y
ek high-rise with a view of the Hudson River. Vertex Group's relocation team was ruthlessly efficient, h
, waiting for the fallout. Waiting for Alec's cal
ever
e not receive the letter? Did Ethan lose his nerve? Or, a cold
the ringing of my phone. I snatched it up, my
s my
ttering coldly outside the window. I took a deep breath, pas
ed to make my vo
ala. It looked so glamorous!" Her voice was thin, fragile as spun glass. Her heart conditi
.. an event," I sa
anding. You must be so proud of him, honey. He's doing such wonderful
tfelt, was like acid in my ears. I wanted to scream the truth. He's a
n clear. Any severe shock or emotio
s her lif
e words tasting like pois
n of the sofa. The knuckles were whi
her voice filled with a joyful, wheezing breath. "To see my daughter finall
going to crack. I bit down on my lower lip, hard. The sharp, copper
n the other line." The lie came out, ragged a
ear. Work har
you to
lipped from my numb fingers, cla
sk sha
wrapping my arms around my stomach as if to hold myself together.
nd soaking the collar of my shirt. It wasn't just for Alec. It was for my mother's stolen joy. For the seven years I had wasted. Fo
, suffocating me. I was utterly alone in a strange city,
ry for exactly
ef receded, leaving behind the
stared at my reflection. My eyes were red and swollen, my face bl
s, and splashed it on my face. Again and a
till there, but the eyes staring back at me we
ne. They would pay for every lie, every humil
loaded from Blackwood's servers was my arsenal. I opened my lapto
leave. I would
his kingdom t
c P
asked, my voice sh
anne was perched on the edge of my desk, her laughter like music, recounting a story about a disastrous shopping trip in
Ethan said, his expression grim.
, airy atmosphere like a lead w
ay? What does
e seemed... diffe
han. She saw me with Breanne at the gala and now she's throw
Oh, Alec, don't be so harsh. You should at least see wh
but I saw the flash o
her place," I said, my voice hard. I looked at the envelope in E
rner of my desk, where a pile of junk mail and
r there. I'll lo
lly think-"
ant. A wolfless Omega can't survive two days without her pack, let alone h
aced the envelope on the pile of trash and retreated
ne purred, leaning in to ki
my arms, the scent of her filling my senses, pushed al
leaving. The pile of discarded papers still sat on the corner of my desk-junk mail, yesterday's memos, and that thick envelope with its
lear away the trash. My gaze fell on that envelope one final time. The paper was heavy and expensive, the kind Kay used to obsess over. For a split second, a faint une
ne scent enveloping me. I could see the cleaning lady
black plastic bag as I guided Breanne toward the hallway. The rustle of the bag was the last sound I heard
rbage, and I'd just wa
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