. Guilt washed over his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think this would happen. I didn’t know you got motion sickness. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have brought you.” “It’s fine. I agreed to come with you, didn’t I? Don’t worry. The staff will notice soon. Just hang in there and stay safe.” I felt awful, but still tried to comfort him. Technically, we could shift and jump down. But there were kids and humans on this ride too.If we shifted, our wolf forms would be too heavy—we might damage the structure and cause a bigger accident. Finally, the staff below noticed the malfunction. They brought in a crane and began lifting people down one by one. As more and more people were safely rescued, I started to feel a little better. “Raelyn, it’s almost over. Once we’re down, I’ll find a place for you to rest.” I nodded, just as a familiar voice reached my ears. “Daddy, are we in trouble?” I turned my head and saw Nora and her parents a few rows behind us. Mr. Ginger was calmly comforting her. “Of course not. This is just a new part of the show the staff prepared. Pretty cool, right?” “Yeah… but it’s kind of scary. What if something goes wrong while they lower us?” Nora might be young, but she was sharp. She’d already figured out something wasn’t right. “They won’t. The staff are all experienced. Everything will be okay.” I called out, “Nora!” She’d been staring down at the ground but looked up at my voice, eyes lighting up. “Raelyn? What are you doing here?” “I came to the amusement park too.” Mr. Ginger smiled. “What a coincidence.” “Yeah, what are the odds?” I smiled back. “That gingerbread you gave me last time was so yummy. Can you make more next time? Although… I’m leaving Varken Prison soon. Won’t be here much longer.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, if you like it that much, I’ll mail some to you.” The crane took another group down. Now only Adam, Nora’s family, and I were left on the ride. That’s when a loud screeching of twisted steel rang out from beneath us. Suddenly, the staff below started shouting frantically. “The coaster’s about to collapse from the weight! We can only lower four more people! Who’s it gonna be?!” My face changed instantly. What were the odds? Only four more could go? That meant one of us had to stay behind. “Why don’t you all go? I’m a man—I should take responsibility.” Mr. Ginger stood up, ready to sacrifice himself. “No way. You’re Nora’s father. If anything happens to you, what will she do?” I knew what it was like to lose a father. I rejected his offer without hesitation. “Then let me stay. No matter what, I can’t let you be the one.” Adam looked at me, reluctant to let go. “You’ll remember me, right? I saved you twice, you know.” I punched his arm. “Don’t talk like that. We’re not at the life-or-death stage yet. What if everything turns out fine?” “Alright, I won’t say another word.” Adam pouted. “But no matter what, I’m staying. My mind’s made up. Don’t try to stop me.” Which only made me more determined not to let him stay. I had already decided—I would be the one to stay. I was an Alpha. If the rest of them got down safely, I could switch to Freya. It was high, sure, but with Freya’s strength and jumping ability, even if we fell, it wouldn’t be fatal. I reassured everyone. “Let’s not panic. Maybe the crane can take all five of us.” The crane rose again. After the Ginger family got on, Adam reached out to help me up—but I kicked him square in the chest. He stumbled backward, stunned. I ignored his shocked face and shouted to the crew below, “All set!” At my signal, the crane began to descend. Adam scrambled to his feet, the ride shaking too much for him to stand. “Raelyn! What are you doing?! Raelyn!” “If something happened to you, how would I explain it to Robin?” I smiled and waved. “Take care of yourself. Looks like being your manager will have to wait.”