Chapter 266

Chapter 266
Judy’s POV

“Ow, Judy!” Nan cried out. “You’re hurting me!”

I had dug my nails so deep into her skin that she started to bleed. My heart raced as I realized what I was doing.

I felt like my ears were going to explode. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to stay as still as possible while Nan worked to unwrap my fingers from around her arm.

“Seriously, girl. Let me go,” she insisted.

finally managed to get my fingers free from hers and grabbed the armrests instead. Nan was rubbing her sore arm, and I could hear her softly complaining, “Training to be a gamma but still scared of planes.”

She had a point. I understood her fear. Flying was tough for both of us, but we were determined to face it together.

I was terrified of flying. Wolves didn’t belong in the air; we were meant to be land animals. The thought of being up there made me uneasy. What if the plane broke down? We could crash and explode into a million pieces. This was a chance I really didn’t want to take, but here I was.

We were flying high in the air for several hours, heading to a tropical destination. Nan wasn’t as scared as I was. While I felt nervous, she looked out the window, excitedly pointing at the beautiful clouds we passed through. She kept saying how lovely they were, making me feel a bit better.

Nan pressed her face against the window, gazing out at the beautiful view. “You are missing out on the beauty of it all,” she said softly. I finally managed to open my eyes and take a look myself.

Our packs looked like a giant map, especially from up high. The higher we climbed, the more amazing the scenery became. It felt like we were on top of the world, surrounded by nature’s beauty.

The plane had finally leveled off, and my ears no longer felt like they were about to burst. I looked over at Nan, who had a big smile on her face as she gazed out the window. Her eyes sparkled with wonder as she took in the view. It was a beautiful sight.

It was great to see her smiling again. After the tough days we had, I never thought I would see that smile on her face again. It felt almost worth everything we went through.

“How much longer until we get there?” one of the group members asked, clearly anxious about the journey ahead. They didn’t want to wait any longer.

I stared out the window, afraid of what I might see.

“We just took off,” she laughed. “Calm yourself and relax.”

“How can I relax when we are so high up in the sky?” I asked.

“I don’t like this,” I said.

“Well, there’s no other way to get to this place. We have to cross several oceans,” she replied. “You were the one who wanted to do the competition,” she added with a hint of frustration.

The stewardess suddenly appeared and asked, “Do you ladies want anything to drink or a snack?”

I was a bit startled but quickly replied, “Water, please.” She nodded and handed me a small bottle of water. Then, she looked over at Nan.

“Coffee would be nice,” Nan said, smiling.

“Be great,” she said.

“We just drank coffee,” I reminded her.

She shrugged.

“It’s going to be a long flight, and I don’t want to fall asleep,” she explained.

The stewardess poured a cup of coffee.

Nan handed out some sweeteners and powdered creamers. After that, she went off to serve others.

I took a sip of the water, trying to calm my nerves and my racing heart.

“It’s going to be okay,” I whispered to myself.

“Judy,” Nan said to me, “just chill.”

I nodded, trying to relax.

—

**Chapter 0066**

“Have you talked to Chester?” I asked, hoping to distract myself from the fact that I was thousands of miles in the air.

Nan looked pale at my question.

“No,” she whispered. “I’ve been with you since yesterday. When would I have spoken to him?”

I shrugged.

“He has your number. I just didn’t know if he called you,” I replied.

“I told her,” I said, taking another sip of water.

“Wait, what??” She gasped, glaring at me. “Why does he have my number??”

I shrugged, trying not to meet her eyes.

I felt her eyes on me, like they were burning a hole right through my skin.

“I gave it to him…” I started to explain.

“Judy!” she nearly screamed. “Why would you do that?!”

“Because he was worried,” I replied. “When I saw him looking so anxious…”

“Did you really tell him where I was going?” she asked, her eyes wide in disbelief. “How could you do that?!”

“He’s my friend, Nan…”

“I’m your friend too,” she interrupted, clearly upset.

“I’m supposed to be your best friend,” she cried. “I thought you were on my side.”

“I am on your side,” I assured her. “I’m always here for you. That’s why I gave your friend…”

“Here’s my phone number. You can thank me when you’re married, and I’m your maid of honor.”

“And what makes you so sure we’re going to get married?” she asked, crossing her arms. “He’s a nice guy, but…”

“He’s been avoiding women for days now,” I said. “He hasn’t even touched Harper. At one point, I thought they might be perfect for each other.”

As soon as I said it, I regretted my choice of words. I could see Nan’s face change, her expression filled with concern.

I looked at her, and she was completely white. I sighed and gently touched her arm. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I know how it feels to have a mate… but Nan, Chester isn’t a bad guy. If you give him a chance…”

“I’ll end up like you.”

I was shocked and at a loss for words. Her statement hurt me deeply, more than I could ever show her.

“What?” I asked, my voice heavy with disbelief.

“Ethan cheated and left you.”

“He broke a part of you that you’ll never get back. You can feel it every time he’s close to her, and it hurts both you and your wolf,” Nan said, tears welling up in her eyes. “I hate seeing you like this.”

“Why would you want it to happen to me?”

This simple question hung in the air, filled with confusion and concern. It was a moment that made everyone pause and think. Why would anyone wish for something difficult or painful to happen to another person? The weight of those words lingered, reminding us of the importance of empathy and understanding in our lives.