Chapter 590: The Ones Who Were Chosen

Orion watched as Sophia approached him.

Snow scattered beneath her boots, her breath visible in the cold air, her eyes bright with everything she was feeling.

And before he could say a word, she grabbed him by the front of his cloak and kissed him.

Relief poured into the kiss, excitement tangled with something sharper, something deeper—and Orion felt all of it in the way she leaned into him without restraint.

For a moment, he simply let it happen.

Then he smiled against her lips.

When she finally pulled away, he didn’t move far. His hand came up instinctively, steadying her at her waist as he looked down at her.

"...What was that for?" he asked, amusement threading through his voice.

Sophia didn’t hesitate.

"That," she said, still slightly breathless, "was for doing a good job."

Orion’s brow lifted.

"Oh?"

"Yes," she said firmly. "Because if you had let unfair judgment cloud your brain, I was fully prepared to kick you."

There was no hesitation in her tone.

Orion stared at her for exactly one second.

Then he laughed loudly, drawing a few glances from nearby pack members.

"I’ll keep that in mind," he said.

"You should," Sophia replied without missing a beat.

Beside them, Ronan snorted.

"I would have paid to see that," he muttered.

Brynhild tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful despite the faint smile on her lips.

"Sophia," she said, her voice calm and steady, cutting through the noise around them with ease. "How do you feel about the results?"

Sophia turned toward her immediately.

"I’m happy," she said.

"I don’t even know how they got a thousand points," she added, shaking her head slightly. "They passed, all of them."

Ronan chuckled. "Those with a thousand points didn’t hesitate to join the search for you and also follow you to help me and the others in the heart of Nirvana. They defeated beasts they’ve never fought—Trihydras, Skylurs, Mirelurkers, Tidebreaker Korraths, and some strange beasts we still have no name for. Sister-in-law, they deserve more than a thousand points."

Sophia’s voice softened just a little. "Thank you. I know there’s no need to thank you, but I..." She shook her head. "I was scared for a moment. I thought that some of them wouldn’t pass even after everything. Thank you guys for not letting the fact that they didn’t finish the test affect them."

Brynhild smiled faintly. "If there’s anyone to thank, it’s the examiners. Ethan especially."

Sophia turned, her gaze searching for Ethan, who was with Kevin and Garron.

"I’ll thank him too," Sophia said with a nod.

"But," Brynhild said, "just so you know, I wasn’t asking about your friends per se, but you."

Sophia blinked in shock.

"...What?"

"How do you feel about the results—your own, specifically?" Brynhild asked her.

There was a beat of silence as Sophia just stared in shock, her mouth ajar.

Then Orion chuckled.

"She didn’t check," he said.

Brynhild’s lips twitched.

Sophia looked between them, then shrugged lightly.

"I already know I passed," she said. "Orion told me."

"That’s not the point," Orion replied, amusement still lingering in his voice.

Sophia waved a hand dismissively.

"I wasn’t focused on my results. It’s not like I took the test to enter the ranks—I don’t care about it," she said simply.

"You might want to check the board when you’re calmer," Ronan added. "Just to see it for yourself."

Sophia tilted her head, then shrugged. "Alright, I’ll check when I feel like it."

Orion didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, he reached for her, pulling her gently closer until she fit easily against him. He rested his chin on the top of her head, his hold relaxed but steady.

Sophia didn’t protest. It all felt natural, and being around him was settling.

Around them, the energy of the training grounds continued to shift.

Families collided with their children—arms wrapping tightly, tears flowing freely, voices breaking under the weight of relief.

It was chaos.

But it was the kind of chaos that meant something had gone right.

There were only very few people gathered at the boards at this point.

—

Across the grounds, away from Orion and the others, Micah searched for his father among the members of the pack gathered.

Wayne stood slightly apart from the others he had been with earlier. His posture was straight, but there was tension in the way his shoulders were set, in the way his hands flexed at his sides.

Micah approached him, and his eyes locked onto Micah’s face, noticing the faint trace of tears and his red-rimmed eyes.

Wayne’s expression shifted.

He stepped forward before Micah could say anything.

"Before you tell me anything," Wayne said quickly, his voice steady but tight, "I want you to listen to me first."

Micah nodded.

Wayne swallowed.

"It doesn’t matter what the results are," he continued. "Do you hear me?"

Micah’s throat tightened.

"It doesn’t matter," Wayne repeated. "You don’t give up. Not because of this. Not because of anything."

His voice softened slightly.

"I will continue to support you, no matter what. I just need you to know that."

Silence stretched between them.

For a moment, Micah couldn’t speak.

Then he gave a watery smile.

"I passed," he whispered.

Wayne didn’t react.

Not immediately.

It was as if the words hadn’t reached him yet.

"...What?" he asked quietly.

Micah’s smile widened just a little.

"I passed," he repeated, a little louder this time.

Wayne’s breath hitched.

His body stilled completely, like something inside him had frozen—and then shattered all at once.

His knees almost gave out.

He caught himself just barely, one hand lifting instinctively before dropping again.

"...You... my... goddess!"

He stepped forward, tears pouring freely, and pulled Micah into a tight embrace.

"I’m proud of you," he said, the words rough, thick with emotion. "I’m so fucking proud of you."

Micah held onto him just as tightly.

Wayne sniffled softly, his grip tightening.

"Your mother would be proud too," he added.

Micah’s eyes burned.

He nodded against his father’s shoulder.

"I know," he said quietly.

They stayed like that for a moment longer.

Then Wayne pulled back slightly, though his hands remained on Micah’s shoulders as if he needed to make sure he was real.

"You passed, son!" he said with a laugh, even as the tears poured out freely.