ore

mach. The shaky footage showed the inside of my old apartment. No, their apartment now, a

cowering in a corner, his tail tucked between his legs. Brittney's voice, high-pitched and taunting, floated from o

terror, trying to scramble away. Brittney giggled, a chilling, cruel sound that vibrated through

re frame. "What are you doing?!" I screamed at the phone, my vo

mes Elinore thought she was better than me," she hissed, her voice low and menacing. "For all the times she t

hing whine. The sound tore through me, ripping away whatever compo

y voice cracking. "I need a taxi! Now!" My hands shook so violently I could barely unlock the apartmen

ssage from Carter. "Elinore, you better not be planning anyth

ting information, but the terror for Apollo won out. "If you hurt him, Carter, I swear to

Just the terr

n, every red light an agonizing eternity. My p

tchen floor. A dark, spreading stain beneath him. His eyes, us

e: "Oops. Looks like he couldn't handle t

real. My Apollo. My brave, loving Apollo. The dog who had protected me from a coyot

te. The taxi driver glanced back, startled, but I didn't

aking uncontrollably. I burst out of the car, sprinting towards the entrance. My code. My fingers, numb wi

! Open this door, you monsters!" My voice was a desperate, primal sound

the same sleep shorts from Brittney's video. His eyes were cold, almost challenging. "Are you done with your l

My eyes darted past him, into the apartment. The kitchen doo

l to her head, a small smear of something dark on the white fabric. "Oh, Elinore," she whispered

you? The words echoed in my head, a grotesque lie. Apo

urprised. My gaze locked onto Brittney. I saw red. Pure, unadulterated

all. The sound was sickening, a dull thud. "You absolute

me! He bit me! I swear!" She clutched at Carter, tears streaming down her face

st a mutt." Brittney "accidentally" kicking his food bowl. Brittney complaining he smelled "

rack echoed in the room. "You lying, manipulative mons

bed my arms, twisting them, and shoved me hard against the opposite wall. My head sma

m mine, his eyes blazing with fury. He was cradling Brittney, stroking her hair a

her dog, Carter! Wild and dangerous! He tried to b

disgust. "You're a maniac! She's hurt! Y

ll, drifted back to the kitchen. And there he was. Apollo. A small, still form o

ing in my chest, the cold, empty ache where Apollo's love us

d away by the inferno of grief and rage. My voice rose, clear and chilling. "You're dead to me, Carter Mack. And I swear, I will make you pay for this. Both of