Graduation Day
1419 Words
The day of the ceremony arrived wrapped in false brightness.
From the moment the sun crested the treeline, the pack buzzed with restless enthusiasm. Laughter echoed through the streets, banners were hung, and the air itself seemed charged with anticipation. Graduation day was more than a ceremony here. It marked transitions, alliances, futures being sealed. New warriors. New scholars. New mates-to-be. For the pack, it was a promise of continuity.
For Iva, it felt like an execution countdown.
By now, almost everyone had received their letter of acceptance somewhere. Some waved them proudly, others whispered in tight circles, tears of joy or disappointment staining their faces. The lucky ones already spoke of departures to academies, of honor and prestige.
Everyone except her.
The absence of that single letter had become a weapon.
The gossip was merciless. Whispers followed her like shadows, sharp and poisonous.
“She didn’t get in, did she?”
“Of course not. A runt with delusions.”
“After that stunt with Nick? She’s lucky she’s even allowed to graduate.”
“Claiming a fated mate who rejected her publicly… how embarrassing.”
The words clung to her skin, burrowed deep. Combined with her new status as the runt of the pack and the humiliation of telling Nick about the bond, only to be dismissed as desperate and unworthy, whatever fragile reputation she once had was obliterated.
Socially, she was untouchable.
A plague.
Everyone avoided her.
Everyone except Lori.
Iva stood in front of the mirror in her room, hands trembling slightly as she adjusted her clothes beneath the graduation robe. Her heart beat so loudly she was sure it echoed off the walls. The girl staring back at her looked older than she felt, eyes too knowing, shoulders carrying far too much weight.
She turned slowly, taking in the room.
The worn desk by the window. The faint scratch on the doorframe where she had marked her height as a child. The bed where she had hidden under blankets during storms.
Her vision blurred.
Not all the memories in this house were bad.
Aside from her father’s coldness, she had lived a good childhood. There had been warmth once. Laughter. Her mother’s scent filling the kitchen. Nights when the world felt safe.
This was the last time she would stand here.
In a few hours, she would be officially gone.
A fugitive.
A lone wolf.
Originally, the plan had been to escape tonight, during the graduation party, when music and alcohol would dull senses and blur patrols. But after what happened with Mark and Ella, she knew better. They would not let her disappear quietly. They would corner her eventually, isolate her, punish her, ruining her escape plans.
She could not risk the night.
Daylight was safer.
Chaos was safer.
The graduation ceremony would draw everyone’s attention to the stage, to speeches, to titles and applause. And while the nights tightened the border patrols, daylight lulled them into complacency. No one expected a wolf to run in plain sight.
She exhaled slowly.
Carefully, methodically, she hid what she could beneath her graduation robe. Stripped to her body beneath, she secured slim packets of dried food along her waist and thighs, binding them tight so they wouldn’t shift. A small blade, concealed flat against her back. A folded map pressed between fabric layers, along with a part of her savings in cash.
The remaining provisions went into a small backpack, plain and forgettable. It would pass as nothing more than a student’s bag.
Unconspicuous.
Necessary.
Avalon’s presence stirred within her, steady and alert.
“This is it,” the wolf murmured. “No turning back.”
“I know,” Iva whispered under her breath.
She slung the backpack over her shoulder and took one last look around the room. Her chest ached, but beneath the fear, something else stirred. Resolve. Sharp. Unyielding.
Whatever awaited her beyond the borders, it had to be better than what was planned for her.
She straightened, pulled the robe fully into place, and opened the door.
--
Rana was already waiting by the car when Iva stepped outside.
She turned, her smile ready, but it faltered the moment her eyes landed on her daughter. Iva was wrapped entirely in the black graduation robe, the fabric falling straight and heavy, hiding everything beneath it.
Rana frowned softly.
“Why didn’t you wear one of your beautiful dresses and leave the robe open?” she asked gently. “You’ve always loved them. You’re completely covered.”
Iva adjusted the robe at her wrists and shrugged, forcing an easy tone she didn’t feel as she elivered her rehearsed answer.
“There’s no need, Mom. I prefer to be comfortable.”
Rana nodded, but something tugged painfully in her chest. A quiet pang of sadness bloomed and refused to be ignored. Despite everything that had happened, Iva had always been cheerful, always excited to dress up, twirling in front of mirrors and asking for opinions. Rana had never imagined a day where her daughter would choose to hide herself on a milestone like this.
Still, she smiled and reached out, smoothing the robe as if it were enough.
“It’s okay,” she said softly. “If this makes you feel comfortable… then that’s what matters. Anyhow, you’ll wear your prom graduation dress tonight.”
Iva smiled tightly and nodded, saying nothing. The words scraped against her chest.
Tonight, she would be gone and the beautiful new dress will be left behind never to be worn.
“Your father will meet us there,” Rana added after a pause. “He was caught up with the Alpha.”
Iva’s fingers curled for a fraction of a second before she forced them to relax.
“Okay,” she replied quietly.
She was surprised that he was coming at all, but she knew that it was only for social compliance, not that he cared for her.
They got into the car, and the drive toward the ceremonial grounds passed in heavy silence. The pack’s territory was alive with movement when they arrived. Wolves gathered in clusters, laughter ringing through the air, pride and excitement thick like perfume.
As soon as Iva stepped out, her eyes searched instinctively.
She found Lori almost immediately.
But before going, she turned to her mother and hugged her quickly, as she wispered, “Thank you, mom. For everything. I love you!”
Before Rana got the chance to reply, Iva hurried toward Lori, the backpack bouncing lightly against her side. Lori barely had time to turn before Iva threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly, fiercely, as if trying to memorize the feeling.
“Hey,” Lori laughed softly as she hugged her back. “You okay?”
Iva buried her face against her shoulder for a heartbeat longer than necessary. She could feel eyes on her, less friendly, sharp with judgment and disdain. She ignored them all.
Right now, only Lori mattered.
She pulled back, eyes shining, and said in a low voice, “Thank you… for always having my back. I don’t think I ever said it enough. I’m so grateful to have you in my life.”
Lori smiled warmly, completely unaware of the weight behind the words.
“Always,” she replied. “You’re stuck with me, you know that.”
Iva smiled too, even though her chest ached. These weren’t just words.
They were a farewell, and same for her mother.
Time slipped through her fingers faster than she expected. The ceremony began, speeches echoing across the grounds, names being called, futures celebrated. Iva stood in line with the others, face calm, heart racing.
And then her name was called.
She stepped onto the stage, every movement measured, controlled. The applause was sparse. Aside from her mother, Lori, and Lori’s family, no one clapped. The silence was loud, deliberate.
Iva muted it all.
She focused only on the feel of the diploma placed into her hands. Solid. Real. Proof that she had made it this far. An important document for her future, to get a job or continue her studies.
As she stepped off the stage, a strange calm washed over her.
This was it.
She curled her fingers around the diploma and took a slow breath.
It was time to put the plan into action.
It was time to sneak out.
It was time to leave this pack behind forever, and Avalon, in sync spoke in her mind, “Are you ready?”
- Writer
