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