This is the final chapter of Wolf's arc and I promise that we will see the end of Cinder's sentence eventually.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf: Part Ten

It was a long plane ride that went by quicker than they thought. All they did was chat, eat some pastries, and drink some coffee and tea. Those snacks were in the best quality possible. Everything was steaming and tasted as if it was baked in a five-star bakery. They could only hope that their trip to Artemisia was as beautiful as those chocolate chip muffins.

In Artemisia's International Airport, Cress and Wolf look around as they keep their pace with Cinder who walks ahead, already having texted Levana and Winter that they landed. Wolf and Cress did the same for their parents and their friends. Cinder puts her phone in her back pocket and keeps her eyes open, looking for her friends who are here to pick them up.

They haven't even left the airport and Wolf and Cress could already see the cultural differences. They're not sure if the other patrons are Lunars, tourists, or people in the middle of layovers, but they're definitely not in Commonwealth anymore. People were more made-up, professional. Women wore heels in the airport and people their age were taking selfies left and right, trying to get the planes on the runway in the background.

"Welcome to the homeland," Cinder says, opening her arms as she spins around to look at her friends. She's smiling as bright as ever being back home and Cress and Wolf already look lost in translation. They haven't been home in years let alone ever in Artemisia. "Remember, this is Artemisia. First impressions are deceiving."

"This wasn't my homeland…" Cress mutters, clutching the handle of her suitcase tightly.

Before Cinder could call Iko, she hears a familiar scream followed by a one-person stampede. Cinder looks up and almost mimics the scream at the sight of Iko's bright blue braids and a large sign with Homegirl Cinder and Her Crew written across in glitter. Instead, Cinder abandons her bag (that Wolf walks up to get) as she sprints straight ahead. She and Iko jump into each other's arms, basically colliding mid-air. They laugh, trying to catch up and greet each other but all the words come out as a jumble.

"Oh, my spades, Iko!" Cinder exclaims. "I missed you so much!"

Then, Cinder looks behind Iko and sees Kinney and Jacin. She heads over to them, tackling Kinney to the ground since Jacin couldn't care less about her coming back (all in a joking manner, of course). Instead, Jacin steps over them and walks over to Cress and Wolf.

"Hello, again," Jacin greets. "The girl who sounds like a proximity alarm is Iko and the boy Cinder just ran over is Liam, but we just call him Kinney."

Kinney squirms out from Cinder's hug and gets back on his feet. He brushes himself off before standing beside Jacin to greet Cinder's company.

"I'm Liam," Kinney greets, "but please call me Kinney. Everyone does."

"We all go by nicknames too," Wolf responds, shaking hands with him. That's the first time he noticed that about them. "I'm Wolf and this is Cress."

Cress smiles as Kinney shakes her hand.

"Cress is Ex-Cadet Carswell Thorne's girlfriend," Jacin whispers to Kinney, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Kinney's mouth drops and Cress's whole face becomes hot and red. Iko overhears and runs over, quickly introducing herself and getting their names before going back to the information she just heard.

"Seriously?" Kinney asks. He glances at Cress and notices her alarmed expression. "It has nothing to do with you as a person."

"It really doesn't," Iko says to calm her down. "It's just that Ex-Cadet Carswell Thorne was an icon in Andromeda Academy."

"He showed up to class in his pyjamas one day."

"And changed our fruit desserts to brownies."

"And threw a red sock in the wash that made all our uniforms pink," Jacin says with a small laugh.

"Sounds about right," Wolf says. A part of him doesn't believe that version of Thorne was the same one who tried to hug him before he left. But, at the same time, he completely believes it.

Cress proudly smiles to herself. "That's my Thorne."

"Oh!" Cinder exclaims, folding her hands together at her chest. "I forgot to do this. These are my Lunar friends. Wolf is from Enyo and Cress is from Anemone."

"Aces…" Kinney mutters in shock as Cress and Wolf nod. "Two very different parts of Luna now in the black sheep's pen. May the stars be with you."

"And they've never been back ever since they left." Cinder smiles. "Wolf's mother left Luna because of my mother dearest."

"So did half the country," Jacin points out.

Wolf laughs and Cinder can't get mad at them. It's true. And it's not like those jokes offend her. She's been making them for so long. Besides, she's read so much about her mother's regime and heard horror stories from Levana that she would've fled as well.

"Let's head out," Cinder says. "I have to check us in to our hotel and pick up our rental car."

As they follow Cinder, Iko walks by her homegirl's side, linking arms with her.

"Cinder…" Iko whispers as the boys and Cress follow close by, chatting amongst themselves. Jacin was even rolling Cress's suitcase for her. Iko turns around and glances at them for a second. "You brought me a man?"

Cinder bites down on her lips. She should've seen this coming. Of course, Iko would find Wolf attractive. She should've prepared her friend for this inevitable heartbreak.

"Stars, no," Cinder responds, "that's Scarlet's man."

Iko sighs. "All the good ones are taken. That explains why Kinney's still single. Anyways…" She turns around, keeping her arm linked with Cinder and walking backwards. "Cress, Wolf, what are your favourite parts of Artemisia?"

Cress shrugs. "I'm not really sure what to call my favourite. Sure, I already knew some things about Artemisia based on living in Anemone and hearing stories. Maybe being a lot to see. There's a lot of history and fashion to learn."

Iko nods excitedly. "I like her already. And you, Wolf? Your favourite part?"

Wolf didn't prepare a well-thought-out answer. "I can go home after."

Jacin and Kinney laugh as they do that boy bro-fist hug, friendly punching gimmick that transcended international borders. Wolf joins in and Cress scoots away, shuffling closer towards the girls to avoid getting accidentally hit. Cinder glances back to see what's happening back there and she pretends she never saw that but turning back around.

"Aces, Cinder, you brought him a friend…" Iko says with a bitter taste in her mouth. She focuses back on her homegirl. "So, what brings you and your Earthen-Lunar friends here?"

"Well…" Cinder mutters. "Cress is here on a vacation."

"Adventure," Cress corrects.

"Adventure," Cinder fixes, "and Wolf and I are having identity crises."

Iko raises a brow. "Care to share? Actually, do share because I'm your best friend and I must know these things."

Cinder exhales a small laugh. "Wolf is discovering what it means to be a Lunar since he spent his whole life in Commonwealth and I will educate him to the best of my ability. Also, Iko, Levana found my biological father and I'm going to find him."

And that concludes Wolf's arc! Based on how it progressed, you could probably guess whose arc is next.

I don't know about you but I thoroughly enjoyed writing this arc. As a Canadian who's a mixed child from parents of completely different ethnicities who also knows nothing about their cultures, I projected a lot here. I hope you had fun reading it.

As for when the next arc will be out: next week! Yes, I will continue to be doing weekly updates. Originally, I was going to post the next arc on the story's third anniversary but then the pandemic came so I had more time to write.