Rise of the Underdogs: (Book 1) COLTON

Chapter 15

By the time moving day hit, the dust had settled just enough for me to see the guys again. Well, not all of them — Kaden had never really left. But even he kept his usual hype dialed down whenever Daisy was nearby. Respect, probably. Or maybe he didn’t want to get drop-kicked mid-sentence for saying something weird in front of my Mate.

Daisy had been curious about Kaden’s Druid gifts, and yeah… he didn’t disappoint. During one of our hangout sessions, he grinned like a goblin and decided to cast a truth spell.

Of all the people he could’ve chosen, he picked me — his favorite disaster with no verbal filter. And of course, Daisy nearly collapsed from laughing so hard at some of my answers. I think one of them involved how many times I’d stolen socks from her laundry pile just to hold on to her scent.

So yeah. No secrets anymore.

As for Dreson, he was still unwell. No one would tell me the full story, just fragments stitched together with silence and caution. But I could feel it — the fragility in his energy. He was healing, though. And that was enough for me to hold on to. He had Leif now, and even if the pieces didn’t fit perfectly yet, they fit better than they used to.

Daisy stepped out of the house carrying a box of plates hugged tight to her chest. She gave me a look over the top of it, squinting against the sun.

“So,” she asked, “how long are we leaving for?”

I shifted my weight, watching the van being packed up like it was gearing for war. “Well, that depends on Neil. If he can bounce back from the mess he dragged the pack through, we won’t be gone too long.”

She giggled, adjusting the box. “Honestly though, I’m an almost eighteen-year-old high school graduate, and I’m moving in with my boyfriend’s parents. Have you thought about finishing your classes?”

“Dear, that boy was wasting time in school,” my mother chimed in as she appeared beside the van, brushing powdered sugar off her front like she’d been arm-wrestling with a tray of baked goods. “He and the rest finished early since we’re moving.”

Daisy blinked. “How?”

I snorted. Falling back into my rhythm — the old groove, minus the emotional implosion — felt weirdly easy. Philip had prescribed meds to help take the edge off, but truthfully? I hadn’t needed them. Having Daisy near was better than any pharmaceutical cocktail.

“Dreson and Kaden come from a line of straight-up geniuses,” I explained, swinging my bag into the van. “With one of them backing me while I was recovering, I managed to finish school while still in the hospital.”

I turned to my mom, digging into my hoodie pocket. “Oh, by the way — got the college letters back from the new town we’re heading to.”

Her brows lifted. “Oh? And?”

Dad poked his head out of the front door with that look — the smug one he’d perfected over years of low-grade trolling. “He got denied. Said he was too bad to be accepted anywhere.”

“Sandy,” Daisy groaned, aiming a tired look at my mom, “how the hell do you put up with them?”

Mom just shook her head and sighed like this was her personal sitcom. “Honestly. You’d think they’d take life seriously for once.”

Then her gaze locked on me. “Colt, be straight with me. Did you get in or not?”

I smirked and unfolded the acceptance letter like I was presenting ancient prophecy. “Building design course. I told Alpha Henry I wanted to help build proper homes for our pack. He pulled some strings, and I got into the school on Alpha Jack’s territory.”

And then came the sound I didn’t know I needed — two squeals, side by side. The most important women in my life, losing it in delight.

Mom’s side was filled with culinary artists — bakers and spice traders, women who judged you by your pastry layers. Dad’s side? Not so much. Most of them barely made it through school with their dignity intact, and college was never more than a pipe dream for the lot of them.

Dad and I were the first to break that streak.

When he called to share my college news, he expected celebration. What he got was resentment. My uncles, cousins, and aunts turned green faster than sour milk. They straight up accused him of lying, said I’d probably forged the acceptance.

He was furious.

Snapped at them over speakerphone, then handed it off to Mom — who proceeded to annihilate every last one of them with words so sharp they probably needed stitches.

When she hung up, Daisy looked over at me, confused as hell why I was laughing like it was the best thing I’d ever heard.

I told Daisy it was because I knew how they operated — the kind of toxic that couldn’t stand to see someone climb higher than them. The kind who’d turn their backs over one raise, one promotion, one ounce of success earned with sweat and grit. They couldn’t stomach it. Didn’t want anyone from their own bloodline standing taller than their comfort zones allowed.

A few days later, without warning or explanation, my dad’s entire side cut ties with us.

No phone calls. No arguments. Just silence.

Later, we found out some of my cousins were tight with Austin Pierce — the one guy Kaden couldn’t stand with a passion so deep it bordered on spiritual. Pierce had been kicked out of the pack after brutally injuring another teen. The damage was bad — permanent. The other kid lost his wolf entirely, shattered beyond repair.

None of us shed a tear over Pierce being gone. Not a single one.

Kaden had been one of his favorite targets, but thanks to Druid Queen Cece — and the legacy she protected — Kaden wasn’t vulnerable anymore. He was guarded, shielded. Untouchable status. And I was damn grateful for it.

I grinned as I loaded the last bag. “It’s a nice, easy course. I can even start my own business with it.”

Dad frowned and slammed the van’s doors shut with a grunt that echoed through the driveway. “And how the hell are we paying for that?”

“Well,” I said, stretching my arms overhead, “I built a portfolio back in high school. Asked Alpha Henry to pass it to Alpha Jack. Jack looked it over once and said if I was serious, he’d cover my schooling — but only if he could use my designs to help develop his territory.”

Daisy stepped up beside me, her hands wrapping around my arm, her voice bright with pride. “Yup! I was there. Jack said Colton’s talent was exactly what Southern Star needed. He signed a contract — school on his dime, and in exchange, Colton provides blueprints and safety surveys for the pack’s expansion.”

That’s when I heard it.

“Colton!”

I turned toward the voice, already knowing who it was — Neil. He looked off. Paler than usual, posture loose and uncertain.

“Hey,” I greeted, neutral.

“Hi,” he started, scratching the back of his neck like the words were stuck behind his molars. “Um… look, I know I haven’t been the best friend these last couple years, but I want you to try to keep in touch.”

I tilted my head, studying him. He wasn’t trying to make excuses. Just speaking soft, honest, and small.

“You’ll find someone who rocks your world, Neil,” I said. “The fam and I are leaving until me and Daisy finish college. When your dad gives the order, we’ll come back. It’s temporary. You just need to find your Mate. Everything will balance out.”

He bit his lip. “So… we’re good?”

I adjusted the strap of my duffel bag. “Were we ever not? I mean, yeah, we hit a rough patch — but that doesn’t erase eight years of friendship.”

In a move I didn’t expect, Neil stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. Quick, tight, and surprisingly genuine. It felt like a reset.

“Take care of my cousin, man,” he murmured. “I’m gonna miss you guys.”

After a tear-stained goodbye filled with laughter and promises and long looks that carried history, we piled into the van.

I took one last glance at the packhouse — the place that built me, broke me, and helped me survive. Then I reached for Daisy’s hand, laced our fingers together, and let the road claim us.